Woman Erects 60-Foot Screen to Block Neighbor

A former Vermont gubernatorial candidate says she had a 60-foot by 24-foot "screen" built so she wouldn't have to see her neighbor's home. Ruth Dwyer tells WPTZ-TV she's lived on her farm in rural Thetford for more than 40 years. Two years ago, a new home was built across the street. Dwyer says one of her horses was startled by a child on the neighbor's driveway, prompting her to plant cedar trees to block her view of the home. She installed the "screen" while they grow.

Zoning officials have since fined Dwyer $200 each day she doesn't have a permit for the structure, which has added up to more than $15,000 so far. Dwyer, denied a permit in February, says her screen doesn't violate any rules. She unsuccessfully ran for governor in 1998 and 2000. See video of the massive screen at WPTZ. (More strange stuff stories.)