Vermont

Scott vetoes bills on drug advisory board, criminal records

May 20, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott vetoed a bill that would have created a drug use standards advisory board within the state sentencing commission, saying it “places no limits on which drugs can be contemplated for legalization or the amounts."

More than 300 refugees planned for Vermont city

May 20, 2022 GMT

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont refugee resettlement organization has proposed bringing more than 300 refugees to the city of Rutland in the next three years.

Amila Merdzanovic, the Vermont director of the U.S.

Ex-police officer pleads guilty to punching handcuffed woman

May 19, 2022 GMT

ST. ALBANS, Vt. (AP) — A former Vermont police officer recorded on video punching a handcuffed woman in custody has pleaded guilty to a charge of simple assault.

Rosmarie Trapp, whose family inspired ‘Sound of Music,’ dies

By LISA RATHKEMay 19, 2022 GMT

Rosmarie Trapp, whose Austrian family the von Trapps was made famous in the musical and beloved movie “The Sound of Music,” has died.

She died Friday at the age of 93 at a nursing home in Morrisville, Vermont, Trapp Family Lodge announced.

Bobcat who attacked man in home tests positive for rabies

May 18, 2022 GMT

WINDSOR, Vt. (AP) — A bobcat that entered a Vermont home and bit a man last week has tested positive for rabies, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department said Wednesday.

Windsor Police Chief Jennifer Frank told WCAX-TV that the bobcat had apparently been chasing a cat and ran through an open door and into the house Friday.

Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott to seek fourth term

May 17, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott announced Tuesday that he's running for reelection.

Scott said he is seeking a fourth, two-year term in November because there's much more work to do.

Vermont law creates panel, fund for opioid settlement

May 16, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Gov. Phil Scott on Monday signed legislation into law on Monday that creates an advisory committee to make recommendations on how to spend the state's share of settlement money with drug manufacturers and distribution companies over the toll of prescription opioids.

Bail hearing postponed for man charged in mom’s death at sea

May 15, 2022 GMT

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont man charged with killing his mother at sea to inherit the family’s estate will remain in custody, after his bail hearing was postponed for at least two months.

Police: Man dies after trying to put out wildfire alone

May 14, 2022 GMT

ROCHESTER, Vt. (AP) — A man was killed after apparently trying to battle a wildfire in Vermont, state police said Friday.

Firefighters in Rochester found the man's body about 200 yards east of a homestead while they extinguished a fire that burned about two acres of woods Thursday night, police said.

Bobcat enters home and attacks resident

May 14, 2022 GMT

WINDSOR, Vt. (AP) — A bobcat burst into a home in Vermont on Friday morning and attacked a man before he was able to trap the animal in the bathroom, police said.

Windsor Police Chief Jennifer Frank told WCAX-TV that the bobcat had apparently been chasing a cat and ran through an open door and into the house.

Planned Parenthood to close 5 centers in north New England

May 13, 2022 GMT

COLCHESTER, Vt. (AP) —

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England will close four health centers in Vermont and one in New Hampshire next month, while also expanding the days of operation at seven other centers in the region.

2 military college students plead not guilty in hazing case

May 13, 2022 GMT

NORTHFIELD, Vt. (AP) — Two Norwich University students have pleaded not guilty to charges related to a hazing investigation involving the women's rugby team at the private military college.

One 22-year-old student pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor count of simple assault and another student pleaded not guilty to reckless endangerment on Thursday, The Barre Montpelier Times Argus reported.

Vermont Legislature adjourns after passing $8 billion budget

May 13, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont Legislature has adjourned after passing a more than $8 billion budget in a session marked by remote legislating and hundreds of millions of dollars in federal pandemic relief funds.

Cops: Vermont man hit teen with truck, dumped him in ravine

May 12, 2022 GMT

GREENSBORO, Vt. (AP) — A 20-year-old Craftsbury man is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder and drunken driving after police say he hit a teenager with his pickup truck and then dumped him over a ravine and into a creek, Vermont State Police said Thursday.

Man charged with killing mother at sea to inherit estate

By WILSON RINGMay 10, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A man found floating on a raft off the coast of New England in 2016 after his boat sank was charged in an indictment unsealed Tuesday with killing his mother at sea to inherit the family's estate.

Vermont governor vetoes clean heat standard bill

May 8, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Gov. Phil Scott has vetoed a bill that would have created a clean heat standard for Vermont to help the state reduce emissions from heating buildings to meet the state's climate change commitments.

No one hurt in small plane crash at airport in Clarendon

May 8, 2022 GMT

CLARENDON, Vt. (AP) — No one was hurt when a small plane crashed at the Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport in Clarendon on Saturday, Vermont State Police said.

The pilot, who is from Philadelphia and was the only occupant, told police that he failed to lower the landing gear and the aircraft landed on its belly, authorities said.

Vermont motorcyclist dies in crash with tractor

May 7, 2022 GMT

SHELDON, Vt. (AP) — A Milton motorcyclist has died in a collision with a tractor in Sheldon, Vermont State Police said.

Rodney Hall, 71, of Milton, was driving a motorcycle on Route 105 Friday afternoon when a tractor towing a piece of farm equipment apparently pulled into the road in front of him, police said.

Vermont woman and her mother sentenced in 2017 murder

May 7, 2022 GMT

ST. ALBANS, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont woman and her mother have been sentenced in the 2017 murder of a man who was living with the family in their Highgate home.

Erika Guttilla and her mother Carmen Guttilla were both sentenced on Friday to 10 years to life in prison with credit for the time already served since their 2018 arrest in the shooting death of Troy Ford of Brooklyn, New York, WCAX-TV reported.

Vermont AG, state treasurer won’t seek re-election

May 5, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Two of Vermont’s statewide office holders will not be seeking reelection.

Democratic Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced Thursday he would not seek reelection to the post he first won in 2016.

Vermont F-35s to fly Europe air policing missions

By WILSON RINGMay 4, 2022 GMT

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The first overseas deployment of the Vermont Air National Guard’s F-35 fighter jets will have the pilots and their aircraft patrolling the skies of Europe during one of the most tense periods in recent history.

Vermont GOP Gov. Scott vetoes pension reform legislation

May 2, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Gov. Phil Scott vetoed a bill Monday that had given unanimous preliminary approval last week by both the House and Senate to reform the state’s pension system.

In a sharply worded veto message on Monday, Vermont's Republican governor said he felt the legislation did not include enough structural change ”to solve the enormous unfunded liability problems the state faces.”

CDC: Half of Vermont’s 14 counties have high COVID-19 levels

May 1, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Half of Vermont’s 14 counties have been rated as having high community levels of COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rankings are based on a handful of factors including new hospital admissions for COVID-19, recent case counts, and the community’s overall hospital capacity.

Vermont Senate approves bill to create “clean heat standard”

April 30, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A bill that would set Vermont on a path to a “clean heat standard” was approved by the Vermont Senate on Friday.

The proposal aims to regulate businesses that import fossil fuel heat.

Former ski resort owner gets 5 years in Vermont fraud case

By LISA RATHKEApril 29, 2022 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The former owner of two Vermont ski resorts was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for his role in a failed plan to build a biotechnology plant using tens of millions of dollars in foreign investors’ money.

Casella: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

April 28, 2022 GMT

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) _ Casella Waste Systems Inc. (CWST) on Thursday reported first-quarter net income of $4.2 million.

On a per-share basis, the Rutland, Vermont-based company said it had net income of 8 cents.

Vermont foundation to help provide free 2-year degree

By WILSON RINGApril 27, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont foundation is working with the state community college system to provide a free, two-year college degree over the next five years.

The J. Warren & Lois McClure Foundation announced the “Free Degree Promise through the Early College Program at CCV" on Tuesday for Vermont students in the high school classes of 2022-2026.

Police say Pride Center vandalism a possible hate crime

April 27, 2022 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Burlington Police say they are investigating a broken window at the office of an organization dedicated to the health and safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Vermonters as a possible hate crime.

Construction could begin this summer on long-planned roadway

April 26, 2022 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Vermont’s largest city says construction could begin this summer on a road project that has been in the planning stages for decades.

The Burlington City Council on Monday unanimously approved a construction contract for the $45 million Champlain Parkway.

Police investigating several shootings in Vermont

April 24, 2022 GMT

Police are investigating several unrelated shootings in Vermont, including one that they say involved a drug-related dispute between two groups and another that resulted in a man who was shot in the face.

VT governor signs bill for toxic exposure medical monitoring

By LISA RATHKEApril 21, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law Thursday that will allow people exposed to toxic substances to sue the culpable facility for medical testing or procedures to monitor for diseases from the exposure.

Vermont governor signs tax exemption bill for tribal lands

By LISA RATHKEApril 21, 2022 GMT

Property owned by Vermont-recognized Native American tribes will be exempt from property taxes under a new law that takes effect in July.

The legislation, signed by Gov.

Vermont governor signs bill creating City of Essex Junction

April 21, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Gov. Phil Scott has signed into a law a charter for what will become the City of Essex Junction, Vermont's 10th legally chartered city.

For decades Essex Junction has been a village within the town of Essex.

Union Bankshares: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

April 20, 2022 GMT

MORRISVILLE, Vt. (AP) _ Union Bankshares Inc. (UNB) on Wednesday reported net income of $2.5 million in its first quarter.

The bank, based in Morrisville, Vermont, said it had earnings of 55 cents per share.

2nd suspect charged in kidnapping of man later found dead

By WILSON RINGApril 20, 2022 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A Las Vegas man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a federal charge that he conspired in the 2018 kidnapping of a man later found shot to death in a snowbank in the Vermont town of Barnet.

2nd man sentenced in Vermont visa fraud case

April 20, 2022 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The second of four men accused in a failed plan to build a biotechnology plant in Vermont using tens of millions of dollars in foreign investors’ money raised through a special visa program was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to 18 months in prison.

2 Massachusetts men drown kayaking on northern Vermont lake

April 20, 2022 GMT

MORGAN, Vt. (AP) — Two Massachusetts men have drowned in a northern Vermont lake while kayaking, Vermont State Police said.

The bodies of Aidan Connolly, 27, of Roslindale, Massachusetts, and Nicholas Samuels, 29, of Weston, Massachusetts, were recovered from Lake Seymore in Morgan Tuesday evening, police said.

Judge approves $34M settlement over PFOA contamination

By LISA RATHKEApril 19, 2022 GMT

A federal judge has given final approval to a $34 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit against a plastics company over toxic chemical contamination of soil and groundwater in a southern Vermont community.

President named for newly formed Vermont State University

April 18, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A president has been named for the newly established Vermont State University, which consolidates three state institutions, the Vermont State College System board announced Monday.

Judge tells gun range owner: Obey court orders or face jail

By WILSON RINGApril 18, 2022 GMT

The owner of an unpermitted firing range is facing jail time if he won't allow officials from the town of Pawlet to visit the property within 30 days, a Vermont judge said Monday.

Vigil in Vermont honors life of slain transgender woman

April 17, 2022 GMT

MORRISTOWN, Vt. (AP) — Hundreds of people gathered Saturday in Vermont to honor the life of a transgender woman recently stabbed to death.

The vigil in a park in Morristown was intended to highlight the woman’s life and the dangers and discrimination that transgender people face.

Legal scholar to become new president of Vermont Law School

April 16, 2022 GMT

SOUTH ROYALTON, Vt. (AP) — A legal scholar and author is set to become the next president of the Vermont Law School, the school's trustees announced.

Ex-ski resort exec gets 18 months in failed visa plan case

By LISA RATHKEApril 15, 2022 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The first of four men accused in a failed plan to build a biotechnology plant in Vermont using tens of millions of dollars in foreign investors’ money raised through a special visa program was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in prison.

Man facing 2nd degree murder charge in stabbing death

April 13, 2022 GMT

MORRISTOWN, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont man is facing a second degree murder charge in a stabbing death in Morristown, police said.

Seth Brunell, 43, who police describe as a transient, was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday in Hyde Park to answer the charge.

Lots of broadband money, but US expansion finds speed bumps

By WILSON RING and MARK GILLISPIEApril 13, 2022 GMT

VICTORY, Vt. (AP) — In the remote Vermont community of Victory, Town Clerk Tracey Martel says she's regularly frustrated watching a spinning circle on her computer while she tries to complete even the most basic municipal chores online.

Police investigate suspicious death in Morristown

April 12, 2022 GMT

MORRISTOWN, Vt. (AP) — Vermont State Police are investigating the suspicious death of a man whose body was found on the side of the road in Morristown on Tuesday.

A person of interest has been detained pending further investigation, police said.

Venezuelan woman arraigned in murder for hire, abuse case

April 12, 2022 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A Venezuelan woman has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of conspiring with a Vermont man to kidnap and kill a man in a foreign country, and producing child pornography.

Moraima Escarlet Vasquez Flores, also known as Johana Martinez, 39, was arraigned in federal court in Burlington on Monday following her extradition to the United States from Colombia.

Vermont regulators deny 10% rate hike for 2 hospitals

April 11, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont regulators have rejected a 10% mid-year rate increase for two hospitals, including the state’s largest, that administrators sought to cover what they called historic inflationary pressures.

2 bald eagles in Vermont found infected with avian influenza

April 10, 2022 GMT

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Two bald eagles in the state were found to be infected with avian influenza, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife says.

One of the birds was found dead in South Hero and the other was discovered ill in Shelburne.

Vermont National Guard members to head to Europe

April 9, 2022 GMT

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Members of the Vermont National Guard will be deployed temporarily to Europe early next month to enhance NATO's defense and support its air policing, guard officials said.