Wan Yee Ng, a Chinese national who pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to smuggle 29 box turtles in an inflatable kayak across Lake Wallace from Vermont to Canada, was sentenced to time served at the federal courthouse in Burlington on Friday. Chief District Court Judge Christina Reiss handed down the sentence, which included orders of deportation back to Hong Kong.
ORFORD—One year after forming a tentative plan to close Samuel Morey Elementary School in the next three years, the school board appears to be slowing down those plans. In a wide-ranging discussion about facilities at the Dec. 3 board meeting, members said they want to “extend the timeline.”
FAIRLEE—The Fairlee Development Review Board unanimously approved proposals for several building projects after a Dec. 11 public hearing with local developer Jonah Richard, doing business as Village Ventures.
WOODSVILLE—The Haverhill Selectboard voted on Monday night to put two articles on the 2025 town meeting warning related to town fire department equipment.
NEWBURY—Eager to start a farm and spread their values, a local couple searched long and hard for inspiration. They finally found it by growing the most expensive spice in the world — saffron.
ORFORD—Rivendell voters could take up whether to make changes to the district’s voting procedures.
After a public hearing on Dec. 3, the Rivendell School Board narrowly approved moving proposed amendments to the interstate district’s articles of agreement to voters at the annual district meeting next year.
NORTH HAVERHILL—The central office will begin employing a social worker in the 2025-2026 school year to be shared among all SAU #23 schools. The new position was included in a budget for the next fiscal year and approved by school board members on the night of Dec. 4 following a public hearing at Haverhill Cooperative Middle School.
You might say Christmas cookies and other holiday treats are baked into the season. It’s a longstanding tradition. As we near Christmas, we caught up with four area bakers about their busy, festive seasons.
WEST FAIRLEE—Bean Hall, a community building in the center of town that has been unused for over 15 years, will kick off a major renovation project after receiving funding through the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Vermont Council on Rural Development, and the Vermont Community Foundation.
TOPSHAM—Three horses were killed after a truck slammed into the animals on Route 25 in Waits River on Friday night.