ST. JOHNSBURY—A trial could start next month for a man accused of attempting to murder his late ex-wife with an ax.
Dereck Hamel, formerly of Lisbon, was in court last week as his defense attorneys seek to dismiss the case ahead of the trial which is set to start on May 3. Hamel faces numerous charges related to an incident at the home of Mary Ellen Corbett on Welton Road in Groton on July 1, 2020 when he allegedly used an ax to attack Mary Ellen.
According to the Caledonian-Record, Hamel has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, aggravated domestic assault with a weapon, unlawful restraint, burglary, and interference with emergency services.

BRADFORD—According to the National Center for Drug Abuse, drug overdoses in this country are up 30% nationwide. Vermont had 158 deaths attributed to drug overdoses in 2020. This past year, 210 Vermont residents died from drug overdoses, an increase of 33% from the prior year.
The number of young Vermonters dying of drug overdoses has risen as well. In 2010, just 8% of the overdose deaths were Vermonters under the age of 30, according to Vermont Department of Health data. By 2017, 27% of the state’s overdose deaths were people under 30. In 2021, the figure fell to 19%, or 39 of the 210 total overdose deaths.

WELLS RIVER—Wells River residents will gather next week for the village’s annual meeting.
The in-person meeting will be held on April 19 at 7 p.m. at the village garage on Creamery Street. The meeting was delayed a month so it could held in person.
It has been a period of transition over the last 12 months. A little over one year ago, the resignation of one trustee and the sudden death of another paralyzed village government leading up to the annual meeting when election law violations prompted a lawsuit and the resignation of the longtime village clerk.

HAVERHILL—Several property owners near the site where University of Massachusetts-Amherst student Maura Murray was last seen in 2004 want to stop people from trespassing on their property.
The property owners have filed a letter with officials in Bath, Haverhill, Grafton County, New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. The letter was also sent to Maura’s father, Fred Murray, and sister, Julie Murray, who serves as a spokesperson for the family.

FAIRLEE—Vermont Wood Pellet, a softwood pellet manufacturer based in North Clarendon, plans to open its second mill at the former Britton Lumber sawmill in Fairlee.
The company will lease the sawmill portion of the mill from Britton Lumber, which currently uses part of the Fairlee location for distribution but has carried out the rest of its operations in Bath since a 2015 fire damaged the Fairlee mill.