BURLINGTON—The federal court trial for a Vermont man, who is charged with abducting a woman, crossing state lines, and sexually assaulting her in front of her son in Windsor County four years ago, is likely to last less than two weeks when it begins next month.
Everett A. Simpson, 45, has pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court to two kidnapping charges involving a mother and child and two interstate transportation of stolen car counts all stemming from a January 2019 crime spree, records show.

Newbury sends its message; Topsham rejects budget cut; BMU budget gets approved; more Vermont Town Meeting coverage inside the JO!

ORFORD—Voters will gather in person for their town meeting at the Rivendell Academy gym on March 14 at 7 p.m.
A notable item on this year’s warrant is Article 19, which asks voters whether they want the selectboard to study the feasibility of the town buying the Orford Congregational Church building at a mutually agreed amount by both parties.

BATH—Police coverage and next steps for a town garage replacement will be among the items Bath takes up at town meeting on March 14.

ORFORD—Voters will take up a proposed 10.7% budget increase at the Rivendell Interstate School District Annual Meeting on March 21.

Dead on arrival. That’s how Orange County’s new sheriff, George Contois, described the department he inherited from former sheriff Bill Bohnyak on Feb. 1.
“When I first tried for the position, everything looked good,” Contois said in an interview on Feb. 27. “Then all of a sudden, when I got an opportunity to take a look at the books, I realized that there was a pig in a poke.”

WELLS RIVER—Polls in Groton, Ryegate, and the Newbury village of Wells River will be open on March 7 for voting on the Blue Mountain Union budget for 2023-2024.