Arrests made in area thefts
Two local men have been arrested in connection with two break-ins in Topsham last month where multiple firearms and other items were stolen.
Rivendell Board cools down heating project
WEST FAIRLEE—The Rivendell Interstate School District Board appears reluctant to move forward on a building renovations project due to costs and fossil fuel use.
After a presentation at a meeting on Oct. 4, the board authorized multinational corporation Honeywell to conduct a deeper dive of the district’s capital project needs.
After lengthy closure, small South Ryegate Library reopens
SOUTH RYEGATE—The South Ryegate Library located on Church Street reopened on Oct. 25, after being closed for nearly three years since the start of the Covid pandemic.
At 400 square feet, the tiny Caledonia County library was not well-equipped to weather the storm of the pandemic. But the lengthy closure afforded the five-member library trustee board and librarian Liz Achilles an opportunity to undertake extensive renovations.
Ex-Oxbow teacher finds new career as herbalist
PEACHAM—A former Oxbow High School teacher has developed a thriving business as an herbalist out of her home. Her handmade products are made in a barn miles and miles up various dirt roads, then sold and shipped all over the world.
Task force finalizes town manager study
BRADFORD—Bradford is not ready for a town manager, according to a finding by a task force that has spent over a year studying the town’s governance.
In 2021, the Vermont Council on Rural Development facilitated a community visit under the moniker Moving Forward Together Bradford. At the conclusion of the initiative, community members identified three priorities for volunteers to work on in an effort to support local leadership and strengthen civic ties.
Newbury to appeal VPI decision
NEWBURY—The case involving the state’s proposed juvenile detention center in Newbury appears to be head to the Vermont Supreme Court. On Oct. 18, the Vermont Environmental Court overruled the town’s rejection of a zoning permit application to redevelop a former bed and breakfast into a secure treatment facility.
New Hampshire Election previews
Grafton County Commissioner Linda D. Lauer’s decision not to seek reelection this year has given two longtime public servants the chance to win the District 2 commission seat. Democrat Martha Strope McLeod, of Franconia, was first elected to the state legislature in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. Haverhill Republican Glenn Libby, a self-described “county man,” has worked in county government around New Hampshire his whole life.
Two candidates who emphasize environmental concerns but differ on abortion rights will square off in the midterm election for an open New Hampshire Senate seat.
Littleton businesswoman Carrie Gendreau, a Republican, is facing off against Rep. Edith Tucker, D-Randolph, who has served in the NH House since 2016. They’re vying for the District 1 Senate seat, which now stretches from Pittsburg to Piermont and Errol to Ellsworth.
Cyanobacteria blooms alarm residents this year
FAIRLEE—The recurring algae blooms in Lake Morey have attracted attention from residents and others on why the blooms are more frequent and more intense. Many said there is an urgency to improve conditions in the lake so that it is safe and welcoming in the future.
The Fairlee Selectboard along with several state officials held a special meeting on Oct. 26 at the Town Hall to discuss this season’s cyanobacteria bloom, the general quality of the lake water, and plans for future potential treatments to control the outbreaks. About 30 people attended in person and 38 more participated via Zoom.
Court overrules Newbury DRB’s detention center denial
NEWBURY—Efforts by Newbury residents to keep a proposed juvenile detention center out of town were dealt a blow last week.
Superior Court Judge Thomas G. Walsh of Vermont’s Environmental Court overturned the Newbury Development Review Board’s decision to deny a development permit for Vermont Permanency Initiative, a Becket Family of Services subsidiary, to establish the Covered Bridge secure residential treatment center for justice-involved boys at former bed and breakfast on rural Stevens Place.
EPA scales back trucking plans in Corinth
COOKEVILLE—The EPA has more than halved its estimate of anticipated truck traffic as part of the planned cleanup of an abandoned copper mine in Corinth.