Newport

NEWPORT — Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative announced that the City of Newport is one of two recipients of the VOREC Community grants to help grow local economies by promoting outdoor recreation.

Newport will receive $35,000 for a critical trail connection project between Prouty Beach and Bluffside Farm as part of the city’s Waterfront Recreation Trail and Lake Access project.

The program awards grants of $10,000 to $100,000 to help Vermont communities fully leverage their local outdoor recreation assets to become “outdoor recreation friendly.”

Newport will serve as a prototype for other recreation-oriented cities and towns seeking to expand their economies.

“This program helps make major recreation projects attainable for communities with support from a diverse group of local experts,” said Governor Phil Scott.

NEWPORT — A woman was injured in a crash involving a tractor-trailer that took place in Newport on Thursday.

At around 6:40 a.m. police responded to a report of a tractor-trailer that had collided with a sedan at the intersection of Access Road and Western Avenue.

The driver of the sedan, a 24-year-old Colebrook, New Hampshire woman, was injured and taken by ambulance to North Country Hospital.

According to police, her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 58-year-old Quebec man, was uninjured.

Police say the initial investigation indicates that the woman failed to stop at the traffic light at the intersection and was struck as a result.

As of Friday afternoon, no charges or citations have been issued and the crash remains under active investigation.

The passenger’s side of the sedan sustained heavy damage and both vehicles came to rest about 50 yards from the intersection.

The intersection was temporarily closed while first responders tended to the injured woman.

NEWPORT — Paul Monette was re-elected as Newport City Mayor on Tuesday.

Mayor Monette hung on to claim victory by just two votes, edging out challengers John Wilson, and Dan Ross.

Monette received a total of 193 votes, and Wilson, a former city council president, received 191.

Monette, who has served as Mayor since 2009, said he believes that it may have been the closest election in the city’s history.

Oddly enough, Ross, who finished third in the race for mayor, was re-elected to his position as alderman.

Wilson, who also ran for alderman, was defeated by Melissa Pettersson.

Pettersson received 296 votes, and Ross finished with 262, enough for a seat on the city council.

James Merriam finished with 254 votes, and Wilson finished last with 245.

NEWPORT — Last weekend, Newport came alive with the Winter Swim Festival, Wright’s Ice Fishing Derby, and the Ryan Coulter Pond Hockey Tournament.

Businesses reported seeing what some called a record week. Most restaurants had waiting lines and area hotels were packed.

Darrick Granai from Newport City Inn and Suites plus Derby 4 Seasons Hotel cites the many events in the area as to why it was so busy.

“There were hockey players in town for a tournament, the international swimmers, a fishing tournament, skiers, snowmobilers and fat bikers,” Granai said. “If we had more events, more often, we’d have this kind of business every week,” Granai reported.

Also in the area were families participating in and watching the Rotary Basketball Tournament with teams from far and wide across northern and central Vermont, which contributed to the crowds.

Steve Wright and crew at Jay Peak were working hard as Jay hosted almost 10,000 visitors Saturday between skiing, the water park, the ice hockey tournament, and Jay’s climbing center.

With 10,000 visitors just twenty minutes from Newport, many businesses reported that a number of the Jay visitors came in and explored Newport and establishments on the Derby Road in the evening.

Frank Richardi from restaurants Lago Trattoria and The Warehouse Pub said he was very happy with the business over the weekend.

“We did have a waiting line at times, but we were fortunate to get people in, seated, and made them very happy,” Richardi said. “The pub at the Warehouse was full and our billiards tables were filled all night long. It was a great atmosphere.”

Getting a table on Friday night was tricky at some restaurants, and the crowds were larger Saturday.

Jaspers Tavern had a full house of revelers, attached to the international swim, from mid-afternoon to closing. The fun party atmosphere in a traditional-style pub was enjoyed by the international crowd.

The Eastside Restaurant and its Quarter Deck Pub were in full swing from lunch til closing with food, drinks, and entertainment.

At the Winter Swim Festival, weather on Saturday was sunny with light winds and air temperatures in the upper 20s and into the mid-30s.

Sunday was generally cloudy with a bit more wind and slightly lower temperatures which rose as the day progressed and, after the festival had concluded, turned to rain.

As Granai summed it up, “the bottom line is events bring in the dollars to local businesses.”

NEWPORT — Central Maine & Quebec Railway, owner and operator of a railroad maintenance facility in Newport, was fined $12,000 for improperly managing hazardous materials and releasing hazardous materials to the environment.

During a May 2018 compliance inspection, DEC personnel found absorbent materials contaminated with petroleum in open, unmarked containers, at its Glen Road facility and railyard.

DEC officials also discovered petroleum in the soil, indicating that petroleum from railway maintenance activities had been released onto the ground.

The company was also keeping unidentified hazardous waste in a service building at the facility.

Hazardous waste contains dangerous chemicals. These chemicals can harm public health and the environment.

“Hazardous releases can be prevented by following storage and management practices outlined in Vermont’s hazardous waste management rules,” says Emily Boedecker, DEC Commissioner. “To avoid dangerous spills, companies need to identify hazardous materials and keep them in sealed containers in dry storage spaces. This is the law, and these common-sense practices will keep workers safe and prevent hazardous materials from reaching our soil and water.”

Following the inspection, DEC directed the company to clean up contaminated soils and implement proper storage and labeling practices for all hazardous materials on the property.

Central Maine & Quebec Railway US Inc. completed a remediation effort in July 2018 that removed over 10 tons of oil-contaminated soil and hazardous materials from the property.

The company also agreed to pay a $12,000 fine for the violations.

The Environmental Division of the Vermont Superior Court approved the agreement between DEC and the company in an order dated February 15, 2019.

NEWPORT — The Bronze Ambassadors of the United Christian Academy in Newport are headed south for a series of performances.

Now in its twenty-second year of community service and music performance throughout the country, the ensemble will travel to central Florida from February 26 through March 5.

During the week-long tour, the Ambassadors will visit a prison for teens in Gainesville, an orphanage in Lakeland, a children’s museum in Tampa, and a children’s hospital in Orlando.

They will also visit a church in Melbourne, where they will participate in a Catholic mass.

Over the years they have rung at national venues in New York and Washington D.C. and frequently perform locally at hospitals and churches.

NEWPORT — Vermont’s North Country Chamber of Commerce will host a Newport City Candidates’ Forum on Thursday, February 21 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Goodrich Library

The forum is open to the public to attend, and will be broadcast live on local radio station WIKE 103.1 FM / 1490 AM and recorded for future broadcast on community accesses cable.

The forum will be moderated by chamber president Bruce James.

Five people are running for various top-level city offices including Mayor and City Council.

In the race for City Mayor are Paul Monette, Dan Ross, and John Wilson.

Running for City Council are James Merriam, Melissa Pettersson, Dan Ross, and John Wilson.

The top two vote-getters for the City Council will be elected.

Ross and Wilson are running for both mayor and city council and have said if they are elected mayor, they will turn back the council position, which would then be filled by appointment or special election.

Many people think Newport City is as at a crossroads, with its future in the balance.

Questions over ownership and future of the boardwalk along the lake, water quality issues for Lake Memphremagog, what steps the city could take, if any, to improve the downtown economic climate, growing the city’s grand list, and the ever-present tax issues are some of the questions expected to be presented.

The forum will be held on the second floor of the Goodrich Library and is open to the public to attend.

NEWPORT — A bottle of pure vanilla extract next to a few blocks of ice sits waiting on Lake Memphremagog. Get it? Vanilla Ice.

It’s a question as old as the lake herself. Every spring we muse over the age-old question, “when do you think the ice will go out?”

Lake Memphremagog is deep, with ice as thick as 30 inches some winters, but Vermonters never tire watching for any indicative sign of the changing season.​

To celebrate this time-honored tradition, and to make things a little more interesting while we wait, Newport Parks & Recreation runs the annual contest for residents and visitors on Lake Memphremagog.

Each year a weighted mascot is placed in the bay at ​Gardner Memorial Park​ attached to a time clock.

The mascot for this year’s “ICE OUT” content is the work of Newport Parks foreman Mac McKenny.

The facade can be seen from the Causeway bridge and stands steadfast through snowstorms, wind and rain until the ice beneath finally gives way to the early warmth of spring.

When the mascot drops, the Ice Out clock stops recording the official moment that the ice is out in Newport. People keep pretty close tabs on the facade as they pass the Causeway.

“It gives the community something to look for on the lake and they get a kick out of it,” Jessica Booth, Director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Newport, said.

Booth and McKenny say they’re always inundated with calls and emails as soon as the mascot goes under.

“Checking the clock throughout the day is part of the fun while we’re working around Gardner park,” said McKenny, who is in charge of making the official call for ice-out time. “But if the ice goes out on the weekend or in the evening when we’re not around, there’s plenty of people ready to report in.”

When the ice finally does go out on Lake Memphremagog, the news is always welcome to one lucky contestant who entered the closest prediction in the annual contest.

The nearest prediction, without going past, to the actual date and time wins 50 percent of the contest pool. The pool usually totals about $500, depending on ticket sales.

The other half of Ice Out proceeds will benefit the Gardner Memorial Park ​Playground & Splashp​ad Project this year.

Memphremagog Ice Out tickets can be purchased at Little G’s Deli, Hoagies, Jimmy Kwik, Westside Market, East Main General or the Parks & Recreation office.

Predictions can be submitted online too at NewportRecreation.org/ICEOUT.

Deadline to submit your guess is Monday, April 1, 2019, or when the ice goes out, whichever comes first.

For more information, call Newport Parks & Recreation at 802-334-6345.

NEWPORT — Police in Newport arrested a man after a shooting last night.

Larry Brown, 49, of Newport was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.

On Thursday, police initiated an investigation after a man arrived at the station and reported that Brown had shot at him following an argument.

The man alleged Brown fired two shots in his direction, but neither round struck him.

Police say they conducted a more thorough on-scene investigation at Brown’s residence, where the altercation allegedly occurred.

Through their investigation, police allege that Brown and the victim had been spending time together when an argument ensued and that Brown fired a weapon at the victim as he was leaving.

A spent shell casing was located on the ground at the scene and seized as evidence.

There were no injuries as a result of the incident.

Brown was released on his own recognizance, on the condition that he not consume alcohol or be in the possession of any firearms or deadly weapons.

He was also ordered to stay away from the victim and that he appears for his arraignment, which was scheduled for today at 12:30 p.m.

NEWPORT — Police say that a Newport man who has been on the run since June of 2018 was arrested today.

Lucas Putvain, 31, was arrested at around 1:00 p.m. at a location on Western Avenue in Newport City.

Putvain has an extensive criminal history and allegedly robbed a man at gunpoint back in November of 2018.

The victim told police Putvain and another person ordered him to get into their car and held him at gunpoint.

Police say he demanded money before pushing the victim out of the car. Putvain had three active warrants at the time.

In December of 2018, he was seen traveling on West Street in Derby, before police say he fled at a high rate of speed.

Police did not initiate a pursuit at that time because Putvain was traveling with children in the vehicle.

Police say during today’s arrest, 29-year-old Cassaundra Walker, of Newport, was also arrested on several outstanding warrants.

Both were taken into custody without incident and are scheduled to be seen in Orleans Superior Court this afternoon.