NEWPORT — Following the transition of Katherine Sims to the legislature and a rigorous three-month search process, the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative (NEKC) has named Jennifer Carlo as its Executive Director. Carlo, former Executive Director for NEK staple Circus Smirkus, had been on the hunt for her next calling and was drawn to the hands-on community-building…
ISLAND POND — Increased investments in community health will be coming to Island Pond and St. Johnsbury with the addition of RiseVT, the prevention program of OneCare Vermont, and its Amplify Grant program. Led by Jen Grant, RiseVT Program Manager at Northern Counties Health Care, Amplify Grants are intended to provide financial support to local…
NEWPORT — Joshua House, a local non-profit founded in Irasburg, is currently organizing a scavenger hunt fundraiser set to kick off in May. The May 1 through May 15 hunt which is called “Picture It! – For Joshua House!” is asking participating teams to get real-time pictures of the front of every business in Orleans,…
BROWNINGTON — The next time you visit the Old Stone House Museum in person or online, you may notice something has changed. The museum recently launched a new brand, website, and logo to match the new direction on which it has embarked. Molly Veysey, the Executive Director of the Old Stone House Museum & Historic…
GLOVER — NASA says a bright meteor seen streaking over northern Vermont on Sunday ended after burning up above Beach Hill, in Glover. The meteor flashed across the sky at around 5:38 p.m. and made a loud banging noise when it entered the atmosphere. NASA calculated that the meteor first appeared over Vermont at a…
NEWPORT — Local conservation group DUMP, Don’t Undermine Memphremagog’s Purity, recently announced a petition drive to have Lake Memphremagog designated as a lake in crisis. The lake in crisis legislation was passed in 2018 in response to concerns about the water quality in Lake Carmi. This designation brought attention and funding to address conditions that…
NEWPORT – Vermont Department of Corrections is reporting a Covid-19 outbreak at Northern State Correctional Facility (NSCF) in Newport. The DOC says one staff member and 21 incarcerated individuals tested positive for the virus. The 22 total cases were detected in testing conducted on Tuesday. The facility was placed in full lockdown upon receipt of…
BARTON — The Vermont State Police and the Hardwick Police Department are investigating a missing persons case involving three local juveniles who are believed to have run away together overnight. Isiah LeBlanc, 16, ran away from his home in Hardwick. He is 5’8”, 160 lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes, and wearing jeans and…
LYNDON — Seven miles of trails in the heart of the popular Kingdom Trails network has been secured following a major community effort. The Kingdom Trail Association recently announced that they acquired 271 acres on Darling Hill Road, and conserved the land to ensure it remains undeveloped and open to the public in the future.…
NEWPORT — Catamount Arts recently announced its latest community-generated endeavor, a cookbook crafted of recipes and artwork submitted by home cooks and local chefs of all ages. The Kingdom COVID Cookbook invites community members to submit recipes they’ve perfected during quarantine, whether brand new or longtime family classics, along with a very brief explanation, story,…
NEWPORT –A small nonprofit based out of Newport that works with local farmers reached record sales the week of December 9, with over $17,500 in sales. Green Mountain Farm Direct (GMFD) is a regional food hub that connects over 30 local farms and producers to schools, institutions, restaurants, and grocery stores throughout the NEK. The…
NEWPORT — Anyone who lives in the Northeast Kingdom is invited to NEK Day at the Statehouse on Friday, January 29 starting at noon. This event is a chance to connect virtually with legislators and other NEKers to celebrate the region, share priorities, and learn what’s been happening at the state level. The event will…
NEWPORT — The Sacred Heart Alumni Association is again offering college scholarships to qualifying seniors at Lake Region Union High School, North Country Union High School, United Christian Academy, or a home-schooler who will be graduating in 2021. To qualify, the applicant, or his or her parent or grandparent must have graduated from or attended…
NEWPORT — Preservation Trust of Vermont has awarded Memphremagog Community Maritime (MCM) and the Northern Star a $50,000 community revitalization grant that will help preserve and support the activities of the local cruise ship. MCM is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote and provide educational, research, and tourism opportunities that bring people together…
NEWPORT — The Northeast Kingdom Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation made $115,800 in grants to 27 organizations in Orleans, Essex, and Caledonia counties in fall 2020. This year’s awards represent a combination of grants to organizations supporting education, food access, the arts, and outdoor engagement. “In this challenging year, the Foundation and our donors…
NEWPORT — The Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging recently announced that Linda Caamaño will join as Options Counselor. The Options Counselor is responsible for both office and field-based work, management of calls sent from the information and referral helpline staff, and the delivery of person-centered options counseling to clients in Orleans, Essex, and Caledonia counties.…
NEWPORT — The public is invited to join a virtual meeting next week to discuss fish health in Lake Memphremagog. The meeting will be hosted by the Agency of Natural Resources on Wednesday, December 9, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Rick Levey, an environmental scientist with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, and Pete Emerson,…
DERBY — Despite being limited to only three events this year, Kingdom Games still managed to help raise $8,678 for two local charities. The two local charities included Umbrella, which serves and advocates for survivors of domestic and interpersonal violence, and The Halo Foundation, which provides support for cancer patients and their families. At the…
NEWPORT — With Katherine Sims recently elected State representative for the Orleans-Caledonia district, the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative (NEKC) says they are now on the hunt for their next high-impact leader. The NEKC’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all NEK residents through coordinated economic and community development. Their vision is a strong,…
NEWPORT — Sgt. Debra Munson has been promoted to commander of the Derby State Police Barracks. Lt. Munson’s predecessor is Lt. Walter Smith, who is retiring in early 2021, and the effective date of the promotion is set for Nov. 8, 2020. Munson started her career with the state police in January 2011. Following graduation…
NEWPORT — Russ Ingalls of Newport will join Robert Starr of North Troy in Montpelier this January after both picked up over 20 percent of the vote in the two-seat Essex-Orleans Senate District race. Starr, a Democrat, received 8,668 votes, and Ingalls, a Republican, picked up 7,739. Other candidates in the five-person race all received…
NEWPORT — Green Mountain Farm-to-School says they recently partnered with the Vermont Everyone Eats program to distribute prepared meals to people negatively impacted by the pandemic. The group says they are delivering 350 meals per week in the NEK. The program reimburses local restaurants for preparing locally-sourced meals for Vermonters struggling with food insecurity. According…
HOLLAND — The Drift Dusters Snowmobile Club, in cooperation with US Border Patrol, recently repaired a bridge on the international boundary in Holland. In 2018, Drift Dusters opened the nation’s first internationally shared snowmobile trail in Holland. This is the only known trail that is shared by two separate snowmobile clubs in different countries. Since…
NEWPORT — Next spring there will be a new vessel on Lake Memphremagog ready for easy, peaceful, and healing excursions on the water. Starting just after Memorial Day, Floating Grace, a 22 ft Duffy, 100 percent electric-powered picnic boat recently shipped to Newport, will be available to take people and their families from around the…
NEWPORT — The Marathon Swimmers Federation recently recognized Phil White for a decade of work in developing open water swims in the Northeast Kingdom. White was the recipient of the 2019-2020 MSF Service to Marathon Swimming Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the sport in a non-swimming role. He was the leading nominee from a round…