NEWPORT — Today the State of Vermont and VTDigger announced a settlement in the matter regarding two public records requests by the news organization related to Jay Peak’s EB-5 program. Under terms of the settlement, the State of Vermont agreed to provide VTDigger the originally requested documents as well as additional agreed-upon Jay Peak records.…
NEWPORT — Over six weeks this winter, eight NEK dairy producers who enrolled in the UVM Extension course, “Digging In – A Nutrient Management Course for Farmers,” wrote their own nutrient management plans (NMPs). Farmers in the class, held at Sterling College in Craftsbury, received technical assistance from the Orleans, Caledonia, Essex, and Winooski Conservation…
NEWPORT – The Northeast Kingdom Young Professionals Network has launched a number of new initiatives and hosted a number of successful events this past year, significantly increasing the numbers of its organization region-wide. The board reflects the geographic diversity of the region, with Maire Folan, the program manager of the Green Mountain Farm-to-School office in…
NEWPORT — Orleans County Conservation District, in cooperation with Natural Resources Conservation Service, is hosting a meeting to receive input from the public and our partners regarding natural resource priorities in the area. NRCS administers several programs funded through the Federal Farm Bill. These programs are designed to assist farmers, forest owners, and other landowners…
NEWPORT — This weekend, 85 winter swimmers supported by 35 volunteers, will be competing in a two-lane, 25-meter pool cut in the ice on Lake Memphremagog. Swimmers are traveling from all over the United States for the event, as well as internationally from South Africa, Scotland, Spain, and Quebec. They will be swimming 25-meter, 50-meter,…
NEWPORT — Last week, district manager Sarah Damsell and Land Treatment and Nutrient Management Specialist Emily Irwin attended the University of Vermont’s first Industrial Hemp Conference. The 2018 Farm Bill defined hemp as an agricultural commodity and removed it from the list of controlled substances. Each state will eventually be required to submit a plan…
NEWPORT — The 11th Annual Taste of the Kingdom, a fundraising event held by Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS), will take place at 6:00 p.m. on February 27, at Jay Peak Resort’s Foeger Ballroom. Guests will enjoy small plates and sample beverages from over 20 Northeast Kingdom food and drink producers. This year’s Farm & Food…
NEWPORT — A truly Vermont-style fundraiser is back with the Third Annual Vermont Beardies, the contest to find the best beard in Vermont. Bearded Vermonters are invited to enter their magnificent scruff and encourage their friends to support Make-A-Wish Vermont through social media appeals. Contestants will compete online in three categories, Urban, Freestyle, and Backwoods.…
EAST CHARLESTON — The NorthWoods Stewardship Center has begun hiring local conservation crew leaders and members for the 2019 field season. The NorthWoods Stewardship Center, now in its 30th year of operation, runs youth conservation crews in partnership with US Fish & Wildlife refuges in six states, and hires 2-3 crews locally, working on trail…
ST. JOHNSBURY — Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) in St. Johnsbury and North Country Hospital (NCH) in Newport have collaborated to enhance sleep medicine services in Vermont with the opening of an expanded Northern Vermont Center for Sleep Disorders location The center will open February 4. The new clinic, which offers the latest in comprehensive…
NEWPORT — More than two-dozen leaders and experts from across Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties are sharing their recommendations for progress in the region, after six months of discussion and deliberation. Two task forces convened by the nonprofit Northeast Kingdom Collaborative have each released a plan detailing projects that they believe can be started in…
NEWPORT — Residents may have seen a helicopter flying low overhead as the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department began collaring 30 moose for the third year of a three-year study. The radio-collaring is being carried out primarily within Essex County by a professional contractor. Capture efforts require flying just above tree height and are expected…
EAST CHARLESTON — The NorthWoods Stewardship Center will be hosting the Wild & Woolly Snowshoe Races at their campus in East Charleston on February 9. The event kicks off from 9:30 a.m. and will go until 2:00 p.m. During last autumn’s Westmore Mountain Challenge, organizers say participants requested a similarly spirited competition for the winter…
NEWPORT — Waterfront Cinema will be showing two videos from the Faces of Vermont Agriculture series, which is a collection of eight short video profiles that highlight outstanding stewards of the land who live and farm in the Green Mountain State. These dedicated farmers tell viewers in their own words, why conservation matters to their…
ST. JOHNSBURY — There will be a notable change at the Northeast Kingdom Chamber Legislative Breakfast to be held Monday, Jan. 28, at 8 a.m., at the St. Johnsbury House, 1207 Main St., St. Johnsbury. Unlike in years past, when local legislators gave committee reports during their allotted time, there will be far more discussion…
LYNDON — A teacher at Lyndon Institute who is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student is facing charges, police say. Anitra Lahiri, 44, of Bethlehem, New Hampshire, was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and disseminating indecent material to a minor. According to a statement issued by police,…
DERBY – Fourteen-year-old Vera Rivard has been selected as one of Vermont Sports Magazine’s 2018 Athletes of the Year. Vera and her family live in Springfield, NH and have a summer camp in Derby with access to Lake Memphremagog, where she trains. During the winter she swims with Upper Valley Aquatic Club. In July of…
WESTMORE — While many are planning to burn the midnight oil to ring in 2019, others are aiming to get out of bed and into nature on the first day of the New Year. State parks around the nation will host free, guided hikes as a part of First Day Hikes, and Jean Haigh with…
DERBY — This holiday season, Fred’s Energy helped to collect donations for local toy drives at each of their three office locations. The Fred’s Energy Derby office collected for the NEKCA and Northpoint Toys for Kids toy drive. Toys for Kids is helping approximately 191 families this year. In addition, for every toy dropped off,…
WESTMORE — Winter swimmers around North America are hard at it training and qualifying for the Fifth Annual Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival coming up on February 23-24, 2019 in Newport. Two locals, Pam Ladds of Newport, and Julie Zeitlinger of Sutton, Quebec, took advantage of the open waters at Lake Willoughby on Saturday. Water temperature…
DERBY LINE — After a highly successful debut season, Borderline Players will hold auditions for its spring and summer productions on Friday, January 4 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m and Saturday, January 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the First Universalist Parish Hall in Derby Line. The first show of the season will…
NEWPORT — The Vermont Community Foundation recently announced that Sarah Waring has been hired as its vice president for grants and community investments and will join the Foundation at the end of December. Waring, who was born and raised in Glover, will step into her new role as the Foundation continues to expand its efforts…
BARNET — Authorities say that a 21-year-old woman was killed during a barn fire in Barnet early this morning. The fire took place at 731 Whitehill Road, at around 4:30 a.m. The structure was a barn-type building. The victim has been identified by witnesses as Kelsey Locke, 21, of Groveland, Massachusetts. Authorities say an investigation…
DERBY — Community National Bank and Community Bancorp. President and Chief Executive Officer Kathryn M. Austin announced this week the appointment of Jeffrey Moore to the Boards of Directors. Moore’s appointment will be effective January 1, 2019. He will serve on the Corporate Governance/Nominating Committee of the Company’s Board and the Risk Management Committee of…
WESTMORE — The Northeast Kingdom Backcountry Coalition, also known as NEKBC for short, is updating its pilot backcountry ski and ride project in the Willoughby State Forest. The coalition began working with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation in the fall of 2016 to design and develop winter backcountry recreation opportunities that supplement…