News/Business
Man pleads guilty to embezzling millions from Lebanon-based investment firm
A man who managed two forestry projects in Guatemala for an Upper Valley investment firm has pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing $10 million from the business.Roberto Montano, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty Monday in Concord to wire fraud under...
Jim Kenyon: Three Tomatoes employees take tip-sharing case to state labor board
By JIM KENYON
Jennifer Kahn is a school secretary by day and a server by night. Four afternoons a week, she leaves Mascoma Valley Regional High School after the final bell and drives to downtown Lebanon, where she works the dinner shift at Three Tomatoes...
West Central Behavioral Health interim CEO discusses workforce challenges
By PATRICK O’GRADY
LEBANON — His title may be preceded by interim but with the pressing challenges of increasing demand for mental health services and the struggle to hire new staff, Alexander J. “AJ” Horvath is being proactive as he guides West Central Behavioral...
Retired Hartford Chamber director, successor discuss leadership transition, priorities
By PATRICK O’GRADY
HARTFORD — Leadership transition in any organization whether private, public or a nonprofit can be a bumpy road for a number of reasons — including a sudden resignation or dismissal, management disputes or a decision to take the organization in a...
New Family Place executive director discusses new role, plans for future
By PATRICK O’GRADY
NORWICH — As she settles into her new role as executive director of The Family Place, Stephanie Slayton has her eye on the nonprofit’s upcoming 40th anniversary next year.“I think it says a lot about an organization that has been serving the community...
Claremont Glassworks founder turning company over to next generation
By PATRICK O’GRADY
CLAREMONT — Keith Raymond learned a lesson years ago the hard way. It was one he remembered as he thought about selling his business, Claremont Glassworks, and retiring.Unlike the last time, when Raymond sold his previous glass business to a large,...
Owner of prominent White River Junction buildings floats plans for their future
By ETHAN WEINSTEIN
David Briggs, who owns two large buildings that are at the heart of downtown White River Junction, is starting to talk publicly about an “exit plan.” Last week, Briggs presented a mockup to the Hartford Selectboard of his vision for the Coolidge...
Sanborn opts against appealing NH casino closure
By SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNAN
Concord Casino will continue to keep its lights off as Andy Sanborn has decided not to appeal the suspension of his gaming license.The deadline for filing an appeal was Jan. 19, and the Lottery Commission confirmed that they hadn’t received one.Now,...
Strafford community creates fallback plan to save beloved general store
By FRANCES MIZE
SOUTH STRAFFORD — When Melvin Coburn takes Amtrak’s Vermonter train eight hours south to visit his son in New Jersey, he makes sure spend some time in Wegmans, a chain supermarket.“I say, ‘All you have to do, Craig, is take me down there in the...
Planet Fitness gym planned for Route 12A in West Lebanon
By PATRICK ADRIAN
WEST LEBANON — A name-brand fitness center will be joining the bevy of chain restaurants and retailers that occupy the city’s busiest commercial corridor. Planet Fitness, a health club franchise with over 18 million members and 2,500 locations...
City Council to seek proposals for West Lebanon mixed-use development
By PATRICK ADRIAN
WEST LEBANON — The City Council will seek proposals to redevelop three city-owned parcels in West Lebanon for a mix of uses, but will not consider the site for a new fire station. The Council voted unanimously last Wednesday to solicit proposals from...
Putney paper mill shuts down, eliminating jobs for 127 workers
By JEFF POTTER and FRAN LYNGGAARD HANSEN
A paper mill has operated next to Sacketts Brook in downtown Putney, Vt., for more than 150 years — a tradition that came to an abrupt end on Tuesday with the sudden closure of Putney Paper Mill by its current owner, New Jersey-based Soundview Vermont...
MOOVer adds shopping route between Windsor and Claremont
By LIZ SAUCHELLI
WINDSOR — Windsor residents now have access to shopping in Claremont via public transit twice a month.MOOVer, a micro public transportation service operated by Southeast Vermont Transit, has added a route that will connect Windsor-area residents to...
J.Crew plans outlet store in West Lebanon
By JOHN LIPPMAN
WEST LEBANON — Preppies will finally have a reason to come to West Lebanon.The collegiate-conscious clothing store chain J.Crew plans to open an outlet store in the Upper Valley Plaza on Route 12A in West Lebanon, a rare new commercial tenant at a...
Upper Valley photography studio celebrates self-acceptance
By NICOLA SMITH
In a downtown Claremont hair salon, Shelby Soulia sat patiently in a chair while Meghan Brown delicately affixed false eyelashes to Soulia’s eyelids. Soulia has gotten used to wearing them for special occasions, even though, she said, they are like...
Lucky’s opens drive-through coffee spot on Mechanic Street in former Jake’s space
By PATRICK ADRIAN
LEBANON — Sometimes when one coffeehouse drive-through window closes, another one opens.On Friday, Lebanon coffee bar Lucky’s opened a second location on Mechanic Street, in the space previously held by Jake’s Coffee Co. — which closed in October to...
New car dealership slated for Route 120 in Lebanon
LEBANON — Massachusetts-based auto dealer McGee Motorcars has acquired the former Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram property on Route 120 in Lebanon and said it expects to open a new car dealership at the site.McGee acquired the property for $6.5 million from...
Longtime employee purchases Molly’s in downtown Hanover
By JOHN LIPPMAN
HANOVER — At 40 years old, Molly’s has a new parent.The mainstay Hanover brasserie that has made habitués of generations of Dartmouth College students, visitors and townies alike has been acquired by Jennifer Packard, a longtime manager of Molly’s for...
Upper Valley readers’ most read stories at vnews.com in 2023
STAFF REPORT
The start of the New Year offers an opportunity to look back on the stories that captured the attention of Valley News readers in 2023.The list was compiled using analytics from our website, vnews.com. In other words, this is what you clicked on,...
Claremont board approves plan for restaurants
By PATRICK O’GRADY
CLAREMONT — The Claremont Planning Board unanimously approved a site plan for the proposed construction of a Wendy’s and Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants on Washington Street.Before the site plan approval on Wednesday, the board approved a...
