Claremont City Council rejects splash pad proposal

By PATRICK O’GRADY

CLAREMONT — In a 5-4 vote, the City Council approved $75,000 capital spending for upgrades to bathrooms at two city parks but left out funding for a splash pad, which the Parks and Recreation Department and the city manager had proposed.Some...

After sweeping electoral losses, Senate Democrats are scheduled to elect their leaders this weekend

By SARAH MEARHOFF

Having lost six seats to Republicans last week, Vermont’s weakened Senate Democratic caucus is poised to switch up some of its leaders ahead of the 2025 legislative session — but there are no signs this week of a mutiny afoot. Senate Democrats are...

AG: Man involved in Plymouth standoff died by self-inflicted gunshot wound

By CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN

The man who died in a police standoff at the Federal House Inn in Plymouth, N.H., last week has been identified by the Attorney General’s office as Kevin Steinfeldt, the inn’s owner.Steinfeldt, 58, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,...

Norwich University student newspaper in standoff with administration

By PETER D’AURIA

NORTHFIELD, Vt. — This semester, student journalists at The Guidon, Norwich University’s student newspaper, have wanted to publish news stories about a variety of topics: university events, features, film and TV criticism, profiles of campus...

Jason Eaton, accused of shooting 3 Palestinian students in Burlington last year, deemed competent to stand trial

By COREY MCDONALD

Jason Eaton, the man accused of shooting and wounding three Palestinian and Palestinian-American men in Burlington nearly a year ago, has been deemed competent to stand trial, according to the judge presiding over the case.The findings of Eaton’s...

Regional planning commission seeks input into new plan

LEBANON — The Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission, or UVLSRPC, is seeking community input for updating regional plans.The commission is asking residents of the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee region to identify issues most pressing to...

Hartford School Board proceeds with superintendent search

By CHRISTINA DOLAN

HARTFORD — The School Board voted Wednesday to proceed with a search for a new superintendent with the goal of inking a contract by late March. The vote was 4-0 in favor of going forward. Board member Nancy Russell was absent.The search is being...

Upper Valley towns issue burn bans amid dry conditions

ENFIELD — Officials are warning against open burning across much of the Upper Valley, amid dry and windy conditions.On Thursday, the National Weather Service in Burlington issued a Red Flag warning for Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for most towns on...

UVM Health Network announces widespread service cuts

By PETER D’AURIA

The University of Vermont Health Network plans to make a series of service cuts at medical facilities across the state, eliminating or trimming services in multiple areas. The network announced plans to eliminate the transplant department at UVM...

Randolph man receives sentence for arson

CHELSEA — A Randolph man who lit a fire inside a vacant Randolph home last January has pleaded guilty to second-degree arson and to violating his conditions of release on prior criminal charges.Clair Sherman, 41, was sentenced to one to five years in...

Claremont plans to buy vacant state office building

By PATRICK O’GRADY

CLAREMONT — The City Council voted this week to move forward with the possible purchase of a vacant state office building at 17 Water St., which the city plans to resell for redevelopment.Ownership of the building will give the city control over its...

Man who stole DHMC van receives prison sentence

By JOHN LIPPMAN

WOODSTOCK — A Cavendish, Vt., man who stole a Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center shuttle van from outside the emergency room and led police on a high-speed chase down Interstate 91 pleaded guilty to a raft of charges stemming from a 2022 crime...

A record number of Vermont voters cast ballots in last week’s election

By SARAH MEARHOFF

Vermonters turned out in record numbers to vote in this year’s general election, largely without a hitch, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said Tuesday at a formal event certifying the election results.Out of 522,600 registered voters in the...

With cost of education driving voters, lawmakers feel pressure to respond

By ETHAN WEINSTEIN

Vermonters cited affordability as a top priority in the 2024 election, and last week, they voted to send more Republicans to Montpelier than in recent decades. Driving affordability concerns is the cost of education, which fueled this year’s average...

NH agencies look to cut unfilled positions as Sununu says next budget should be lean

By ETHAN DEWITT

Two months away from leaving office, Gov. Chris Sununu had a reminder for lawmakers Tuesday: New Hampshire faces leaner times ahead.As lawmakers craft a budget, the expiration of COVID-19 relief funding, which allowed New Hampshire to disburse...

Gifford cuts chiropractic care amid anxiety about health care reform

By CLARE SHANAHAN

RANDOLPH — Victoria Davis has been a patient at the Sharon Health Center for more than 20 years, even choosing to drive about an hour from Piermont to Sharon to continue receiving care after she moved out of Vermont.On Nov. 7, Davis received a call...

Vermont state treasurer pushes to return unclaimed property

By EMMA ROTH-WELLS

NORWICH — In September, Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak spent two days driving to all 14 counties returning more than $150,000 to businesses, nonprofits and service providers.The September deliveries returned just a portion of the $130 million in...

West Windsor considers fiscal year change

By LIZ SAUCHELLI

WEST WINDSOR — Residents will decide whether or not to change the town’s budget year from a calendar year schedule to a fiscal year schedule during a Special Town Meeting on Saturday.The in-person-only meeting will take place at 10 a.m. at Story...

Hartford Selectboard seat to remain vacant until Town Meeting

HARTFORD — The Selectboard Tuesday night decided to leave a vacant seat empty until voters elect a replacement at Town Meeting in March.Sue Buckholz was elected to a two-year term last March. In late October, she resigned her seat without...

Claremont Planning Board grants extension for solar array

CLAREMONT — A planned 4.99 megawatt solar array off Grissom Lane that the Planning Board approved two years ago is expected to be operational by the end of next year, the owners of Power Investment LLC told the board Monday night.On Monday, the board...