Cool Ripples



Brian “Lefty” Chase, of Sharon, jumps into the White River in Royalton on Sunday, June 18, while his cousin Camden “Bone” Murray, of Tunbridge watches from the river’s edge. Discussing his appreciation for one of his favorite public access swimming holes, Murray said. “There ain’t nobody around, and we’ve been coming here all our lives. It’s just peaceful.” (Herald / […]

Rochester Says ‘No’ to Merger Plan

Three-Town Proposal Derailed Once Again

In a reversal of their vote in April, Rochester voters said “no” Tuesday to a proposed school merger with Bethel and Royalton, turning down the “Model 1” plan, 236-144. By contrast, Rochester’s proposed sewer bond, also voted on Tuesday, passed easily, 309-66. The school merger rejection means the end (at least for now) of the “Model 1” plan, which would […]

Tunbridge Faces Re-Vote Next Thurs.



Tunbridge voters are weighing all options ahead of a re-vote on their school merger with nearby Chelsea on June 29. The merger proposal calls for two elementary schools eventually feeding into a merged middle-school program that would be housed in the current Chelsea High School facilities. All students from the merged First Branch Unified School District (FBUSD) would then be […]

Gov. Discusses Health Care, Pot

Vt. Legislators Take Up Vetoes

Governor Phil Scott discussed teachers’ health benefits and marijuana during a visit Monday morning to the Bethel Sandwich Shop for a legislative breakfast sponsored by American Legion Post 66. About two dozen people crammed into the Bethel Sandwich Shop to discuss concerns and to debate the causes and solutions to those pressing issues. The governor commented on his desire to […]

Barnard Fire Chief Saves His Own Station



The chief of Barnard’s volunteer fire department was in the right place at the right time on Saturday when he happened to drive past his town’s white-and-red fire station—and noticed that it was on fire. “For a minute it was a little hectic,” Chief Scott Mills recalled Saturday afternoon once the situation had been brought under control with the help […]

VTC Professor Shares Skills in Ghana

Lungu Applies Simple Techniques to Peanuts

Agricultural expertise from Randolph found its way this month to Ghana, an impoverished country on the western coast of Africa. That expertise won’t be used in producing milk, as in Vermont, but mostly in growing peanuts. Sosten Lungu, an associate professor at Vermont Technical College, spent two weeks with the Organization of Women Farmers, thanks to support from a program […]

Dollar General Turned Down In Bethel



The seven members of Bethel’s Development Review Board voted unanimously on June 8 to deny local permits for a proposed 7500-squarefoot Dollar General retail store on a field off Route 12. That field, at 428 Pleasant Street, lies in the town’s Village Commercial District and in the Flood Hazard Overlay District. The property, an agricultural field across the road from […]

New Chief in Town



Randolph Town Clerk Joyce Mazzucco swears in Daniel Brunelle as the new Randolph police chief on Monday afternoon at the Randolph Town Hall. Brunelle served for 19 years with the South Burlington Police Department before coming to Randolph. (Herald / Dylan Kelley)

Roxbury, Montpelier To Merge



The state Board of Education approved three merger proposals at its May meeting: a contingency plan for Bethel and Rochester; a proposed Cabot-Danville-Twinfield merger; and an odd-couple marriage of tiny Roxbury (86 students) and Montpelier with its more than 1,000 students. Roxbury now offers choice to its middle school and high school students, and schools only its elementary aged kids. […]

Correction



Last week’s article about the Randolph selectboard decision on One Main restaurant in Randolph indicated that Shane Niles is the owner. Niles shares ownership of both the building and the business with Josh Niebling.