2019-05-09 E-Edition

Historic Gilead Bridge To Be Replaced

Must First Repair Flood Damage

The historic Gilead Brook Bridge, in Bethel, has reached the end of its operational lifespan and work to replace the Rte. 12 bridge connecting roads between Bethel and Randolph is scheduled to begin this summer. The bridge, which was constructed in 1928 as part of an aggressive push to rebuild the state’s infrastructure following the flood of 1927, had been […]

Strafford School Board Seeks To Quell Issues

Students Leaving In Greater Numbers

More and more students are opting not to attend Newton School in Strafford, according to Strafford School Board chair Sarah Root, who told The Herald that 14 students have recently left to be homeschooled or attend another school. Of those 14, six have left since January, she said. Complaints about the K-8 school range from parents having difficulty navigating the […]

Together with Less

Diversion, Justice Ctr. Widen Mission, Receive Less Funding After Merger

After seeking a grant to merge the operations of Orange County Court Diversion and the Randolph Community Justice Center, as of January 1, the two programs became the Orange County Restorative Justice Center, based in Chelsea. Although the program did get approval from the state for the merger, Executive Director Jessie Schmidt said that the state money—$60,000 for the combined […]

Randolph’s Recchia Takes Helm of ValleyNet

ECFiber Helper Org. Aims for Universal Broadband Access

A Randolph man who has held top leadership roles in state government and at several energy-related organizations this week stepped into the managing director post at ValleyNet, the non-profit organization that ECFiber relies on to build and operate its expanding fiber-to-the-home network. Both ECFiber and ValleyNet have offices on Waterman Road in Royalton. Last Thursday, ValleyNet announced that Chris Recchia, […]

Raking the Park

Young athletes, including Landon Harvey and Maverick Vasseur, and their parents participating in Tri-Town Youth Sports took part in the annual spring raking of the park in Rochester village on Sunday, May 5. Each year, the town gives the organization a fee for doing this work, which helps support the local T-ball and Cal Ripken Baseball teams. (Herald / Jerry […]

VTrans Begins Paving Work on Route 107

Expect Traffic Delays From Exit 3 to Bethel

Traffic issues in Bethel reached a critical state during the commutes on Monday, May 6, when 20-40-minute waits were reported in downtown Bethel, on River Street, and on South Main Street; marking the beginning of a road resurfacing project on Route 107 in Bethel and Royalton. The $2.3-million state project, which is estimated to run through October of this year, […]

Greening Up

Joe Foley gathers roadside trash for Green Up Day on Saturday alongside Route 12 in Braintree with the help of his granddaughter, Nora Foley, and grandson, Cooper Foley. (Herald / Dylan Kelley)

School Budget ‘Reconsideration’ Monday for Bethel, Royalton Voters


Bethel and Royalton voters will convene Monday, May 13, at 6 p.m., for a special meeting to reconsider a $11.8 million budget for the White River Valley School District that was initially approved by voters at the annual school meeting in March. The reconsideration vote will be held at the district’s Royalton campus. Preceding the meeting will be a 5 […]

Court Finds No Fraud In Drive-In Projector Case

In a ruling earlier this year on the case of State of Vermont vs. Capture the Dream LLC, Judge Mary Miles Teachout found in favor of defendants Adam Gerhard and Regina Franz on three counts of consumer fraud stemming from the pair’s online fundraising efforts for a new digital projector to be used at the Randall Drive-In Theater in Bethel. […]