Richard Cote of Morristown was found dead during a wellness check on the morning of July 24. An autopsy determined he had died from homicide.

Officers arrested 52-year-old Theodore Farnham of Waterbury on Thursday, the Morristown Police Department said Friday. He is charged with second-degree murder.

Police did not immediately give any details about how Cote was killed.

Farnham was due to be arraigned Friday at Lamoille Superior Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

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The partnership with Abridge, a company that uses AI to transcribe doctor-patient interactions during appointments, runs within the Epic medical records system that most health care networks use. It records what doctors and patients say to produce a transcript that clinicians can refer to when working on a patient’s chart. 

“As a doctor, nothing crushes my soul more than the clerical work, the clinical documentation that I have to do when I see patients,” said Dr. Shiv Rao, a practicing cardiologist who founded Abridge in 2018. “That’s where Abridge comes in … we look to help them really focus on the person who matters most, the patient.” 

Rao’s company has been adopted by a roster of health networks around the country, including Emory and Yale New Haven Health. Their partnership with UVM was announced in early July after a two-month pilot period was deemed successful. 

“The findings were so amazing that we have done [the rollout] quickly,” said Dr. Alicia Jacobs, a family physician in Vermont and a member of the UVM Health informatics team that helped with the pilot rollout.  

That pilot showed a 60% decrease in time spent documenting patient encounters, a 51% decrease in clinician cognitive load and a 53% increase in clinicians’ professional fulfillment as measured by the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index, according to a joint statement from Abridge and UVM Health.

“The entire cognitive load of being worried, trying to remember to write your notes or type while the patient’s talking so we can finish our notes quickly … all of that disappeared,” Jacobs said, explaining that now she can just proofread and consolidate the notes Abridge generates. 

The measure of work clinicians have to do after their normal hours is commonly referred to in the field as “pajama time.” Dr. Natasha Withers, administrator of high value care at UVM Health, says hers has changed exponentially since using Abridge. 

“After hours, I was spending upwards of two hours a day writing notes, answering messages, things of that nature. And that has really significantly decreased,” she said, noting she has been surprised at the transcription catching details she might have missed during appointments. 

Rao says he hopes to continue getting Abridge into the hands of as many health networks as possible, especially at a time when doctors are leaving the profession in droves and many medical students are questioning whether it’s a worthy path.  

“I would be thinking throughout my day, please don’t add any more patients to my schedule, because I will just be up later tonight doing notes,” said Dr. Carrie Wulfman, who has been practicing in Brandon, Vermont, for 30 years. “And now that’s okay. I can fill my schedule. I’m not constantly thinking about all the work that I have coming later. The other thing that this brings to me is just more joy, I think, in continuing my career for a few more years.” 

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Neighbors had reported Roberta Martin as missing on July 17 after they went to check on her and discovered she was not at her home.

State police then conducted a welfare check and found clear signs of a break-in at her home, according to court docs, which led to a days-long search.

The suspect, Darren Martell, has a violent history of abuse and has previously been investigated for abusing his partner, reports WPTZ.

Those who know the 23-year-old Martell called him “psychotic” and said he’s “capable of killing someone,” according to court documents, which further stated he has a record of animal cruelty, which includes an allegation of nearly strangling a dog to death.

State police indicated they had some knowledge of his history, court papers read.

Martell asked his partner’s grandmother to provide an alibi for him and suggested she report it to police to cover for him during the period he was missing, court documents revealed.

At that time, his partner’s sister notified authorities, saying she believed he might be a person of interest, according to WPTZ.

Martin’s remains were discovered less than a mile from her home on Butternut Hollow Road, where she had been buried and burned, police said.

Martell was arrested July 25 on a charge of aggravated murder for the killing Martin, state police said, adding that he had been living with the residents of a house next door to the victim.

He could face life in prison without the possibility of parole if found guilty.

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There were downpours Wednesday night in parts of Vermont and New Hampshire. St. Johnsbury, Vermont, which got more than 8 inches of rain on Tuesday, saw less than an inch of rain Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said at a news conference Wednesday that the latest storms to hit the state have undone much of the cleanup and recovery work from its last major bout of flooding only weeks ago, and he called on residents to “stick together.”

“This time, it’s especially bad after workers spent the past three weeks working furiously to recover from the last flooding, ” Scott said. “It feels much worse than a punch or a kick. It’s simply demoralizing. But we can’t give up. We’ve got to stick together and fight back against the feeling of defeat.”

State officials said preliminary information indicated that 50 homes were destroyed or suffered significant damage. More than half a dozen roads were closed, a lightning strike knocked out water for part of the town of St. Johnsbury, and flooding had contaminated several wells that serve the village of Lyndonville.

In Washington, Democratic U.S. Sen. Peter Welch asked Congress to pass a supplemental disaster aid package.

“We can’t recover without that federal help,” he said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday night. “I just can’t stress this enough. We need Congress to step up. And we need the help of all of us here because well, it’s Vermont this time, it may be New Hampshire next time. It may be Texas next month. And I believe all of us have to help one another when an event occurs causing such harm to people we represent. And it’s through no fault of their own.”

Vermont experienced major flooding earlier in July caused by what was left of Hurricane Beryl. The flooding destroyed roads and bridges and inundated farms, and it came exactly a year after a previous bout of severe flooding hit Vermont and several other states.

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Thunderstorms brought another round of heavy flooding Tuesday, which caved in and washed away roads, crushed vehicles, pushed homes off their foundations and required at least two dozen boat rescues in northeastern Vermont.

Some areas got more than 8 inches of rain, which was more than some places had ever gotten in a single day.

More downpours were expected Wednesday, with flash-flooding possible in some already inundated areas, Jennifer Morrison, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Safety, said at a news conference in Berlin, near the state capital, Montpelier. A National Weather Service flood watch was in effect for central and northern Vermont from noon until midnight.

“This time, it’s especially bad after workers spent the past three weeks working furiously to recover from the last flooding,” Gov. Phil Scott said at the news conference. “It feels much worse than a punch or a kick. It’s simply demoralizing. We have to stick together and fight back against the feeling of defeat.”

This week’s storms have caused destruction, albeit on a smaller scale, like the flooding the state endured in early July that killed two people. As of Wednesday, there were no reported deaths caused by the latest storms, but cars and trucks were smashed and covered in mud, several homes were destroyed and pushed downstream, utility poles and power lines were knocked down, and asphalt roads were washed away.

Weeks after Jason Pilbin watched a driver get swept away by floodwaters, his northeastern Vermont town of Lyndon was ravaged again. He went outside with a flashlight and headlamp around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday to help some neighbors evacuate and then collected their vital medications about 20 minutes before their house broke in half.

After that, he woke up another neighbor to help her to leave her home.

Nearly three weeks ago, Pilbin watched helplessly as a man drowned after getting caught while driving through flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Beryl. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to save him, but I was able to save these” people, he said. “I guess that makes up for some of it. It’s been rough.”

Mark Bosma, a spokesperson for the Vermont Emergency Management Agency, said that swift water rescue teams conducted approximately two dozen boat rescues in the hardest-hit areas overnight Monday into Tuesday. There have been no reports of serious injuries or deaths during this round of flooding.

The governor visited some of the affected areas Tuesday. He posted online that although it feels “demoralizing” to see the damage, “we can’t give up. Now more then ever, I encourage Vermonters who weren’t impacted to find ways to help, because no act is too small. We will get through this together.”

In May, Vermont became the first state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by extreme weather fanned by climate change. But officials have acknowledged that collecting any money will depend on litigation against the much-better-resourced oil industry.

Although climate change has its impacts, special calculations are needed to determine exactly how much global warming is to blame, if at all, for any single extreme weather event.

“The flooding in Lyndonville is just highlighting that climate change is here and the damage is ongoing and oil companies have so far not been required to pay for any of the damage that their product has caused and that needs to shift,” state Sen. Anne Watson said Wednesday, referring to the village of Lyndonville, just south of Lyndon. “The financial burden is increasingly unbearable by Vermonters.”

In St. Johnsbury, Vanessa Allen said she knew rain was possible, but she wasn’t expecting the deluge.

“This is devastating and was completely unexpected,” she said.

Her home was situated between two road washouts, so she was unable to leave. The roads were pockmarked and covered in debris. Nearby, she said, a house had been moved off its foundation and was blocking a road.

“It looks apocalyptic,” she said. “We’re trapped. We can’t go anywhere.”

The state experienced major flooding earlier in July caused by what was left of Hurricane Beryl. The flooding destroyed roads and bridges and inundated farms, and it came exactly a year after a previous bout of severe flooding hit Vermont and several other states.

Vermont has experienced four flooding events in the last year, and a combination of climate change and the state’s mountainous geography are to blame, said Peter Banacos, science and operations officer with the weather service. Greater rainfall has made the state and its steep terrain more susceptible to flooding, he said.

The state’s soil is also getting saturated more frequently, which increases the possibility of flooding, Bancos said.
Vermont’s history of heavily manipulating its rivers and streams also plays a role in increased flooding, said Julie Moore, secretary of the state Agency of Natural Resources. The increase is “a reflection of having reached our limits of being able to truly manage rivers and hold them in place,” she continued.

Roads, bridges, culverts and wastewater facilities are all especially vulnerable The state is in the midst of a multi-decade effort to “replace them or refurbish them with our current and future climate in mind,” Moore said.

Vermont is also working to establish statewide floodplain standards.

“The last storm was a wake-up call,” Lyndonville resident Deryck Colburn said of the flooding earlier this month. “I thought I would never see anything like that again. I don’t think that holds a candle to this. Not even close.”

“There’s a lot of broken hearts,” he added.

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Some areas got 6 to 8 inches of rain starting late Monday and saw flash flooding, the National Weather Service in Burlington said. Flash flood warnings were in effect through Tuesday morning.

A team was heading out to survey the damage, which included “quite a bit” of structural and road damage, meteorologist Seth Kutikoff said.

“We do know, unfortunately, some of these same areas were hit three weeks ago with some serious flash flooding, as well,” he said. “The integrity of some structures were already weakened.”

In Lyndonville, a town about 40 miles north of Montpelier, the state capital, Deryck Colburn said he awoke before daybreak to a neighbor pounding on his door. They live along a brook.

“I went down the road to her house, and there was no road. There was just a river,” he said.

Colburn said he heard the same surge of rushing water he’d heard in flooding earlier in July, along with the unnerving sound of tumbling boulders carried by the water.

A number of vehicles were trapped by crumbled roads, mud and fallen trees and other debris in Lyndonville.

Most of the rain fell in that area and in St. Johnsbury, about 10 miles south. Police issued a “shelter in place” advisory Tuesday morning for St. Johnsbury, a town of about 6,000 people. At least 5 inches of rain fell farther north in area of Morgan, which is near the Canada border.

“We sent swift water rescue teams to the area overnight, and those teams conducted approximately two dozen rescues,” Mark Bosma, a spokesperson for the Vermont Emergency Management agency, said in an email.

Bosma said Lyndon, about a mile from Lyndonville, and St. Johnsbury sustained damage, but that the agency was waiting for more information to come in from those communities and others. Images from the area showed broken culverts and separated roads in St. Johnsbury.

Vanessa Allen, of St. Johnsbury, said she knew there was a possibility of rain, but wasn’t counting on the excessive amount.

“This is devastating and was completely unexpected,” she said. “I had no idea this was coming.”

Her home was situated between two road washouts, leaving her unable to leave. The roads were pockmarked and covered in debris. Nearby, she said, a house was off its foundation and blocking a road.

“It looks apocalyptic. There are huge craters. … And the water is still rushing down the road now,” she said at midday. “It’s just all unbelievable how bad the roads are. We’re trapped. We can’t go anywhere.”

There was no immediate word of injuries.

Colburn said some homes in Lyndonville that were damaged earlier in July were “washed away” during this storm. He said people were rescued. The emergency management agency did not have further information.

“The last storm was a wake-up call,” he said. “I thought I would never see anything like that again. I don’t think that holds a candle to this. Not even close,” he said.

“There’s a lot of broken hearts.”

More rain was possible Tuesday, the emergency agency said.

“Be ready for more heavy rain and potential flash flooding today. The areas impacted by last night’s storm are in the path of highest risk,” it posted online.

A section of Interstate 91 and sections of two major roads near St. Johnsbury were among the roads closed due to flooding, the state transportation agency posted.

“Please use extreme caution if you need to travel,” St. Johnsbury police said on Facebook. “Many roads are washed out as we have experienced another flood event. These roads may appear fine at the surface, yet may pose a danger.”

“Respect all road detours and closures and never walk or drive through floodwaters,” Gov. Phil Scott posted online.

The state experienced major flooding earlier in July from the tail end of Hurricane Beryl. The flooding destroyed roads and bridges and inundated farms. It came exactly a year after a previous bout of severe flooding hit Vermont and several other states.

Vermont has experienced four flooding events in the last year, and the combination of climate change and the state’s mountainous geography are big pieces of why, said Peter Banacos, science and operations officer with the weather service. Greater rainfall and greater moisture availability have made the state and its steep terrain more susceptible to flooding, he said.

The state’s soil has also been more frequently saturated, and that increases the possibility of flooding, Bancos said.
Vermont’s history of heavily manipulating its rivers and streams also plays a role in increased flooding, said Julie Moore, secretary of the state Agency of Natural Resources.

Increased flooding is “a reflection of having reached our limits of being able to truly manage rivers and hold them in place,” she continued.

Roads, bridges, culverts and wastewater facilities are all especially vulnerable, Moore said. The state is in the midst of a multidecade effort to “replace them or refurbish them with our current and future climate in mind,” Moore said.
Vermont is also working to establish statewide floodplain standards.

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Vermont State Police say troopers responded to the single-vehicle crash on Wallace Hill Rd. around 5:37 a.m. and found a totaled Jeep Wrangler near Stark Trail.

The driver, identified as Daniel Sweet, of Newbury, suffered fatal injuries in the wreck, police said.

A preliminary investigation shows Sweet was traveling north on Wallace Hill Road when his Jeep left the roadway just after the intersection of Stark Trail and rolled over. Sweet, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle, according to police.

It’s unclear why Sweet’s Jeep left the road.

Wallace Hill Rd. was shut down in the area following the crash, and motorists were told to seek alternate routes.

Anyone that may have witnessed what happened is encouraged to contact police at 802-748-3111. An investigation is ongoing.

Vermont State Police say troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 89 northbound in Middlesex around 5:04 a.m. and found a Lexus ES330 fully engulfed in flames.

The driver and front seat passenger were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. They’ve since been identified as 19-year-old Sean Delaney and 20-year-old Elana Korey, both from Duxbury, Mass.

Investigators determined speed is a contributing factor in the crash. It was foggy at the time of the crash but the roads were clear and there was low traffic.

Further details about the double fatal crash have not been shared. An investigation is ongoing.

Darren Martell, 23, of St. Albans, was arrested late Thursday on a charge of aggravated murder for the killing of Roberta Martin, of Enosburgh, according to state police. They said Martell had been living with the residents of a house next door to Martin’s home on Butternut Hollow Road.

State police did not release any details about a possible motive.

Martell was arrested on the murder charge Thursday night while he was in custody at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans, where he had been held since Monday on an unrelated charge of lewd and lascivious conduct after police found him touching himself in a sexual manner along the edge of a public walking path near a school in St. Albans.

He is being held without bail. He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Friday.

Neighbors had reported Martin as missing on July 17 after they went to check on her and discovered she was not at her home.

State police said Sunday that they had located human remains around in a wooded area off Sand Hill Road in Enosburg near Martin’s home. They said in an update Monday that autopsy results confirmed the remains were Martin’s. Her cause and manner of death have not yet been released.

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Around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, Morristown police officers conducting a welfare check at a residence on Elmore Street found 76-year-old Richard Cote dead inside his home. An associate of Cote’s had called police to say they were concerned about him.

Morristown police said Cote’s death is considered suspicious and is currently being investigated. They said the death is believed to be an isolated incident and there is no active threat to the community.

Cote’s body was taken to the state medical examiner’s office in Burlington, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of his death.

The Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit and Crime Scene Search Team are assisting with the investigation.

Anyone with information related to Cote’s death is asked to call the Morristown Police Department at 1-802-888-4211.

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Many farmers and residents were hit by flooding two weeks ago from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl. The flooding destroyed roads and bridges and inundated farms. It came exactly a year after a previous bout of severe flooding affected Vermont and several other states.

Gov. Phil Scott said at a media briefing that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was in Vermont assessing the damage and he expected a decision on whether the flooding qualified as a federal disaster by Saturday. He said last year’s response from the federal government was unprecedented and swift.

“This time around, FEMA is moving on a more traditional path,” Scott said. “So while it may seem like it’s taking a while for damage to be assessed, it’s important to remember it’s only been two weeks since the storm. Now, I know for many, two weeks feels like a very, very long time.”

He said the state was pressing ahead with its own efforts, including opening the recovery centers on a rotating basis in the towns of Barre, Plainfield, Lyndonville and Hinesburg. Plainfield was the first center to open on Wednesday. The centers are designed to serve as a one-stop shop, providing state-level assistance to those affected by the floods.

A federal disaster declaration could provide 75% reimbursement to communities repairing public infrastructure as well as some financial assistance to homeowners and renters for property losses.

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Troopers responded to a two-car crash just before 6 p.m. in the area of 32 US Route 2, Vermont State Police said, where they found a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee with rear-end damage and a 2010 Toyota Yaris with front-end damage.

Both drivers were traveling north on US Route 2, just before the intersection of Pearl Street, when the driver of the Toyota, identified as Shantel Lafountain, struck the back of the Jeep, operated by 53-year-old Richard Meissner, police said.

Meissner, of Clark, New Jersey, was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, according to police, who said it’s unknown if Lafountain was wearing one.

Lafountain and Meissner were both taken to the hospital, police said, where the 26-year-old died.

Anyone with information about the crash should call Vermont State Police at 802-524-5993.

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In an 11:30 p.m. update Monday, state police confirmed that autopsy results conducted on the human remains recovered Sunday identified the remains as 82-year-old Roberta Martin, of Enosburgh. They said the cause and manner of death are still pending.

Martin last had contact with her family by phone on July 16, and had not been heard from since. Neighbors reported her missing to state police on July 17 after going to check on her and discovering she was not at her Butternut Hollow Road home.

State police said Sunday that they had located human remains around in a wooded area off Sand Hill Road in Enosburg. The area, which is close to Martin’s home, was secured and members of the state police Crime Scene Search Team responded to process the location.

Martin’s disappearance was initially being investigated as a missing persons case, but state police said Thursday afternoon that new information obtained by investigators indicated that her disappearance was suspicious.

No one has been charged with Martin’s death, but state police said they did take someone into custody Monday in connection with the case, though they said the arrest was unrelated to the Martin investigation.

State police said they were looking for 23-year-old Darren Martell, of St. Albans, to interview him as part of their investigation into Martin’s death. Around 12 p.m. Monday, they said they observed Martell in a wooded area near the St. Albans Town School. As detectives approached him, they said they saw him touching himself in a sexual manner along the edge of a public walking path.

When he saw the detectives walking toward him, Martell ran into the woods. Additional law enforcement personnel responded to the area to assist in the search, and the nearby school went into temporary lockdown. Martell was located a short time later and arrested on a charge of lewd and lascivious conduct. He was held at Northwest State Correctional Facility on $1,000 bail pending arraignment.

State police said the arrest was “unrelated” to the Martin investigation, and he was one of several people being interviewed as part of the case.

The investigation remains ongoing and state police said they would like to speak with anyone who has information that could assist detectives. Anyone with information can call state police at 802-524-5993 or submit an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

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Roberta Martin, of Enosburgh, last had contact with her family by phone on Tuesday night, and had not been heard from since. Neighbors reported her missing to state police on Wednesday after going to check on her and discovering she was not at her Butternut Hollow Road home.

Vermont State Police said in a press release on Sunday that they located human remains around 11 a.m. in a wooded area off Sand Hill Road in Enosburg. The area, which is close to Martin’s home, was secured and members of the state police Crime Scene Search Team responded to process the location.

State police said the remains are believed to be Martin’s. They have been sent to the state medical examiner’s office, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death.

Martin’s disappearance was initially being investigated as a missing persons case, but state police said Thursday afternoon that new information obtained by investigators indicated that her disappearance was suspicious.

No arrests have been made and no one is in custody in connection with Martin’s death, state police said.

In their update Friday, state police said they encouraged members of the public to be vigilant as the investigation unfolds.

“Although there is no evidence at the present time to suggest the community is at risk, people still should take reasonable precautions, such as locking the doors to their homes and vehicles and remaining aware of their surroundings,” they said in a release.

The investigation remains “active and ongoing,” and state police said they would like to speak with anyone who has information that could assist detectives. Anyone with information can call state police at 802-524-5993 or submit an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

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State police say they received a report around 5:25 p.m. about a possible assault that had occurred at Route 2 by Ferry Road.

Their investigation revealed that during a road rage incident, Jack Deforge got out of his vehicle and assaulted Ryan Recore in the middle of the roadway.

Recore, of Plattsburgh, New York, was evaluated by EMS for minor injuries, state police said.

Deforge, of Grand Isle, Vt., was issued a citation to appear in Grand Isle County Superior Court on Aug. 22 for simple assault and disorderly conduct. It wasn’t immediately clear if he’d obtained an attorney.

Further details about what led up to the assault were not shared.

This time it was worse. Workers were able to harvest some of the produce before last week’s flooding, but the family-owned vegetable farm still lost 90% of its crop in fields and greenhouses.

“When we got hit twice on the same day two years in a row it’s pretty hard to recover from that,” said Mary Skovsted, who owns the farm with her husband.

Around the state, and especially in hard-hit central and northern Vermont, farmers are again assessing their losses and trying to figure out how to adapt and make it through the season and next year.

“We are going to have significant damage,” said Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts. “You’re going to have areas that have been hit twice maybe three times in the last year.”

There’s hope that some of the feed corn crop for livestock could bounce back but it depends on the weather, he said. Gov. Phil Scott said Friday that he has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to issue a disaster designation for the state, so that federal financial assistance, including low-interest loans, are available to growers.

“The storm’s torrential rains caused innumerable streams and rivers to flood towns, destroy roads and bridges, inundate farms and ruin crops,” Scott, a Republican, wrote. “Many Vermont farms had not fully recovered from last year’s destructive storms before they were again under water in the middle of Vermont’s short growing season.”

When the state agriculture secretary visited Sparrow Arc Farm, a potato farm on the Connecticut River in Guildhall last weekend, farmer Matthew Linehan had to take him out in a canoe to see the fields still inundated by floodwaters days after the storm. The water has receded and the damage is worse than last year. Nineteen of the farm’s 52 acres were flooded, pushing the total loss to 36%, Linehan said.

“The crop has just melted into the ground. It’s toast, absolute toast,” he said.

Fourteen acres were under 8 feet (2.4 meters) to 10 feet (3 meters) of water, and five acres were under 3 feet (almost 1 meter) to 4 feet (1.2 meters) of water, he said. Last July, they lost 20% of their crop and had to take out loans to cover the losses. They only plant a small percentage of their potatoes on lower land knowing the flood risk, which now is more frequent.

“Honestly, in my opinion, two years makes a trend and we’re not going to be planting anything down low next year because I am never going to be in this position again,” he said.

At Joe’s Brook Farm, Skovsted said they made some changes after last July’s flooding. They put in cover crops near the river where the flooding had wiped out valuable field crops last summer. But last week, the flood waters from the river filled the greenhouses full of thriving tomato and cucumber plants. They can’t sell the produce that was contaminated by the flooding but can salvage some growing above that level.

A friend started a GoFundMe page to help the couple continue to pay their 10 employees through the end of August, including three men from Jamaica who are on seasonal work visas. One of the men lost the roof off his house and another had widespread damage to his own farm back home during Hurricane Beryl — the same storm — the week before, Skovsted said.

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“It’s especially hard for those guys because they were counting on the salary to make repairs to their homes,” she said. Normally they would have worked at the farm until October or November but that will be cut short at the end of August, “because we can’t really foresee having much of any work after that, we have no crops to bring in,” she said.

The fundraising effort was a huge relief because the couple’s first concern was how to take care of their employees, Skovsted said.

Another Barnet farm — an organic, pasture-based livestock operation — also had devastating losses, according to an online fundraising page. Cross Farm needs help to replace roofing, hay and large amounts of fencing as well as to clean up mud, debris and boulders and rocks from their barn and pastures, according to the GoFundMe page. The farm lost 400 chicks when the barn flooded.

Nearby at Joe’s Brook Farm, Skovsted and her husband are trying to figure out how to adapt to the extreme weather fueled by climate change.

They’ve talked to other farmers who grow on higher land — but they also suffered damage and lost crops in the flooding, she said. They lost top soil and now it’s just sitting at the bottom of their hills, Skovsted said.

The couple doesn’t want to move. She grew up nearby and they love the community, which she said has been very supportive.

“We want to adapt quickly but we’re not sure how to do that,” she said.

Roberta Martin, of Enosburgh, last had contact with her family by phone around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, and has not been heard from since. Neighbors reported her missing to state police around 11:55 a.m. Wednesday after going to check on her and discovering she was not at her Butternut Hollow Road home.

Her disappearance was initially being investigated as a missing persons case, but state police said in an update Thursday afternoon that new information obtained by investigators indicates that her disappearance is suspicious.

Martin is described as being 5’1″ tall, weighing about 115 pounds, with white hair and brown eyes. She is reportedly in good health physically and mentally.

Search efforts continued overnight and were ongoing Thursday afternoon, police said. Search crews are concentrating on the area around Martin’s home, and detectives are conducting interviews, gathering evidence and pursuing potential leads.

The search efforts involve state police search and rescue teams, K-9 units and unmanned aircraft, along with uniformed troopers. Additional participating agencies include the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, New England K9 Search and Rescue, and the Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team. Enosburgh Fire and Rescue are also providing assistance.

State police are looking to speak with anyone who passed through the general area of Sand Hill Road and Butternut Hollow Road in Enosburgh between 10 p.m. Tuesday and noon on Wednesday and might have information relevant to the investigation.

Investigators said they have received several tips about people seen walking or jogging in the area during that timeframe, and are also looking to identify and interview these people as well. State police said they are also aware of numerous false reports and potential spam posts about the investigation on social media.

Anyone with information can call state police at 802-524-5993 or submit an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

More Vermont stories

Chatham Jul 18

Vermont man accused of threatening family with gun during road rage incident in Mass.

Vermont Jul 17

Conn. man facing charges for murder of Vermont woman found dead in large toolbox

Vermont State Police said Wednesday that they have applied for an arrest warrant for Jakiy Tramaine Corey Keith, 24, of Hartford, Connecticut, charging him with second-degree murder and unauthorized burial or removal of a body in connection with the death of 29-year-old Kayla Wright, of Derby.

He has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 6 on federal drug charges.

Investigators had said previously that Wright died of a gunshot wound to the head. Her body was found on Feb. 6 in a truck-bed-style toolbox on a sandbar in the area of Big Falls on Missisquoi River in Troy, according to a police affidavit.

State police also announced Wednesday that they have arrested two suspects in connection with Wright’s death. Aaron Camp, 34, of Derby, faces charges of unauthorized burial or removal of a body and being an accessory after the fact to murder. Terron “Josh” Pendelton, 34, of Waterbury, faces one count of being an accessory after the fact to murder.

State police said their investigation revealed that Keith shot Wright multiple times early on the morning of Feb. 2 inside a home on Route 100 in Troy. The shooting allegedly arose from a dispute related to drug trafficking in northern Vermont. They said Camp and Pendleton assisted with cleaning up the crime scene, and Camp helped Keith dispose of Wright’s body.

Camp and Pendleton were scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Vermont Supeior Courtin Newport. A court hearing for Keith has yet to be scheduled.

Keith and two other people had previously arrested on drug charges as part of the investigation into Wright’s death.

More Vermont stories

Vermont Jul 15

Vermont State Police ID man shot by troopers during confrontation Sunday night

Vermont Jul 15

Vermont seeks federal damage assessment for floods caused by Hurricane Beryl's remnants

The flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl happened a year after the state experienced catastrophic flooding that left some victims still awaiting home buyouts or repairs.

“We know this storm has done tremendous damage in many communities, and those impacted will need help to recover,” Gov. Phil Scott said in a statement Saturday. “That’s why it’s so critical for Vermonters to report their damage to help us demonstrate the need for these federal resources.”

Two people were killed by the flooding, including a motorist in Lyndonville and a man who was riding an all-terrain-vehicle in Peacham, authorities said.

Some of the hardest-hit riverside communities were Barre, Hardwick, Lyndonville, Moretown and Plainfield, but the estimated $15 million in damage to roads and other public infrastructure was more widespread. Damage assessments will be done in eight of Vermont’s fourteen counties. A public assistance disaster declaration would provide 75% reimbursement to communities for responding to and repairing public infrastructure damaged by the storm, the governor said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency must verify at least $1.1 million in response and public infrastructure recovery costs for the state to qualify for a major disaster declaration, according to Scott. For counties to qualify, they must show damages of $4.60 per capita, Scott’s office said.

An individual assistance declaration would give some financial assistance to homeowners and renters for property losses. They are encouraged to report property losses by calling 211 or visiting www.vermont211.org.

More Vermont stories

Vermont Jul 15

Vermont State Police ID man shot by troopers during confrontation Sunday night

Vermont Jul 12

Vermonters, pummeled by floods exactly a year apart, begin another cleanup

The shooting occurred shortly after 10 p.m. near the intersection of Route 114 and Pinkham Road, state police said. The man was taken to Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury for treatment of his injuries and later transferred to Dartmouth Hitchock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

State police identified the man who was shot as 30-year-old Brenden Sackal, of Hopkinton, Rhode Island. He remains in critical condition but is expected to survive.

State police said the situation began Sunday when police in Rhode Island notified authorities in Vermont and New Hampshire that Sackal was believed to be traveling in the region and was the subject of an arrest warrant on charges related to possessing illegal high-capacity firearm magazines. Rhode Island police had executed a search warrant at his home on Friday but were unable to locate him.

On Sunday night, an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol saw Sackal’s pickup truck in the area of Pittsburg, New Hampshire, and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. After briefly pulling over, Sackal drove away, and Border Patrol agents followed him through Stewartstown, New Hampshire, and eventually into Canaan, Vermont. Sackal continued north on Route 114 in Vermont, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection used a tire-deflation device on his truck due to concerns that Sackal might try to cross the border into Canada. Sackal then headed south on Route 114 at relatively slow speeds, driving on flat tires and rims, followed by Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection and a deputy from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.

State police joined the pursuit in the area of Morgan, and continued to follow Sackal’s pickup truck with their lights and sirens activated. Once in Burke, troopers attempted to bring the vehicle to a stop. Sackal collided with two state police cruisers and then lost control, with his truck coming to rest on the shoulder and partially in the northbound lane of Route 114 near Pinkham Road in Burke.

During the arrest, Sackal fired a weapon at troopers. Two troopers returned fire, injuring him. He was then taken into custody and the troopers began providing medical aid until rescue crews arrived at the scene.

The troopers involved were not injured, state police said.

Following standard protocol, the troopers who fired their handguns have been placed on paid, relief-from-duty status. They were identified Tuesday as Sgt. Joshua Mikkola and Trooper Richard Berlandy.

More Vermont stories

Vermont Jul 12

Vermonters, pummeled by floods exactly a year apart, begin another cleanup

Vermont Jul 11

At least one dead in Vermont after devastating flash floods, governor says

“First it was little noises, cracking wood. Eventually it was just monstrous, like a dragon growling. It was just very otherworldly,” he said, describing the crescendo as the cleanup began on Thursday.

Remnants of Hurricane Beryl dumped heavy rain on Vermont, destroying and damaging homes, knocking out bridges, cutting off towns and retraumatizing a state where some people are still awaiting assistance from the last catastrophic floods that hit a year ago to the day.

More than 100 people were rescued by swift-water teams during the worst of the deluge, and at least two people died, officials said.

Dylan Kempton, 33, was riding an all-terrain vehicle late Wednesday when he was swept away by floodwaters in Peacham, Vermont State Police said in a statement. His body was recovered Thursday morning.

John Rice, 73, died when he drove his vehicle through a flooded street Thursday morning in Lyndonville, Police Chief Jack Harris said. The current swept the vehicle off the road and into a hayfield that was submerged under 10 feet (3 meters) of water.

Rice had ignored bystanders’ warnings to turn around, said Lt. Charles Winn of the Vermont State Police. Rice’s body was recovered several hours later after floodwaters receded.

Stunned residents emerged to begin the cleanup even as some rivers crested Thursday and intermittent rainfall continued. Some of the heaviest damage was in central Vermont communities along a hilly corridor on the Winooski River and its branches, along with northern areas of the state. Dozens of roads were closed, and shelters opened in several communities.

The storm dropped more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain on parts of Vermont, and the heaviest rainfall was in the same areas devastated a year ago. Receding floodwaters left damage and lots of mud.

“It’s not lost on any of us the irony of the flood falling on the one-year anniversary to the day when many towns were hit last year,” Gov. Phil Scott said Thursday. “But we’re ready, our response and tools are only stronger as a result of last year, and we will get through this.”

2023 flooding

In Plainfield, a concrete bridge that collapsed and tumbled downstream was likely responsible for ripping off part of an apartment building with five units, said Michael Billingsley, the town’s emergency management director.

The occupant of another home was pulled through a window to safety moments before it was swept downstream, and a mobile home floated away with four pets belonging to a family that narrowly escaped, he said.

Hilary Conant said she had to hastily flee her apartment, just as she did a year earlier.

“The water was coming up, so I knew it was time to leave with my dog. It’s very retraumatizing,” she said. A neighbor offered a camper to temporarily house her before she and her dog Casper moved to a dorm room offered by a local college.

Beryl, blamed for at least nine U.S. deaths and 11 in the Caribbean, made landfall nearly 2,000 miles (3,220 kilometers) away in Texas on Monday as a Category 1 hurricane that left millions in the Houston area without power. Then it traveled across the interior U.S. as a post-tropical cyclone that brought flooding and some tornadoes from the Great Lakes to northern New England and Canada.

The storm spawned six tornadoes that hit western New York on Wednesday, damaging homes and barns and uprooting trees, the National Weather Service said. Flash flooding also closed roads in several northern New Hampshire communities, including Monroe, Dalton, Lancaster and Littleton, where officials said 20 people were temporarily stranded at a Walmart and crews made water rescues.

Several officials said they believed the storms in back-to-back years reflected climate change.

A study prepared directly after Hurricane Ian made landfall in 2022 climate change added at least 10% more rain to the powerful storm, compared to a storm with no human-caused climate change.

“Climate change is real,” Scott, a Republican, said Thursday. “I think we all need to come to grips with that regardless of your political persuasion and deal with it, because we need to build back stronger, safer and smarter.”

Even though Vermont is not a coastal state, it has been pummeled before by tropical weather systems. Tropical Storm Irene dumped 11 inches (28 centimeters) of rain on parts of Vermont in 24 hours in 2011. The storm killed six in the state, washed homes off their foundations and damaged or destroyed more than 200 bridges and 500 miles (800 kilometers) of highway.

In May, Vermont became the first state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by extreme weather fanned by climate change.

Scott allowed the bill to become law without his signature, saying he was concerned about the costs and outcome of the small state taking on “Big Oil.” But he said he understands something has to be done to address the toll of climate change.

In Plainfield, Bradley’s relatives removed debris and mud from the yard and wet furniture and silt from the porch while neighbors pumped out the basement.

Bradley believes climate change played a role.

“This is what climate change looks like to the day we had a flood one year ago,” he said. “The same day, a year apart. And I don’t know if you could make that up.”

___

Associated Press writers David Sharp in Maine, Holly Ramer in New Hampshire, Seth Borenstein in Washington and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Beryl’s remnants forced some residents to evacuate their homes and caused road closures on Wednesday, state officials said.

The deluge occurred primarily in central Vermont, according to the state Emergency Management.

Flash flood warnings were issued Wednesday night for Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange and Washington counties.

“Last night, was a difficult and dangerous time in the northern, two-thirds of the state,” said Jennifer Morrison, commissioner of Public Safety.

Vermont State Police said Thursday they’re investigating the death of a man late Wednesday during heavy rain and flash flooding in Peacham.

The victim was identified as 33-year-old Dylan Kempton.

Troopers were called around 10:35 p.m. to the scene of a vehicle that had fallen into the South Peacham Brook near the intersection of Governor Mattocks and County roads, state police said, where they learned the driver of that vehicle had been rescued unharmed by fire and rescue crews.

While examining the scene, however, rescue crews noticed a UTV on its side in the water. Police learned that the UTV belonged to and had been operated by Kempton, of Peacham.

According to police, South Peacham Brook was running extremely high due to ongoing torrential rain, and a portion of the road in the area had collapsed. Kempton had driven his UTV to Peacham Corners earlier Wednesday evening, and as he drove back home, a culvert breached, sending water rushing over the road and sweeping away his UTV.

Just before midnight, rescue crews found Kempton dead in the water about 1/8th mile downstream. Crews were able to recover his body early Thursday morning and his remains were brought to the chief medical examiner’s office in Burlington for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

Kempton’s death does not appear to be suspicious, police said.

Water teams made dozens of rescues overnight and facilitated numerous evacuations, according to Morrison.

“We are still in active response mode and have multiple rescues ongoing in the Lyndonville area,” she said.

Some of the hardest hit areas in Vermont were Moretown, Plainfield, Lyndonville, Barre, Richmond, Bolton and Williamstown, Morrison said.

She said they will “add more to this list” as damage reports are still coming in.

“The primary hazard overnight was flash flooding,” said Morrison. “That has mostly resolved. Subsequently, there some mainstem river flooding.”

She said rivers have crested and river flooding should wind down throughout the day. However, Morrison said this isn’t true for the Winooski River from Waterbury through Lake Champlain.

The Winooski River, she said, won’t fall below flood stage until Friday.

While the weather will continue to get hot and humid, Morrison urged people to stay away from rivers.

Residents with damaged property, including homes and vehicles, can report damages to 211, according to Morrison, who said the state is collecting data for a possible federal disaster declaration.

Anyone displaced and in need of shelter should also call 211 for assistance, Morrison said.

“Currently, the Barre Auditorium shelter is open, and we can scale up more shelters, if there’s a need for them,” she said.

From the Agency of Transportation’s perspective, there are 54 state roads closed, six bridges that are “impinged” and significant rail damage.

“We are not tone-deaf to what’s happened on local roads, but we don’t have that information at this moment,” said Joe Flynn, secretary of transportation.

The disaster struck Vermont just a year after areas were devasted by severe flooding.

“I know the damage done in the many same communities were hardest hit on the very same day as last year is devastating,” said Scott. “My heart goes out to all those families, businesses owners and community members alike.”

Scott said his team, first responders and local leaders are working around the clock to help ensure public safety and will act quickly as possible in recovery.

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Around 2 p.m. Tuesday, police located the pickup truck abandoned in Winooski. They said the public should be aware that the person they are looking for — 39-year-old Andrew Brace, of St. Albans — has attempted to steal several vehicles throughout the day, including by force, and he should be considered “extremely dangerous.”

Police are advising the public to make sure their vehicles are locked when unattended and be aware of their surroundings when returning to their cars.

Brace has had multiple confrontations with police in recent weeks, state police said, including in Colchester and Berlin.

He is described as being about 5’11” tall and weighs around 220 pounds. He was last seen wearing black, athletic-style shorts and no shirt and is believed to be on foot in the Winooski area. Anyone who sees him is asked to call 911 immediately.

State police said the situation began Tuesday morning in Grand Isle County and continued through multiple counties, including Swanton, Fairfield, Georgia and St. Albans. They said Brace nearly caused multiple crashes and intentionally steered at police vehicles, forcing them off the road. No crashes occurred and no injuries were reported.

Agencies involved in the search include state police, the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department, the police departments in Milton, St. Albans, Swanton and Winooski, wardens with the state Department of Fish & Wildlife and the Enforcement and Safety Division of the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

State police said updates will be provided as the situation unfolds.

More Vermont stories

Health & Wellness Jul 9

Measles cluster in NH, Vt. hits 3 patients; health officials watching for more

Vermont Jul 9

New details in domestic violence incident that left 2 dead, 2 injured in Vermont

A resident of New Hampshire who wasn’t vaccinated for measles was confirmed to be infected, likely after being exposed to a person who’d visited Hanover from abroad in late June, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday.

A Vermont resident has also been confirmed to have measles after being exposed in Hanover in late June, the Vermont Department of Health said Tuesday.

Both agencies shared information about where their infected residents had been, in case other people were exposed to the highly contagious and potentially serious virus, which is part of the safe, effective MMR vaccine schedule that’s recommended for almost all people in the U.S., except those with severe allergies or several other conditions.

1st measles case, in NH and Mass.

The initial case of measles was in the international traveler who flew back to their home country through Boston’s Logan airport — Massachusetts health officials put out an advisory about possible exposure last in late June.

That person took the Dartmouth Coach bus to Logan airport.

Health officials in New Hampshire and Massachusetts shared these details about where they were known to be:

June 20-22: Dartmouth College campus, Hanover
June 20-22: The Hanover Inn, 2 E Wheelock Street, Hanover
June 20, 3 p.m.: Hanover Scoops, 57 S Main Street, Hanover
June 20-22: Lou’s Restaurant and Bakery, 30 S Main Street, Hanover (one meal on unknown date and time)
June 22: Dartmouth Coach Bus from Hanover to Boston Logan International Airport, likely on a bus that departed at 11:40 a.m. and arrived at the airport about 2:40 p.m.
June 22: Logan Terminal E from 2:40 p.m. to 8:40 p.m., before boarding Flight KLM6016 to Amsterdam departing from Gate E5

Dartmouth shared an update on the visitor’s measles case in late June, noting that no one on campus was known to have been diagnosed and that the period of likeliest exposure was between June 20 and 22.

2nd measles case, in Vt., NH, elsewhere

The Vermont resident with measles was identified through contact tracing from New Hampshire health officials who’d been investigating anyone who might have been exposed to the first patient, the state’s health agency said Tuesday.

They stressed in the news release that there was no ongoing risk that the local case presented no risk to the public. In a memo to Vermont health care providers Monday, the deputy state epidemiologist noted that officials were monitoring the symptoms of one person in Vermont known to have been in contact with them.

That memo also noted that the person with measles had taken the Dartmouth Coach leaving from New York City to Hanover last Wednesday, July 3, leaving at 1:30 p.m. No other passengers of the bus were known to be living in Vermont, but the agency was working to confirm where everyone on board lives.

The Vermonter with confirmed measles was outside the state for most of the time they were infectious, according to the Vermont Department of Health, which had shared what they know with their counterparts in other states.

The new case of measles is not related to the only other case confirmed in Vermont in 2024, an international traveler who was in the state in April. They are the first measles cases in Vermont since 2018.

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3rd measles case, in Hanover, NH, area

The New Hampshire resident with measles may have given the virus to others without immunity, health officials said, urging residents of the Upper Valley to check their immunity and be on the lookout for developing measles symptoms, like high fever, runny nose and cough, watery eyes and the characteristic body rash.

The person visited these locations, which may have led to exposure:

July 1, 1:30-3:30 p.m.: Peppermint Patty’s, 25 Road Round the Lake, Grantham
July 1, 5:30-11:30 p.m.: Sierra Trading Post, 200 S Main Street, West Lebanon
July 3, 9-11:30 a.m.: Dartmouth Co-op, 21 S Main Street, Hanover
July 5, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Dartmouth Co-op, 21 S Main Street, Hanover
July 5, 11:45 a.m.-6 p.m.: ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care waiting room, 410 Miracle Mile, Lebanon
July 6, 8-10:30 a.m.: ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care waiting room, 410 Miracle Mile, Lebanon
July 6, 9:30 a.m.-July 7, 1 a.m.: Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Emergency Department, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon

Anyone with concerns about whether or not they are vaccinated can call the Department of Publich Health Services at 603-271-4496, and should reach out to their health care provider if they think they may have been exposed, may not be fully protected through immunity and could benefit from preventative treatment.

“The 2-dose measles vaccine provides lifelong protection in most people, and it is the best protection against measles and complications of infection. Anybody who is not vaccinated is strongly encouraged to talk with their healthcare provider about completing the vaccine series,” New Hampshire State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in a statement.

Vermont State Police responded to the report of an altercation at a home early Sunday morning about an hour south of the U.S.-Canada border. Officers found one man shot dead and several other people injured, police said. The deceased was identified Monday as Nicholas Johnson, 42, who had no fixed address and was most recently living in the St. Johnsbury area, police said. Police said his death was homicide.

The injured people were taken to hospitals. Ben Lyons, 21, who lived in the home, died Sunday afternoon at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center of a stab wound to the neck, police said. Another injured 33-year-old man was treated for serious but not-life-threatening knife wounds. A 44-year-old woman received minor injuries and was not hospitalized, police said.

Police said the 44-year-old woman is the wife of the 33-year-old man. She is also Lyons’ mother and the former partner of Johnson.

Two dogs also were attacked and one died at a local animal hospital, police said. The other remains in critical condition at a canine trauma center in Massachusetts, officials said.

Two children between the ages of 12 and 18 were in the home at the time and not physically injured, police said.
Police said the people involved are all from the St. Johnsbury area.

State police said their investigation into the incident remains “active and ongoing,” and detectives continue to canvass the area, speak with witnesses and collect evidence. Additional investigative work is expected in the coming days.

More Vermont stories

Vermont Jun 26

Vermont man arrested for flipping off trooper awarded $175K in settlement

Vermont Jun 26

Vermont State Police looking for whoever stole town's front-end loader and used it to steal ATM

Vermont State Police said St. Johnsbury Police responded to a report of an altercation at a home in Cottage Street ar around 5:50 a.m.

When officers arrived, they found one man dead and several others with apparent injuries, according to authorities. A second person who was undergoing treatment for critical injuries at a New Hampshire hospital has since died.

The condition of the others who were injured was not immediately known.

The identities of the two people who died will be released following autopsies.

Police said this was an isolated event and there’s no threat to the public as all parties involved were known to each other and accounted for.

Everyone involved in the incident is local to the St. Johnsbury area, state police said. Their preliminary investigation indicates that the incident was the result of domestic violence.

Anyone with information on the incident is urged to call Vermont State Police in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111.

More Vermont stories

Vermont Jun 26

Vermont man arrested for flipping off trooper awarded $175K in settlement

Vermont Jun 26

Vermont State Police looking for whoever stole town's front-end loader and used it to steal ATM

State police say an Athens resident contacted them around 2 p.m. on July Fourth after they found an unresponsive person down an embankment off Brookline Road.

Responding troopers found Ethan Whitten and his Honda XR400. The Grafton teen was pronounced dead at the scene near Valley Cemetery Road, police said.

The dirt bike suffered minimal damage in the crash, police said.

Earlier Thursday, state police put out a news release about Whitten being reported missing the night prior. Photos were shared of Whitten and the red and white dirt bike he was last seen riding.

According to police, they first learned around 10:11 p.m. Wednesday that Whitten was missing, having last been seen around 3 p.m. in the area of Brookline Road. He was said to be wearing tan boots, red gloves, red “Fox” pants, and blue shorts underneath his pants.

Police had said his disappearance was not considered suspicious but that there were concerns for Whitten’s welfare.

Anyone with information about the fatal crash involving Whitten is asked to contact police at 802-722-4600 (option 3 for dispatch). Anonymous tips can also be made online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

Wan Yee Ng was arrested on the morning of June 28 at an Airbnb in Canaan as she was about to get into an inflatable kayak with a duffle bag on Lake Wallace, according to an agent’s affidavit filed in federal court. Agents had been notified by Royal Canadian Mounted Police that two other people, including a man who was believed to be her husband, had started to paddle an inflatable watercraft from the Canadian side of the lake toward the United States, according to an agent’s affidavit.

The agents searched her heavy duffle bag and found 29 live eastern box turtles individually wrapped in socks, the affidavit states. Eastern box turtles are known to be sold on the Chinese black market for $1,000 each, according to the affidavit.

Ng is charged with attempting to export the turtles from the U.S., in violation of the Endangered Species Act. A federal judge on Friday ordered that she remain detained. The federal public defender’s office, which is representing her, declined to comment.

Border Patrol agents first spotted Ng at the Airbnb rental in May when they noticed a vehicle with Ontario plates traveling on a Vermont road in Canaan in an area used by smugglers, they said. Lake Wallace has been used for human and narcotic smuggling, the affidavit states. The vehicle had entered the U.S. in Alburgh, Vermont, agents said.

Ng was admitted to the United States in May on a visitor visa with an intended destination of Fort Lee, New Jersey, the affidavit states. Border Patrol agents learned on June 18 that she had again entered the U.S. in Buffalo in a vehicle with a Quebec plate and was expected to arrive at the same Airbnb on Lake Wallace in Vermont on June 25, the affidavit states. They then started to surveil the property.

More Vermont stories

Vermont Jul 1

17-year-old killed, 2 other teens injured in Vermont crash

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Vermont man arrested for flipping off trooper awarded $175K in settlement

Vermont State Police said they responded to a report of a single-car crash on Notch Road in Mendon around 5:52 a.m.

Preliminary investigation showed that the vehicle, a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta, was headed northwest on Notch Road when it drove off the shoulder and struck a tree. The driver, identified as Gavin Barmore, of Rutland, died at the scene.

Two passengers — 19-year-old Timothy Moran, of Chittenden, and 18-year-old Collin Chamberlain, of Rutland — were taken by ambulance to Rutland Regional Medical Center with serious injuries. No update on their condition was immediately available.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, according to state police. Anyone with information is asked to call them at 802-773-9101.

More Vermont stories

Vermont Jun 26

Vermont man arrested for flipping off trooper awarded $175K in settlement

Vermont Jun 26

Vermont State Police looking for whoever stole town's front-end loader and used it to steal ATM

Vermont State Police said they responded to a 911 call around 4:10 p.m. Thursday for an individual who was stuck underneath a car in the parking lot of Mount Mansfield Union High School in Jericho. Troopers responded to the scene and immediately began to render aid.

The victim, identified as 18-year-old Silas Salyer, of Underhill, was taken by ambulance to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, where he later died.

State police said their investigation determined that Salyer was working on his car in the school parking lot when the jack holding up the vehicle collapsed.

No further details were released.

More Vermont stories

Vermont Jun 26

Vermont man arrested for flipping off trooper awarded $175K in settlement

Vermont Jun 26

Vermont State Police looking for whoever stole town's front-end loader and used it to steal ATM

The lawsuit was filed in 2021 by the ACLU of Vermont on behalf of Gregory Bombard, of St. Albans. It says Bombard’s First Amendment rights were violated after an unnecessary traffic stop and retaliatory arrest in 2018.

Trooper Jay Riggen stopped Bombard’s vehicle in St. Albans on Feb. 9, 2018, because he believed Bombard had shown him the middle finger, according to the lawsuit. Bombard denied that but says he did curse and display the middle finger once the initial stop was concluded.

Bombard was stopped again and arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct, and his car was towed. He was jailed for over an hour and cited to criminal court, according to the ACLU. The charge was eventually dismissed.

Under the settlement signed by the parties this month, the state has agreed to pay Bombard $100,000 and $75,000 to the ACLU of Vermont and the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression for legal fees.

“While our client is pleased with this outcome, this incident should never have happened in the first place,” said Hillary Rich, staff attorney for the ACLU of Vermont, in a statement. “Police need to respect everyone’s First Amendment rights — even for things they consider offensive or insulting.”

The Vermont State Police did not have a comment on the settlement.

Bombard said in a statement provided by the ACLU that he hopes the Vermont State Police will train its troopers “to avoid silencing criticism or making baseless car stops.”

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Vermont Jun 26

Vermont State Police looking for whoever stole town's front-end loader and used it to steal ATM

New Hampshire Jun 25

Vermont bank robbery suspect arrested after 20-mile police pursuit in NH

State police said they were notified of an alarm at the Union Bank on Ramsey Road in the town of Fairfax shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday. Troopers responded to the scene and saw that the bank’s outdoor ATM had been removed forcibly by a piece of heavy machinery. They were ultimately able to locate the ATM, along with a front-end loader, just down the road from the bank on Route 128.

The front-end loader belonged to the Fairfax Town Highway Department, and when state police notified them they learned that the front-end loader and a white pickup truck were stolen from the town garage sometime before the ATM theft. The white pickup truck was later located on Swamp Road near WIlkins Brook.

No damage was done to either the front-end loader or the pickup truck, state police said, but significant damage was done to the ATM machine and the exterior of the bank.

Authorities did not say if any money was taken from the ATM machine.

State police are asking anyone with information about the thefts to call 802-524-5993 or leave an anonymous tip online at https://cityprotect.com/forms/state.vt.us/anonymous.

More Vermont stories

New Hampshire Jun 25

Vermont bank robbery suspect arrested after 20-mile police pursuit in NH

Vermont Jun 24

Vermont man who fled following domestic assault now in police custody

Around 12:30 p.m. on June 23, state police said they responded to a report of a domestic assault in the area of Elm Street in Swanton. The suspect was identified as Nicholas Hale, 26, of St. Albans. He fled from law enforcement on foot.

Police had asked people not to approach him and to instead call state police because he might be armed.

Hale was taken into custody in St. Albans on Tuesday without incident. He is being held at Northwestern Correctional Center on $13,000 bail.

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And while some relief is expected in the eastern Great Lakes region and New England starting Friday, the National Weather Service said scorching temperatures will linger across the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic region, and even rise in places, including California and Arizona, where they could eclipse 100 degrees (nearly 38 degrees Celsius).

On Squam Lake in central New Hampshire, ice blocks about the size of microwaves that had been packed in sawdust since winter were lifted from an insulated storage hut. It’s been a tradition at the rustic Rockywold Deephaven Camps for more than a century, keeping fresh ice available throughout the summer and into the fall.

Angela Wilcox, who has vacationed at the camp for 16 years, took her children and nephews boating Thursday in search of the lake’s coldest swimming spot.

“This is the hottest it’s ever been, especially in June,” Wilcox said. “We’re kind of shocked.”

Heat index readings combining temperature and humidity were expected to surpass 100 degrees (37.7 C) in many locations across the country, possibly setting some all-time records, the weather service said, and because record overnight temperatures could prevent natural cooling, heat danger could builda up indoors.

“Those without access to reliable air conditioning are urged to find a way to cool down,” the service said in its forecast.

In a study published Thursday, a group of scientists said human-caused climate change has drastically increased the odds of experiencing the killer heat baking the Southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America this month. Last year, the U.S. recorded its most heat waves — abnormally hot weather lasting more than two days — since 1936.

Ocean waters are warmer as well, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, where the season’s first named storm, Alberto, was dumping heavy rain and causing flash flooding along a stretch of the coast from Mexico to Louisiana. This year’s hurricane season is forecast to be among the most active in recent memory.

It’s made for an unusually early start to summer extremes in the northeastern U.S.

It was already nearing 90 degrees (32.2 C) in New Hampshire as John Dupont opened his kettle corn stand at Concord’s 50th annual Market Days Festival. He and his daughter set up two fans and were prepared to drape icy towels around their necks.

“This year is a little challenging because of all the heat. Our kettle gets up to 150,000 BTUs,” he said.

At Johnson’s Dairy Bar in Northwood, Camryn Hildredth tried to offer customers an empty dish for that heartbreaking moment when a scoop of rapidly melting ice cream topples out of the cone, but not all would listen.

“Everybody asks if we have AC. We do not,” she said. “It’s very hot and we get long lines, so it can get very rough sometimes.”

In Burlington, Vermont, Jack Hurlbut said he’s never been so hot in his life. “I live in Vermont for a reason, you know what I mean?” the 28-year-old said.

Hurlbut, who is homeless, joined others in a shady spot on a lawn outside the public library, which was serving as a cooling center.

New York’s state parks had free admission Thursday, and select state-run pools and beaches opened early for swimming, Gov. Kathy Hochul said. New York City’s beaches were available, and although its public pools don’t open until next week, the city keeps a list of hundreds of free air-conditioned sites.

“The humidity is pretty insane,” said Anne-Laure Bonhomme, a health coach who was sightseeing in New York with her family.

Many school districts in New Jersey switched to early dismissals as the school year winds down, and at least two rescheduled their high school graduation ceremonies due to concerns about excessive heat and humidity.

With much of Indiana sweltering, highway crews are starting shifts at 6 a.m., two hours earlier than in cooler seasons, and taking more frequent breaks in air-conditioned trucks in between filling potholes and other roadwork, said Kyleigh Cramer, a spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Transportation.

“They’re able to get in those trucks and cool off right then and there because being out on the road is a little bit different than being in an office,” Cramer said.

Some relief is coming: A cold front is moving into areas near Lake Michigan later Thursday and on Friday, the weather service said. Chicago broke a 1957 record for June 17 on Monday, with a high of 97 degrees (36.1 C).

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Kiana M. Badan, 27, was charged with the assault of a protected professional, disorderly conduct and unlawful trespass following her arrest. Newport police responded at the scene just after midnight on Wednesday after receiving reports of a woman who assaulted a nurse and harassed other patients. She allegedly refused to leave the hospital.

The police’s initial investigation found that the woman, Badan, returned to the lobby after rejecting treatment and being released from the emergency room.

According to Newport police, Badan is wanted on previous warrants as she failed to appear in court for theft and drug charges.

Badan failed to meet her $200 bail and will be arraigned on Wednesday afternoon at the Orleans County Criminal Court.

Mor Vermont news

Vermont Jun 18

Vermont lawmaker apologizes for repeatedly pouring water in her colleague's bag

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Vermont man sentenced to 25 years in prison for kidnapping woman and son outside NH mall

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State Rep. Mary Morrissey publicly apologized to state Rep. Jim Carroll, colleagues and the citizens of Vermont from the House floor on Monday. Both are from Bennington, a town of about 15,000 in the southwestern corner of the state.

“I am truly ashamed for my actions,” Morrissey said of “her disrespectful conduct” toward Carroll. She said she had apologized directly to Carroll and would be working toward “resolution and restoration throughout legislative process.”

In response, Carroll told the chamber that he heard the sincerity in her voice but that he had to be frank, saying: “For five months, I went through this,” and Morrissey had a choice each time she did it.

“It was torment,” he said.

Carroll told The Associated Press that the tote bag he hangs in a hallway at the Statehouse was soaked a couple of times per week in January and February. Then, after he was charged with driving under the influence in February and returned from rehab, his bag was soaked almost daily, he said.

“It was relentless,” Carroll said, adding that he was fairly confident it was Morrissey, who he said often mistreated him. He set up a video camera behind a scarf on the opposite wall and captured Morrissey pouring water from a glass into the bag on April 23 and April 26. He then showed the footage to House Speaker Jill Krowinski, who confronted Morrissey with it.

“This is a truly disturbing situation that is at odds with our legislative practices,” Krowinski, a Democrat, said in a statement. She added that “the integrity and decorum of our legislative proceedings and of legislators are of paramount importance, and any actions or behaviors that compromise these values will be thoroughly investigated and addressed.”

Morrissey hasn’t said why she did it, and she didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.

Carroll told fellow lawmakers on Monday that the first time he and Morrissey sit down to talk will be awkward, “but we have to start somewhere.”

Everett Simpson, 46, was convicted by a jury in federal court last year on two counts of kidnapping and two counts of interstate car theft. He had acted as his own attorney during the trial and at his sentencing Monday. An email seeking comment from his stand-by public defender was sent Tuesday.

The sentencing “closes a dark period in two victims’ lives and hopefully allows their healing process to continue and provides a sense of security to them and others,” U.S. Attorney for Vermont Nikolas Kerest said in a statement.

Simpson admitted before the jury that he left a Vermont drug treatment center shortly after he was dropped off there on the night of Jan. 4, 2019, for court-ordered substance abuse treatment from another case.

He stole a van parked in a nearby driveway and drove it to Manchester, New Hampshire, where it was abandoned the next day. Simpson acknowledged driving back to White River Junction, Vermont, with the alleged victim and her son in her car. But he said the woman had agreed to do so and that she had opportunities to leave had she wanted.

“I am guilty of a lot of things, but not kidnapping,” Simpson said in court last year.

The woman and her child were taken to a Vermont motel. Simpson then took the victim’s car to Pennsylvania, where he was eventually arrested.

Court documents say the victim was sexually assaulted while in the motel, but the federal charges did not include sexual assault. Simpson is, however, facing separate state sexual assault charges.

Simpson said he fled the treatment center because he was trying to find his estranged wife, who he believed was having a relationship with another man.

In 2020, the woman received $400,000 in the settlement of a lawsuit accusing the state of Vermont of not doing enough to find Simpson after he left the treatment center. The woman also said she had received a sizable settlement from the treatment center, but the exact amount is unclear.

Victim impact statements were filed under seal in the federal case because they include personal information about, and statements from or about, victims of a violent crime, prosecutors said. Sentencing memorandums from both sides also were sealed.

But the Legislature failed to override Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of a data privacy bill that was considered to be among the strongest in the country. It would have allowed consumers to file civil lawsuits against companies that break certain privacy rules.

Scott vetoed the legislation last week, saying it would make Vermont “a national outlier and more hostile than any other state to many businesses and non-profits.”

The Vermont House voted to override his veto but the Senate sustained his decision.

The vote came after the Legislature reconvened Monday to try to override Scott’s vetoes of seven bills. Each chamber needed two-thirds of those present to vote to override to be successful in passing the bills.

Senate President Pro Tem Philip Baruth, a Democrat, thanked colleagues at the end of the day, calling it “an incredibly productive day, a long day and an exhausting day in many ways but with brilliant results.”

Gov. Scott, on the other hand, called it a sad day for Vermonters “who simply cannot afford further tax burdens and cost increases. Many will talk about these votes as a major loss for me, but it’s really a major loss for Vermont taxpayers, workers and families.”

Scott said last month that the Legislature is out of balance and at times “focuses so much on their goals they don’t consider the unintended consequences.” While he said his vetoes aren’t popular in Montpelier, “I’ll take that heat when I believe I’m making the right choice for the everyday Vermonter,” Scott said.

The drug overdose prevention law enacted by the Legislature allows for a safe injection site in Vermont’s largest city of Burlington where people can use narcotics under the supervision of trained staff and be revived if they take too much.

The center will provide referrals to addiction treatment as well as medical and social services. It also will offer education about overdose prevention and distribute overdose reversal medications.

“The data is clear. Overdose prevention centers save lives, connect people to treatment, reduce pressures on emergency rooms and Emergency Medical Services, and reduce public drug consumption and discarded supplies in our communities,” Baruth said in a statement.

The new law allocates $1.1 million in fiscal year 2025 to the Vermont Department of Health to award grants to the city of Burlington to establish such a center. The money will come from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund made up of Vermont’s share of a national settlement with drug manufacturers and distribution companies. Before then, the Health Department is required to contract with a researcher or consultant to study the impact of the overdose prevention center pilot program.

Two years ago, the first sanctioned overdose prevention centers in New York City opened, according to the Drug Policy Alliance. Rhode Island is expected to open one in Providence this summer.

By Monday afternoon, the state House and Senate had overturned the governor’s veto of a bill that requires state utilities to source all renewable energy by 2035, making Vermont the second state with such an ambitious timeline. Scott had said the renewable energy bill would be too costly for ratepayers. Under the legislation, the biggest utilities will need to meet the goal by 2030.

“The renewable energy standard will put Vermont on track to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2035, dramatically reducing planet-warming carbon pollution and saving Vermonters money over time,” Baruth said in a separate statement. He called the governor’s veto an attempt to continue rejecting “critical progress on climate action” at a time when Vermonters still are facing “the impacts of recent climate disasters.”

The Legislature also enacted a property tax bill to pay for education that will increase property taxes by an average of nearly 14% and create a committee to recommend changes to make Vermont’s education system more affordable. Scott has said Vermonters cannot afford double-digit tax increases.

In addition, the Legislature overrode Scott’s veto of a measure that restricts a type of pesticide that’s toxic to bees. The Legislature passed the bill after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed off on what she described as the nation’s first law last year to severely limit the use of neonics in her state. In vetoing the bill, Scott said it was “more anti-farmer than it is pro-pollinator.”

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The House and Senate, which both have a supermajority, are also expected to take up the governor’s vetoes of bills on property taxes, restricting a type of pesticide that’s toxic to bees and requiring state utilities to source all renewable energy by 2035.

Each chamber needs two-thirds of those present to vote to override to be successful in passing the bills.

Scott vetoed eight bills this session, saying last month that “sometimes the Legislature focuses so much on their goals they don’t consider the unintended consequences.” While his vetoes aren’t popular in Montpelier, “I’ll take that heat when I believe I’m making the right choice for the everyday Vermonter,” Scott said.

The data privacy bill was considered to be among the strongest in the country that would allow consumers to file civil lawsuits against companies that break certain privacy rules. Scott vetoed the legislation last week, saying it would make Vermont “a national outlier and more hostile than any other state to many businesses and non-profits.”

The Legislature expects to override his veto of a measure that bans uses of the pesticides neonicotinoids — commonly called neonics — as well as selling or distributing soybean and cereal grain seeds that are coated in the substance. Republican Gov. Phil Scott vetoed the legislation last month saying it “is more anti-farmer than it is pro-pollinator.”

The governor also vetoed a bill allowing the creation of a pilot overdose prevention center in Burlington, including a safe injection site where people can use narcotics under the supervision of trained staff and be revived if they take too much. Democrats hope to overturn that veto.

The Legislature will also take up Scott’s veto of a bill that would have required state utilities to source all renewable energy by 2035. The governor said the move would be too costly for ratepayers.

Under the legislation, the biggest utilities would need to meet the goal by 2030. If the Legislature overrides the veto, Vermont would become the second state with such an ambitious timeline.

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Republican Gov. Phil Scott said in his veto message late Thursday that the legislation would have made Vermont “a national outlier and more hostile than any other state to many businesses and non-profits.”

“I appreciate this provision is narrow in its impact, but it will still negatively impact mid-sized employers, and is generating significant fear and concern among many small businesses,” he wrote.

The legislation would have prohibited the sale of sensitive data, such as social security and driver’s license numbers, as well as financial information and health data. It also would have set meaningful limits on the amount of personal data that companies can collect and use, according to the nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center based in Washington, D.C.

The Democrat-controlled Legislature plans to override the governor’s veto when it meets for a special session on Monday. The bill passed 139-3 in the House and a flurry of amendments were made in the final days of the session.

“Our collective efforts brought forth legislation that not only reflects our commitment to consumer protection from scams and identity theft but also sets a standard for the nation,” House Speaker Jill Krowinski, a Democrat, said in a statement. “It is unfortunate that so much misinformation has been spread about this bill, but we know that Big Tech and their deep pockets are fearful of no longer having unrestricted access to Vermonters’ personal information.”

More than a dozen states have comprehensive data privacy laws. When the Vermont legislature passed the bill, Caitriona Fitzgerald, deputy director of EPIC, said the legislation was “among the strongest, if not the strongest” in the country. EPIC is urging the Legislature to override the governor’s veto.

“The Vermont Data Privacy Act would have provided Vermonters with meaningful privacy rights that are lacking from other state laws, and would have rightly provided them with the opportunity to enforce those rights,” Fitzgerald said in a statement.

Scott said he also had concerns about the provision aimed at protecting children, saying that similar legislation in California “has already been stopped by the courts for likely First Amendment violations” and the state should await the outcome of that case.

The Vermont Kids Code Coalition said the legislation is different than California’s and is constitutionally sound.

Much of the legislation would have gone into effect in 2025. The ability for consumers to sue would have happened in 2027 and expired in 2029, with a study to look at its effectiveness and risks.

State police said they responded at 5:25 p.m. Wednesday to the Big Rock Swimming Hole on Route 100B in Moretown for a report of a drowning man.

Witnesses at the scene said the man, later identified as Anthony Goddard, of Barre, was attempting to swim across the Mad River with his daughter on his back when he began to struggle. He ultimately went under the water and did not resurface.

Several bystanders entered the water and were able to rescue the child, but they could not find Goddard.

State police troopers arrived at the scene minutes later and entered the water in an attempt to rescue Goddard. They found him quickly and were able to bring him to shore. Troopers administered life-saving measures, but were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

State police detectives were dispatched the scene to conduct a death investigation. Their preliminary investigation determined that there is no indication of foul play.

Goddard’s body was taken to the state medical examiner’s office in Burlington, where an autopsy will be conducted in order to determine the cause and manner of his death.

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The man was shot around 1:25 p.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

State police said a trooper based at their Berlin Barracks responded to a call for a welfare check in a matter related to a juvenile on Spencer Road in Orange when he encountered a man who appeared to be unconscious sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. Suspecting drug use, the trooper called dispatch and asked that rescue crews be sent to the scnee for a possible overdose. The trooper also observed a sawed-off shotgun in the vehicle near the man.

The trooper tried to speak with the man, and he regained consciousness. After repeated commands from the trooper, the man eventually exited the vehicle. A struggle then ensued between the man and the trooper as the trooper was attempting to secure the shotgun from within the vehicle.

During that struggle, the trooper discharged his gun, striking and killing the man, police said.

Police identified the man who was killed as 41-year-old Jason Lowery, who they said lived most recently in various locations in central Vermont.

An autopsy completed late Thursday afternoon at the state medical examiner’s office in Burlington determined the cause of Lowery’s death was gunshot wounds to the neck and torso, and the manner of death was homicide.

The trooper involved was not injured but was taken to a hospital for an evaluation as a precaution, police said. State police said Thursday that the trooper involved was Adam Roaldi. He has been a member of the Vermont State Police since 2019 and has served as a uniformed trooper in the Field Force Division at the Royalton, Middlesex and Berlin barracks. He has worked from the Berlin office since September 2023. 

Roaldi has been placed on “paid relief-from duty status,” per standard procedure.

The Associated Press contribued to this report.

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Jet missing since 1971 found submerged in Vermont's Lake Champlain

The corporate jet disappeared shortly after departing the Burlington airport for Providence, Rhode Island, on Jan. 27, 1971. Those aboard included two crew members and three employees of a Georgia development company Cousins Properties, who were working on a development project in Burlington.

Initial searches for the 10-seat Jet Commander turned up no wreckage and the lake froze over four days after the plane was lost. At least 17 other searches happened, until underwater searcher Garry Kozak and a team using a remotely operated vehicle last month found wreckage of a jet with the same custom paint scheme in the lake close to where the radio control tower had last tracked the plane before it disappeared. Sonar images were taken of the wreck found in 200 feet (60 meters) of water near Juniper Island.

“With all those pieces of evidence, we’re 99% absolutely sure,” Kozak said Monday.

The discovery of the wreckage gives the families of the victims “some closure and answers a lot of the questions they had,” he said.

While relatives are grateful and relieved that the plane has been found, the discovery also opens up more questions and old wounds.

“To have this found now … it’s peaceful feeling, at the same time it’s a very sad feeling,” Barbara Nikitas, niece of pilot George Nikita, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. “We know what happened. We’ve seen a couple of photos. We’re struggling I think with that now.”

Frank Wilder’s father, also Frank Wilder, was a passenger on the plane.

“Spending 53 years not knowing if the plane was in the lake or maybe on a mountainside around there somewhere was distressing,” said Wilder, who lives outside of Philadelphia. “And again, I’m feeling relieved that I know where the plane is now but unfortunately it’s opening other questions and we have to work on those now.”

When the ice melted in the spring of 1971, debris from the plane was found on Shelburne Point, according to Kozak. An underwater search in May of 1971 was unable to find the wreckage. At least 17 other searches happened, including in 2014, according to Kozak. At that time, authorities were spurred by curiosity after the Malaysia Airlines plane disappearance that year with the hope that new technolog.y would find the wreck but it did not.

Barbara Nikitas, who lives in southern California and her cousin Kristina Nikita Coffey, who lives in Tennessee and is the daughter of George Nikita, spearheaded recent search efforts and contacted other victims’ relatives.

What was fascinating in reconnecting with the group was “everybody had pieces of the pie and the puzzle that when we started sharing information and sharing documents what we got was a much greater both understanding and perspective of the information, how we were all impacted by this,” said Charles Williams, whose father, Robert Ransom Williams III, an employee of Cousins Properties, was on the plane.

He called Kozak a hero for his dedication to finding the plane. After the 2014 search was unsuccessful, Kozak became intrigued and searched a sonar survey of the lake taken by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and Middlebury College. He found four anomalies on the lake floor. Then in 2022, a colleague, Hans Hug of Sonar Search and Recovery in Exeter, New Hampshire, and his friend who has an ROV, said they wanted to look for the plane, Kozak said. The team found a plane but it turned out to be a military aircraft. Last winter Kozak searched the sonar survey again and found another anomaly, which the team discovered last month was likely the plane wreckage.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating to verify if it is the plane, Williams said. The NTSB doesn’t do salvage operations, which would be expensive, Williams said.

“Whether there is tangible remains, and I hate to say it that way, and worth disturbing that’s a decision that we’ll have to figure out later, and part of what we’re unpacking now,” he said. “It’s hard when you start to think about that.”

The relatives of the victims plan to hold a memorial now that they know where the plane is located.

__

Veronica Lewis, 40, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the attack, according to state police.

The assault occurred around 5 a.m. on May 29 at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington. The Vermont Department of Corrections reported the incident to state police as is standard protocol, and they initiated an investigation.

That investigation determined that Lewis, who is serving a sentence for attempted second-degree murder, entered her cell and attacked her sleeping cellmate, a 52-year-old woman, with a jail-issued tablet computing device and a lock that had been placed inside a sock. The victim sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. She has since been returned ot the prison.

Lewis is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 1, at 8:30 a.m. in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, state police said. No further details were released.

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Vermont State Police say they were notified around 8:12 a.m. of a single-vehicle crash with an unconscious person on I-89 northbound in the area of mile marker 93 in Colchester.

Responding troopers found a badly-damaged Alfa Romeo Stelvio with two women inside, who were both unresponsive and severely injured, police said. The women, who were wearing their seatbelts, were removed from the SUV and taken to UVM Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

The driver was later identified as Denea France, and her passenger was identified as 52-year-old Dawn France, of Flushing, New York, police said. Both remain at the hospital in critical condition.

According to police, a preliminary investigation that included statements from eyewitnesses shows the SUV was traveling northbound in the left-hand lane at an extremely high rate of speed right before it hydroplaned, exiting the roadway to the righthand side and striking a group of trees.

It was raining at the time, and the roads were wet, police said. The SUV was totaled in the crash.

Anyone who witnessed what happened is encouraged to contact police at 802-878-7111.

Further information is not available at this time. An investigation is ongoing.

Vermont State Police say the single-vehicle crash occurred around 7:35 p.m. in the vicinity 1172 East Lakeshore Dr. while the vehicle was being pursued by the Colchester Police Department.

Two of the men were pronounced dead on scene, police said. Three others inside the vehicle were detained by police and then taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington for treatment of injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

A preliminary investigation by state police reveals the incident began in Burlington when five men allegedly stole a Ford Expedition, with at least one showing a gun during the incident.

The Burlington Police Department located the stolen vehicle and began pursuing it as it fled into Colchester where it nearly struck a marked police cruiser. Burlington police stopped their pursuit, and Colchester police began to pursue the vehicle from West Lakeshore Drive onto East Lakeshore Drive, at which point the Expedition overturned, state police say.

No other vehicles were involved.

East Lakeshore Drive was closed for several hours after the crash and was still closed as of 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

Both the Burlington and Colchester police departments will conduct internal reviews of the vehicle pursuit, per policy. The Burlington Police Department is also investigating the reported assault and vehicle theft.

No names have been released at this time. State police said Saturday they do not know the identities of everyone involved and investigators are awaiting the results of autopsies.

State police continued their investigation throughout the day Saturday and said it remains active and ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could help detectives, including any video of the police pursuit that preceded the crash, is asked to call state police at 802-878-7111. Anonymous tips can be submitted online here.

Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, wrote in a letter to lawmakers on Thursday that while such sites are well-intentioned “this costly experiment will divert financial resources from proven prevention, treatment and recovery strategies.”

The Democratic-controlled Legislature is expected to attempt an override next month.

The legislation — an act relating to a harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use — would have allocated $1.1 million in fiscal year 2025 to the Vermont Department of Health to award grants to the city of Burlington to establish such a center. The money would have come from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund made up of Vermont’s share of a national settlement with drug manufacturers and distribution companies. Before then, the bill required the Health Department to contract with a researcher or consultant to study the impact of the overdose prevention center pilot program.

The center would have provided referrals to addiction treatment as well as medical and social services. It would also have offered education about overdose prevention and distributed overdose reversal medications.

Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth, a Democrat, said a statement on Thursday that “the dramatic rise in fatal overdoses over the past ten years is one of the most pressing crises facing our state.”

He said overdose prevention centers save lives, connect people to treatment while reducing pressures on emergency departments and Emergency Medical Services and decreasing drug consumption in public.

The governor vetoed a similar bill two years ago.

Richard Cote of Morristown was found dead during a wellness check on the morning of July 24. An autopsy determined he had died from homicide.

Officers arrested 52-year-old Theodore Farnham of Waterbury on Thursday, the Morristown Police Department said Friday. He is charged with second-degree murder.

Police did not immediately give any details about how Cote was killed.

Farnham was due to be arraigned Friday at Lamoille Superior Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

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Richard Cote of Morristown was found dead during a wellness check on the morning of July 24. An autopsy determined he had died from homicide.

Officers arrested 52-year-old Theodore Farnham of Waterbury on Thursday, the Morristown Police Department said Friday. He is charged with second-degree murder.

Police did not immediately give any details about how Cote was killed.

Farnham was due to be arraigned Friday at Lamoille Superior Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

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Richard Cote of Morristown was found dead during a wellness check on the morning of July 24. An autopsy determined he had died from homicide.

Officers arrested 52-year-old Theodore Farnham of Waterbury on Thursday, the Morristown Police Department said Friday. He is charged with second-degree murder.

Police did not immediately give any details about how Cote was killed.

Farnham was due to be arraigned Friday at Lamoille Superior Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

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