By Katy Savage/VTDigger The Mount Ascutney School Board fired Principal Tiffany Riley after she posted a controversial Black Lives Matter comment on her personal Facebook page. In the school board’s 50-page decision, released Friday, Oct. 16, board members said Riley’s post was seen by more than 250 people and created “serious disruption” to the school district.…

The state has announced $240,000 in additional relief funding was made available through two new Coronavirus Agriculture Assistance Programs that launched this past Friday, Oct. 16. Farmers Market Relief The Farmers Market Relief program will provide up to $2,000 to markets that suffered economic harm as a result of the global pandemic. Markets must have…

The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Treasury Department, released a simpler loan forgiveness application for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $50,000 or less on Oct. 8. This action streamlines the PPP forgiveness process to provide financial and administrative relief to America’s smallest businesses while also ensuring sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars.…

Qualifying businesses can now receive up to $300,000 Governor Phil Scott announced Tuesday, Oct. 20, an expansion of the state’s Economic Recovery Grants, utilizing an additional $76 million in funds from the $1.25 billion the state received from the Federal CARES Act. These funds are in addition to the $152 million in economic relief already…

Agency dollars assist Vermont fruit, vegetable, and value-added producers and increase consumer access to locally produced food The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) last week  announced grants totaling $299,350 for seven projects to benefit Vermont fruit, vegetable, and value-added producers and increase consumer access to locally produced food. These grants, funded through…

Author of the bill cites lowering abortion rates among its goals Vermont will become the first state in the nation to make free condoms available in public middle and high schools next year. Gov. Scott signed a bill on Oct. 5 that expands access to contraceptives. Some of the country’s largest school districts have free…

POMFRET— This year’s annual Source to Sea Cleanup, organized by the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC), continued the tradition of cleaning up rivers despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. “More and more people turned to their rivers this summer, since social distancing limited other activities,” said Stacey Lennard, CRC’s cleanup coordinator. “Unfortunately, the increased use…

By Anne Galloway/VTDigger A mail processor was recently removed from the White River Junction U.S. Postal Service plant, one of two facilities that sort mail in Vermont. Only one processing machine is now left at the Upper Valley location, and last weekend that device broke down. Postal workers were forced to sort and process pieces…

Police are seeking information about the driver of a box truck who drove through Kingsley covered bridge on East Road in Clarendon on Wednesday, Oct. 14, causing significant damage. A oversized vehicle caused damage to the fascia boards and support braces of the bridge. The bridge was closed while AOT determined if the bridge remained…

On Monday, Oct. 19 at 2:25 p.m., officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Derby Line notified the Vermont State Police that a fugitive had been apprehended at the border by Canadian authorities after attempting to flee the United States on foot. State police learned that the suspect was Corey Ramos, 30, of Bridgeport,…

On Oct. 17 just after midnight, the West Rutland Fire Department responded to 416 Main St. in West Rutland for a reported structure fire. Upon first arriving, fire crews found the structure with heavy smoke and fire coming from the first floor and beginning to extend to the second floor.  Due to the quick response…

On Oct. 15 at about  10 p.m., troopers from the Vermont State Police responded to an armed robbery complaint at the Stewart's Shop located at 116 Main St. in West Rutland. Upon meeting with store employees and reviewing video footage, it was learned that at 9:57 p.m., a lone white male approximately 5 feet, 5…

On Oct. 19, VSP Royalton attempted to stop Robert Blanchard, 50, after he made threats to harm others, including law enforcement.  Blanchard refused to stop when the troopers activated their lights and sirens. The pursuit exceeded the speed limit several times and proceeded through Quechee and West Hartford, onto Route 14 in Sharon. Troopers set…

Castleton University’s spring 2021 semester will feature an adjusted schedule and more options for students to receive their courses. To keep its community as safe as possible throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the upcoming flu season, the university will adjust its academic calendar in the following ways: The spring semester will be delayed,…

Greg Cox, Democrat for state senate By Lee J. Kahrs WEST RUTLAND — Vermont’s farm culture is far from dead, and if Greg Cox has anything to do with it, agriculture will bring young people back to Vermont and grow the economy again. “If we’re going to grow more farms, we need more farmers,” he…