Blog

Police say the assault-style rifle they found in a Lyndon apartment last week near a man wanted as a fugitive from Massachusetts was stolen from a Bethlehem, N.H. man. Xavion Martin, 23, of Springfield, Mass., is now facing an additional charge of possession of stolen property that has a value over $900. He was already accused of illegal possession of the AR-15 when police entered the Dune Way residence on March 14 and reportedly found him and Andrew Young, 37, there. Both men were wanted on arrest warrants, and Lyndonville Police learned they were at Dune Way and obtained a search warrant to go in and get them.  Young was found hiding under a pile of clothes in a closet, and Martin reportedly initially lied about his identity. They were both placed in custody. Two loaded firearms were found in a bedroom. In addition to the AR-15 there was a revolver.Both men appeared for court hearings later that same day, and both waived extradition. They were ordered held at the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury while waiting for authorities from neighboring states to pick them them up.

Amazon says it’s exploring opening a small operations facility in Essex. The proposal calls for a 107,000-square-foot facility to be built on 23 acres off Kimo Drive, near Saxon Hill Road, a part of Essex Town that has a mix of residential and industrial development. “We’re exploring the possibility of opening a small operations facility in Essex, which would support providing fast delivery and great service to local customers. This process is in the early planning stages and additional steps remain,” An Amazon spokesperson said. They say Vermont does not have any Amazon operations facilities, and that the closest one is in Granville, New York. 

LYNDON — At a recent Planning Commission meeting held on March 12, Chair Holly Taylor welcomed Bryn Hoffman, director of the Cobleigh Public Library, to discuss an electric vehicle (EV) charging initiative. Hoffman proposed installing a Level 2 electric vehicle charging station on a pole next to the library at the corner of Main Street and Depot Street. The library is also considering the purchase of an electric bookmobile as its current vehicle approaches the end of its life cycle. This charging station would allow the new bookmobile to be powered while providing Lyndon with its first public charging station for personal vehicles. The proposed project is expected to generate revenue for the library through the charging station. However, it would require converting the handicapped parking space closest to the pole into a charging and short-term pick-up/drop-off area.

 Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is trying to expand health care coverage for seniors. In a speech on the Senate floor, Sanders touted his Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act. Sanders says the bill requires Medicare to pay the same amount or less for prescription drugs than the VA. He says that change would cut the cost of prescription drugs for seniors by half and save more than $800 billion over the next 10 years.

Kate Segal, superintendent of SAU 35, will resign before the end of her contract. The Executive Board approved Segal’s request to terminate her contract with pay, effective Friday, March 28. Segal’s departure comes earlier than her previously announced retirement date of June 30. The board’s approval is contingent upon her signing a satisfactory separation agreement and non-disclosure agreement. Additionally, the board has tentatively chosen Segal’s replacement, based on a unanimous recommendation from the search committee. The selection is pending contract negotiations, which are currently underway.

 The federal government is investigating Middlebury College over alleged antisemitism. Middlebury is one of 60 colleges and universities that got a letter from the Department of Education’s civil rights office. The letter says the colleges could face consequences if they don’t protect Jewish students on campus. It says students at those colleges faced antisemitic harassment and discrimination. It did not go into detail about what behavior on campus at Middlebury led to the letter, only saying that the letters were in response to complaints received. In a statement Tuesday, Middlebury College officials said they have been fully cooperating with the investigation. Saying, “We are committed to our educational mission, and that includes supporting all students with no tolerance for discriminatory behavior on our campus.” President Donald Trump warned Monday that the arrest and possible deportation of a Palestinian activist who helped lead protests at Columbia University will be the first “of many to come” as his administration cracks down on campus demonstrations against Israel and the war in Gaza. 

 Investigators believe a police officer was distracted when he allegedly hit and killed a bicyclist in South Burlington. This comes just days before Shelburne Police Sgt. Kyle Kapitanski is set to be arraigned on the charges. In documents, investigators say moments before the crash, Kapitanski was traveling over the speed limit with a YouTube video playing on his in-cruiser tablet. Video shows Kapitanski hitting and killing cyclist Sean Hayes on Shelburne Road back in November. Now, documents filed in the criminal case against him show police believe speed and distraction were factors in the crash. The affidavit points to Kapitanski’s body camera, which shows a YouTube video playing on his in-car mounted tablet. In the moments following the crash, investigators say his hand can be seen changing the screen to a police information program known as Valcour. Defense attorney David Sleigh is asking the court to review its finding of probable cause, stating the evidence presented does not constitute the charge. Kapitanski is expected to appear in court on Thursday for his arraignment. If convicted on the gross negligence charge, he could face up to 15 years in prison. 

Investors interested in buying the Burke Mountain Resort pitched their plan to members of the public on Friday evening, hoping to build local excitement for their vision and exert pressure on the sales process. Todd Firestone and Mark Greenberg, part of Green Mountain Ski Partners, LLC, met with a large gathering of community members in the town’s Community Building to discuss their desire to own the mountain resort and invest in its future. They shared their connections to the mountain with children who have attended Burke Mountain Academy. They emphasized that their priority was to improve ski operations, and to that end, Firestone said his family manufactured snow guns that would be deployed to enhance the terrain. Firestone said he believes that his group has a solid plan for the mountain and that an auction would put them in a position to acquire it.

They said on Friday that they hoped the public would help them pressure the receiver to open the process to a public auction.