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Suspect in fire outside of US Sen. Bernie Sanders' Vermont office to remain detained, judge says
The man accused of starting a fire outside independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Vermont office earlier this month will remain detained pending further legal proceedings, a federal judge ordered Thursday. Shant Michael Soghomonian was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of maliciously damaging or attempting to damage and destroy by fire a building used in interstate commerce,...
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Vermont farms are still recovering from flooding as they enter the growing season
Hundreds of Vermont farms are still recovering from last July’s catastrophic flooding and other extreme weather as they head into this year’s growing season. Dog River Farm, in Berlin, Vermont, lost nearly all its produce crops in the July flooding. The farm removed truckloads of river silt and sand from the fields before another round of flooding in December...
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Man accused of lighting fire outside Bernie Sanders' office had past brushes with law
The man accused of starting a fire outside U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Vermont office a week ago has had past brushes with the law involving guns and a history of traveling from place to place, prosecutors say in court filings arguing that he should remain detained. Security video shows Shant Michael Soghomonian throwing liquid at the bottom of a...
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Vermont's Goddard College to close after years of declining enrollment, financial woes
Vermont’s Goddard College, a small school known for its progressive education, is closing after years of declining enrollment and financial struggles, the board of trustees announced. The decision to close at the end of the semester was heart-wrenching but unavoidable as the school, created in 1938, faces financial insolvency, the board said in a statement Tuesday. Goddard currently has 220…
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Vermont driver charged with aggravated murder in crash that killed a police officer
A Vermont man accused of killing a 19-year-old police officer in a head-on crash during a pursuit in Rutland last summer pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a new elevated charge of aggravated murder. Tate Rheaume, who was ordered held without bail pending an evidence hearing, was “engaged in extraordinarily dangerous driving” at more than 80 mph while also moving in…
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Man accused of setting a fire outside Bernie Sanders' office stayed at an area hotel for weeks
The man charged with setting a fire outside the Vermont office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders had been staying at an area hotel for nearly two months and was spotted outside Sanders’ office the day before and the day of the fire, according to court paperwork filed by a federal agent. Shant Michael Soghomonian, 35, who was previously from Northridge,…
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Mass. city set to settle lawsuit in death of opioid-addicted Vt. woman
Relatives of a Vermont woman whose obituary drew national attention for its candid and heart-breaking discussion of her opioid addiction have reached a settlement with some of the parties who were sued for allegedly failing to provide adequate medical care. The family of Madelyn Linsenmeir sued the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, saying law...
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Man arrested for setting fire to door of Sen. Bernie Sanders' Burlington office
35-year-old Shant Soghomonian (also known as Michael Soghomonian), was arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with using fire to damage the building at One Church Street in Burlington, Vermont, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont.
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Investigation continues 6 months after retired college dean was killed in Vt.
Six months after retired college dean and professor Honoree Fleming was shot and killed in Castleton, Vermont, state police say her case remains a top priority. Fleming, 77, of Castleton, died from a gunshot wound to the head on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. She was found on the Delaware & Hudson Rail Trail about a mile south of the Castleton…
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Mass. teen wanted on murder charge in Vermont stabbing
An 18-year-old from Massachusetts is wanted in connection to a fatal stabbing that occurred in Pownal, Vermont, in early February. State police say Elizah Coppedge, of Chicopee, Mass., is facing a charge of second-degree murder in the Feb. 6 killing of Casey Gras, 36, of Bennington, Vt. According to police, a Vermont Superior Court judge in Bennington County signed an…
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Man set fire to door of Sen. Bernie Sanders' Burlington office, police say
Authorities are searching for a man accused of setting fire to the door of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ office in Burlington, Vermont, police said Friday.
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Missing Vt. man's body found in Connecticut River in NH
The body of a man from Vermont who’d been missing for nearly three weeks was found in a river in New Hampshire on Wednesday, authorities said.
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Audit finds inadequate state oversight in Vermont's largest fraud case
“In short, we found a pattern of misplaced trust, unfortunate decision-making, lengthy delays, and missed opportunities to prevent or minimize fraud,” Hoffer wrote.
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2 Vermont troopers referred to court diversion after charges of reckless endangerment
Two Vermont state troopers have been referred to court diversion following charges of reckless endangerment after they fired bean bag rounds from a shotgun against a man who was acting irrationally, the state attorney general said. The man who was hit June 17, 2022, in Newfane fell from a roof and suffered a head injury. State Police Sgt. Ryan Wood,…
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Vermont man arrested on kidnapping, other charges after holding 5 people at gunpoint
A Vermont man was arrested on kidnapping and other charges after he allegedly held five people at gunpoint and made death threats on Wednesday night. Police in Newport, Vermont, said they responded to a call for a disturbance at a home on Third Street around 9 p.m. Wednesday. Their initial investigation revealed that a local man, identified as 41-year-old David…
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First woman and openly gay person to represent Vermont in Congress to seek re-election
U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, Vermont’s first woman and first openly gay person to represent the state in Congress, announced Wednesday that she’s running for a second term. Balint, a Democrat, said in Congress she has focused on making affordable housing more accessible, mental health care for all and protecting the country’s democracy. “When I was first elected to Congress,...
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Vermont House passes a bill to restrict a pesticide that is toxic to bees
Vermont’s House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill to severely restrict a type of pesticide that’s toxic to bees and other pollinators. The bill will now go to the Senate. Representatives said Vermont was home to more than 300 native bee species and thousands of pollinator species, but many were in decline and some had disappeared altogether. Pollinators...
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Man accused of attempted murder in Burlington, Vt., dispute
A man drove his vehicle into someone he’d been involved in a dispute with in Burlington, Vermont, on Tuesday night, then drove off, before being arrested, police said Wednesday. Jermaine Webber, a 36-year-old from South Burlington, faces charges related to attempted murder over the incident that began on Cherry Street, according to Burlington police. Officers were called to Cherry...
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Vermont covered bridge keeps getting hit by truck drivers relying on GPS meant for cars
One of Vermont’s historic covered bridges has fallen under threat from modern technology. Box truck drivers relying on GPS continually crash through Lyndon’s 140-year-old Miller’s Run bridge despite signs, including a flashing one, to deter vehicles that are too tall or too heavy from crossing. Drivers can face a fine of $5,000 from the town, plus state penalties. Still, the bridge...
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Vermont authorities release new details on Brianna Maitland missing persons case
UPDATE: Federal and state investigators revealed a $40,000 reward for information leading to finding her. Read more here. The FBI and Vermont State Police say they will make an announcement Tuesday about the 20-year-old missing persons case of teenager Brianna Maitland. The announcement will take place at 1 p.m. and will include an update on resources recently added to the…