Two individuals from Connecticut are currently incarcerated following a drug operation in Brattleboro. According to the Vermont State Police, Rondale Mapp, aged 38, and Rayteisha Hernandez, aged 30, both residents of Hartford, Connecticut, were apprehended after an extensive investigation lasting several months into the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine from a residence on Central Street. Authorities report that they utilized confidential informants to conduct multiple drug purchases from Mapp and Hernandez. Mapp’s bail for the drug sale charges has been established at $50,000, while Hernandez’s bail is set at $25,000. Both individuals made an appearance in court earlier Friday.
Transgender athletes in our region are feeling the effects of a federal
policy. Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order
barring transgender women from participating in women’s
sports. Now, New Hampshire is following suit. A statement from the
Department of Education commends the New Hampshire
Interscholastic Athletic Association for changing its policies that
allowed students to play on a team that matched their gender
identity, not biological sex. The Trump administration says banning
trans women in women’s sports “protects women and girls from
biological male competitors.” The Department of Education launched
investigations into athletic associations that don’t change their
policies. Vermont laws ensure transgender students can participate in
sports in a way that matches their gender identity, something the
state attorney general vowed to uphold.
The U.S. Senate on Thursday narrowly voted to confirm Kash Patel as
director of the FBI, despite doubts from Democrats about his
qualifications and concerns he will do Donald Trump’s bidding and go
after the Republican president’s adversaries. Vermont Sen. Peter
Welch was among those who opposed Patel’s confirmation. During
the hearings, Welch pressed Patel to say President Trump lost the
2020 election and cited Patel’s refusal to do that. Welch shared
concerns that Patel won’t stand up to the president, blindly following
Trump’s demands.
New legislation proposed in the Vermont House seeks to enhance water quality and safeguard state forests. Representative Amy Sheldon, a Democrat from Middlebury, has introduced H.267, known as the Vermont Climate Resilience and State Wildlands Act. She asserts that this legislation provides a vital addition to Vermont’s conservation and climate resilience strategies. The Vermont House Committee on the Environment reports that 90% of state lands are situated in crucial headwaters that contribute to clean water and mitigate flood risks. However, it is noted that less than 1% of these state forests consist of natural or old-growth forests, resulting in diminished wildlife protection and increased atmospheric carbon levels. The proposed legislation aims to guide two-thirds of state lands towards the restoration of old forests. If enacted, proponents believe that Vermont could potentially double its carbon storage capacity over the next 75 years.
A police officer from Vermont is facing charges related to the death of a cyclist in South Burlington. Shelburne Police Sergeant Kyle Kapitanski has been charged with grossly negligent operation resulting in death, a felony offense. According to investigators, on the morning of November 11, while on duty, Kapitanski struck and killed 38-year-old Sean Hayes from Burlington on Route 7 near Fayette Drive. The Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office filed these charges following a month-long investigation and an examination of the findings from the crash reconstruction team. Kapitanski, aged 41, is scheduled to appear in court on March 13.
Remember when Barnes and Noble bookstores started shuttering left
and right 10 years ago? It felt like the death of the physical book.
Then, last year, the company opened 57 new stores. According to
the Fast Company website, it opened more stores in 2024 than it did
between 2009 and 2019. Now, it’s going to top that with 60 new
bookstores, including New Hampshire. While there’s already a Barnes
and Noble in Seabrook, Portsmouth, Nashua, Manchester, and Salem,
you can now add Keene to that list. According to the Barnes and
Noble website, the bookstore’s grand opening is planned for May at
the Monadnock Marketplace on 32 Ash Brook Road.