The Windham County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search warrant
operation on Shag Bark Hill in Putney early Thursday morning,
resulting in multiple arrests. At approximately 5:30 a.m., officers from
the Windham County Sheriff’s Office, with support from the Bellows
Falls and Brattleboro Police Departments, executed the search
warrant following a lengthy investigation. Terry A. Parson, 41, of
Putney, was charged with trafficking fentanyl and possession of
cocaine. Shamaine Cunningham, 33, of Thomaston, Connecticut, and
Mystidawn Occonnor-Richards, 23, of Springfield, were arrested on
active warrants. Kelly A. Gobin, 51, of Newport, New Hampshire, was
charged with possession of cocaine. Cunningham and Occonnor-
Richards were transported to the Superior Court of Vermont’s
Criminal Division in Windham to be arraigned on their outstanding
warrants. Parson and Gobin were processed at the Windham County
Sheriff’s Office and released on citation. The court date is set for April
29.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a pre-Town Meeting
informational forum Wednesday, March 12 at Academy School
beginning at 7 p.m. Representative Town Meeting articles will be
discussed, including the budget. According to I brattleboro dot com, at
5:45 p.m., prior to the informational forum, Town Meeting members
for each district will be available to meet with constituents to offer
residents an opportunity to share their views and discuss articles to
be voted on at the annual meeting. Also at that time, all three
districts have the opportunity to elect their District Chair for the year.
Vermont Thursday joined a multistate lawsuit against the Trump
administration over the indiscriminate firing of probationary federal
employees. It’s the sixth lawsuit filed by so-called ”blue states”
against the new administration. In the lawsuit, the states argue that
the administration was required to follow federal laws and
regulations that govern large-scale federal “Reductions in
Force.” They argue the protections ensure that certain personnel,
such as military veterans, are given preference in retaining their jobs
and that states are given enough notice to provide necessary services
to those who are laid off. Vermont has so far joined lawsuits against
the administration’s attempt to do away with birthright citizenship,
federal funding freezes, Elon Musk’s access to sensitive data, as well
as the delegation of executive power to Musk. Officials say judges
have granted preliminary injunctions in all but one case.
For the third year in a row, Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital
has been named one of Vermont’s “Best Places to Work” by the
Vermont Business Magazine. Grace Cottage is the only hospital in the
state to have achieved this award each year for the past three years.
The New Hampshire Senate on Thursday renamed and expanded the
state’s Move-Over law. The new Sherill’s Law is named for New
Hampshire State Police Staff Sgt. Jesse Sherrill, who died in the line of
duty when a tractor-trailer hit his cruiser. Investigators say it’s
because the driver didn’t switch lanes. The existing law requires
drivers to slow down, move out of lanes that are blocked, and give
space to emergency response vehicles. The changes would include
pulling over to make extra space if a stopped vehicle displays warning
hazards like warning lights or road flares.
Vermont cheesemakers triumphed at the United States Championship
Cheese Contest. It’s the nation’s most respected and honored dairy
processing competition. This year, Vermont Cabot Creamery, Jasper
Hill Farm, Waitsfield’s von Trapp Farmstead, Spring Brook Farm
Cheese, and Vermont Creamery all took home awards, totaling 28
ribbons and 13 Best in Class wins.