JEFFERSONVILLE, Vt. (WCAX) – Despite warm temperatures on the way, skiers and snowboarders are celebrating the snow this holiday weekend. Our Calvin Cutler has a look at the conditions and the future of Vermont’s independent resorts.

If you ask just about anyone why they visit the Smugglers’ Notch Resort, you’ll likely get two answers: the conditions on and off the trail, and the local vibe, being one of the last independent ski resorts in Vermont.

Skiers and riders were swinging into the holiday weekend on ski lifts Friday, taking advantage of an early winter bluebird day to get in a few turns with friends and family.

“A little icy in some spots, but the sun warmed it up and it’s nice now,” said Tosh Moser of Cambridge.

Smuggs received about half a foot of fresh snow this week, allowing them to open 44 trails and their Madonna II lift in time for the crucial holiday weekend.

But temperatures are expected to rise this weekend which could melt away conditions.

“We’ve seen a great start to the season this year, better than last, especially this time last year, so we should be able to fare just fine,” said Caleb Kessler, the social media manager at the Smugglers’ Notch Resort.

As one of the last locally owned resorts in Vermont, Smuggs is an outlier in the ski industry which is undergoing consolidation, as big companies like Vail and Alterra buy up local resorts and pump in cash for new amenities and big infrastructure upgrades, like new snowguns that allow resorts to open earlier and close later. It’s sparking concern from many small American ski towns that their history and culture are fading away.

“You go to some of the bigger company-owned resorts, it’s different people, everything is different there,” said Wyatt McAdoo of Cambridge.

Last year, news of Smuggs considering a first-of-its-kind gondola to the Stowe Mountain Resort reverberated through the ski and ride community. The plan has since been scrapped.

Despite the corporate headwinds, Smuggs is sending the message that its size, culture and vibe set it apart.

“Being small and independent allows us to make decisions more quickly, more easily, be more nimble and gives us our personality as a resort,” Kessler said.

Despite the rain and warmer temperatures in the forecast, skiers and riders at Smuggs are hoping for a long season ahead.

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BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont’s homicide rate continues an upward trajectory, topping numbers not seen in nearly three decades.

In 2024, police investigated cases throughout the state, as far north as Orleans and as far south as Brattleboro.

As many cases continue to wind through the legal system, Vermont’s homicide numbers in 2024 are the third highest since 1991. And for the third straight year, homicide numbers topped 20.

“Are we seeing more homicides than we have in past years? Yeah, but I think it ebbs and flows. You know, we go from last year to this year and we’re seeing different kinds of homicide cases in general,” Vt. State Police Maj. Dan Trudeau said.

So far this year, Vermont has 23 homicide deaths. Last year, the state saw 27. And in 2022, there were 25. All three years are well above the 10-year average of 17.

Of the 23 homicides, nearly half involved the use of a gun. And of the cases investigated by state police, six are known to be drug-related, involving both suspects and victims from out of state,

Dan Trudeau with the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit says domestic violence cases are up.

“There is definitely an increased component of mental health issues with involved suspects,” he said.

This year, Vermont saw a rise in cases classified as parricide, or killing one’s parents, which criminologists say are rare.

“Typically those comprise about 1%-2% of all murders nationwide… And we’ve had at least three cases of that in Vermont,” said Penny Shtull, a criminologist at Norwich University.

One happened in Pawlet, where Brian Crossman Jr., 23, is accused of killing his father, stepmother and 13-year-old stepbrother.

Another was in Enosburgh, where Jordan Lawyer, 29, is accused of killing his father and injuring his mother.

And in Montpelier, Matthew Gomes, 29, is accused of killing his parents.

“In general we have an adult that may have longstanding conflict with their family are more likely to sever that relationship than to kill family members, so we suspect mental illness to be a factor,” Shtull said.

One case this year in St. Johnsbury remains unsolved, added to the list of four still unsolved from last year. Trudeau says while tips filter in from time to time, investigations can be complicated.

“There’s a lot of unreliable witnesses, there’s a lot of uncooperative involved people… And oftentimes very little physical evidence,” he said.

Trudeau says in most cases, the incidents are isolated and victims and suspects often know each other. But they still serve as a reminder for the public to remain vigilant.

In the last three years, only four cases have either gone to trial or ended with plea agreements.

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