Vermont

In Danville, a petition seeks to close the local high school

Published

5 months ago

October 9, 2025

In Danville, a petition seeks to close the local high school

A bitter debate in Danville about whether to close the town’s high school underscores the uncertainty many Vermont schools face as the state prepares to overhaul its education system.

The Danville school board reluctantly announced this week that they would hold a special town-wide referendum on Dec. 6 on whether to close the school and instead offer families vouchers to the school of their choice. It comes after a local parent submitted a petition requesting the vote.

But within days after that petition was submitted, the town clerk reported that more than a dozen people asked for their signatures to be withdrawn. Michelle Leclerc, the Danville treasurer, told Vermont Public on Thursday that people had written to her office saying they had been “misinformed” and given “false information.”

For now, the petition still has enough signatures to require the vote. But more still could ask to remove their names before Nov. 4, she said, when the school board is scheduled to sign a warrant for the referendum.

The contention in Danville has been prompted by a sweeping education reform effort Gov. Phil Scott signed into law this July that could usher in widespread consolidation. A special task force is now at work on proposals for new school district maps, which lawmakers will consider when they return to the Statehouse this winter.

What’s afoot in Montpelier has left local school officials bracing for impact, but also unsure of what reform could mean for them. And Danville, which operates one of the last remaining public high schools in the Northeast Kingdom, also faces a unique set of circumstances.

The closest alternative, St. Johnsbury Academy, is private, and the role that one of its teachers — Vermont Senate Minority Leader Scott Beck — has had in encouraging the vote to close has prompted outcry among the Danville School’s supporters.

“It’s reprehensible, and I think the voters are going to see that right away,” one resident, Eric Hutchins, told the school board during a raucous meeting Tuesday evening.

Lola Duffort

Vermont Public

Dozens of local residents came to the Danville School Board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2025. Most spoke in support of keeping the high school open.

Small schools like Danville, where the high school enrollment hovers around 80 pupils, are deeply fearful the law, known as Act 73 could force them to close. And in recent weeks, Beck has warned school officials in Danville, as well as nearby Cabot — whose high school is even smaller — that it may be now or never if they want to decide their own fate.

Beck, a Caledonia County Republican, has told local school board members that it’s likely lawmakers will pass a measure in the upcoming legislative session that could remove a district’s ability to turn to school choice in the event that it closes a school. Instead, he’s said, a community might be required to select three public schools to send their children. For Danville, where the nearest large high schools are all private, that could be a problem.

But other lawmakers have pushed back, saying it would be unwise for communities to act in haste based on conjecture.

“Trying to predict the future of Act 73 is a fool’s errand,” Peter Conlon, the chair of the House Education Committee, told Seven Days.

In Cabot, school officials have since decided to take a wait-and-see approach. The board shelved a survey last week it had planned to send to residents, which included Beck’s warning that school choice could go away for good unless communities make the switch now. But in Danville, the petition — which was organized by a local parent who also happens to be a St. Johnsbury Academy teacher — has tied the board’s hands.

On Tuesday evening, Danville school board members told a crowded gymnasium of residents they had no desire to close the high school.

Clayton Cargill, the school board chair, nodded in agreement as residents filed up to the microphone to accuse Beck of fearmongering in an attempt to funnel more students to St. Johnsbury Academy, his employer.

“I feel lied to,” Cargill said at one point.

A man wearing a suit sits at a table — Sen. Scott Beck, R-Caledonia, at a meeting of the School District Redistricting Task Force in Waterbury on Aug. 1, 2025.

Beck, in an interview after the meeting, said that he had offered the advice in good faith. He noted that a measure that would have disallowed districts from turning to choice was included in earlier drafts of Act 73, and only removed during end-stage negotiations.

Besides, he said, the school he teaches at has more than 900 pupils, so it doesn’t need Danville’s students to stay afloat.

“They’re not critical to St. Johnsbury Academy. I mean, if they wanted to come, we’d certainly welcome them, but the school has been around for a long time,” he said.

Peter Mantius, the Danville parent who organized the petition, also works as a teacher at St. Johnsbury Academy. And while he said he didn’t ask for the vote to benefit his employer, he said his experience there had allowed him to see first-hand what the school offers.

“This is something that I think I have a front row seat to, and I sometimes wish that the friends and community that my children are with had the same opportunities,” he said.

Overwhelmingly, speakers at Tuesday’s board meeting were there to argue for Danville high school’s continued existence.

David Warren, a veteran teacher at Danville, said it should be noted that nearby Lyndon Institute and St. Johnsbury Academy are both private.

“They don’t have to take your kids,” he said. “And how do I know that? Because we’ve been giving kids from those two schools here at Danville a second chance — a first chance — because they couldn’t make it at a bigger school for the 27 years I’ve been here.”

Several students said they liked Danville’s small size.

“I am not a student who struggles academically, but the thought of a newer and bigger classroom setting makes me question my academic future,” Jordan Sullivan-Stevens, an eighth grader, told the board.

The high school enrollment in Danville hovers around 80 students.

But there were dissenters. Sophomores Bella Stebbins and Ash Bedard filed up to the microphone together. Stebbins complained about behavioral problems at Danville, and Bedard followed after to say the school was limited in what it could provide.

Bedard said she knew they were both “disagreeing with everybody here.” But “other schools have more to offer in educational and extracurricular activities,” she said.

Most people left the Danville gymnasium Tuesday evening after they had said their piece. But Danville’s school board members remained, workshopping a letter to the state’s redistricting task force.

“We are at risk of making a very reactionary decision that will change this town considerably in unforeseen ways,” they wrote in their letter.

“Beholden to the whims of your Task Force, and more broadly, the State Legislature,” the letter continued, “…we are forced to assume and plan for the worst case scenario, and do everything in our power to prevent it.”

“And so our ask to you,” they added, “is to give us clarity.”

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Vermont

6 of the Quirkiest Towns in Vermont

Published

5 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont is, for many visitors, the postcard-perfect New England state. A part of the United States since 1791, the first to join the Union after the Thirteen Original Colonies, Vermont has many unique, and sometimes quirky, features. The place has attracted artists and other creative geniuses, some of them decidedly eccentric, from its earliest days. The natural parts of Vermont, like the famous Lake Champlain, offer unusual points of interest for visitors and locals alike. With a state as rich in traveling attractions, it should be little wonder that some of them come with a quirk or two.

Montpelier

Summer Farmers Market in Montpelier, Vermont. Editorial credit: Phill Truckle / Shutterstock.com

Montpelier, while being Vermont’s charming capital, is the tiniest among all US state capitals with just around 8,000 residents. For comparison, the second-smallest, Pierre in South Dakota, has a population of about 14,000. Established in 1787, this historic town warmly welcomes visitors with a variety of landmarks, including the Vermont History Museum and the sprawling 200-acre Hubbard Park. The State House is also open to the public for tours. Just a short drive west, less than an hour away, lies Lake Champlain, one of the Northeast’s most beloved watersides.

The town’s name pays homage to Montpellier, a beautiful city in southern France. This naming reflected the high regard for France at the time, especially for their support during the US War of Independence. Interestingly, Montpelier has experienced its share of flooding, with significant damage occurring in the years 1927, 1992, and most recently in 2023.

Elmore

Elmore, a charming small town in Lamoille County with fewer than 900 residents, is a favorite spot for autumn leaf-peepers. Located north of Montpelier, this peaceful town has its own unique charm, including several local landmarks sharing the name ‘Elmore,’ which adds to its character. It’s important to note that Elmore town is separate from East Elmore. To the west, Elmore Mountain overlooks the area, while Elmore State Park lies just north of the town itself. Enjoying waterside beauty, Elmore Lake is often listed among Vermont’s most picturesque lakes, with its waters flowing into the Lamoille River through Elmore Pond Brook. Like Montpelier, Elmore is situated east of Lake Champlain. For those seeking a more bustling scene or a change of pace, the vibrant city of Burlington, just an hour’s drive west, makes for a perfect day trip or weekend getaway.

Stowe

Stowe, with a lively population of 5,300, is Vermont’s top spot for adrenaline seekers and the eccentrics among us, earning its reputation as the state’s premier ski and snowboard destination. The Stowe Mountain Resort proudly calls itself the “ski capital of the east”—that’s the eastern United States. Nestled near the breathtaking Mount Mansfield, Stowe offers more than just winter fun; warmer months bring plenty of activities like hiking and mountain biking in the beautiful Cady Hill Forest.

The town also has a rich history, being the home of Jake Burton Carpenter (1954-2019), the visionary behind Burton Snowboards and a trailblazer in making snowboarding an international sport. While some might have called him eccentric when he launched his company in 1977, today he’s celebrated as a true pioneer whose legacy keeps inspiring young snow sports enthusiasts, like those at Mount Mansfield Winter Academy, a special school dedicated to nurturing the next generation of champions.

Manchester

Manchester, a town with 4,500 residents located in southwest Vermont, is popular among art and architecture enthusiasts. It features Hildene, the estate of Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert, which boasts an impressive Georgian Revival house and grounds. The town’s American Museum of Fly Fishing showcases numerous rods, flies, and related gear, attracting many superstitious anglers. Manchester is also home to Orvis, a renowned fishing and clothing company. The Southern Vermont Arts Center hosts exhibitions, and includes a sculpture garden and performance space. Nature lovers should visit Mount Equinox, west of town, or explore the Green Mountain National Forest to the south.

Eccentric fact: Jonathan Goldsmith, known for portraying “The World’s Most Interesting Man” in Dos Equis commercials, resides in Manchester. Stay quirky, my friends.

Brattleboro

Brattleboro, with a population of 12,100, sits along the Connecticut River and features a variety of attractions and oddities. Located just west of New Hampshire—in which the Connecticut River forms the border—and just north of Massachusetts, the town is an ideal midpoint for exploring the wider New England region. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate Fort Dummer State Park, welcoming hikers, bikers, and campers alike. Among the more renowned eccentric figures in history, British writer Rudyard Kipling moved to Brattleboro after marrying a Vermont woman in 1892. Their home, Naulakha, references his birth and childhood in India. Kipling believed that Brattleboro’s conservative small-town culture created an

Woodstock

Woodstock, a town with 3,000 residents located in upstate New York, is separate from the famous 1969 cultural event. This southeastern town attracts architecture enthusiasts, particularly for the First Congregational Church, built in 1807 and featuring a bell cast by American revolutionary Paul Revere, and the Norman Williams Public Library, completed in 1884. For outdoor activities, visitors can walk in Woodstock Town Forest, located south of the town, or enjoy panoramic views from the Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historical Park, the only part of the US National Park system in Vermont besides the Appalachian Trail. Recently, Woodstock has modernized its infrastructure with digital technology, launching the “Wireless Woodstock” initiative in 2011, which provides free Wi-Fi across the entire town. It’s not quirky; it’s just cool.

Vermont’s Quirky Small Towns May Also Be Its Best

These small Vermont towns show the state’s sometimes quirky, but never boring character. Architecture fans will find unusual, beautiful examples state-wide. Montpelier is an oddly pint-sized capital with heavyweight history. Brattleboro has long attracted strange, sometimes brilliant types, whether foreign or domestic. Manchester is interesting enough for the World’s Most Interesting Man. And with abundant natural parks, the Green Mountains, and the majesty of Lake Elmore and Lake Champlain, the quirks of Vermont’s best features should attract even the most straight-laced visitors.

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Vermont

Vermont postal worker allegedly threw away mail she was supposed to deliver for months

Published

17 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont postal worker allegedly threw away mail she was supposed to deliver for months

Crime

During a search of a dumpster where the worker allegedly discarded the mail, police found several packages and holiday cards.

A Vermont postal worker was cited and suspended for allegedly throwing away mail that was supposed to be delivered to other people, according to police.

Natasha Morisseau, 34, of North Troy, was cited on nine counts of petty larceny and five counts of unlawful mischief, Vermont State Police said in a statement. She works as a mail carrier for the town’s United States Postal Service (USPS) office.

Officers were first alerted to the discarded mail on the afternoon of Jan. 23, according to police. Upon finding the mail in a dumpster on Elm Street in North Troy, they determined that none of it was for that address.

Police identified Morisseau as a person of interest and learned that she was a postal employee. They confirmed that she had regularly been throwing away a small amount of mail under her care since at least October 2025, according to the statement.

After searching the dumpster and Morisseau’s mail vehicle, officers found opened and unopened packages, along with several holiday cards, one of which contained money. Morisseau was later cited Feb. 14 and is due to appear March 17 in Vermont Superior Court, police said.

Since Jan. 23, Morisseau has been suspended by USPS, and all recovered mail has been given back to them for delivery, according to the statement. The case has been forwarded to the USPS’ Inspector General for further review.

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Vermont

Vermont Air National Guard joins Iran campaign – The Boston Globe

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Vermont Air National Guard joins Iran campaign – The Boston Globe

On a typical day, some of the 20 stealth fighter jets based in South Burlington, Vt., take off from tiny Burlington International Airport for training runs near the northern border. In recent months, they’ve flown much farther afield.

The Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing was deployed in December to the Caribbean, where it took part in the US campaign to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Shortly thereafter, the squadron joined a military buildup in and around the Middle East to prepare for US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran.

Though both deployments had been widely reported, the military remained mum about the whereabouts of Vermont’s F-35A Lightning II jets. Even Governor Phil Scott, technically the commander of the Vermont Guard, said he only knew what he’d read in the news, given that US military leaders were directing the missions.

On Monday, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed the deployments at a Pentagon press conference about the war on Iran. Caine praised National Guard members from Vermont, Wisconsin, and elsewhere.

“In the case of the Vermont Air National Guard and the 158th Fighter Wing, they were mobilized for Operation Absolute Resolve,” Caine said, referring to the Venezuela campaign. “And then were tasked to take their F-35As across the Atlantic instead of going home, to be prepared to support this operation” in the Middle East.

Much remains unknown about the Vermont Guard’s recent missions, including the precise role they played in Venezuela and Iran, where the jets are currently based, and how long they’ll remain.

The Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment., Its recently elected leader, General Henry “Hank” Harder, said in a statement that the force was “proud of the dedicated and professional service of our Airmen” and pledged to support their families in the meantime.

“We will continue to carry out our commitment to these Vermont Service Members until, and long after, they return from this mission,” Harder said.

Vermont’s three-member congressional delegation, meanwhile, has praised Vermont Guard members for their service in Venezuela but has criticized President Trump’s campaigns there and in Iran, particularly absent congressional authorization.

“The people of our country, no matter what their political persuasion, do not want endless war,” said Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, echoing similar remarks from Senator Peter Welch and Representative Becca Balint, both Democrats. “We must not allow Trump to force us into another senseless war. No war with Iran.”

Paul Heintz can be reached at paul.heintz@globe.com. Follow him on X @paulheintz.

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