Vermont

Repurposed Middlesex treatment facility to house juvenile offenders

Published

1 year ago

October 18, 2024

Repurposed Middlesex treatment facility to house juvenile offenders

MIDDLESEX, Vt. (WCAX) – The state of Vermont has revamped a former temporary psychiatric facility in Middlesex to house juvenile offenders. Since the closure of the Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center in 2020, the state has struggled to hold teens in the criminal justice system. But in about a week, officials hope to fill a missing piece of the puzzle.

Work crews on Friday were putting the finishing touches on what will soon house Vermont juvenile offenders ages 14 to 18.

“There’s a cascading effect when you don’t have that safe secure facility for treatment for kids with the highest and most acute needs,” said Vt. Dept. for Children and Families Commissioner Chris Winters.

The former Middlesex Therapeutic Community Residence is located just off Route 2 in Middlesex and was originally used as a mental health facility following the closure of the Waterbury State Hospital after Tropical Storm Irene.

Top DCF officials on Friday gave us an inside look at what will now be called the Red Clover Treatment Center. The facility has bedrooms, classrooms, spaces to visit with family, and a medical ward. The co-ed, four-bed secure facility will be run by the private company Sentinel LLC. and aims to de-escalate teens suffering from trauma. Over a two-week period, residents will be offered counseling, classes, and therapy.

“There will be stabilization services, really an assessment of what you need in order to move to the next step, which might be a different treatment environment or it might even be back to a foster home or your parents,” said DCF’s Aryka Radke.

Leaders admit the modular structures aren’t perfect but that it’s a bridge to a longer-term, permanent secure facility in Vergennes.

But some remain leery. “It should not be anyone’s intention that people are placed there for long-term treatment,” said Marshall Pahl with the Defender General’s Office, which advocates on behalf of youth in state custody. “It can end up being used as a placement for kids not necessarily because it’s the most appropriate placement but because it’s the only placement available, and that’s always a recipe for disaster,” he said.

The former Woodside facility looked and felt like a jail and faced lawsuits after allegations of abuse and neglect. Winters stresses that with a private provider, there will be more oversight and accountability. “We don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past. We want to make sure that we don’t use this facility if we can at all help it,” he said.

The first teen is expected to move in next week.

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Vermont

Here are five places to ice skate in Vermont this winter

Published

11 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Here are five places to ice skate in Vermont this winter

How to see a reindeer in Vermont

Vermont Reindeer Farm in West Charleston is home to the only three reindeer, or caribou, living in the state. Here’s what it’s like to visit them.

Looking for ways to enjoy the rest of the cold New England winter?

While staying indoors often seems better than facing the cold, the region has lots of outdoor activities that brighten the winter season, including skiing, snow tubing and, of course, ice skating. From Burlington to Stratton, Vermont has plenty of indoor and outdoor ice rinks, many of which offer lessons, concessions and special events in addition to ice skating.

Here are five places in Vermont where you can go ice skating this winter.

Spruce Peak Village Ice Rink

This outdoor ice rink is located in the heart of the village at Spruce Peak, a ski resort in Stowe formerly known as Stowe Mountain Lodge.

Guests can skate daily surrounded by the majestic ski slopes of the Green Mountains. On Friday nights, the Spruce Peak Village ice rink hosts glow skate parties with a light show, glow sticks and a live DJ. Skate rentals and lessons are also available for purchase.

When: Noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday or noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Where: Spruce Peak, 7412 Mountain Road, Stowe

Ice Haus Arena

Located up at Jay Peak Resort near the Canadian border, Ice Haus Arena is the newest ice-skating arena in the state. The indoor rink is complete with bleacher seating, a rental and repair shop, four locker rooms, a pro shop, a snack bar and of course, an NHL-sized rink where guests can participate in public skating or skating with sticks and pucks.

General admission to the rink is $6, with skate rentals available for $6, skate sharpening available for $7 and helmets available for $3.

When: Online schedule updated daily

Where: Jay Peak Resort, 830 Jay Peak Road, Jay

C. Douglas Cairns Recreation Arena

This indoor arena has not one, but two NHL-size ice rinks for hockey, public skating and stick and puck practices. Off the ice, Cairns Arena also offers a pro shop and a cafe with hot food, snacks and drinks.

Skating at Cairns costs $5 for adults or $3 for children and seniors, and skates are available to rent for an additional $5.

When: 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Thursday, with exceptions. Check the online schedule at cairnsarena.finnlyconnect.com..

Where: 600 Swift St., South Burlington

Mill House at Stratton Mountain Resort

Surrounded by the scenic Stratton Mountain Resort, Mill House Pond is the perfect outdoor spot for public ice skating or skating lessons.

Public skating costs $20, and bookings can be made online.

When: Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday or noon to 6 p.m. Thursday-Friday and Sunday-Monday

Where: Stratton Mountain Resort, 5 Village Lodge Road, Stratton Mountain

Riley Rink at Hunter Park

A large indoor sports facility, Northshore Civic Center has an Olympic-sized ice rink, along with a concession stand and retail shop. The rink offers public skating, stick and puck practice, hockey and skating lessons.

When: Check the online schedule for weekly updates

Where: 410 Hunter Park Road, Manchester Center

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Vermont

Unemployment claims in Vermont increased last week

Published

23 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Unemployment claims in Vermont increased last week

Staff reports
| USA TODAY Network

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Vermont rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 375 in the week ending February 21, up from 357 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 212,000 last week, up 4,000 claims from 208,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 132.0%. Michigan, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 49.9%.

USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.

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Vermont

Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Thursday, Feb. 26

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Thursday, Feb. 26

The 2025-2026 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.

TO REPORT SCORES

Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.

▶ Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.

▶ Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.