Vermont
Washington County man seriously injured in three-vehicle crash in Vermont
![Washington County man seriously injured in three-vehicle crash in Vermont Washington County man seriously injured in three-vehicle crash in Vermont](https://wnyt.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Crash-Car-Generic.jpg)
Vermont State Police tell us that a man from Granville in Washington County is seriously injured after a crash involving three vehicles on Saturday afternoon.
Troopers responded to the crash on Route 22A in Addison County, VT around 1:30 p.m.
The first vehicle struck the rear driver side door of the second vehicle, which caused the second vehicle to drive into a ditch off the northbound lane.
Police say the first vehicle continued driving southbound and struck the third vehicle, operated by the man from Granville.
The individual from Granville was operating a motorcycle, said police.
Troopers say after being struck, the motorcyclist was positioned on the shoulder of the northbound lane.
He was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center for suspected serious injuries, said State Police.
Authorities say the driver of the vehicle that struck the man from Granville was life-flighted to the same hospital for serious injuries.
Vermont State Police say the investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Gurwicz at the Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks at 802-388-4919.
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Vermont
Bear hunting season to start in Vermont: What to know about rules, dates, costs
![Bear hunting season to start in Vermont: What to know about rules, dates, costs Bear hunting season to start in Vermont: What to know about rules, dates, costs](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/52ffd4b7672857a555fc6f883cd9812314ac69ef/c=0-433-3000-2121/local/-/media/2017/01/12/Burlington/B9325709763Z.1_20170112162112_000_G55H269PD.1-0.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Hiking safely during hunting season
Outdoor pros share safety tips with hikers who are exploring nature and fall foliage during hunting season.
Bear hunters will be in the woods soon in Vermont, as the early season opens on Sept. 1 and runs through Sept. 15, with one exception. Nonresident hunters using dogs are not allowed to start hunting until Sept. 15.
The late bear hunting season starts on Nov. 16 and continues through Nov. 24. Hunters are limited to one bear during the year.
Early-season hunters must have a special bear tag, which costs $5 for residents and $15 for non-residents. For late-season hunters, a bear tag is included with their hunting licenses. In addition to a hunting license, a bear hunter using a bow or crossbow must have a bow license or a certificate showing completion of a bow hunter education course.
Bears must be field-dressed before the reporting station in Vermont
Game Warden Jeremy Schmid, who covers an area stretching from Bolton to Cambridge, said Vermont Fish and Wildlife requires bears to be field-dressed before showing up at a reporting station, so the meat can be preserved and cooled as quickly as possible.
“Bear meat has a tendency to spoil quicker than deer meat, especially in the early part of the season when temperatures can be hot,” Schmid said.
Joshua Morse, Fish and Wildlife’s public information officer, said the department wants people hunting bears to “make good use of the meat.”
Bear hunters are also required to collect and submit a pre-molar tooth from the bear at the time it’s reported, or within 30 days. The tooth provides important information on the age, structure and size of the bear population.
Do hunters have to return to the kill site if requested?
Hunters, whether of bear, moose or deer, are required by Vermont law to return to the kill site at the request of a warden. Schmid declined to say what might trigger such a request, but he said the purpose was to make sure the game in question was taken legally, and in the case of bears, to make sure the animal wasn’t baited into the site, which is illegal.
“We monitor all reports as reports get inputted to our database by the reporting stations,” Schmid said. “We have live access to the reports.”
Where can bears be found in Vermont during hunting season
Bears will be feeding along power lines and in forest openings and old fields where berries and apples can be found, as well as in forested beech and oak stands, Jaclyn Comeau, Vermont’s bear biologist, said in a news release.
“They also are likely to be feeding on standing corn,” she added.
How likely are hunters to find a bear in Vermont
Vermont Fish and Wildlife reported recently that Vermont’s bear population is between 6,300 and 7,600, which is down from a record year last year, but still robust, making it a great opportunity for those who have never hunted bear to give it a try this year.
Comeau asks hunters not to shoot a bear with cubs, or bears observed in groups, as they are usually made up of sows with cubs.
“Black bear cubs are dependent on their mother through the following spring,” Comeau said. “It is important to maintain these family groups.”
Fish and Wildlife has tips on its website for identifying sows with cubs, as well as the 2024 Black Bear Hunting Guide.
New Vermont law prohibits selling black bear paws and internal organs
Vermont also has a new law in effect that prohibits the sale of paws or internal organs of a black bear, which is a problem around the country, fueling a black market. Bear gallbladders are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and bear paws are used to make a soup that’s considered a delicacy.
Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT.
Vermont
Vermont State Police search for missing Readsboro man
![Vermont State Police search for missing Readsboro man Vermont State Police search for missing Readsboro man](https://gray-wcax-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ENGWQ6RFSRFCBKO22YIHO4VVU4.bmp?auth=7f887d678c8bc5f09115ebf73298c34543c93d2a7f323f2e66c79b5768eb571a&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
READSBORO, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont State Police are searching for a missing Readsboro man.
Police say the family of 73-year-old Harold Lavanway reported him missing Sunday morning.
Police say a neighbor last saw Lavanway on Friday August 23 at around 10p.m. traveling south toward the Monroe Bridge area in Massachusetts.
He’s believed to be driving a gray 2011 Honda Civic.
Anyone with information should contact VSP.
Copyright 2024 WCAX. All rights reserved.
Vermont
‘They’re asking: Why me?’ Volunteers respond to mental health concerns after Vermont floods. – The Boston Globe
![‘They’re asking: Why me?’ Volunteers respond to mental health concerns after Vermont floods. – The Boston Globe ‘They’re asking: Why me?’ Volunteers respond to mental health concerns after Vermont floods. – The Boston Globe](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/1ueMsMgcqIU_UQwEJhh7Rmrgnc0=/506x0/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/bostonglobe/KWLK55O7HAH7CMSYXVVWLO7QTI.jpg)
“Every time there is rain in the forecast, there is the fear of another flood,” said Terri Lavely, co-chair of Northeast Kingdom Human Services’ suicide prevention effort.
The nearly back-to-back flooding and severe storms hit Vermonters the second week of July and then again on July 30, with some communities flooded more than once.
First it was the remnants of Hurricane Beryl. Then flash flooding just three weeks later due to heavy rainstorms. And, little more than a week after those storms, Hurricane Debby arrived on Aug. 9, bringing rain, wind damage, and at least 21,000 power outages.
Disasters like these, researchers have found, can have significant emotional and psychological consequences on survivors. For example, an average of 28 percent of disaster survivors develop symptoms of depression, according to a 2022 study that reviewed disaster health research. In another 2022 study, about a fifth of disaster survivors (analyzed across multiple studies) had symptoms of acute stress disorder, which can include symptoms of intrusive thoughts, a sense of detachment, trouble sleeping, and irritability.
President Biden on Tuesday declared a major disaster related to the storms in early July, which unlocks federal funds for temporary housing, home repairs, and other Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster recovery programs. The declaration does not include assistance for damages caused by storms on July 30. Vermont Governor Phil Scott will make a separate request for a disaster declaration related to that storm, according to a statement by the governor’s office.
Patty Collins, a therapist who volunteered at a flood recovery center in Lyndon this month, said several survivors she has worked with are feeling “terribly compromised” and on edge.
“They’re asking: ‘Why me?’” Collins said.
Collins said she taught some residents about grounding techniques and stress reduction tactics. Grounding techniques can include practices such as closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and counting to three and then exhaling. At the flood recovery center, she also provided them with phone numbers and websites where they can connect with a counselor.
Megan Mathers, 36, a volunteer relief coordinator for Kingdom United Resilience & Recovery Effort, a coalition of nonprofit organizations and grass-roots volunteers organizing disaster recovery efforts, said the sound of thunder is one of the most common triggers mentioned by survivors. Volunteers from the group have mucked out dozens of homes across the state’s northeast corner this summer.
“Not having that feeling of safety is really, really hard for people,” Mathers said.
Many, Mathers said, are also struggling with the loss of their personal belongings — particularly sentimental items such as family photos — and the uncertainty of whether they will qualify for federal relief.
Climate change heightens the sense in Vermont communities that a “new normal” is unpredictable and out of their control, Mathers said. “It’s the unknown: Is this going to happen again?”
At the same time, she’s also seeing the toll that witnessing the devastation is having on the emotional well-being of volunteers. Those who repeatedly sign up to help “get burned out really fast,” Mathers said. Others have volunteered once, seen very intense devastation, and not returned, she said.
“It can be really overwhelming for everyone [involved],” she said.
State agencies have upped mental health resources for Vermonters in the aftermath of the flood events. Last week, the Vermont Department of Mental Health announced it would extend its “Starting Over Strong Vermont” outreach program, an initiative that provides anonymous and free mental health referrals and education.
![James Bengston rakes the front of his home in the aftermath of his home after the flash flooding that occurred on July 30th in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/N6PYFFY4O5WXLYICR6Q3EOAJ3A.jpg?auth=fed357d96fb068eae4064aa982d991e1d63368c1b7534a3faed835080bf9b842&width=1440)
“We know that the impact [of flooding] extends beyond just physical damage,” said Emily Hawes, commissioner of the state Department of Mental Health, in a statement. “Folks are struggling with the fear, anxiety, and re-traumatization that comes from these recurring events and memories of last year’s flooding. We want our communities to know that we are here for them.”
Last summer, catastrophic flash flooding damaged thousands of Vermont homes and businesses, caused landslides, and compromised dams.
Betty Lai, an associate professor of counseling psychology at Boston College who has researched the impact of disasters, said the most common psychological responses are depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, which can include symptoms such as nightmares and flashbacks.
The floods in Vermont, Lai said, could have been a traumatic event for residents depending on what they experienced during and after the storm. Stressful events after the initial storm – such as arguing with insurance companies, financial problems, or being forced to relocate – can also be traumatic.
Lai said survivors should be aware that even if they may not be struggling today, some people experience a delay of perhaps three to six months between the disaster and a psychological response.
She recommended that adults who care for children ask them how they’re feeling. Sometimes, parents and caretakers assume that a child is experiencing the event the same way that adults are, she said, but emotional responses to disasters vary widely.
Lai said survivors should reach out to friends and family for help and pay attention to their substance use. Drinking is a common way that some survivors cope, but it tends to worsen symptoms.
“People can become isolated after these events or feel cut off,” Lai said. “Lean on your social support.”
Lavely, of the Northeast Kingdom Human Services’ suicide prevention effort, said she emphasizes to survivors that what they’re going through is a normal response to a traumatic experience.
And when the rain comes again?
“What I’m encouraging people to do is close your curtain, and distract yourself with a movie or a book,” Lavely said. “We can’t control the weather; we can only control the way we respond to it.”
In Vermont, to be connected with a local mental health agency or a referral, call 211. For immediate and confidential crisis support by text message in Vermont, text VT to 741741. For confidential suicide and crisis support anywhere in the United States, call or text 988.
Erin Douglas can be reached at erin.douglas@globe.com. Follow her @erinmdouglas23.
-
Minnesota1 week ago
Readers and writers: Plenty of thrills and danger in these Minnesota author’s mysteries
-
Technology4 days ago
Breakthrough robo-glove gives you superhuman grip
-
Politics1 week ago
Youngkin takes victory lap against 'losing states' as Virginia marks $1B surplus: 'The playbook works'
-
News1 week ago
Over 100 of Donald Trump’s companies make no money: Financial disclosures
-
News6 days ago
Video: Biden Delivers Keynote on First Night of D.N.C.
-
World1 week ago
Brussels switches from horse-drawn carriages to electric ones
-
Politics1 week ago
Florida GOP lawmaker wants to ban smoking on streets, but supports legalizing marijuana
-
Politics1 week ago
Political parallels between 1968 and 2024 as the Democrats return to Chicago