Friday, May 16 BENNINGTON — More than 100 grave markers at the village cemetery on Morgan Street were vandalized late last month, and police say they are closing in on the culprit. "I've got some leads and I'm following up on those leads," Bennington Police Officer John Behan said Thursday.   Full Story

Friday, May 16 BENNINGTON — Local police shot and killed what is believed to be a rabid groundhog Thursday morning after it attacked a woman, her dog and police on Washington Avenue. Cynthia Phillips, a resident ofWashington Avenue, said her elderlydog,a Cockerspaniel, wasbitseveral timesbythe groundhog in her yard when she let him out Thursday morning.   Full Story

Friday, May 16 BENNINGTON — Local and state officials toured several downtown sites Thursday, seeking permanent space to house at least some state employees who formerly worked in the closed state office complex. It appears that a new building is unlikely to be constructed in the downtown, they said, but that some offices might be located there.   Full Story

Friday, May 16 BENNINGTON — Charges against a man accused of stabbing and nearly killing his girlfriend in Manchester were amended by the Bennington County State's Attorney's Office on Wednesday. Vincent Wilson, 19, of East Dorset had a charge of attempted voluntary manslaughter added to his current charges of obstructing justice and second-degree attempted murder.   Full Story

Friday, May 16 BENNINGTON — A true defensive struggle was what fans at the Veterans Home Field saw Thursday afternoon as the Mount Anthony Union High School boys lacrosse team defeated the Rutland High School Red Raiders, 2-1. In a game that featured smothering defense from both teams and only three goals, the Patriots prevailed to win their second game of the week, improving to 7-5 on   Full Story

Friday, May 16 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Scott Kazmir sparkled in his first start since agreeing to a $28.5 million contract extension, and the surprising Tampa Bay Rays dropped the New York Yankees into last place with a 5-2 victory Thursday. Kazmir (2-1) allowed three singles in six scoreless innings, and Akinori Iwamura and Shawn Riggans homered off Ian Kennedy for the AL East-leading   Full Story

Thursday, May 15 Left-right splits within American political parties now have an archetypal example for the ages in the long-running struggle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, right? Maybe. A famous one certainly occurred in the Republican Party in 1912. Former President Theodore Roosevelt, a progressive in many ways, became disillusioned with President William Howard Taft and,   Full Story