Thursday September 2, 2010 MONTPELIER -- Vermont is tops in the country for the achievements of low-income students but ranks at the bottom of the list for education reform, according to a national group that promotes limited government. The Report Card on American Education by the American Legislative Exchange Council ranked the educational performance of the states and District of   Full Story

Thursday September 2, 2010 DORSET -- State police are looking for information on the reported theft of a cast iron bench on Mad Tom Road. The bench is black with freshly painted slats. Its estimated value is $150. The theft is believed to have occurred between 2 p.m. on Aug. 29 and 7 a.m. Aug. 30.   Full Story

Thursday September 2, 2010 BENNINGTON -- The following cases were heard Tuesday in Bennington criminal court. Bradley W. Hughes, 20, of Laver Road in Arlington, pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of larceny from a person and misdemeanor domestic assault. He was released on conditions that he not have contact with his alleged victim or her mother.   Full Story

Thursday September 2, 2010 SANDGATE -- The town of Sandgate recently was awarded two grants to improve its roads and a bridge on Sandgate Road. A $9,000 grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation has been used in full to contract work to repair, paint and grease the bearing points of the Southeast Corner Bridge that crosses Green River.   Full Story

Thursday September 2, 2010 North Adams Transcript NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Registered nurses at North Adams Regional Hospital reached a tentative contract agreement Thursday at 10:15 a.m. and averted a strike. "We’re happy," said Ruth O’Hearn, chairwoman of the nurses’ negotiating committee.   Full Story

Thursday September 2, 2010 CAMBRIDGE, N.Y. -- Police said a Cambridge woman was cited Thursday for allegedly forcing her way into a neighbor’s apartment and assaulting her. According to a released statement from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Anna M. LeBarron, 32, was cited for second degree burglary, endangering the welfare of a child, fourth degree criminal   Full Story

Thursday September 2, 2010 WINHALL -- The timeline for the completion of the Winhall Town Hall has changed. According to town administrator Dennis McCarthy, it will be another four to six months before the project is completed. The town had planned to move in to the new building sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but due to delays in putting the contract out to bid the timeline   Full Story

Thursday September 2, 2010 BENNINGTON -- A Manchester man was held on $50,000 bail after pleading not guilty to cashing his father’s checks and escaping from police custody. Michael G. Wallner, 20, of Beech Street, was charged with forgery, false personation, false pretenses or false tokens, and escaping the custody of an officer.   Full Story

ATHENS - Firefighters were still on scene Wednesday night after a fire consumed a trailer-home along Route 35. At about 4:30 p.m., the Saxtons River Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 48 Route 35 in Athens, according to Saxtons River Fire Department Chief Arthur Smith. "When we arrived on scene, the the building was fully ablaze," he said.   Full Story

Wednesday September 1, 2010 WOODFORD -- Traffic on Route 9 was blocked for a few hours Wednesday after a man struck a utility pole, downing wires and damaging a transformer. Gerrard St. Hilaire, 47, of Woodford said he lost control of his vehicle after he swerved to avoid hitting a raccoon. He said he was heading east toward his home, and had nearly missed colliding with a deer in the same   Full Story

Wednesday September 1, 2010 HARDWICK -- An estimated 1,400 people packed a high school gymnasium on Wednesday to honor Sgt. Tristan Southworth, a friendly, caring person, standout athlete and selfless soldier who was killed in Afghanistan while trying to rescue a colleague. Former classmates, teammates, teachers, Vermont National Guard members, and community members lined the sidewalks in   Full Story

Wednesday September 1, 2010 SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Two Salem teenagers face multiple felony charges after allegedly vandalizing multiple vehicles and a horse statue in Saratoga Spa State Park on Aug. 28. Police say the teenagers, Randy Linendoll and Tahirih Offield, both 17, could be responsible for a total of seven vehicles which sustained damage that evening, in addition to the ceramic   Full Story

Tuesday August 31, 2010 MONTPELIER (AP) -- This isn't Florida in 2000, with chads hanging and people threatening to riot outside. No, call it a kinder, gentler recount. The second-place finisher in Vermont's Democratic gubernatorial primary last week, state Sen. Doug Racine, is supporting the first-place finisher and urging him to get his fall campaign under way.   Full Story

Tuesday August 31, 2010 BENNINGTON -- Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, the GOP candidate for governor, is requesting 12 debates against his still-to-be-decided Democratic opponent to begin the morning after a recount clarifiesthe Democratic primary winner. Dubie made the request Tuesday, the same day Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin was certified as the winner in the Democratic primary for   Full Story

Tuesday August 31, 2010 SCHAGHTICOKE, N.Y. -- Fair season is in full bloom, with the Schaghticoke Fair opening its gates today at noon and running through Sept. 6. The 90,000 expected fairgoers this year can expect all of the attractions which have made the Schaghticoke Fair a favorite for 191 years -- making it the third oldest fair in the state.   Full Story