Around the NEK

Blue Mountain Union School District Budget Proposal Election Results

Details: Created on Friday, 07 March 2025 22:22; Written by Asher Ballantine

NEK - This week, residents of Ryegate, Ryegate, and Groton voted on the Blue Mountain Union School budget, which included a 5.27% increase in per pupil spending. The final budget increase resulted in a $12,054,049 expansion, which will be allocated to salaries, increased healthcare costs, and general funds.

Blue Mountain Union School District's Budget Proposal

Details: Created on Tuesday, 04 March 2025 19:50; Written by Asher Ballantine

Last night, the Blue Mountain Union School District held their annual budget meeting. Residents from Ryegate, Wells River, and Groton gathered to hear about the school’s current year and how its budget has been used effectively, as well as to understand the purpose of a 5.27% increase in per pupil spending.

The full budget increase called for a $12,054,049 expansion of the BMUS budget, which would go toward increasing salaries, covering rising healthcare costs, and most significantly, putting the budget surplus back into the general fund to offset local taxes. The increased budget is also meant to maintain the status quo in response to current inflation on school supplies and other required goods for the school.

The increased budget was further justified by the school’s performance, with residents expressing their satisfaction with the school’s successes, including its sports department and overall grade improvements.

Jenny, a resident, shared her thoughts: “I was just going to compliment the fact that in the elementary section, the direct programming with grade-level growth… sounds like the kids made quite an increase in their grades.”

Fire Hydrant Concerns

Details: Created on Wednesday, 19 February 2025 22:43; Written by Paige Lenahan

This year's snow is causing some issues for the town of Lyndon.

With all the recent and upcoming snow, the town of Lyndon has put out a notice. The town is asking people to try to clear a three foot radius around the fire hydrants. There has been a concern that due to the amount of snow that has piled up on sidewalks, fire hydrants couuld become unaccessable. To ensure everyone's safety, firefighters need to be able to have full access to the hydants at any given time.

Caledonia County Snowmobile Trails Face an Uncertain Future

Details: Created on Wednesday, 19 February 2025 16:11; Written by Asher Ballantine

Snowmobile trails in Caledonia County have been facing serious uphill battle, putting a major aspect of Vermont’s winter recreation at risk in Caledonia County.

The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST), is an organization responsible for the maintenance and grooming of hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails across the entire state. In Caledonia County, the local VAST club operates with just seven members, making it increasingly difficult to maintain the trails.

However that is not the only major problem facing these snowmobile trails, an overlooked aspect of this business is the agreement between VAST and local landowners in the area that own a large portion of viable trails, for whatever reason 2 landowners in the caledonian region have decided to shut their property off to VAST and it’s trails causing one of the most popular trails in Caledonia County to be erased from their boundary map.

Jeff Hayes, a member of the Caledonian Club, spoke about how the importance of these trails and their traffic is usually a net benefit to local businesses in the area like gas stations for example who could benefit from the increased number of sales during what is usually a slower season.

Jeff also believes there is a generational divide in what move people find popular as a winter recreation activity.

“I mean years ago when we started, there were no snowboards. You had skiers and you had snow machines, basically. From that standpoint, it's less expensive to go snowboarding than it is to register, insure, and maintain a snow machine for riding around.”

Another important aspect of the maintenance of these trails is the effect natural disasters such as floods and storms has on important infrastructure. For example, the floods from last year wiped out 2 major bridges in East Burke alone which cost thousands of dollars to repair.

The Caledonia County club is always looking to recruit more workers and increase awareness about the importance of snowmobile trail tourism in the region. They hope that with more hands on deck, they can continue maintaining the trails and supporting the local economy through winter recreation.

Conflict Of Interest for H.829

Details: Created on Thursday, 04 April 2024 20:36; Written by Oscar Paredes

Around the NEK- Legislation wants to address current housing issues through a bill called H.829.

KESD Budget Not Approved

Details: Created on Monday, 18 March 2024 17:24; Written by Oscar Paredes

Around the NEK- Kingdom East School District's budget failed to pass on Town Meeting.

NEK Broadband Expansion

Details: Created on Thursday, 07 March 2024 03:58; Written by Oscar Paredes

Around the NEK- NEK Broadband expanded their service to over 400 new customers

Mobile Home Removed After Five Year Battle

Details: Created on Thursday, 22 February 2024 16:57; Written by Norm Murphy

WEST BURKE - Over the past five years the town of Burke had been pleading with a homeowner to comply with building codes regarding the home's sewage system. Mike Harris, the town zoning administrator, had cited Howard Bailey for having his septic tank not up to code and the sewage was emptying out through a pipe on the backside of the property, which is located on Route 5 in West Burke.

Teacher's Shortage In The NEK

Details: Created on Friday, 16 February 2024 19:21; Written by Logan Locke

AROUND THE NEK - Here in the Northeast Kingdom we have a problem that being the lack of teachers in our schools but the question is why? This week I interviewed 3 former educators from the NEK region to find out why.

KESD Having Staffing Issues

Details: Created on Saturday, 09 September 2023 01:02; Written by Oscar Paredes

Around the NEK- KESD is having staffing issues in all of the districts campuses.

Tree Grant In Action In Lyndon

Details: Created on Friday, 05 May 2023 15:22; Written by John Habershaw

Lyndon - The Town of Lyndon was recently awarded a $20,000 tree grant through the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Sen. Peter Welch came to NVRH

Details: Created on Wednesday, 29 March 2023 17:36; Written by Sean Cavanaugh

This past Friday,Vermont senator peter welch came to Northeast Vermont Rural Hospital.

Former Jay Peak President released from Prison

Details: Created on Wednesday, 29 March 2023 17:26; Written by Sean Cavanaugh

Former jay peak president Bill Stenger was released from prison last Wednesday after only serving 10-months.

Pet of the Week: Jedediah

Details: Created on Friday, 03 March 2023 13:57; Written by Alexandra Huff

March 3, 2023 - March 9, 2023

Jedediah, also known as Jed, is a three year old miniature Australian shepherd mix living at Riverside Rescue in Lunenburg, Vermont, and he is looking for an active home to join.

NEK town warnings materpost

Details: Created on Thursday, 02 March 2023 15:09; Written by Lexi Foley

Around the NEK- In preparation of town meeting day, here is a full list of all the town warnings in the News7 coverage area.

Kidnapping in Peacham / Danville area

Details: Created on Monday, 27 February 2023 14:21; Written by Lexi Foley

Around the NEK- Mack Varnum, 45, and Nichole Cloutier, 36, of Peacham were arraigned in court on Monday February 27th 2023, for multiple charges including attempted kidnapping, attempted first degree murder, unlawful restraint in the first degree, aggravated domestic assault and aggravated assault.

Kingdom East Trims Budget after passing 40 million

Details: Created on Thursday, 08 December 2022 14:32; Written by Quin Peer

AROUND THE NEK- Kingdom East School Officials hit the books last night as KESD Financial commitee met last night to try to trim the budget.

Local Dispensary donates to NKHS

Details: Created on Tuesday, 06 December 2022 13:51; Written by Quin Peer

St Johnsbury--Wednesday the Green Man dispensary in St Johnsbury donated 10 percent of their profits to Northeast Kingdom Human Service Childrens Department.
Something they look forward to doing with other company's.

Owner Zeb Overton said,"For human recources here we believe in children and children are the future. I know thats a saying that people say but for us that what we believe, we want to help the kids out as much as possible in any way shape or form when we can."

Overton was not sure of the exact amount that was donated

A Turkey for the Holidays

Details: Created on Tuesday, 06 December 2022 13:43; Written by Sean Cavanaugh

Barnet- Small Vermont Farm supporting the community a turkey at a time.

Richard "Dick" Lawrence reflects on his life

Details: Created on Wednesday, 30 November 2022 13:44; Written by Quin Peer

LYNDON -- Thanksgiving morning the Town of Lyndon lost a friend, colleague and a community leader.

Richard Lawrence... a former state house representative and Caledonia County Fair president, died at the age of 80.

Mail-in Ballots

Details: Created on Wednesday, 09 November 2022 15:06; Written by Sean Cavanaugh

Danville- This is a pattern seen across the state,since covid, the use of mail-in ballots have gone up.

Peacham Holds Voting Tradition

Details: Created on Wednesday, 09 November 2022 15:04; Written by Sean Cavanaugh

PEACHAM - The pictursque town of Peacham cast their votes in the gymnasium within the town hall.

Residents hold in-person voting close to their hearts.

Danville Building Advisory Group Oct 20

Details: Created on Wednesday, 02 November 2022 12:43; Written by Sean Cavanaugh

DANVILLE - The Danville School building advisory committee had their last meeting on October 20th to answer any last questions from community members. That meeting was almost stalled after a question about the tax impact that the town would have to take on for each of the options was asked.

Barnet town hall renovations

Details: Created on Wednesday, 26 October 2022 12:05; Written by Lexi Foley

Around the NEK- On Monday October 24th, the Barnet select board met with Montpelier based Black River Design to go over town hall renovation plans.

Corn For Kids

Details: Created on Monday, 05 September 2022 16:27; Written by Quin Peer

LYNDON - Burklyn Arts and the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce have collected 120 ears of corn from two local farms.

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