Category Archives: Springfield

News and Events in and around Springfield, Vermont.

Judge grants move to care center for Sailor

A mentally incompetent man faced with a charge of attempted murder in Killington has been granted permission to move from the Springfield jail to a psychiatric care center in West Burke.
Rutland Judge Cortland Corsones issued a decision Friday that granted a state Department of Health request to move 55-year-old Mark A. Sailor from the jail to the Eagle Eye Farm Rehabilitation Center where he will live in a home while under 24-hour surveillance.
The Health Department’s request was contested by Rutland County State’s Attorney Marc Brierre, who said he would bring Sailor to trial if the New Jersey man is ever deemed competent to stand trial, and by the woman Sailor allegedly stabbed, Barbara Ashworth.
But in a six-page decision issued by Corsones a week after the hearing, the judge said the law required a balance between public safety and the criminal system and Sailor’s mental health treatment needs.
“The victim’s concerns are entirely reasonable, however, the court must follow the law and the law requires the court to ‘determine whether there exists an available program of treatment for the person which is an appropriate alternative to hospitalization,’” Corsones wrote.

Cow vs. Mini Cooper; cow uninjured

A North Springfield woman is unhurt after she collided with a cow while driving her 2007 Mini Cooper on Rte. 131 in Weathersfield, police said Wednesday. The accident happened near Little Ascutney Road, when Judith Riha, 59, ran into the cow while driving in rainy, foggy conditions a little before 11 p.m. Tuesday.
The car suffered moderate front end damage and was driven away; the cow was found by its owner and appeared unharmed.

Residents concerned about biomass project

SPRINGFIELD — The public has until Sept. 10 to comment on an air quality permit for a proposed biomass project in Vermont.
More than a dozen opponents of the North Springfield project expressed concerns at a recent public forum it would emit harmful pollutants that could lead to respiratory illnesses for residents.
The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources’ air pollution control division granted a draft permit last month. It said developers will use the best available control technology to control pollutants. It determined emissions comply with applicable standards.
The Eagle-Times reports the only person who spoke favorably about the project was Bob Flint, executive director of the Springfield Regional Developmental Corporation. He said there would be a geothermal benefit, to capture excess heat byproduct and use it for businesses and households.

Report: Vt. school district violated civil rights

SPRINGFIELD — Federal investigators say a Vermont school district violated civil rights laws while responding to an incident in which a teacher’s aide threatened an African-American sixth-grader and then used a racial epithet.
After a two-year-investigation, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has reached a settlement with the Springfield School District. The Valley News reports the district is required to pay nearly $3,000 in counseling services for the student and increase regulations in training for employees.
The agency says in 2010, an aide at Riverside Middle School told the student if he didn’t stop using a yardstick to sword-fight with another student, the aide would “shove it” into him “and then used the epithet. The aide resigned. The child now attends school elsewhere.

Official offers $1 for schools

SPRINGFIELD — A Vermont town selectman has offered to buy a pair of town-owned schools for $1 each, saying the buildings have been idle nearly three years after voters supported a measure to sell or get rid of them.
Select Board member David Yesman of Springfield proposed Monday the district sell the Park Street and East schools to him.
The Eagle-Times reports Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris said the board is ill-prepared to discuss the sale and should schedule a presentation to hear more about it.
Springfield voters opted to consolidate the school district in 2010. The Park Street building has served most recently as an administrative office. It has become an important financial topic among residents who do not want to keep dropping taxpayer money into the building.

Springfield man charged with attempted murder

A Springfield man will be arraigned today on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and reckless endangerment after an incident Monday night where shots were fired near Park and Main streets in Springfield.
Terrick Craft, 28, was arrested Tuesday and held on $250,000 bail at the Southern State Correctional Facility. He is known to have ties to Vermont, New Hampshire and New Jersey, according to police.

Unoccupied home destroyed in fire

SPRINGFIELD – An unoccupied home at 135 Stanley Road was destroyed by a fire early Friday morning, said Springfield Assistant Fire Chief Scott Richardson.

Richardson said the fire was under investigation jointly by the Springfield Police Department, as well as the Vermont state fire marshal’s office, although he said it was too soon to say it was suspicious.

Richardson said that while the two-story home was unoccupied, there was electricity to it.

He said there was a real estate agent’s sign on the lawn of the home, which is located on the Clinton Street side of Stanley Road.

The fire was called in at 2:30 a.m., and he said fire crews left the scene at about 6:30 a.m.

He said about 20 Springfield firefighters fought the blaze, and five firefighters came from the Bellows Falls Fire Department to help. He said that West Weathersfield and Charlestown, N.H., covered the Springfield station during the fire.

“When we got there there was heavy fire on the second floor,” said Richardson. “It’s a total loss.”

More in tomorrow’s Rutland Herald.

Springfield honors native Bob Flint

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield High School Alumni Association will honor Springfield native Bob Flint at their annual banquet Friday.

Flint is well-known in the community through the various careers and positions he has held the years. He graduated from Springfield High School in 1980 and from Syracuse University in 1984 with a degree in telecommunications management.

He worked at local radio station WCFR of Springfield and was the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. Flint is now the Springfield Regional Development Corporation Executive Director and is responsible for economic development within the region.

He has also served on many local boards including the River Valley Technical Center, Connecticut River Valley Workforce Investment Board, Vermont Aviation Advisory Council, Northeastern Economic Developers Association and the Regional Development Corporations of Vermont.

The banquet begins at 7 p.m. and the Springfield Elks Club is at 49 Park St. For reservations call Mary MacMahan at 885-3170 or Brenda Markwell at 886-8085.

Proctorsville woman dead in crash

ROYALTON, Vt. (AP) Police have identified the victim of a weekend car crash on Interstate 89 in Vermont.  Police say 21-year-old Elizabeth Wells of Proctorsville was ejected from the car she was driving early Saturday in Royalton. A passenger, 29-year-old Steven Pierre of Manchester, N.H., was in stable condition at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Witnesses said the car was traveling at a high rate of speed.

Blessing of bikes in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — The Calvary Baptist Church and the River Valley Ridge Riders are hosting the 4th Annual Blessing of the Bikers, Sunday, May 20, at 11:30 a.m. The motorcycle procession takes place at the Calvary Baptist Church at 156 Main St. in Springfield and all are invited.
There will be plenty of fun and activities for everyone including, a barbecue, live music, raffle prizes, and an award will be given out for “Best Bike Trophy, People’s Choice” in honor of the late Robert Egan of Springfield.