A Vergennes woman was killed in a car accident in Ferrisburgh last night. The Vermont State Police and Vergennes Police Department responded to the scene along with Ferrisburgh and Vergennes Fire and Rescue personnel. Shortly after first responders arrived on scene, the operator the vehicle motor vehicle, 55-year-old Dana Philips of Vergennes was pronounced dead at the scene. 37-year-old Joseph Mischik of Monkton was a passenger in the motor vehicle and was transported to UVM Medical Center with a minor leg injury. Investigators say the vehicle was traveling northbound on Route 7 when it traveled off the roadway. The motor vehicle struck several culverts before coming to a stop. Police say that the case is still under investigation and no criminal charges are pending at this time.
A Killington woman is admitting that she stole over ten-million-dollars worth of insurance premiums. Prosecutors say Bonney Hebert brokered contracts between colleges and universities and health insurance providers. She allegedly collected over ten-million dollars in premiums from Rutgers University in New Jersey and never turned the money over to Aetna. Hebert will be sentenced in August, and she still owes close to eight-million dollars in restitution to Connecticut based Aetna.
The education reform bill approved by the Vermont legislature is now law. Governor Peter Shumlin visited a Bolton elementary school yesterday to sign the bill into law seeking to address declining enrollment and soaring education costs through consolidation. There are 277 school districts in Vermont, and the goal is to merge them into larger school systems. Shumlin says this is a game changer for Vermont, allowing local communities to right size their infrastructure and focus on delivering high-quality education.
The Main Street & Merchants Row Railroad Overpass Bridge Replacements Project Public Information Meeting will take place tonight starting at 6 PM at the Municipal Gym. During the meeting, local Project Manager Bill Finger will provide a brief summary of the status of the project, anticipated to begin in the spring of 2016. Town officials will also outline plans for the development of a marketing strategy for the downtown before, during and after construction.
