Federal court records show that a former Vermont
town clerk and treasurer has agreed to forfeit $400,000 in a plea agreement
with prosecutors. Karen Brisson is
scheduled to plead guilty to embezzlement charges today in U.S. District Court
in Rutland. Brisson served for about 28
years in Weybridge. Officials say
Brisson stole money from 2006 to 2012, with a forensic audit putting the town's
loss at $476,000. Brisson's attorney says
Brisson's home is for sale and she has signed the mortgage over to the town. The town says it has a $500,000 insurance
plan through the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.
An Essex Junction man is being charged with embezzling more
than $5,000 from a store in Bristol . On Friday, the Bristol Police Department received
information from the Vermont
Department of Liquor Control concerning suspicious activity related to sales
transactions on the Liquor store cash register at Champlain Farms. It was determined a large amount of liquor inventory
exceeding $5,000 was unaccounted for. Bristol
Police continued the investigation and have sited 42-year-old Jeffery Wallace
to Appear in Addison Superior Court at the end of next month.
Lawmakers had until 5 PM
last Friday to put together a tax package, and several increases are likely if
approved in the House and Senate. The
House Ways and Means Committee came up with a 50-cent tax on cigarettes,
increasing the room and meals tax by half a percent, and imposing a six-percent
tax on soda, bottled water, candy, and also on clothing sales of more than
110-dollars. The governor has already said
he disagrees with some of those, and plans to work with other lawmakers to
adjust the budget before it's passed later this session.
The maple sugaring season is in full swing, and sugar houses
across Vermont opened their doors over the weekend to show the public just how
maple syrup is made. More than 70
sugarhouses participated in the special event.
Vermont is the top maple state not only in New England but also the
nation, and as of last year, produced 39-percent of the maple syrup in the
country.
Vermont lawmakers are set to begin taking testimony this
week on whether to decriminalize marijuana.
As currently proposed, House bill 200 would replace criminal penalties
with a $100 fine for those over 21 caught carrying less than two ounces of
pot. The bill would also decriminalize
growing a small number of marijuana plants.
Sponsors of the bill say the measure would not change the penalties for
being under the influence while driving.
A proposal in the Senate to go a step further and fully legalize
marijuana is not expected to draw serious consideration.
Scenes for the new Ninja Turtles' movie is being shot in Tupper
Lake
A local chef in Rutland is being honored as one of the
country’s top culinary talents in the inaugural edition of "Best Chefs
America". Chef Stephen Sawyer of
Table 24 Restaurant in downtown Rutland has been showcased in a 386-page coffee
table book that was released on March 1.
"Best Chefs America" is the first-ever industry peer review
guide of chefs. Honorees were chosen
based on the outcome of more than 5,000 telephone interviews between chefs from
across the country and "Best Chefs America" analysts.
