Ed Barber

DERBY - As students settle into a new school year, the administration and staff at North Country Union Junior High School are focusing on student behavior, and chronic absenteeism. Principal Brenda Waterhouse is tracking student behavior, and their progress through the year. She is then providing the school board with a snapshot of student data that includes enrollment, special needs student enrollment, and behavior reports, among other items.

NEWPORT CITY- As the Newport City Council continues progress toward drafting a revamped charter, replacing language written 108 years ago when the city was founded. A first attempt to create an updated charter failed last town meeting when voters soundly defeated a proposed charter. A task force was created in July in a second effort to bring the charter into the 21st century. This past Monday, the council voted to advance the new language to a public vote on November 3rd.

MONTPELIER- Test samples from Lake Parker in Glover and Salem Lake in Derby have confirmed the presence of caffeine, which is a precursor of fecal matter from failed septic systems. The Vermont Lakes Monitoring Program, overseen by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), oversees a voluntary testing program to monitor Vermont’s lakes. Since the samples were confirmed, steps have been taken to address the problem.