If you are an avid Lake Champlain angler or someone who would like to learn more about the vast array of fish species that live in Lake Champlain, be sure to reserve March 23 to attend a meeting with fisheries biologists in Essex, New York.

The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative — a working group of fisheries professionals from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service — will host a ‘State of the Lake Fisheries’ meeting at Whallonsburg Grange, 1610 NY-22, Essex, New York from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, for anglers and other individuals interested in the fisheries of Lake Champlain.

This meeting is an opportunity for agency staff and others to provide updates on the status and trends of the fisheries and to hear from anglers. Information will be provided on restoration, research, assessment, and other work that has been accomplished over the past year as well as work planned for the coming year. Species to be discussed include lake trout, landlocked Atlantic salmon, sea lamprey, muskellunge, walleye, and bass. Time will be allotted for questions from the public.

Community kitchens to Gaza and Vermont flood victims – At the request of Sen. Peter Welch, chef and founder of D.C.-based World Central Kitchen (WCK), José Andrés, gave a Capitol Hill briefing to senators last week about his innovative efforts to deliver food to communities in need — including in Gaza, Ukraine, and communities in America. In Gaza, WCK developed and built clean burning stoves for more than 60 community kitchens and successfully conducted the first aid delivery by sea in nearly two decades.

Chef Andrés and WCK last year supported of Vermont’s flood victims. After last summer’s flooding, WCK helped provide over 9,000 meals with the help of over 20 local restaurants and partners.

Priest named state’s attorney in Franklin County – Bram Kranichfeld, interim state’s attorney of Franklin County following the resignation of state’s attorney John LaVoie, has been named by Gov. Phil Sscott to the post on a permanent basis. Like all county prosecutors, he will face re-election.

“Given the difficult nature of this vacancy at the state’s attorney’s office, I believe it’s important to provide stability and certainty through this transition until a permanent replacement is identified,” said Governor Scott. “Bram has demonstrated his commitment to community, and his significant experience practicing law makes him a good fit to serve in this interim role.”

Kranichfeld previously served as chief of the criminal division of the Vermont Attorney General’s Office from 2018 to 2019. Prior to that, he served in the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office from 2007 to 2012 as a deputy state’s attorney, and from 2015 to 2017 as the chief deputy. He was executive director of the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs from 2013 to 2014. He currently serves as Priest-in-Charge at All Saints & St. Paul’s Episcopal Churches.

Pharmacy cyberattack over – Change Healthcare, which operates Vermont’s Medicaid pharmacy claims system, experienced a significant cyber security issue on February 21. It reportedly caused delays in filling prescriptions. On Monday, March 18, pharmacy claims began processing again. Optum (parent company to Change Healthcare) helpdesk personnel are available to assist pharmacies with claims processing.