By Guy Page

St. Johnsbury middle schoolers, including relatives of even younger victims and suicide attempt survivors, held their annual suicide prevention walk Sunday June 8, raising awareness and funds, the Caledonian-Record reports.

Advised by Terri Lavely of Northeast Kingdom Human Services, the Out of the Darkness after-school club is the only middle school group in the nation to host such a walk. About 25 people attended the rescheduled event, where student Audrey Farnsworth shared her personal story.

“I walk today for my own struggles,” Audrey said. “I have tried to take my own life until I realized how bad it hurts to lose someone to suicide.” Her younger cousin, Noah Stone, took his own life after being bullied.

Unpaid ticket scam – Department of Motor Vehicles officials issued a warning over the weekend about scam text messages falsely claiming the recipients had unpaid traffic tickets or toll violations, the Journal-Opinion reports today.

The scam claimed the recipient’s license would be suspended unless payment was received in advance of today. 

“When the Vermont DMV needs to communicate with customers, we send notices via the mail and use other communications that are easily recognizable as valid and official because they contain accurate and detailed personally identifiable information,” said VT DMV Commissioner Andrew Collier.

Fire trucks out of service after chief demotion, mass resignation – Three Bradford Fire Department vehicles have failed an independent safety inspection. They were red-flagged and removed from service last week, the Journal-Opinion reports today.

Public safety dispatchers have been notified that the vehicles are offline. Fire departments in Newbury and Corinth will be first responders to calls in Bradford.

The failed inspections come just weeks after the Bradford Selectboard demoted longtime Bradford Fire Chief Ryan Terrill, a move which prompted 10 resignations from BFD.

Emergency repairs returned a 30-year-old engine to service one day after it failed inspection, but 50% of the BFD fleet remains out of commission. 

No fires, swimming at fishing access – Open fires and swimming are prohibited at all Vermont state fishing access areas.

Open fires and their remnants, create unsafe areas for other anglers and boaters to use and enjoy, Vermont Fish & Wildlife says. The remnants of these fires are also unhealthy for the animals and fish that live in the adjacent waters. Fish and Wildlife cleans up the toxic waste left by open fires on state lands annually at considerable expense.

Swimming at fishing access areas is prohibited due to safety concerns and because the primary uses of the fishing access areas is for launching and retrieving motorboats and for shore fishing. 

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department maintains 205 developed fishing access areas on lakes and rivers throughout the state. The access areas were purchased and are maintained with funds derived from the sale of fishing licenses and motorboat registrations, as well as a federal excise tax on fishing equipment, fishing tackle and gasoline for motorboats.  These funding sources explicitly prohibit activities that are in conflict with fishing and boating.

Libertarian medievalist authors book – Lifelong Vermonter Jeb Smith has recently authored Missing Monarchy: Correcting Misconceptions About The Middle Ages, Medieval Kingship, Democracy, and Liberty, published with Sensus Fidelium Press. The book is available on Amazon. 

Jeb Smith is an author and speaker who has written over 120 articles for several publications, including The Libertarian Institute, History is Now Magazine, The Libertarian Christian Institute, The Postil Magazine, History Medieval, Medieval Magazine, Medieval Archives,  Vermont Daily Chronicle, The Rutland Herald, and Fellowship & Fairydust Magazine. He has also been featured on various podcasts.