Effective July 1, Vermont has a revised law related to Child Passenger safety in motor vehicles
A child under two years of age must be properly secured in a federally approved rear-facing child car seat with a harness.
A child in a rear-facing car seat must not ride in front of an active airbag.
A child over 2 years of age but under five years of age must be properly secured in a federally approved rear-facing or forward-facing car seat with a harness.
A child under eight years of age who is not properly secured in a harnessed car seat must be properly secured in a booster seat.
A child under 13 years of age must, if practical, ride in the back seat.
A child under 18 years of age who is not properly secured in a harnessed car seat or booster seat must be wearing a seat belt.
Motorboat decal snafu
The Department of Motor Vehicles has learned recently that some motorboat registration certificates may have been sent without the required annual validation decals. The Department is in the process of mailing the decal to the impacted motorboat registrants, but in the interim, you may encounter a properly registered motorboat that is unable to display necessary decals.
Until such time that the Department can distribute all required decals, the Department asks that you exercise judgement and leniency if you encounter a motorboat being operated without updated validation decals.
Barton man seriously injured in late-night Burke crash
by Daniel Duric, Newport Dispatch
BURKE — A single-vehicle crash late Sunday night on Burke Hollow Road resulted in serious injuries for a Barton man.
At approximately 9:58 p.m., William C. Johnson, 21, lost control of his 2010 Nissan Titan while driving northwesterly, veering off the road and colliding with a tree.
Johnson, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, suffered serious head injuries.
Troopers from the Vermont State Police – St. Johnsbury Barracks responded to the scene after receiving notification of the crash.
The dry gravel road conditions and clear weather did not immediately appear to be factors in the incident, which still remains under investigation.
Emergency services transported Johnson to Northeast Vermont Regional Hospital.
Due to the severity of his injuries, he was later airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for further treatment.
The vehicle was reported as totaled, and no other injuries were reported.
Authorities are seeking assistance from the public for more information regarding the crash and urge anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact the Vermont State Police St. Johnsbury Barracks at 802-748-3111.
Barton hosts annual 4-H Horse Clinic for northeast Vermont youth
by Daniel Duric, Newport Dispatch
BARTON — Young equestrians from across northeastern Vermont gathered at the Orleans County Fairgrounds in Barton for the 2024 Northeast Regional 4-H Horsemanship Clinic from June 21-23.
The annual event, sponsored by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H, offered participants aged 5 to 18 the opportunity to enhance their riding and horsemanship skills in a fun, educational setting.
Over the weekend, 4-H members engaged in various activities including riding lessons, showmanship classes, and general knowledge competitions. The clinic culminated in a horse show on Sunday afternoon, featuring more than 30 individual classes.
Notable achievements included:
- The Wildlife Warriors 4-H Club of St. Johnsbury won the “Golden Bucket of Goodies” for best overall stable management.
- Jenesy Zwart of Danville received the Shelby Noyes Sportsmanship award.
- Quinn Charest of Derby Line, Zayne Franko of Lyndonville, Adriana Leonard of East Hardwick, Penelope Longe of Newport, and Jillyan Normand of North Concord placed first in their respective fitting and showmanship classes.
The event also provided activities for younger participants and those without horses, including craft activities and workshops on horse care.
UVM Extension 4-H Educators Lindy Birch and Holly Ferris organized the clinic, with support from various instructors, 4-H leaders, and parents.
Vermont Master Angler Program 2023 annual report released
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has released the Vermont Master Angler Program 2023 Annual Report with 989 entries and 72 Master Angler Award recipients.
The Vermont Master Angler Program recognizes the achievements of anglers who catch trophy-sized fish from Vermont waters and celebrates the clean water and healthy habitats that allow these fish to survive and grow to exceptional sizes.
The Vermont Master Angler program is a length-based program that sets “trophy sized” benchmarks for 34 eligible fish species. While these trophy-sized fish are a challenge to catch, they are attainable for anglers that develop the necessary knowledge and skills.
Anglers catching a fish exceeding the minimum qualifying length in any of the 34 species categories can receive a certificate commemorating their catch. Their names and catches are also included in the Vermont Master Angler Annual Report posted annually on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website. Anglers demonstrating the skill necessary to catch multiple species that all exceed the minimum qualifying lengths in the same calendar year are recognized as “Vermont Master Anglers” and receive a unique one-of-a-kind lapel pin at the end of the year. To qualify for the annual Vermont Master Angler Pin, an angler must submit qualifying entries for five or more species within a calendar year.
2023 was another successful year for the program, with 989 entries approved, 246 of which were from youth anglers. There were also 72 Vermont Master Angler award recipients in 2023 — 21 of which were youth anglers. Youth anglers have a slightly lower minimum qualifying length for each species.