Governor Phil Scott Monday, April 28 appointed Brandon Thrailkill of Lyndonville as Caledonia County Sheriff following the passing of former Sheriff James Hemond earlier this spring.

Scott praised Thraikill’s track record of public service and noted he is a “lifelong resident of Caledonia County.”

Thrailkill has served as a law enforcement officer for over 13 years. He most recently served as the state transport deputy for the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Department where he rose to the rank of captain. Prior to that, Thrailkill worked at the Lyndonville Police Department as a patrol officer.

Vermont grocery spending ranked

As grocery prices continue to rise, supermarket trips are putting a strain on household budgets. We found that Vermont residents spend $7,756 on groceries, a Lending Tree study finds.

Here’s a quick look at the report:

• Vermont households spend $7,756 on groceries. This is 7.5% of their income just on groceries. 
• Utah households have the biggest grocery bills in the country, spending an average of $11,884. Utah residents spend 10.1% of their income on groceries. 
• Nationwide, the average U.S. household spends $8,167 annually on groceries—7.4% of income.
• When comparing organic versus conventional produce, we found that organic fruits and vegetables cost an average of 52.6% more than their conventional counterparts.
  • Of the 68 organic items reviewed, 25% cost at least 75% more than their conventional versions, and half cost at least 50% more.

Olympic surgeon named UVM Commencement speaker – James M. Betts, UVM Class of 1969, MD’73, a pediatric surgeon, former Olympic Team Physician and volunteer firefighter drawn to helping communities hit by natural disasters, has been selected as the UVM’s 2025 commencement speaker.   

Betts will address UVM’s newest graduates at the University Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 18. The UVM alumnus is one of three receiving a UVM honorary degree. 

The university will also present its highest honor to former UVM board chair David A. Daigle ’89, whose leadership provided much-needed STEM facilities for UVM faculty and students; and Roy V. Hill II, for contributions to Vermont’s faith-based, educational, and community institutions.  

Rutland downtown project gets thumbs-up – the Vermont Economic Progress Council (VEPC) has approved the Rutland Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Master Plan, marking a significant milestone in the city’s efforts to revitalize its downtown. This approval paves the way for the next step: phase approval, which involves taking the first TIF project through the process with the Board of Aldermen and then to VEPC again.

The first phase filing, if approved by the Board of Aldermen and subsequently by VEPC, will focus on infrastructure improvements in the northern section of Wales Street—a key area supporting the proposed hotel development. Planned upgrades include water, sewer, and stormwater improvements, as well as brownfield remediation to address existing environmental contamination.