
Community loses EMS leader Mark Podgwaite
Waterbury has lost one of its most dedicated public servants. Mark Douglas Podgwaite Sr., executive director of Waterbury Ambulance Service Inc., died unexpectedly on Friday, Oct. 14. He was 60 years old.

Duxbury sets special Nov. 16 vote to change March Town Meeting
It’s months away but Duxbury town officials are already looking past the November General Election to Town Meeting Day in March and they’re thinking some changes might be in order.

Blush Hill boat launch overflow parking lot is under construction
Construction is underway along Blush Hill Road to create a new overflow parking lot just above the Waterbury Reservoir boat launch.

Secretary of State encourages Vermonters to make a voting plan
Now that ballots have been mailed to the state’s registered voters, Secretary of State Jim Condos is encouraging Vermonters to make a voting plan for the Nov. 8 General Election.

UPDATE: Public info. meeting Oct. 18 ahead of 51 S. Main vote
An informational meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, will address new details and answer questions regarding the proposed sale of 51 South Main St. to Downstreet Housing & Community Development.

Vt. House, Senate candidates meet in online forums this week
A series of 10 online forums for candidates in the upcoming Nov. 8 election will include the state House district representing Waterbury and the Washington County Senate district.

Truck recovered with ‘no obvious human remains’ (updated)
A truck belonging to Donald Messier of Waterbury was pulled from the Winooski River in Duxbury in an all-day recovery operation on Thursday that so far has not turned up any evidence of human remains.

League of Cities & Towns bestows Shepeluk with Lifetime Achievement Award
Waterbury Municipal Manager Bill Shepeluk was one of four “champions of municipal government” honored this week by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns at its Town Fair in Killington – the largest gathering of local Vermont officials of the year.

Truck belonging to Donald Messier - missing since ’06 - found in the Winooski River
Nearly 16 years after the disappearance of Donald Messier, a dive team specializing in cracking missing person cases has found what they believe to be Messier’s truck submerged in 10 feet of water in the Winooski River in Duxbury.

Duxbury aims to vote Nov. 16 to change March Town Meeting format
Should Duxbury forego its traditional in-person March Town Meeting for decision-making by paper ballot? That’s a question the Duxbury Selectboard has been debating recently and it has decided it’s time for the voters to weigh in at a special in-person town meeting – in November.

Utility district board calls special vote for 51 S. Main
Just two weeks before the November General Election, a portion of Waterbury residents will be asked to gather for a local vote that could decide the fate of the land once used for the community’s municipal offices.

Sen. Leahy plans local visits in October
U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is heading into the final months of his career in public service and his calendar has stops in Waterbury and Duxbury coming up.

Waterbury man cited after Friday morning gun incident, false statements to police
A Waterbury man is facing charges of reckless endangerment and giving false information to police after an incident Friday morning where Vermont State Police said he admitted to firing an AR-15 rifle from the porch of his home on U.S. Route 2.

Select Board hires Thomas Leitz as Waterbury’s next municipal manager
With a unanimous vote on Monday, the Waterbury Select Board hired the town’s first new municipal manager in over three decades.

Community weighs in on park plans
The master-planning effort underway to map out the future of two popular recreation areas in Waterbury captured public attention last week as dozens of community members turned out to speak up for what they hope to see included.

Board looks to hire new manager on Monday
The hiring process for Waterbury’s next municipal manager is nearly complete and the Waterbury Select Board is looking to approve a contract for their top choice on Monday.

Search finds woman missing on Barnes Hill
A search is underway in Waterbury Center tonight for a woman who went missing this afternoon from her home on Barnes Hill. Vermont State Police are asking the public for any information on whether anyone has seen Rachel Laundon, 44, who went missing from her home shortly before 5 p.m.

One manager finalist chosen for background check
Waterbury officials working on hiring a new municipal manager say they have reached consensus on which of the three finalists they would like to hire, but they have only identified him as Candidate #22. The process now moves to background and reference checks.

People flock to farmers market for newest COVID-19 boosters
The final day for the Waterbury Farmers Market drew a crowd but it wasn’t all for the farm-fresh veggies, handmade craft items, food, or even the annual Sunzilla sunflower contest. The longest line stretched across Rusty Parker Memorial Park as dozens of people queued up for the newest COVID-19 booster vaccine.

Duxbury looks to address beaver conflicts with new policy
Beaver activity in Duxbury has prompted the town to adopt a new policy and to explore non-lethal steps it may take to thwart the animals that may cause damage to roads and property.