Parts of Vermont experienced minor flooding on Saturday as thunderstorms traveled through the state.

The National Weather Service’s Burlington office had heard reports of flooding in Irasville as well as washed out roads in Waitsfield and Warren.

A flash flood warning was in effect until 8:30 p.m. Saturday for parts of Addison, Orange and Washington counties, according to the weather service.  

As of 7:08 p.m., the state had seen 1 to 2 inches of rainfall. By 8:23 p.m., the weather service reported that the heavy rain had ended and no additional flooding was expected.

There were 2,663 customers without power as of 8:35 p.m., with Woodstock and Hartford being the hardest-hit areas, according to VTOutages. 

The weather service urged people to observe road closures and “turn around, don’t drown” if people come across high water or flooded roads since more than half of all flood-related drownings occur in vehicles.

Although rain is forecast for much of the state over the next week, the weather service does not expect hazardous weather Sunday through Friday.

A representative from the weather service’s Burlington office was not immediately available to comment. 

Read the story on VTDigger here: Flash flood warnings expire for central Vermont as thunderstorms hit the state.

As 2024 comes to a close, we decided to look back on the year and the many Vermonters we captured in VTDigger’s photography. Whether it was summer flooding, the total solar eclipse or a major election, our photographers and freelancers were there to capture it all. 

Staff photographer Glenn Russell and Senior Editor Natalie Williams reflected on 20 of their favorite images and what makes them stand out.

I was walking up to where downed power lines had closed a road during a windstorm when a driver passed by me and headed directly to where trees were hanging on the wires. Only after much high-volume remonstration, gesticulation and recrimination by the deputy sheriff was the driver convinced to turn around. I could see the driver articulating his displeasure as he drove by me the other way.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 70-200mm zoom at 200mm in aperture priority at f4.5 at 1/500th of a second at auto-ISO 2000 and under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop. Big enlargement from the original frame. My cameras capture files at about 6000 pixels across on the long side. After toning and editing, I file jpegs that are 2500 pixels. This allows me quite a bit of lossless cropping.)

— Glenn Russell

This is one of those photos I didn’t expect to take but ended up loving. I was covering the vote on the next sergeant-at-arms for Vermont. There was an interesting moment when the Legislature broke for a quick recess due to the close vote, and around 20 people swarmed the podium at the front of the chamber to discuss the results before quickly disbanding. The rush of people reminded me of something out of a Renaissance painting. Although I can’t credit myself with creating something that beautiful, I did get a kick out of it.  

— Natalie Williams

When the man accused of shooting three Palestinian students appeared in court for the first time, his lawyer asked the judge to have his manacles removed during the proceeding. This is not the lead photo (for one thing you can’t see his face), but it adds a layer of texture to the coverage.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed in manual at 1/250th of a second at f/2.8 using a 70-200mm zoom at 116mm and under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop with an auto-ISO of 1250. State court proceedings are open to the media, but are generally limited to one still photographer and one videographer. These pool photographers must share their work in the courtroom with other media outlets.)

— Glenn Russell

There were lots of photos produced during the total solar eclipse in April, but I think this moment that freelance photographer Jeb Wallace-Brodeur captured is so special. It features a glimpse of the immense crowds that visited the state for this rare celestial event and really places you beside all these people gathered on the Statehouse lawn, looking up at the sky as the sun peeks over a state office building. 

— Natalie Williams

When VTDigger editors told brand-new intern Juan Vega de Soto that on a rainy spring night, some residents head outside with their spatulas to go rescue salamanders, he thought we were messing with him. Before he knew it, he was out in the field learning that amphibian counts are, in fact, a real thing. I was lucky enough to join this adventure and see this rare spring salamander that filled our North Branch Nature Center guide with delight.

— Natalie Williams

News photographers work at the intersection of information and aesthetics. With preparation and luck, the two converge. This image is just one in an ongoing body of coverage that hopefully helps to illustrate a complex issue.

(Photographed in aperture priority with a 20mm at f/7.1 at 1/800 of a second using an auto-ISO of 100 under-exposed by a stop. Shooting wide from down low is a tried-and-true technique to keep the background clean with a dramatic foreground.)

— Glenn Russell   

The media is no longer allowed on the perimeter of the floor of the House of Representatives chamber, in a break with long-standing precedent. So we have to make pictures where we can, in this case from the public gallery during a break in debate.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 70-200mm at 135mm, 250th of a second at f2.8 in manual and auto-ISO of 125, under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop. Exposed for the highlight of the subject in the window. Exposed and color-balanced towards daylight (more blue, exterior light) for the subject while letting the chamber go tungsten-colored (more yellow, interior light) and darker.)

— Glenn Russell

This farmer played a secondary role in a story I was covering but he had such character I had to photograph him. He was a real old-timer, with a thick French accent, and he was dressed in Dickies top and bottom.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed in aperture-priority at f2.8 at 1/2000th of a second using an auto-ISO of 100 and under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop using a 70-200mm zoom at 200. Using auto-ISO ensures the highest quality (lowest-ISO) file. Under-exposing at ISO 100 makes it easy to retain the most detail in the highlights while being able to get detail in the shadows.)

— Glenn Russell

I photographed Nancy Morin at her flood-ravaged home that she has had to abandon. It’s a weird gig I have. I interject myself into people’s lives at their most sensitive moments. I get close quickly, I make that connection, I take pictures and I leave.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 50mm at f/2.8 at 1/500th of a second in aperture priority at auto-ISO 250 under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop.)

— Glenn Russell

Josh Kuckens, one of our freelance photographers, is based in the Northeast Kingdom. With so much of the 2024 flooding focused in Caledonia County towns like Hardwick, Kuckens captured many images of the high waters and damage in the area. This one stands out to me since it has so many layers to it — the people, the cars, the homes, the high water, the mud, the Hardwick Farmers Market banner, etc. Your eye has so many things to look at, and the photo illustrates just how significant and harrowing these floods have been for Vermonters.

— Natalie Williams

The devastating floods of July 2024 washed away much of Plainfield. I walked down to where the now-quiet waterway had destroyed a building the night before. The person in red was doing the same thing and turned to leave as I raised my camera.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed in aperture-priority at f/5.6 and 1/500th of a second, under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop at auto-ISO 220 with a 24-120mm zoom at 24mm. The human element, out of focus in the foreground, adds a compositional and emotional element to the photo of the damage across the river.)

— Glenn Russell

Another scary flood moment, this time captured by freelance photographer Jeb Wallace-Brodeur, shows a red car caught up in flood debris. The high waters can be so powerful, and this really depicts a single instance of just how floods can tear through trees, power lines and cars, among many other things. From the amount of debris to the downward angle of the car, I found this moment to be so striking. 

— Natalie Williams

This is the photo that’s not the photo. By that I mean that this picture of a congressional visit to a flood-ravaged farm doesn’t show the farm, the farmer, the senator or the storm damage. It shows someone struggling with an umbrella as rain begins to fall. The photo is intended as a metaphor, not a literal representation of loss.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 20mm at f5.6 at one 500th of a second, under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop at auto-ISO 1400.)

— Glenn Russell

These ladies initially took notice, but quickly forgot about me as they got down to business. Whether knitting or gossiping, relationships demonstrated by gazes and gestures is what I was looking for.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Shot in manual with a 50mm at f1.8 and 125th of a second at auto-ISO 1600 and under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop. This is just one frame from a take where I used the 20mm, the 50mm and 70-200mm. The 20 and 50 are very fast (very light-sensitive) f1.8 maximum aperture prime (meaning fixed focal length lenses) and the 70-200 zoom lens is a fast 2.8 (albeit one and one third of a stop slower – less sensitive to light – than the f1.8 lenses I use).)

— Glenn Russell

We met Terri and her granddaughter Sariyah at a neutral spot where they told us about their experience of being unhoused. I have to build trust quickly and to try to get people to be themselves during often fraught moments. Sariyah forgot about me for a moment while Terri spoke, and that’s when I took this picture.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 20mm lens in aperture priority at f/5.6 and 1/125th of a second, under-exposed by 1/3 of at stop at auto-ISO 100.)

— Glenn Russell

It got pretty somber pretty quick at the election night viewing party hosted by the Democrats in South Burlington. By the end, there were only a few stragglers straggling. This is the last photo I shot that night, Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg.

(Shot loose to show the emptiness with a 20mm f1.8 at 125th of a second in manual at auto-ISO 1400 and under-exposed by 2/3 of a stop. I could have burned down (darkened) the TV screen a bit and I’m not pleased with the person’s arm in the background coming out of the woman’s face, but otherwise OK.)

— Glenn Russell

This is a moment of personal loss in public, which is always a dicey situation. The caucus takes place in a small room full of senators and onlookers. I was able to discreetly move to be where I needed to be so I could get Sen. Clarkson’s reaction in the foreground. I only wish Senator Baruth on the right was also looking at her when she bowed her head. But maybe him looking away is part of the story.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Shot in manual with a 20mm at f2.8 and 250th of a second at auto-ISO 2500 and under-exposed by 2/3 of a stop. The room is window-lit from two sides. Your exposure has to change as you move around the room.)

— Glenn Russell

Lia Menard spoke eloquently about her brother’s life and the circumstances around his death and the death of his wife as an unhoused couple living in a tent. It’s never easy to photograph people in distress, but it has to be done in an honest and respectful way. I just try to be quiet and look and listen.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Shot in manual with a 50mm at f1.8 and 125th of a second at auto-ISO 2000 and under-exposed by a stop. I photograph with two mirrorless cameras which are much quieter than DLSRs. There’s no sound from the mirror flapping up and down with each frame taken.)

— Glenn Russell

I am always a fan of photos that can take you behind the scenes of an event — in this case I got to see drag queen Lavender Homicide getting ready for a photoshoot. As she puts on her lashes and a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” poster looks on, it sets the scene of her aesthetic and the performance that is to come. 

— Natalie Williams 

This is one of a series of frames I shot just as the winning goal in overtime was about to be scored. The moment is all about anticipation. The next frame that shows the crowd’s reaction (which is bonkers) after the goal was scored is cool but this picture is the one.

(Shot in RAW and converted to a jpeg with a 50mm f1.8 at 125th of a second in manual, under-exposed by one stop using auto-ISO 7200. I almost always under-expose my digital files — paradoxically, the darker it gets, the more I under-expose.)

— Glenn Russell

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger photographers look back on their 20 favorite images of 2024.

A temporary emergency shelter in Burlington reopened Friday evening, according to the office of Mayor Miro Weinberger. 

After closing down four emergency shelters Friday morning, the state reopened one of them, at 108 Cherry St., around 8:30 that evening. The emergency shelter was scheduled to remain open Saturday and Sunday from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., according to Weinberger spokesperson Samantha Sheehan, though it was unclear what would happen after that. 

Weinberger had called on the state this week to keep the Burlington shelter open. On Thursday night, nearly 40 people stayed at the Cherry Street location.

Last week, Gov. Phil Scott’s administration scrambled to open the four shelters as hundreds of people lost their eligibility for state-subsidized rooms through Vermont’s motel housing program. As of March 15, people who received a voucher through the program’s winter-weather eligibility guidelines needed to prove they had a qualifying vulnerability to hang onto their rooms for a few more months.

With at least a foot of snow expected in Burlington and elsewhere in Vermont this weekend, Weinberger’s office urged those in need of shelter in the area to the Cherry Street location or call 211 for assistance.

Read the story on VTDigger here: State reopens emergency homeless shelter in Burlington.

A corrections officer is accused of stealing an incarcerated person’s wallet while booking them into a Springfield prison earlier this year, according to Vermont State Police.

Police claim officer Jessica Staton, 34, of Springfield, stole the wallet while processing a person into Southern State Correctional Facility on Jan. 28.

Staton is being charged with petit larceny and is expected to appear in Windsor County court on April 23, according to a press release issued by state police late Friday.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Corrections officer accused of stealing incarcerated person’s wallet.

The year was not only marked by record-breaking weather, including the summer’s devastating floods, but it also included a historic Town Meeting Day, countless protests and much more. VTDigger photographers and editors look at some of the top moments captured in 2023.

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger looks back at the top photos of the year.

Vermont State Police have identified a man who died and another who was injured in a Christmas Day altercation in Newport. 

An autopsy was conducted on Donald Coull, 58, of Newport Town on Wednesday. The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be a stab wound to the chest, but further investigation and toxicology testing is required to determine the manner of death, which could take weeks or months to complete, police said in a Wednesday press release.

Trevor Stone, 39, also of Newport Town, was treated at North Country Hospital for a stab wound and was later released, police said.

Around 3:15 p.m. Monday, authorities received a report of the altercation at 107 Lawson Road, where Coull lived. Stone lived in a camper on the property. Vermont State Police found Coull dead at the scene. 

Police did not indicate in the press release whether charges would be brought in the case. They said they were continuing to investigate.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Police identify Newport man killed in Christmas Day stabbing.

Dear reader, 

VTDigger is more than just news. It’s an essential public good. Vermonters rely on us to stay informed, engaged and connected to their communities, and we, in turn, rely on the generosity of our members, whose contributions power our newsroom. 

Make a gift today — online or by mail to the address on our donate page — and your donation will be matched (up to $500) thanks to a generous challenge from a group of anonymous donors.

Your gift will also send five meals to the Vermont Foodbank and you’ll be entered to win some epic prizes from beloved Vermont establishments like Hen of the Wood.

We only have until midnight to make the most of this match offer. Please donate now to support local, independent news for Vermont. 

Thank you for considering a gift that will go twice as far today.

With gratitude,

Natalie Williams,

Senior editor, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: All gifts matched until midnight!.

Vermont could see more flash flooding on Sunday as heavy rain is expected to return to the state, according to the National Weather Service. 

Jessica Storm, a meteorologist with the weather service in Burlington, said on Saturday that Vermont is “looking at more rain tomorrow” with a “moderate risk” for flash flooding.

The risk area “covers most of Vermont, mostly southern and eastern areas,” she said.

The flood watch is in effect from 6 a.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday for all of Vermont except Grand Isle County, western Chittenden County and western Franklin County, according to the weather service. Those northwestern areas should expect heavy rainfall, Storm said, but have not yet been as saturated as other parts of the state. 

Rainfall in Vermont on Sunday into Monday could add up to around 1 to 2 inches, Storm said. She cautioned that “with some stronger thunderstorms, there could be locally 3 inches or more” in some places.

Storm recommended that people prepare for Sunday’s storm by creating a flash flood plan that includes being ready to move to higher ground or a home’s upper level. She also suggested Vermonters have a way to monitor flash flood warnings on their phones, including by watching alerts from the National Weather Service or signing up for VT-Alert. 

Read the story on VTDigger here: Moderate flash flood risk in most of Vermont on Sunday.

View scenes of rapids, flooding and swollen rivers throughout the state from Richmond to Rutland. Rainfall totals in parts of the state exceeded 8 inches on Monday, July 10. Read all of VTDigger’s coverage of the storm here.

Read the story on VTDigger here: VIDEO: Scenes from the rain and flooding in Vermont.

As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to look back at some of the moments that shaped the year. From historic elections to the changing Covid-19 climate to everyday experiences of Vermonters, VTDigger’s photographers were there to capture the many perspectives of the year. Glenn Russell, Riley Robinson and Natalie Williams picked some of their favorite images — and moments.

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger photographers look back at their top images of the year.

Vermont’s Covid-19 levels remain “low,” according to the state Department of Health’s latest weekly surveillance report.

The state’s Covid levels returned to “low” last week after two weeks of “medium” levels. 

There were 442 Covid cases reported in the past week, down from 532 cases the week before. The department bases case numbers primarily on PCR testing rather than at-home antigen tests. 

As of Wednesday, 38 people were hospitalized for Covid in Vermont. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported three of Vermont’s 14 counties — Bennington, Essex and Rutland — had “medium” Covid levels. The remaining counties had “low” levels. 

The CDC recommends that high-risk individuals in medium-level counties wear masks and take actions to protect themselves from Covid.

Cases and hospitalizations have remained mostly flat at a national level in recent weeks, The New York Times reported. 

In total, 763 people have died of Covid in Vermont since the beginning of the pandemic, including nine reported in the past week. The number of people who died in October increased to 30, while four deaths have been reported this month.

Erin Petenko contributed to this report. 

Read the story on VTDigger here: Covid levels in Vermont ‘low’ for 2nd week in a row.

Covid-19 levels in Vermont remain “low,” according to the Vermont Department of Health’s latest weekly surveillance update.

The department reported 445 cases in the past week, down from 494 the week before. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rated only two Vermont counties — Bennington and Rutland — as having “medium” Covid levels on Thursday.

There were 37 new Covid hospital admissions in the past week, a slight increase from 35 the week before. 

No deaths from Covid have been reported so far in September. Because of the delay in processing death certificates, the health department often takes days or weeks to update death data. Nineteen people died in August, 12 people died in July, 12 people died in June and 32 people died in May. 

With students back in schools throughout the state, Vermont had an uptick in outbreaks in educational settings, according to the report. As of Sept. 13, there were 17 active outbreaks in a school or child care facility throughout the state, up from two the previous week. The surveillance report defines an outbreak as three or more epidemiologically linked cases of Covid-19.

Health officials and doctors continue to urge eligible Vermonters to get the recent vaccine booster targeted at the newer subvariants of the Omicron strain. VTDigger has answered reader questions about the Omicron vaccine here. The health department also has more details about the vaccine on its website.

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Read the story on VTDigger here: Covid levels remain ‘low’ in Vermont as students are back to school.

The state Department of Health reported Wednesday that Vermont had “low” Covid-19 levels for the fifth consecutive week, as the state continues to emerge from a surge in cases driven by the BA.2 subvariant. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reported as of July 7 that most Vermont counties had “low” Covid levels. Two counties — Bennington and Rutland — were rated “medium,” the same as the previous week.

Vermont reported an average of 65 cases per day in the past week and about five new hospital admissions for Covid per day, both a drop from the previous week.

As of July 13, hospitalizations have been the lowest since August 2021 with 10 people hospitalized with Covid-19 and zero people in intensive care units. 

The department reported one additional Covid death. Four people have died so far in Vermont in July from Covid-19. There have been 687 Covid deaths in Vermont since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

The death toll is based on death certificates that list Covid as a cause or probable cause of death, according to the health department. Because of the time it takes to investigate deaths and prepare death certificates, deaths can sometimes be added retroactively, raising the total for previous weeks and months.

With the new BA.5 Omicron subvariant driving an uptick in cases nationwide, Vermont is reporting an increased proportion of BA.5 cases, according to the surveillance report. However, it does not seem to have driven a spike in overall cases in the state thus far. In New England, BA.5 made up about 46% of new cases as of July 2.

“We estimate in the Northeast it’s about 50% of all the whole genome sequencing that is being done, but we’re not seeing a super high uptick in disease activity, whether you look at cases or hospitalizations or death,” Health Commissioner Mark Levine said at Tuesday’s press conference. “So that is all good news.”

PCR testing numbers have significantly declined over the past two weeks after the state closed its testing sites June 25. PCR testing had been declining for months due to the rise of at-home antigen testing options, which are not typically reported to the health department.

Vermont officials have emphasized that case counts are less reliable than hospital data or other indicators of severe disease, such as the rate of hospital patients showing certain symptoms. At the same time, the CDC and state health department still rely on Covid case counts, in addition to hospitalizations, to determine the state’s Covid levels.

Seven of the 11 Vermont wastewater facilities participating in the National Wastewater Surveillance System reported data for their facilities, an increase from the zero that reported data last week.

Six locations reported an increase in Covid-19 over a 15-day period, with St. Albans logging the most significant increase at 1,000%. Four sites (Bennington, Johnson, Troy/Jay and Winooski) reported increases of 10% to 99%, and two (Essex Junction and Morrisville) reported increases of 100% to 999%. 

Burlington’s wastewater SARS-CoV-2 counts remained relatively level with the previous week, with counts slightly decreasing at the East Plant and counts slightly increasing at the Main and North plants.

Vermont currently compares well to the rest of the nation, according to New York Times data. While Vermont and the rest of New England reported low and declining Covid rates, much of the country has reported an increase. 

The number of Covid cases nationwide is starting to climb again, The Times reported. Many other states have followed Vermont’s trend of conducting fewer PCR tests, making it hard to say how accurately national case data reflects the reality of Covid on the ground. Hospitalizations continue to rise but remain far lower than the peak during Omicron in the winter.

Erin Petenko and Mike Dougherty contributed to this report.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Latest data shows Covid-19 hospitalizations remain low in Vermont.

In its latest county-by-county Covid-19 report, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased its tally of Vermont counties with “medium” Covid levels to nine: Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Franklin, Lamoille, Orleans, Rutland and Washington. The state’s remaining five counties all had “low” levels, according to the CDC. 

Last week, only four counties — Addison, Chittenden, Orleans and Washington — had “medium” Covid levels. 

The CDC measures Covid levels in a community based on the case rate, the number of new hospital admissions and the number of Covid patients compared with hospital capacity. The agency recommends that high-risk people take additional precautions in medium- to high-level communities.

Vermont also on Friday reported 263 new Covid-19 cases, 32 hospitalizations and no additional deaths.

The state’s seven-day average for new infections was 228, up from 227 on Thursday, according to the Vermont Department of Health dashboard.

The state’s seven-day average test positivity rate was 10.9% on Friday, up from 10.3% on Thursday. The test positivity rate includes only PCR tests, not at-home antigen tests.

The health department reported that 32 people were hospitalized with Covid as of Friday, down from 35 on Thursday. That includes six people in intensive care, down from seven on Thursday.

The health department reported no additional Covid deaths on Wednesday. In total, 623 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic.

In the past week, Burlington wastewater treatment plants reported a sharp increase in viral samples at the North Plant, a sharp decrease at the Main Plant and a slight increase at the East Plant, according to data from the City of Burlington. All three plants remain elevated from their levels in mid-March.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated one of the counties listed in the CDC's "medium" Covid-19 levels.

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Read the story on VTDigger here: 9 Vermont counties have ‘medium’ Covid levels, CDC says.

Vermont reported 327 new Covid-19 cases, 35 hospitalizations and no additional deaths Thursday.

The state’s seven-day average for new infections is 226, up from 211 on Wednesday, according to the Vermont Department of Health dashboard.

Vermont’s seven-day average test positivity rate was 10.3% on Thursday, up from 10.1% on Wednesday. The test positivity rate includes only PCR tests, not at-home antigen tests.

The health department reported that 35 people were hospitalized with Covid as of Thursday, up from 33 on Wednesday. That includes seven people in intensive care, down from eight on Wednesday.

The health department reported no additional Covid deaths on Thursday. In total, 623 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Vermont reports 35 Covid hospitalizations and 327 new cases Thursday.

Updated at 9:27 p.m.

Vermont State Police arrested a Derby Line resident on Monday after evidence of gunfire was found in his apartment, “penetrating other apartments and several vehicles,” according to a state police press release.

No one was injured. 

Alfred Charest, 38, was arrested outside the Caswell Avenue apartment building where the incident took place, police said. He faces charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and reckless endangerment.

Charest also has an active extraditable warrant for his arrest in New Hampshire on drug-related charges and faces a charge in Vermont of being a “fugitive from justice,” police said.

Police began receiving reports of gunfire at about 9:45 a.m. Monday at an apartment building near the intersection of Caswell Avenue and Ducharme Drive. Reports initially indicated multiple shooters and victims, according to the release.

A member of the state police Crisis Negotiation Unit tried unsuccessfully to make contact with people inside the building. Then, the first responding officers entered the building to search for victims. They evacuated apartments in the building and at another nearby building but did not find any victims, police said.

Police found “evidence consistent with gunfire” coming from Charest’s apartment but did not find any evidence of multiple shooters.

Charest is being held without bail Monday night at the Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport. His arraignment is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, at the Vermont Superior Court in Newport.

The investigation is ongoing, police said, and anyone with information may call the Vermont State Police Derby Barracks at 802-334-8881 or submit an anonymous tip at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

Read the story on VTDigger here: 38-year-old charged with attempted homicide after gunfire incident in Derby Line.

Thirteen campers at a Waterbury Parks and Recreation day camp have tested positive for Covid-19, according to the Vermont Department of Health.

Most of the 127 children who attend the camp are younger than 12, so they would therefore be unvaccinated. No campers or staff have reported severe illness, according to the department. 

The Department of Health is conducting contact tracing, and everyone affected is being given relevant information, such as testing or quarantine guidance. 

Because of the number of people who were potentially exposed to the coronavirus, there could have been multiple opportunities to then expose the greater community, according to health officials. “People who may have had contact with someone associated with the camp [should] monitor themselves and their children for symptoms, and … consider getting tested for the virus and isolating at home while awaiting their results,” the health department said.

Officials said Covid-19 tests are the only way to know if you have been infected and that testing is recommended regardless of vaccination status.

People can get tested for Covid-19 on Aug. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Aug 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Waterbury EMS station at 1727 Guptil Road in Waterbury Center. Other testing locations in Vermont can be found at healthvermont.gov/covid-19/testing.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Department of Health investigates Covid-19 outbreak at Waterbury camp.