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19 hours ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
ST. ALBANS CITY — St. Albans City Council passed new rules Monday preventing future smokeshops from setting up along Main Street. City Council initially took up the issue when Councilor Tim Hawkins asked for the best approach to prevent such businesses from advertising and selling smoking materials along the city’s main thoroughfare after Vape N’ Smoke opened this past fall.
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2 days ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
SWANTON — A late-night altercation proved fatal in Swanton this weekend, resulting in the death of 37-year-old Joshua Many. Police have since arrested Mitchal Shedrick, 52, and charged him with second degree murder. According to court records, Shedrick shot Many at around 3 a.m. early on Sunday morning after a fight broke out around a debt. Shedrick appeared in Franklin County Court on Monday afternoon, pleading not guilty to the crime.
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3 days ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
ST. ALBANS CITY — The St. Albans Police Department arrested six people on suspected drug trafficking charges this past Friday after discovering over 2,000 bags of fentanyl at a Rublee Street residence. Police conducted the search as part of a narcotics investigation by the St. Albans Police Department’s newly-instituted Street Crimes Unit, and the six people arrested were those found in the apartment during the search at 11 Rublee Street.
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5 days ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
ST. ALBANS CITY – Firehouse Subs has arrived in St. Albans City. The national sandwich franchise opened up last Wednesday, April 30, to become Vermont’s second Firehouse location after the first opened up in Williston this past February. “So we focus on a hot flavorful sub,” general manager Andy Robtoy said. “We’re not going to overload you on veggies.
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1 week ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
SWANTON VILLAGE — Swanton Village voters approved a $7.5 million bond to construct a new electric department building on Tuesday, May 6, during a special election. The final vote in favor of the bond was 148 to 73. Tuesday’s count was the second vote taken by Swanton Village regarding the project after voters rejected the first electric department plan by a margin of six votes this past Town Meeting Day.
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1 week ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
FRANKLIN — Not every small town has a communal meeting place, but Jen Rayvak set out to make sure Franklin wasn‘t one of them. “I grew up in Franklin, and it needs a place for people to gather. And there’s no other place really for this,” she said while sitting inside her latest venture – the Dick Wright Pub. Raynak opened the new space this last November, located at 5204 Main St., on a shoe-string budget to create a public gathering spot for her neighbors.
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1 week ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
ST. ALBANS TOWN — More workforce housing is on track to come to St. Albans Town. After meeting with the town’s development review board this past March for a sketch plan review, developer Tyler Stanislas with Stanislas Property Services said he’s moving forward with the creation of 50 units of rental housing to be located near The Village at Franklin Park.
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1 week ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Graduating from high school often marks new beginnings for many Vermonters. And in 2025, there’s a lot to consider about the next step. For that reason, “Hear. Here” – the Messenger’s podcast companion – brought in a few young people to get their outlooks on those big decisions as they make the transition from high school to college. This month’s podcast guests included MVU seniors Amelia Partlow and Nolan Marchessault, as well as special co-host Hilary Denault.
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2 weeks ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
ST. ALBANS BAY — After residents saw the tell-tale sheen of oil in St. Albans Bay Monday night, Vermont’s Hazardous Materials Response team deployed Tuesday morning, April 29, to deal with the leak. Team Chief Patrick McLaughlin said the state group received a report that oil had been seen in the water late on Monday, and working with the St. Albans Town Fire Department, the leak was identified and stopped after a fractured fuel line was discovered at the bay marina.
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2 weeks ago | 
samessenger.com | Josh Ellerbrock
ST. ALBANS CITY — Americanadian LLC – a business owned by Keith Taruski – was fined $4,000 on April 28 by the Agency of Natural Resources for dumping solid waste without the required certifications. In January of 2024, ANR enforcement officers observed that Americanadian had been storing construction and demolition waste at a field in St. Albans City. Despite removing six tons of the material, solid waste remained on the site until at least Sept. 2024.
