By Albert Huizing IV
NEWPORT, VT - The fog was thick in Newport on a fall day that seemed as normal as all the rest. The day was Sept. 29, 2008, but it was far from normal. In fact, it was far more ominous and mysterious than most days for anyone caught in the midst of the operating room and the nursery of North Country Hospital on that day, witnessing the beeping of the electrical equipment inside, the scurrying of feet, the alarms of monitoring machines, the voices of concerned doctors and nurses all verifying and re-verifying necessary facts and statistics.

For more of the story see Wednesday's paper.

(Express photo by Ken Wells)

The historic land exchange at Jay Peak was completed yesterday at the top of the Jay Peak Resort. The signing was witnessed by the following group, from left to right, Mike Frazier, director of  Vermont Lands; Jake Webster, senior vice president of Jay Peak Construction; Steve Wright of Jay Peak; Ben Rose, executive director of the Green Mountain Club; Bill Stenger, Jay Peak Resort President; Governor Jim Douglas; Johnathan Wood, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources; Jay Peak’s Walter Elander; and Vermont Commissioner of State Parks, Sarah Clark. The transaction secures 59.8 acres on the stateside area for Jay Peak while the  418-acre portion, which  is located adjacent to the Long Trail system, will be released to the State of Vermont.

This is one of the eighteen trucks that enter the Coventry landfill daily, each hauling 30-tons of contaminated soil from out-of-state clean-up sites. (Photo by Laura Carpenter)

By LAURA CARPENTER
Express Staff Writer
When Casella spokespeople insist the landfill is not taking out of state solid waste, they are referring to trash. What they are taking is out-of state contaminated soil, a lot of it, and they want more.

For more of the story see Tuesday's Express.

WATERBURY – Over ten years in the making, the State of Vermont, the Green Mountain Club, and Jay Peak Resort have reached agreement on a major land exchange at Jay Peak. The parties are scheduled to close on the initial phase of the exchange on August 31 at a ceremony at Jay Peak Resort. When completed later this year, the land exchange will provide additional protection to the Long Trail, conserve important high elevation natural resources along the spine of the Green Mountains near Jay Peak, enhance outdoor recreation opportunities on Jay State Forest, and improve the economic viability of Jay Peak Resort.

For more information see Tuesday's paper.