FARMINGTON – The final Sunday evening Union Lenten Service for the Mercer, North Vienna and New Sharon United Methodist Churches and the New Sharon Congregational Church will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 28, at the Farmington Falls Union Baptist Church.

This will be predominantly a musical evening with contributions from each of the participating churches. A time of fellowship and light refreshments will conclude the evening’s activities. All are invited to attend and participate.

Vt. House OKs permit auction

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) –Members of the House agreed Friday to auction five moose hunting permits off to the highest bidder.

The idea is to help raise much-needed money for the Fish and Wildlife Department, but critics said it was just a way for wealthy, out-of-state trophy hunters to buy their way into Vermont’s annual limited moose hunt.

“I believe the resource belongs to these sportsmen and women,” Rep. Nancy Sheltra, R-Derby, said of Vermont hunters.

The Fish and Wildlife Department wants to increase the number of permits issued for this fall’s moose hunt from last year’s 440 to as many as 800.

Those permits are awarded through a lottery. Anyone interested in hunting moose has to pay $10 to have his or her name entered into the lottery.

For the first time this year, the state also has proposed charging for a moose hunting license, which would cost $100 for Vermont hunters and $250 for those outside the state. Previously, hunters who successfully won a permit through the lottery merely had to have a valid Vermont hunting license.

Charges unlikely in nude photo swap

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. (AP) – Officials say it’s unlikely a firefighter who allegedly traded cigarettes to female inmates at the Windsor prison for nude photos will face criminal charges.

Windsor County State’s Attorney Robert Sand said the incident seems more like a consensual trade than a type of blackmail, making it doubtful that criminal charges could be proven in court.

“I’m not too familiar with what happened, but it’s probably not a crime, although it’s certainly not conduct we would want to encourage,” Sand said.

The only possible charge that could be considered would be for lewd and lascivious conduct – a felony, Sand said.

“From what I’ve heard, it really doesn’t sound like a crime,” Sand said.

The only possible charge that could be considered would be for lewd and lascivious conduct – a felony, Sand said.

“From what I’ve heard, it really doesn’t sound like a crime,” Sand said.

Officials at the Southeast State Correctional Facility said they are looking into a possible extortion charge against the firefighter.

“We’re going to talk with the attorney general’s office and the local state’s attorney’s office to see if any criminal action can be taken,” Superintendent William Soule said.

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