Liam Elder-Connors
Vermont Public
Colchester, VT, United States
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Past articles by Liam:
In exclusive interview, Bill Stenger discusses regrets in EB-5 investment fraud scandal
In a few days, Bill Stenger, 73, will report to a federal prison in Massachusetts. There he’ll serve an 18-month sentence after pleading guilty to a federal fraud charge for his role in the Northeast Kingdom EB-5 scandal. It was the largest financial fraud in Vermont’s history.VPR's Liam Elder-Connors spoke with Stenger in an exclusive interview. → Read More
Local developers buy Don Sinex out of Burlington mall redevelopment
Three local developers have assumed full ownership of the City Place Burlington project after buying out Don Sinex, one of their partners on the project. → Read More
Former St. Albans cop pleads guilty to punching handcuffed woman
A former St. Albans police officer pleaded guilty Wednesday to punching a woman who was handcuffed in a holding cell. A sentencing hearing will take place later this summer. → Read More
DOC reports fifth death at Vermont state prisons this year
A 56-year-old man held at the Vermont state prison in Springfield died Monday evening, state police say. He’s the fifth person to die at a Vermont prison this year. → Read More
Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan won't seek reelection
Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan announced Thursday he won’t run for reelection this year, and won’t seek another public office this cycle. → Read More
William Kelly, an advisor to former Jay Peak developers, will serve 18 months in prison
A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced William Kelly to prison for his role in the EB-5 scandal. He’ll spend 18 months in prison and must pay more than $8.3 million in restitution. → Read More
Bill Stenger sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in the EB-5 scandal
Bill Stenger, one of the architects of the Northeast Kingdom EB-5 investment scandal, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Thursday following a day-long sentencing hearing. He also faces three years of supervised release and must pay $250,000 in restitution. → Read More
More than 200 Vermonters died from opioid overdoses in 2021
The state of Vermont set a grim record last year: 210 residents died from opioid overdoses — the first time in the state’s history that number topped 200, according to health department data. → Read More
Two prime city lots remain vacant during Vermont's housing crisis. Will that change soon?
In two Vermont cities, there’s prime downtown real estate that could become much-needed housing. But these vacant lots in Burlington and Newport have languished for years, and it’s unclear if anything will change in the near future. → Read More
State police say prisoner held in St. Johnsbury died by apparent suicide
A 29-year-old man died by suicide at the state prison in St. Johnsbury on Sunday night, state police say. He’s the third person to die at a state prison this year. → Read More
Newport prison superintendent put on administrative leave
The head of Vermont’s largest in-state prison is on paid administrative leave following allegations of mismanagement at the facility, the Department of Corrections announced on Tuesday. → Read More
How qualified immunity acts as a barrier to accountability for alleged police brutality
Police officers accused of using excessive force in Vermont rarely face criminal charges. That’s left civil lawsuits as one of the only avenues for victims of alleged police misconduct to get justice. But those cases are hard to win, in part because of a legal doctrine called "qualified immunity" that shields officers from many claims of wrongdoing. → Read More
Bove brothers reverse plan to evict Winooski tenants and raise rents
Two dozen low-income, mostly refugee families will not be kicked out of their homes in Winooski after their landlords, Rick and Mark Bove, abruptly changed their plans. The reversal comes a month after the Boves sent eviction notices to all their Winooski tenants, telling them to leave the property by the end of June in order to accommodate “major renovations.” → Read More
Winooski officials, citing pending evictions, ask legislature for better tenant protections
City officials and housing groups are asking lawmakers to enact stronger protections for tenants following a prominent landlord’s plan to evict 24 low-income, mostly refugee families from an apartment complex in Winooski. → Read More
Vermont poised to get millions from national settlement with Purdue Pharma
Vermont could receive millions of dollars under a national settlement reached Thursday with Oxycontin manufacture Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family. The deal still needs to be approved by a federal judge. → Read More
Prosecutors flagged 13 Vermont cops for potential credibility issues last year
Vermont prosecutors flagged 13 Vermont police officers that prosecutors flagged in 2021 for having potential credibility issues, according to records obtained by VPR. About half the officers named in the 2021 letters were involved in high profile or previously public incidents — the rest haven't been publicly disclosed. → Read More
DOC reports death of man held at Springfield prison
A man held at the state prison in Springfield died Tuesday morning, according to the Vermont Department of Corrections. → Read More
Bove brothers plan to evict low-income refugee families in Winooski — and raise rents
Rick and Mark Bove want to evict 24 low-income, mostly refugee families from an apartment complex in Winooski and plan to raise rents to market rate, causing panic among tenants and alarming city officials. → Read More
Electronic music pioneer Jon Appleton dies at 83
An electronic music pioneer who lived for decades in the Upper Valley died last month. Jon Appleton used effects to warp and reshape natural sounds or field recordings, and he also helped develop the first commercially-available digital synthesizer. → Read More
UVM researcher: School meal programs continue to be vital during the pandemic
School meal programs are an important source of nutrition for many Vermont children, but the pandemic has changed how students can access them. A University of Vermont researcher discusses how school districts are responding to food scarcity in the state. → Read More