Students Try to Steal Giant Pepper From Chili’s Rooftop

Bennington, Vermont - Triggered by an alarm, cops arrived at the Chili’s in Bennington, Vt., around 4:30 a.m. to find Asher Woodworth, 23, on the roof. He had been removing the bolts that held the red and green chili pepper in place with a hacksaw and a power drill. Police found 470 feet of extension cord running from a nearby Home Depot, across a highway and up to the roof to power the electric drill. Apparently, the heist’s mastermind failed to realize they make cordless drills....

Odd News-Vt. man wins $650K after pulling ticket from trash

BERLIN, Vt. – A Vermont man is $650,000 richer after retrieving a lottery ticket he had been given for Christmas but accidentally threw away. Steven LeClair of Richford got the ticket for the Dec. 24 Tri-State Megabucks drawing as a gift from his mother. But it was in a gift bag that LeClair threw out, not knowing it was inside.

Vermont Lottery spokeswoman Hadley Melendy says LeClair's wife found out two days later that the only winning ticket had been sold at a market in Richford. So LeClair went through the trash at his home and found it.

LeClair works for a car dealership and doesn't normally play the lottery. He couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday; his telephone number isn't listed.

New Hampshire and Maine also participate in Tri-State Megabucks.