Vermont news

• Getting away with murder: Who killed Kenny Jerome?

  16-05-2017 00:10
  
  Twelve years after Kenny Jerome was shot dead, the family of the Franklin County farm hand is still searching for answers, and for justice. 
  
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• Vermont Conversation: Stealing Elections, American Style: Voting rights attorney David Walbert on how the 2026 election could be hijacked — and saved

  14-10-2026 23:47 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Vermont Conversation with David Goodman is a VTDigger podcast that features in-depth interviews on local and national issues. Listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.Author David Walbert and his latest book, “Stealing Elections, American Style.” Courtesy photoElection deniers, egged on by President Donald Trump, are now running elections in numerous locales across the country. The playbook for stealing el
  
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• Feds issue warning on grant funds after Vermont identifies own mistakes

  14-10-2026 23:11 via vtdigger.org
  
  Education Secretary Zoie Saunders, left, and Tammy Kolbe, acting State Board of Education chair. Photos by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerVermont spent nearly eight years incorrectly choosing schools that needed state resources to address widening achievement gaps, according to Zoie Saunders, Vermont’s secretary of education. The state caught the error itself this spring and reported the mistake to the federal government within hours — then heard nothing for months.Then, in September, offici
  
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• ‘Fuck the Flock cameras’: On big tech, Vermont’s candidates for governor differ on style and substance

  14-10-2026 22:48 via vtdigger.org
  
  A license plate reader camera on VT Route 7A in Manchester seen on Thursday, June 11, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger“Fuck the Flock cameras, dude. Let’s ban ‘em.”Amanda Janoo, the Democratic nominee for governor of Vermont in this fall’s election, left no room for doubt about her feelings on the controversial license plate readers used by police in Vermont and around the country in a social media video last week. In the same post, Janoo also said Vermon
  
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• Turn Trump’s $90 payment into a campaign check

  14-10-2026 22:05 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,Several acquaintances have told me they recently received $90 deposits in their checking accounts. They determined the money was sent under the authority of the president. Whether this was or is an attempt by President Donald Trump to buy people’s votes in the Nov. 3 election is something I don’t know. I do know I think it is a good idea that these acquaintances said they were donating their $90 to candidates of their choice.I will check with my bank this week to se
  
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• Engaged young voters across Vermont aim to get their peers to the polls

  14-10-2026 21:32 via vtdigger.org
  
  Voting stickers are pictured from a previous Vermont election. File photo by Kevin O’Connor/VTDiggerIan Goldfeld said he has seen an uptick in attendance for the University of Vermont’s Political Science Club lately. Goldfeld, a junior who serves as the club’s president, said that the nonpartisan organization’s attendance fell after the 2024 presidential election, but that buzz surrounding November’s general election has students eager to learn about candidate
  
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• Cheaper tuition alone won’t get first-generation students to college

  14-10-2026 20:50 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by David Stahler Jr., a writing and literature teacher at Lyndon Institute.Vermont is making college more affordable, and that is good news. But a lower tuition bill doesn’t teach students how to apply, manage a college workload or see college as a place where they belong.For many first-generation and low-income students, the barrier is not the price. It is the distance between the life they know and the one no one has shown them how to reach. Federally funded Upward Bo
  
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• Former Vermont Rep. Noel Neely died two days before being found, documents show

  14-10-2026 17:38 via vtdigger.org
  
  A street sign for Douglas Hill Road in Norwich near the Neely residence. Photo courtesy of Valley NewsThis story by Alex Ebrahimi was first published in the Valley News on Oct. 13, 2026.NORWICH — Former Vermont Rep. Noel Neely died two days before police found her body, according to details from search warrant applications.The investigation, Vermont State Police wrote in an affidavit establishing probable cause to search her residence and a vehicle on the property, concerned “the su
  
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• Tuition free college or training? Yes!

  14-10-2026 17:19 via vtdigger.org
  
  As seasons change, it’s always a good time to think about what’s next and evaluate options. And when it comes to college, training, and career changes, there’s truly no better time than the present to go back to school, finish a degree, or start something new. Education unlocks economic opportunity. The cost of education is also a huge factor—but did you know VSAC and our partners offer many opportunities to earn a degree, tuition free?These programs are available t
  
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• An ‘arms embargo’ organization could cost Vermont dearly

  14-10-2026 00:18 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,The Vermont People’s Arms Embargo (VPAE) has listed 35 Vermont companies that support thousands of jobs across our state in what effectively amounts to a blacklist. These employers provide skilled work across a range of industries, including positions advertised at six-figure salaries. Their employees own homes, raise families and send their children to Vermont schools. Losing these employers and the jobs they support could be catastrophic for communities already struggling wi
  
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• Essex parking saga comes to a close

  13-10-2026 23:53 via vtdigger.org
  
  Construction of the Essex County Courthouse in Guildhall abuts the Essex County Sheriff’s Deprtment on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. . Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe Essex County sheriff lost his bid to block a parking lot redesign he says would jeopardize public safety.Judge Joseph McLean recently dismissed Sheriff Trevor Colby’s appeal, finding that his concerns about department operations did not establish grounds to challenge the project under local zoning bylaws.The revise
  
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• Essex County parking saga comes to a close

  13-10-2026 23:53 via vtdigger.org
  
  Construction of the Essex County Courthouse in Guildhall abuts the Essex County Sheriff’s Deprtment on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. . Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe Essex County sheriff lost his bid to block a parking lot redesign he says would jeopardize public safety.Judge Joseph McLean recently dismissed Sheriff Trevor Colby’s appeal, finding that his concerns about department operations did not establish grounds to challenge the project under local zoning bylaws.The revise
  
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• UVM Health watchdog turns its sights to Vermont’s broader healthcare system

  13-10-2026 23:45 via vtdigger.org
  
  Mike Smith pictured at the Vermont Technical College campus in Williston in May 2023. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe independent watchdog group tasked with assessing UVM Health’s finances since spring 2025 used the final months of its assignment to propose a broader look at how regulators, lawmakers and insurers can address healthcare affordability beyond the state’s largest health network. “We wanted to lay out some direction for everyone to pay attention to,&rd
  
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• Burlington man accused of killing his wife with a flashlight denies murder charge

  13-10-2026 23:24 via vtdigger.org
  
  Bal Khadka is arraigned in Chittenden Superior criminal court in Burlington on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Khadka is charged with second degree murder in the death of his wife Lila. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerA Burlington man is accused of killing his wife by beating her with a flashlight in front of young children, according to charging documents made public Tuesday. Bal Khadka, 44, through his attorney, entered not guilty pleas Tuesday morning during his arraignment in Chittenden Supe
  
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• Vermont Supreme Court closes case in Westmore residents’ fight against telecommunications tower

  13-10-2026 23:10 via vtdigger.org
  
  A photo of Lake Willoughby in Westmore shows the location proposed for a 140-foot tall telecommunications tower. Photo courtesy of Donna Dzugas-Smith.Approval for a 140-foot telecommunications tower near Lake Willoughby remains in place after the Vermont Supreme Court on Tuesday formally closed residents’ legal challenge over its impact on the scenic landscape.Tuesday’s notice certified the case back to the Public Utility Commission following an appeal by seven Westmore residents wh
  
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• Manufacturing leaders tackle Vermont workforce challenges

  13-10-2026 23:03 via vtdigger.org
  
  Business and community leaders gathered for the Brattleboro Development Credit Corp.’s Brattleboro Regional Manufacturing Event in Brattleboro on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. The event highlighted the importance of manufacturing to Southern Vermont’s economy and workforce. Photo by Kristopher Radder/Brattleboro ReformerThis story by Charlotte King was first published in the Brattleboro Reformer on Oct. 11, 2026.The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) brought together employ
  
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• Newport mayor strives to revitalize city after years of struggle

  13-10-2026 21:29 via vtdigger.org
  
  Newport Mayor Rick Ufford-Chase on Monday, October 5, 2026. . Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerNEWPORT — Rick Ufford-Chase hears what people say about Newport.He sees what’s come to be known as “the pit,” an empty, fenced-in block of space that was once supposed to be a hotel before developers were caught in the EB-5 scandal, the biggest instance of fraud in Vermont’s history. He has witnessed a constant cycle of hopeful businesses shutter their doors on Main Street.
  
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• Behind tinted windows, ICE is watching

  13-10-2026 21:17 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Devon Thomas, an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ.On Monday, Oct. 5, I joined Vermont’s clergy in attending a funeral service at the doors of the Williston Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. This service of remembrance was to recognize 98 people who were killed by ICE or died in its custody, according to a bulletin given out at the service, and to highlight a system of cruelty our governing administration is using against our migrant neighbor
  
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• Evelyn Beliveau

  13-10-2026 17:19 via vtdigger.org
  
  Born: 04/08/1931MaineDied: 09/30/2026Jericho, VermontDetails of service:Memorial Service
  Sunday, November 22, 2026 at 2:30 p.m.First Congregational Church39 Main StEssex Junction, VT 05452
  A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, 39 Main St, Essex Junction, VT 05452.Evelyn Vinton Beliveau, 95, of Jericho, Vermont, died September 30, 2026, in her home.
  Lyn was born in 1931. The second of four children of Bill and Cathe
  
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• Vermont Supreme Court sides with school board on principal firing

  12-10-2026 23:37 via vtdigger.org
  
  Brattleboro Union High School. File photo by Kevin O’Connor/VTDiggerThis story by Chris Mays was first published in the Brattleboro Reformer on Oct. 8. 2026.BRATTLEBORO — The Vermont Supreme Court upheld the school board’s firing of a high school principal.The court said that after an internal investigation into complaints that former BUHS principal Steve Perrin “mistreated a female student on multiple occasions and attempted to prevent a mandatory report of child abuse,
  
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• UVM Medical Center unions approve contracts and avert a strike

  12-10-2026 23:22 via vtdigger.org
  
  Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals President Nicole DiVita, right, and Jacob Berkowitz, president of UVMMC Support Staff United, pictured on Oct. 2. Photo by Olivia Gieger/VTDiggerThe two unions representing University of Vermont Medical Center’s support staff and technical professionals have both voted to ratify their contracts, narrowly averting a strike. More than 2,000 of the 3,300 employees in the unions voted, representatives for the unions said, with more than 89
  
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• Our schools are being crushed by state mandates

  12-10-2026 23:12 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Caty Sutton, the superintendent of the Hartford School District; the Hartford School Board; the Hartford School District leadership and the Hartford Education Association leadership.It is with great disappointment, discouragement and disillusionment that we write to express our profound concerns about what transpired throughout the last legislative session. As we anticipate what will come this year, those decisions will significantly affect and shape our fate as a district
  
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• Let’s have a substantive debate on energy affordability

  12-10-2026 21:51 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,I am looking forward to Wednesday, Oct. 21, when the two candidates for governor will debate. Affordability is bound to be the general topic. And that discussion will likely fan out in different directions, such as healthcare affordability and the cost of education. I am especially interested in energy affordability. I want to know what the candidates can tell us about addressing the needs of Vermonters locked into a dependency on gas and diesel for transport and fuel oil and p
  
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• A new tree pest could be catching a ride on your car

  12-10-2026 21:16 via vtdigger.org
  
  A spotted lanternfly in Brooklyn in an undated photograph. Photo by Rhododendrites (CC BY-SA 4.0)If you’re not keeping an eye on smears of dried mud on your car, forest pest educators like Ginger Nickerson say now’s a good time to pick up the habit. Nickerson and other experts warn that spotted lanternflies could be hitching a ride into Vermont, where they pose a threat to trees and other plants.“They could lay their eggs on anything that you have outdoors, like your car,
  
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• VTDigger named Distinguished News Site, earns top investigative reporting honors

  12-10-2026 20:25 via vtdigger.org
  
  VTDigger earned Distinguished News Site honors and two top investigative journalism awards at the 2026 New England Newspaper & Press Association Leadership Summit. Photos by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerVTDigger was recognized as a Distinguished News Site for online publications in the region by the New England Newspaper & Press Association at its 2026 Leadership Summit held in Sturbridge, Mass., on Friday. In addition, VTDigger reporters received two of the three top A-Mark prizes, &ldqu
  
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• A Vermont degree should come with a green card

  11-10-2026 17:36 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Justin Neuman, who is a professor of literary studies at Eugene Lang College, The New School and a developer of philosophical software. I’m in the export business. I teach literary studies to college students.That’s not how professors usually describe themselves, but it should be. American colleges and universities sell one of the world’s most desirable goods or services: an American education.Education is an unusual export because when someone buys
  
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• Political mailer sparks Vermont disclosure complaint

  11-10-2026 15:34 via vtdigger.org
  
  Attorney General Charity Clark discusses the work of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Waterbury in December 2023. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThis story by Ryan Pacheco was first published in the Manchester Journal on Oct. 8, 2026.BENNINGTON COUNTY — A second round of politically critical postcards have been mailed to Bennington County residents by “Common Sense PAC”, the Independent Expenditure Political Action Committee (IEPAC) that was resp
  
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• Fight trafficking by decriminalizing consensual adult sex work

  11-10-2026 14:55 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Henri Binx, a co-founder and co-director of the Ishtar Collective and a member of Safe Sex Work Vermont.Vermont has an opportunity to strengthen its response to human trafficking by reforming our state’s archaic anti-prostitution laws.Vermont’s prostitution laws criminalize “sexual intercourse for hire” and “indiscriminate sexual intercourse without hire,” any sex outside marriage. They contribute to the stigma around sex work and reinfo
  
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• Political polls historically underestimate Phil Scott. Will 2026 be different?

  11-10-2026 14:11 via vtdigger.org
  
  Gov. Phil Scott leaves the House of Representatives chamber after delivering his state of the state address at the Statehouse in Montpelier in January 2026. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerIn Vermont politics, late-summer polling has a habit of making Gov. Phil Scott look vulnerable — right up until election night proves he isn’t.Two new September surveys appear to tell different stories about this year’s governor’s race. One, published by the University of New Hamps
  
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• At odds over the “Aud,” Vermont Coyotes announce departure from Barre

  11-10-2026 13:21 via vtdigger.org
  
  A practice session with the Vermont Coyotes basketball team. Photo courtesy of Vermont CoyotesBARRE — A fist bump from a Vermont Frost Heaves player turned Anthony Marques into a fan who attended 102 of the team’s consecutive games. Years later, he brought a team of his own, the Vermont Coyotes, to Barre.When he started the state’s only minor-league basketball team in 2024, it felt natural to bring them to Barre, said Brandy Marie, the team’s staff performance analyst.&n
  
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