Vermont news

• Mark Skelding: Conservatives really aren’t

  08-12-2017 01:00 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Mark Skelding, of St. Albans, a retired educator who most recently was a faculty member for Southern New Hampshire University’s Graduate Program in Education. He previously worked at Food Works/Two Rivers Center for Sustainability.
  Conservatives are known as the party of fiscal responsibility and frugality. But they’re not just about spending less, saving more, reducing our budget deficit, and managing the federal budget responsibly. What th
  
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• Marv Greenberg: Fact-finding travel to Israel isn’t unethical

  14-01-2026 01:55 via vtdigger.org
  Marv Greenberg is a lay leader at Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, a proud Zionist and a supporter of the State of Israel.Dear Editor,I am appalled and shocked that our Vermont pro-Palestinian groups are filing an ethics complaint and calling for the resignations of the five Vermont legislators who traveled to Israel on a much-needed fact-finding mission. 
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  These legislators were going to Israel, a strong U.S. ally and a democracy, to see what happened on October 7, 2023, and what has been
  
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• Signed, sealed, delayed: Montpelier Post Office struggles with long wait times — again

  14-01-2026 01:25 via vtdigger.org
  Tom McDonough spent 29 years working for the U.S. Postal Service, mainly as a postal clerk. So he’s very familiar with dealing with frustrated customers waiting for their packages.Customers like himself. “The point of view of the clerk up there, I understand,” he said. “I can see what they’re faced with.”McDonough has been waiting for nearly two weeks for his packages, which include medication, tax information and now-outdated Christmas cards. He can see
  
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• Final Reading: Christina Nolan, Vermont Supreme Court hopeful, explains why she brought a gun to court

  14-01-2026 00:46 via vtdigger.org
  Christina Nolan and Michael Drescher. Photos courtesy of the Office of Gov. Phil Scott“I’d like to take the opportunity to tell you a little bit about how the gun got in my bag,” Christina Nolan, a prospective Vermont Supreme Court justice and former top federal prosecutor in the state, told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. The committee was hearing from Gov. Phil Scott’s most recent two nominees to the Vermont Supreme Court, as their appointments require
  
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• Vermont sees increase in flu as cases around the country surge 

  14-01-2026 00:06 via vtdigger.org
  Flu is surging around the country, and Vermont is not immune to the national trend, though the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent dashboard for the disease identifies the state’s illness prevalence as lower than much of the U.S.In Vermont, about 20-25% of tests have come back positive this season, according to a state dashboard with data through Jan. 3.Statewide, nearly 8% of visits to a Vermont emergency room or urgent care were due to flu-like illness
  
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• What do you call the top federal prosecutor in Vermont? Well, that depends. 

  13-01-2026 23:53 via vtdigger.org
  The Speaker’s gavel and podium in the House of Representatives chamber at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Jan. 7, 2025. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThere’s new leadership in charge of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Vermont, though President Donald Trump has not yet appointed anyone to run the place on a permanent basis and the title of the person in charge keeps changing.At the moment, the U.S. Department of Justice Department website lists Jonathan Ophardt, a longtime prose
  
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• New federal funds to help Vermont keep up with rapid changes to child care and Pre-K

  13-01-2026 21:48 via vtdigger.org
  File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerTheo Wells-Spackman is a Report for America corps member who reports for VTDigger.Vermont has received a nearly $13 million federal grant to strengthen its child care and pre-Kindergarten programs, among other early childhood services, officials said Monday.The grant comes from the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five program in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which has supported parts of Vermont’s early childhood landsca
  
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• Secure your future: application deadline is February 11 for 2026-27 VSAC scholarships

  13-01-2026 16:03 via vtdigger.org
  Do you need help paying for college or career training in fall 2026? Scholarships can be a great way to fund your future. It’s worth it to review VSAC’s Scholarships & Forgivable Loans 2026–2027 booklet—so you don’t miss out on the chance to receive free money. If you’re a high school senior or a returning college or training student, now is the time to apply for any of the 150+ VSAC-administered scholarships and forgivable loans. The VSAC scholarshi
  
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• VTDigger thanks readers for supporting our year end member drive

  13-01-2026 15:27 via vtdigger.org
  VTDigger reporter Carly Berlin covers a meeting of the Joint Fiscal Committee at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerDear Readers,VTDigger is grateful to the 3,357 members who contributed during our 2025 Year End Member Drive. Together, we raised $456,000 to sustain our nonprofit news coverage. During the drive, VTDigger members also sent 3,300 meals to the Vermont Foodbank and 1,233 days of emergency heat to local homes via the Warmth
  
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• Zoie Saunders: It’s not all about taxes, stupid

  13-01-2026 00:25 via vtdigger.org
  This commentary is by Zoie Saunders, Vermont’s secretary of education. Education transformation in Vermont is not just about property taxes. It is about building and sustaining the best education system in America.At a moment when nearly every other state is diverting dollars away from public education, Vermont has chosen a different path. Last year, a bipartisan coalition passed Act 73 — a bill that doubles down on public education as the great equalizer, the pathway out
  
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• Zoie Saunders: It’s not all about taxes

  13-01-2026 00:25 via vtdigger.org
  This commentary is by Zoie Saunders, Vermont’s secretary of education. Education transformation in Vermont is not just about property taxes. It is about building and sustaining the best education system in America.At a moment when nearly every other state is diverting dollars away from public education, Vermont has chosen a different path. Last year, a bipartisan coalition passed Act 73 — a bill that doubles down on public education as the great equalizer, the pathway out
  
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• It’s not all about taxes, stupid

  13-01-2026 00:25 via vtdigger.org
  This commentary is Zoie Saunders is Vermont’s secretary of education. Education transformation in Vermont is not just about property taxes. It is about building and sustaining the best education system in America.At a moment when nearly every other state is diverting dollars away from public education, Vermont has chosen a different path. Last year, a bipartisan coalition passed Act 73—a bill that doubles down on public education as the great equalizer, the pathway out of
  
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• Judge denies bail in deadly vehicle chase despite report blaming Rutland police

  13-01-2026 00:19 via vtdigger.org
  Tate Rheaume in Rutland County Superior criminal court on Tuesday April 9, 2024. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerA Vermont judge has rejected a renewed request to release a former Rutland County man facing a murder charge stemming from a vehicle pursuit that killed a young Rutland City police officer.David Sleigh, an attorney for Tate Rheaume, argued in recent court filings that revelations from an internal affairs investigation that criticized officers’ actions in the July 2023 deadl
  
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• Montpelier council chooses next city manager after months-long search

  12-01-2026 23:37 via vtdigger.org
  Montpelier Mayor Jack McCullough, right, with Kelly McNicholas Kury. Courtesy photo.This story by Carla Occaso was first published in The Bridge on Jan. 11, 2026.After a months-long process, the Montpelier City Council announced on Jan. 11 its choice of Kelly McNicholas Kury to be the next city manager of the city. McNicholas Kury, of Pitkin County, Colorado, is due to start Feb. 17. Meanwhile, Facilities and Sustainability Director Chris Lumbra is serving as acting city manager following the d
  
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• How Vermont pays for schools — and how it might change

  12-01-2026 23:17 via vtdigger.org
  Members of the House Ways and Means Committee listen to testimony on education finance during a remote joint meeting with other House and Senate committees at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Jan. 25, 2024. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerVermont’s education funding system is notoriously complicated and totally unique.Following years of rising property taxes — and a watershed 2024 election animated, in part, by a debate over how the state pays for its schools — lawmakers en
  
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• Lawsuit claims Burlington underrepresents Republicans on voter registration board 

  12-01-2026 23:10 via vtdigger.org
  Burlington City Hall. Photo via Adobe StockA civil lawsuit claims Burlington is flouting state law by avoiding appointing more Republicans to a board responsible for maintaining the voter registration list and ensuring fair elections. The city has filed a motion to dismiss.Filed Nov. 25 in Vermont Superior Court by two residents, the lawsuit alleges the city “has refused to permit Republicans their statutory-required, minimum representation” on the Board for Registration of Voters.T
  
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• Hundreds gather at Upper Valley ‘ICE Out for Good’ actions over the weekend

  12-01-2026 22:17 via vtdigger.org
  Brian Clancy, of Lebanon, joins a chant during a rally in Lebanon, NH, on Saturday, Jan. 10, condemning Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the killing last Wednesday of Renee Good in Minneapolis, Minn. “I’m pissed off, quite frankly,” said Clancy. “and I’m a middle class white male, and I’m terrified.” More than 300 people attended the rally. Photo by James M. Patterson/Valley NewsThis story by Marion Umpleby was first published in the Valley News
  
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• Parent Child Centers help families meet basic needs in critical moments

  12-01-2026 17:48 via vtdigger.org
  It is increasingly common for staff at the Parent Child Center of NCSS to receive daily requests from families seeking support to meet their basic needs. Many are facing impossible choices between buying groceries, diapers, or paying their heating bill. Inquiries regarding these necessities have steadily increased across the community, and both Parent Child Centers and VCP network agencies are providing the resources to meet these needs.The Role of Parent Child Centers in Supporting Vermont&rsq
  
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• ‘A once-in-a-generation opportunity’: Housing infrastructure program kicks off this month

  12-01-2026 11:00 via vtdigger.org
  Construction continues on a housing project in Colchester on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThis story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public.The city of St. Albans recently bought the longtime office building of the local newspaper. Officials want to build apartments there – but first, the place needs work, and a new state program could help foot the bill. Dirty soil must be clea
  
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• Young Writers Project: ‘Can we be friends?’

  11-01-2026 12:30 via vtdigger.org
  “A Moment’s Pause,” by Bradee Traverse, 17, of West RutlandYoung Writers Project is a creative, online community of teen writers and visual artists that started in Burlington in 2006. Each week, VTDigger publishes the writing and art of young Vermonters who post their work on youngwritersproject.org, a free, interactive website for youth, ages 13-19. To find out more, please go to youngwritersproject.org or contact Executive Director Susan Reid at
  
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• The rise and fall and rise of Vermont-schooled skier Mikaela Shiffrin

  11-01-2026 12:00 via vtdigger.org
  Vermont-schooled Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates a successful World Cup run at the Killington Ski Resort. Photo by Andrew ShinnThe last time many Vermonters saw Mikaela Shiffrin, the Alpine ski racer was standing atop Killington’s Superstar trail, seemingly a minute away from scoring an unprecedented 100th World Cup win.Then, figuratively and literally, she went downhill fast.The Burke Mountain Academy graduate had snagged the lead in the first of two giant-slalom runs on Nov. 30, 2024, only
  
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• Student-charged bill would give voting rights on school boards

  11-01-2026 11:30 via vtdigger.org
  South Burlington high school student Isa Harrington (third in from the right) sits with students from the Governor’s Institute this summer. (Courtesy photo)Isa Harrington, a South Burlington High School student, is a firm believer in the democratic process — even though she hasn’t had a chance to exercise her rights to the fullest extent yet, as she is only 17.Still, the right to vote has been heavy on her mind since the summer months, when she joined the Governor’s Inst
  
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• Final Reading: Those sketchy, too-good-to-be-true ticket sites? They are — and some lawmakers want them gone.

  10-01-2026 00:57 via vtdigger.org
  The Flynn Theater in Burlington during a March 2019 speaking event featuring then-presidential candidate John Hickenlooper. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerPicture this. You love the Indigo Girls. Imagine your excitement, then, when you discover they’re playing at your favorite local venue, The Flynn, in Burlington. You click the first link and go to purchase tickets, only to discover an exorbitant $250 price tag. You love the Indigo Girls, but you also need to pay your mortgage, so you pa
  
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• State issues probation to Bennington program caring for people with intellectual disabilities

  10-01-2026 00:02 via vtdigger.org
  United Counseling Service’s headquarters on Ledgehill Drive in Bennington. Photo courtesy of United Counseling ServiceState officials gave a warning to United Counseling Service this December: Fix your longstanding problems, or risk losing your current ability to operate.The state’s problem with the nonprofit provider’s service lines for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities include safety concerns that “put clients and staff at risk of harm” &mda
  
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• Vermont’s pagans find comfort and creativity in new surge of interest in witchcraft

  09-01-2026 22:13 via vtdigger.org
  Jillian Kirby at home in Burlington on Friday, January 2, 2026. Kirby sometimes describes herself as a “placebo witch”. Kirby has become an ordained atheopagan cleric, part of a community of atheists who incorporate pagan beliefs. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerMaggie Byers first felt drawn to paganism during a rough patch in her life. Her marriage fell apart during the Covid-19 pandemic, and she began to reevaluate many aspects of herself that she’d taken for granted: he
  
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• Signaling or substance? Vermont lawmakers propose restrictions on ICE, but their enforcement is questionable. 

  09-01-2026 12:52 via vtdigger.org
  Sen. Nader Hashim, D-Windham, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, at the Statehouse in Montpelier on April 16, 2025. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerCan Vermont lawmakers restrict how federal immigration authorities operate in the state?Democrats are poised to try this session, mulling legislation that would limit where civil immigration arrests can occur and would prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing masks in most cases. Vermonters should be able to visit sensitive locations
  
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• Signaling or substance? Vermont lawmakers propose restrictions on ICE, but enforcement is questionable. 

  09-01-2026 12:52 via vtdigger.org
  Sen. Nader Hashim, D-Windham, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, at the Statehouse in Montpelier on April 16, 2025. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerCan Vermont lawmakers restrict how federal immigration authorities operate in the state?Democrats are poised to try this session, mulling legislation that would limit where civil immigration arrests can occur and would prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing masks in most cases. Vermonters should be able to visit sensitive locations
  
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• Stevie Paquette: When ethics are questioned, Vermonters deserve answers — not sponsored narratives

  09-01-2026 01:12 via vtdigger.org
  This commentary is by Stevie Paquette, a Colchester resident pursuing a master’s degree in social work, with an interest in ethics, human rights and Palestinian self-determination. I am writing this as a Vermonter, a constituent and someone who is openly anti-Zionist and believes in the legitimacy and self-determination of the Palestinian people. I also believe deeply in ethical, transparent government and public accountability. When a number of local lawmakers traveled to Israe
  
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• Final Reading: House tax chair weighs potential revenue losses due to Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

  09-01-2026 00:50 via vtdigger.org
  Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, D-Brattleboro, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, listens to testimony during a committee meeting at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Thursday, Jan. 8. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThat’s what Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, D-Brattleboro, wants the Vermont tax system to be, she said Thursday morning. But following the passage of federal tax law changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, she said, that lofty goal may have become harder to ensure. And she worries
  
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• Rep. Casey Toof, Vermont House’s No. 2 Republican, to resign

  08-01-2026 23:16 via vtdigger.org
  Rep. Casey Toof, R-St. Albans Town, speaks during a press conference held by Republican representatives to discuss an education reform bill at the Statehouse in Montpelier on April 8, 2025. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe No. 2 Republican in the Vermont House, Rep. Casey Toof of St. Albans Town, will resign his seat next week. Toof has served as assistant minority leader since 2023 and has represented his Franklin County town in the chamber since 2019.The 40-year-old said he’s leaving
  
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