Vermont news

• Panels explore new approach to storing spent nuclear fuel

  13-12-2025 00:05 via vtdigger.org
  The deconstruction of the former Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon, as seen on Oct. 10, 2023. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThis story by Olga Peters was first published in The Commons on Dec. 9, 2025.VERNON — On a chilly November afternoon, people representing organizations across Windham County filed through the door to Vernon’s Governor Hunt House Community Center. Inside, staff of the Good Energy Collective, a think tank and research organization based in Sacram
  
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• He’s the high bailiff of Orange County, Vermont. Now, he’s in Iran — and saluting its ‘holy war’ with the US

  17-07-2026 00:57 via vtdigger.org
  
  Chris Helali, the high bailiff of Orange County, said in a post on the social media platform X that he visited Iran to attend the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.In Vermont, high bailiff is not a post that comes with many responsibilities.Most people who hold the county office are never called upon to carry out its duties, which include taking over for the local sheriff in the event the sheriff goes to jail or is otherwise unable to do the job. It’s an office that flies under the
  
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• Central Vermont Medical Center names new president

  16-07-2026 23:11 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin in June 2025. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerCentral Vermont Medical Center has named Marc Kosak, a hospital executive from Connecticut, to serve as its new president and chief operating officer, the hospital announced Wednesday. Kosak plans to start at the Berlin-based medical center on July 20. He most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut, and as senior vic
  
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• Shuttered Vermont colleges: reincarnated and repurposed.  

  16-07-2026 22:29 via vtdigger.org
  
  An aerial view of the Everett Mansion at Southern Vermont College in Bennington. Photo by SVC/Wikimedia CommonsWhere do Vermont colleges go when they die? They are resurrected as a Christian school, a luxury resort or an arts hub, if recent developments are any clue.  Facing deaths by a thousand cuts due to declining enrollment, debt and loss of accreditation, seven colleges — Green Mountain College, Southern Vermont College, College of St. Joseph’s, Marlboro College, New
  
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• Vermont faces an emergency blood shortage from summer donation lull

  16-07-2026 22:16 via vtdigger.org
  
  Donors give blood in Rutland, Vt., Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)Alex Blair received so many blood transfusions during her leukemia treatment that she lost count after 100. The Cambridge, Vt., native received multiple types of blood products daily just to survive before her stem cell transplant in 2019.“By the time that you need the blood, you usually feel pretty crappy,” she said. “You kind of feel super tired all the time. And then right after you get th
  
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• When the day job disappears

  16-07-2026 14:54 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Colin McKaig, a retired Vermont schoolteacher, poet and freelance writer.  There is a town in Vermont where people go to cultivate their stories. Some are written, but many are painted or carved from iron and wood. Two of the most stunning that I saw were made from clay. In this time of divisive challenge, creating art is more important than ever.  The Vermont Studio Center, an internationally recognized institution in Johnson, gave me and 29 other Verm
  
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• Expedited judicial process coming to Windham County court

  16-07-2026 01:01 via vtdigger.org
  
  State’s Attorney Steve Brown shows some of the drug evidence with Brattleboro Police Officer Seth Wild as he takes the stand during a trial in August 2024. File photo by Brattleboro ReformerThis story by Chris Mays was first published in the Brattleboro Reformer on July  14, 2026.BRATTLEBORO — Defendants in criminal court in Windham County will soon be resolving cases and receiving immediate services through the Rapid Accountability Docket.“Recidivism can only be reduced
  
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• Ben & Jerry’s Foundation says it will shut down amid legal dispute with parent company

  16-07-2026 00:39 via vtdigger.org
  
  Two patrons enter the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream shop on Church Street in Burlington. File photo by Charles Krupa/APThe Ben & Jerry’s Foundation says it will shut down at the end of the year after its corporate parent cut off funding and evicted its three staffers Wednesday. The move leaves $600,000 a year in grants to Vermont organizations, and 40 years of the ice cream brand’s progressive mission, hanging on a judge’s future ruling.“This is the other foot dr
  
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• Judge rejects bid for new lawyer by Burlington man accused of shooting three Palestinian students

  15-07-2026 23:32 via vtdigger.org
  
  Jason Eaton appears during his competency hearing in Chittenden Superior criminal court in Burlington in March 2026. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerBURLINGTON – A Vermont judge has denied a request for a new lawyer by a Burlington man accused of shooting and wounding three Palestinian college students more than two years ago.The ruling by Judge John Pacht during a hearing Wednesday in Chittenden County Superior criminal court in Burlington clears the way for the trial for Jason Eaton
  
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• Vermont Conversation: Some joy, some tragedy. 2 Vermont authors on the struggles of rural living

  15-07-2026 22:42 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.Vermont authors Brett Ann Stanciu, left, and Catherine Tudish each have a new novel out this summer that takes place in a fictionalized version of a Vermont town. Courtesy photosSummer reading is often about traveling to far-away places and meeting fasci
  
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• Cutting GLP-1 coverage may cost UVM Health more than it saves

  15-07-2026 21:06 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Adrienne Gil, who lives in Montpelier.I understand that UVM Health is facing a serious financial crisis. I understand that leaders are looking for savings and that eliminating coverage of GLP-1 medications for weight management under its employee health plan is expected to save the health network approximately $19 million a year.But as someone whose health — and use of the healthcare system — has been fundamentally changed by this treatment, I believe this deci
  
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• From conversation to community action: at one year mark, Gone Guys documentary inspires new investments across Vermont and beyond 

  15-07-2026 14:52 via vtdigger.org
  
   Gone Guys Screening, BurlingtonOver the past year, Gone Guys has grown far beyond a documentary film. What began as a conversation about the challenges facing boys and young men has become a statewide effort to listen, engage communities, and turn dialogue into action.  Since its release in July 2025, Gone Guys has been screened over 130 times, reaching audiences in every Vermont county and expanding to communities across the nation. Community-hosted screenings have taken place in sc
  
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• Vermont’s Kaiden McCarthy picked in second round of MLB draft by Atlanta Braves

  15-07-2026 00:11 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Vermont Lake Monsters before a home opener against the Norwich Sea Unicorns at Centennial Field in Burlington in May 2021. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThis story was first published in the Brattleboro Reformer on July 12, 2026. History has been made. Kaiden McCarthy, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Chester and graduate of Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round (48th overall) of the Major League Baseball draft on Saturd
  
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• Washington County bus service looks to turn a corner with switch from beleaguered Green Mountain Transit

  14-07-2026 23:17 via vtdigger.org
  
  A bus stop on U.S. Route 2 in Middlesex on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerPublic bus service in Washington County is expected to be on firmer financial ground now that an operator with a rural focus has taken over after years of service cuts under Green Mountain Transit. Tri-Valley Transit, which has operated routes in Addison, Orange and northern Windsor counties since 2017, took over from GMT in Washington County this month.Local riders and officials had decried p
  
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• In a crowded Windsor County Senate primary, similar Democrats vie to distinguish themselves

  14-07-2026 21:50 via vtdigger.org
  
  Evelyn Seidner, outreach and campaigns coordinator for Vermont Conservation Voters, holds up a card to warn Benjamin Brickner, of Pomfret, that his response time is running short during a forum for candidates in the Windsor County Democratic Senate Primary at Hartford Town Hall in White River Junction on June 29, 2026. From left are candidates Chris Dube, Becca White, Heather Chase, Joe Major, Brickner and Elizabeth Burrows. Photo by James M. Patterson / Valley NewsFor voters considering the si
  
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• High temps and high winds: What to know about Vermont’s severe weather threat today

  14-07-2026 19:36 via vtdigger.org
  
  The entire state of Vermont is under a heat advisory, with the heat index expected to reach above 100 degrees in the Champlain Valley and portions of southeastern Vermont.
  Updated 5:23 p.m.Vermont is expecting a triple threat of heat, wildfire smoke and severe storms — including the possibility of tornadoes — from Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night and possibly beyond, the National Weather Service reported.The weather service has taken the rare step of issuing an “enhanced r
  
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• High temps and high winds: What to know about Vermont’s possible severe weather today

  14-07-2026 19:36 via vtdigger.org
  
  The entire state of Vermont is under a heat advisory, with the heat index expected to reach above 100 degrees in the Champlain Valley and portions of southeastern Vermont.
  Vermont is expecting a triple threat of heat, wildfire smoke and severe storms — including the possibility of tornadoes — from Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night and possibly beyond, the National Weather Service reported.The weather service has taken the rare step of issuing an “enhanced risk” design
  
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• No one struggling to pay rent can meet a $12,000 deductible

  14-07-2026 19:08 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,I was glad to see that Blue Cross Blue Shield canceled its proposed “Vermont Basic” health plans. The debate over this proposal showed just how completely disconnected the people designing these plans and our healthcare system have become from the lives of ordinary Vermonters.To call a plan with an $11,800 deductible before the insurance would bother to kick in an “affordable option” exists only in a policy fantasy bubble. An individual or a family struggling
  
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• The two Democrats running for Chittenden County sheriff couldn’t be more different

  14-07-2026 01:39 via vtdigger.org
  
  Chittenden County Sheriff Dan Gamelin, left, and Kevin Bloom, a candidate for Chittenden County Sheriff. Photos by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerKevin Bloom has never been a cop and doesn’t own a gun. But now, they want to be sheriff.Bloom runs a music studio and works for an audio software company. They have no law enforcement background, and their campaign platform questions whether the regular duties of Vermont sheriffs are even necessary.“This isn’t a law enforcement job,” B
  
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• Teen killer of Dartmouth professors in 2001 resentenced, eligible for parole in 20 years

  14-07-2026 00:28 via vtdigger.org
  
  Robert Tulloch listens as Judge Lawrence MacLeod reads out his new sentence during a hearing on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Grafton Superior Court in North Haverhill, N.H. At right is Tulloch’s lawyer, Richard Guerriero. Tulloch was pled guilty of murdering two Dartmouth College professors as a teenager more than 25 years ago. Photo by Jennifer Hauck/Valley NewsThis story by Alex Ebrahimi was originally published in the Valley News on July 13, 2026.Robert Tulloch, who previously received a
  
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• Alexander Read Cronin

  14-07-2026 00:09 via vtdigger.org
  
  Born: 04/12/1978Littleton, NHDied: 06/25/2026Montecito, CADetails of service:His family will be honoring him in a private ceremony in October in the Adirondack woods.Alexander Read Cronin was born in 1978 in Littleton, New Hampshire, just over the border of Vermont — a place that shaped his lifelong love of woods, water and things with wheels. He grew up surrounded by nature and family, spending his early years hunting in Vermont and the Adirondacks, fishing in Lake Champlain, camping in
  
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• Robin Jones

  13-07-2026 23:50 via vtdigger.org
  
  Born: 06/28/1950Stamford, Ct.Died: 06/28/2026Arlington, Vt.Details of service:Funeral services for Robin will be held at the Hanson-Walbridge and Shea Funeral Home on Route 4596, Vermont 7A in Arlington, Vt., on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery in Arlington.Robin Jones, 76 of Arlington, Vt. passed away at her home in Arlington on June 28, 2026. Robin was born in Stamford, Ct. on June 28, 1950, the daughter of William and Clara Henry. She was raised
  
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• Wanda Ivette Otero

  13-07-2026 23:47 via vtdigger.org
  
  Born:
  Spanish Harlem, NYDied: 04/21/2026Buenavista, Guerrero, MexicoDetails of service:Saturday July 25, 2026 at noonUnited Church of Lincoln
  23 Quaker St, Lincoln, VT 05443Wanda Ivette Otero Esq. of Lincoln, Vermont passed away at her home in Buenavista, Mexico on April 21st of a heart attack. She was 57 years old.Wanda was born in Spanish Harlem, attended and graduated from Wesleyan University, SUNY at Albany, and Temple Law School of Philadelphia. She moved to Bridport, and worked at Paul, F
  
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• ‘Electric’: After yet another win, Vermont Green FC women head to national final

  13-07-2026 22:47 via vtdigger.org
  
  Vermont Green FC forward Emily Mara takes on a defender on Saturday, July 11 at Virtue Field in Burlington. Tyler Davis/Vermont Green FCTheo Wells-Spackman is a Report for America corps member who reports for VTDigger.Vermont Green FC’s women’s team extended its undefeated inaugural season yet again Saturday with a semifinal win against North Carolina’s Asheville SC. The team will travel to Seattle on July 18 to take on Salmon Bay FC in the national championship game.&ldq
  
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• Court filing alleges Vermont Catholic Church posed ‘ethical proposition’ to shield funds from abuse survivors

  13-07-2026 22:26 via vtdigger.org
  
  A section of a sworn court statement filed in the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese’s bankruptcy protection case. Photo illustration by VTDigger Digital EditorTwo decades after the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese aimed to protect local parishes from priest misconduct lawsuits by placing their estimated $500 million of holdings into trusts, a recent job applicant alleges the state’s largest religious denomination’s past and current bishops asked if she’d help shelter more fun
  
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• Closing Brattleboro’s birthing center will cost Vermont more than it saves

  13-07-2026 20:47 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Corina Tennant, the chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and a partner at Four Seasons OB-GYN & Midwifery.When I became an OB-GYN, I was told, “Great choice — you’ll never go out of business delivering babies.” I now find myself fighting to make sure that’s still true.I was born at home in Newfane. My parents relied on Brattleboro Memorial Hospital as their backup. Forty years later, I am the local OB-GYN wor
  
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• A new flood threatens Vermont: Dark money

  12-07-2026 16:05 via vtdigger.org
  
  Are you a billionaire? No? You still deserve a voice in our politics. Yet ordinary Vermonters are being drowned out by outside money flooding our elections. A record $1.9 billion was spent by dark money groups in the 2024 federal elections, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.We have the Supreme Court to thank for this. Its decisions have allowed individuals, corporations and foreign interests to spend vast sums influencing elections. Our neighbors in Maine supported a ballot initi
  
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• Middlebury taps new housing development tool

  12-07-2026 15:22 via vtdigger.org
  
  Construction on a housing project in Vermont. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThis story by John Flowers was originally published in the Addison Independent on July 9, 2026.MIDDLEBURY — The town of Middlebury is dipping its toe into a new state program designed to help Vermont communities unlock housing opportunities by investing in critical public infrastructure.It’s called the Community and Housing Infrastructure Program, a statewide tax increment financing tool created in 202
  
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• Tunbridge fire chief pushes back against new forest fire warden law

  12-07-2026 14:12 via vtdigger.org
  
  West Windsor Firefighter Oden Cramer wets the edge of a 2.5 acre patch of burned ground to make sure a brushfire does not reignite in West Windsor, Vt., in April 2026. File photo by James M. Patterson/Valley NewsThis story by Sofia Langlois was first published in the Valley News on July 9, 2026.TUNBRIDGE — In the wake of a new Vermont law designating every fire chief as forest fire warden, some fire chiefs, including in Tunbridge, have opted not to accept the role at this time.Per Act 162
  
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• As strong El Niño develops off the Pacific, experts say Vermont impact is tough to tease out

  12-07-2026 13:10 via vtdigger.org
  
  The drought has led to low water in the St. Albans reservoir. Seen on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerParticularly warm water forming along the coasts of North and South America have caught the eyes of weather watchers across the globe, but the impacts on Vermont are murky for now.The warming and associated weather patterns are known as El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon where strong winds that normally push warm waters from east to west are weakened a
  
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