Vermont news

• UPDATED: Man held in fatal cleaver attack on relatives in Burlington

  13-10-2017 00:38 via vtdigger.org
  Burlington police released this photo when announcing they were investigating an attack with a cleaver Thursday on Hyde Street.(This story was updated Oct. 12 at 9:05 p.m.)
  A 34-year-old Burlington man killed his wife with a meat cleaver Thursday and injured her mother, according to police.
  Aita Gurung was arrested in connection with the slaying of his wife, Yogeswari Khadka, 32, the Burlington Police Department said Thursday evening. The victim suffered blows to her hands, arms and skull.
  In a
  
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• Drunken driving case may linger for Addison state’s attorney due to new disciplinary action

  23-06-2026 23:40 via vtdigger.org
  
  Addison County States Attorney Eva Vekos pleads no contest to a DUI charge in Chittenden County Superior criminal court Burlington in Dec. 2025. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerBURLINGTON —  Prosecutors don’t want Addison County State’s Attorney Eva Vekos’ drunken driving conviction expunged from her record yet, because they say the move could jeopardize a new professional disciplinary proceeding against her. A delay in expungement, which the defense opposed and
  
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• National Weather Service classifies West Woodstock storm as EF1 tornado

  23-06-2026 23:25 via vtdigger.org
  
  Broken trees stand on the hill across the Ottauquechee River from the home of Bryon and Jen Lockhart in West Woodstock after a powerful storm swept across the Upper Valley on Thursday, June 18, 2026. Photo by James M. Patterson/Valley NewsThis story by Marion Umpleby was first published in the Valley News on June 22, 2026.WEST WOODSTOCK — Meteorologists from the National Weather Service have deemed the storm that wreaked havoc in the area of Bridgewater and West Woodstock on Thursday an E
  
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• Calling nuclear power clean doesn’t make it true

  23-06-2026 23:18 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,Gov. Phil Scott selling Vermont the nuclear kool-aid is unacceptable. The governor insists that nuclear power is clean. He supports developing small modular nuclear reactors in Vermont. In an attempt to meet Vermont’s carbon commitments, the state wants to substitute the definition of “clean” for “renewable” to justify nuclear’s inclusion with H.601. Nuclear energy is neither clean nor green. We must do better. We need solutions that are truly sus
  
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• Vermont needs better housing, not just more of it

  23-06-2026 20:40 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by John Bossange, the president of the board of directors of Better (not Bigger) Vermont.Few would deny that we have a shortage of lower and moderately priced housing available for hardworking Vermonters. Sadly, what is being constructed now is often pitched at wealthy second-home and out-of-state buyers rather than local Vermont families. Worse, the new housing is often poorly located and is either an unsightly scar on the natural landscape or a depressing blight along a maj
  
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• Court says it might dismiss Vermont Catholic diocese bankruptcy case if progress isn’t made soon

  23-06-2026 19:57 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese is selling its South Burlington headquarters at 55 Joy Drive for $3.13 million as part of its current bankruptcy case. Photo by Kevin O’Connor/VTDiggerA U.S. bankruptcy judge has told the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese she might dismiss the church’s bid to reorganize its depleting finances if a viable plan isn’t submitted soon.The state’s largest religious denomination filed for Chapter 11 protection in the fall of 2024 after a past ser
  
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• Jimmy ‘The Iceman’ De Pierro

  23-06-2026 16:23 via vtdigger.org
  
  Born: 07/30/1946New York City, NYDied: 06/18/2026Colchester, VTDetails of service:A celebration of life is being planned for next summer.Jimmy “The Iceman” De Pierro, passed away June 18th, at the age of 79. Raised in Queens, he had many adventures as a bike messenger in New York City, a welder, a clam digger and a professional gambler. He came to Vermont in the 70s with friends to seek a different way of life in the North East Kingdom.Jim became known around Vermont for many things
  
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• Across Vermont, networks of volunteers push back on Trump’s immigration enforcement

  23-06-2026 00:46 via vtdigger.org
  
  Protesters surround a house as they demonstrate against an attempted stop by ICE agents in South Burlington in March 2026. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerMarita Canedo had just woken up when the phone started ringing. It was early morning on March 11, and Canedo was the on-call team member for the emergency phone line of Migrant Justice, a statewide immigrant rights organization. Several calls came in at once, Canedo said, and each caller said the same thing: U.S. Immigration and
  
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• ‘Vermont that still feels wild’: Three waterways proposed for the ‘National Park System for rivers’

  23-06-2026 00:44 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Nulhegan River is a proposed addition to the federal Wild and Scenic River System. Photo courtesy of Caleb Kenna.Northeast Kingdom conservation organizations and communities are pushing to add three waterways to the federal Wild and Scenic River System, the country’s strongest tool to protect rivers.The program, known as a sort of “National Park System for rivers,” provides funding and support to free-flowing rivers with outstanding natural, cultural or recreational value.
  
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• ‘Vermont that still feels wild’: 3 waterways proposed for the ‘National Park System for rivers’

  23-06-2026 00:44 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Nulhegan River is a proposed addition to the federal Wild and Scenic River System. Photo courtesy of Caleb Kenna.Northeast Kingdom conservation organizations and communities are pushing to add three waterways to the federal Wild and Scenic River System, the country’s strongest tool to protect rivers.The program, known as a sort of “National Park System for rivers,” provides funding and support to free-flowing rivers with outstanding natural, cultural or recreational value.
  
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• Gov. Scott vetoed the Legislature’s latest attempt to lower health insurance costs. What’s next?

  23-06-2026 00:00 via vtdigger.org
  
  Gov. Phil Scott speaks at the Statehouse in Montpelier in November 2025. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerWhen Gov. Phil Scott last week vetoed the Legislature’s boldest attempt this year to lower health insurance costs, he said his own package of proposals offered a better alternative.Specifically, in a letter sent to the Senate, Scott highlighted efforts from a bill, H.585, that his administration put forward in January.“These proposals included proven approaches that expanded
  
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• Dartmouth Health reports $63.5 million deficit over 6 months

  22-06-2026 23:33 via vtdigger.org
  
  Evening falls at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Photo by James M. Patterson\Valley NewsThis story by Clare Shanahan was first published in the Valley News on June 21, 2026.LEBANON, N.H. — After two years operating mostly in the black, Dartmouth Health spent more money than it brought in from October through March, according to a May filing with bondholders.The $63.5 million deficit, equivalent to 2.9% of total system revenue, was driven by
  
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• Karen Ann Warren

  22-06-2026 23:11 via vtdigger.org
  
  Born: 05/31/1951Bethesda, MarylandDied: 06/15/2026IdahoDetails of service: To be determinedThe world became a little quieter with the passing of Karen Ann Warren, 75, formerly of Winooski, Vermont, who died on Monday, June 15, in Idaho. Karen was a woman whose warmth, humor, and steady presence made life gentler for everyone fortunate enough to know her.Karen was born on May 31, 1951, in Bethesda, Maryland, to Kenneth W. and Ann McNeil Warren while her father was serving in the U.S. Navy. The f
  
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• Don’t gamble with our drinking water

  22-06-2026 19:31 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Peggy Stevens, a retired teacher who lives in Charleston.On June 10, a panel of five experts in environmental pollutants, including PFAS, presented evidence of contamination in Lake Memphremagog’s water and fish to a packed crowd of 70 gathered at the North Country Career Center, with a further 95 people joining online. As the scientists laid out their concerns about what that means for the lake’s future, the question driving the meeting was whether landfi
  
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• Extortion and pollution killed the data center bill

  22-06-2026 19:17 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Alison Despathy, the community and environmental health director for Vermonters for a Clean Environment. This past legislative session, Vermonters for a Clean Environment participated in the development of a responsible data center bill, H.727. Despite these efforts, Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of the bill was justified because of the Senate’s massive fumble.Many people believe data centers are wreaking havoc across the country: guzzling power, contaminating wa
  
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• Williston library expansion revote pushed to November

  21-06-2026 15:31 via vtdigger.org
  
  A rendering of a proposed Dorothy Alling Memorial Library redesign. Courtesy of Black River DesignThis story by Jason Starr was first published in the Williston Observer on June 18, 2026.Feeling rushed by an August revote proposed by the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library board of trustees, the Williston Selectboard last week unanimously backed a plan to push a library expansion bond question to the general election ballot in November.It will be the third time this year that Williston voters
  
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• How Vermont’s new pharmacy law could change rural healthcare

  21-06-2026 15:18 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Steven Simpson, the northern regional healthcare manager at Kinney Drugs.One of the things I’ve always valued most about community pharmacy is the chance to serve people close to home. In towns across Vermont, the local pharmacy is often one of the most familiar and trusted places in the community, a place where people stop in for prescriptions, ask questions and see someone they know. Sometimes that means offering reassurance, helping someone think through what to d
  
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• Pride in the pews: Franklin County churches celebrate LGBTQ+ community

  21-06-2026 14:05 via vtdigger.org
  
  Parishioners make offerings during a Pride Praise Ecumenical Worship Service at Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church in St. Albans on Sunday, June 7, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerST. ALBANS — An unassuming sign out front of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church told the history of the building with a message that rang true for that day’s service. “As the building has evolved, so has life within the church.” In front of an altar decorated in rai
  
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• Under Trump, ICE check-ins in Vermont have shifted

  21-06-2026 13:21 via vtdigger.org
  
  More than 200 supporters of Pastor Steven Tendo gather outside Tendo’s check-in meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security facility in St. Albans on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerST. ALBANS — Steven Tendo hugged and shook hands with the throng of supporters waiting outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office Tuesday. He was relieved, for now: He’d just walked out of a check-in with ICE, where
  
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• Which 50 of the Vermont Historical Society’s 30,000 artifacts best sum up the state?

  21-06-2026 12:42 via vtdigger.org
  
  Vermont Historical Society collections manager Katie Grant and executive director Stephen Perkins unbox a globe — made in 1810 by James Wilson of Bradford — for a “50 for 250” U.S. semiquincentennial exhibit in Montpelier. Photo by Kevin O’Connor/VTDiggerMONTPELIER — A century-old pair of ash and rawhide snowshoes — embodying subsistence and sport — seemed an obvious choice when the Vermont Historical Society perused its 30,000 artifacts to pick t
  
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• PHOTOS: Burlington commemorates Juneteenth with downtown festival

  21-06-2026 00:51 via vtdigger.org
  
  Cortney Smith dances as the Juneteenth Celebration Choir performs during a holiday commemoration in Burlington on Saturday, June 20, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe City of Burlington commemorated the Juneteenth holiday with a block party in downtown Burlington on Saturday. The theme of the event was “Freedom: Yesterday’s legacy, Today’s promise, Tomorrow’s Hope” and was produced by the city’s Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Scroll
  
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• Two central Vermonters invited to Washington event honoring extreme weather survivors

  20-06-2026 13:05 via vtdigger.org
  
  On the heels of its exhibit at the Vermont Statehouse, installed in its permanent home in Barre’s Aldrich Public Library, and reproduced in book form, “Heart of Barre: Building Community After the Floods” is now heading to Washington, D.C. Later this month, a smaller, photographic reproduction of one of the two anchor pieces in the exhibit — the 80-by-80-inch grid of 20 portraits of survivors of the 2023 flood shown here — will represent Vermont at a two-day event
  
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• 2 central Vermonters invited to Washington event honoring extreme weather survivors

  20-06-2026 13:05 via vtdigger.org
  
  On the heels of its exhibit at the Vermont Statehouse, installed in its permanent home in Barre’s Aldrich Public Library, and reproduced in book form, “Heart of Barre: Building Community After the Floods” is now heading to Washington, D.C. Later this month, a smaller, photographic reproduction of one of the two anchor pieces in the exhibit — the 80-by-80-inch grid of 20 portraits of survivors of the 2023 flood shown here — will represent Vermont at a two-day event
  
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• Three years after flooding, Vermont Studio Center receives federal recovery funding, supporting an economic driver in Johnson 

  19-06-2026 23:37 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Vermont Studio Center in Johnson sits on the banks of the Gihon River. Seen on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe river that runs through the Vermont Studio Center has for years been a source of inspiration and solace for the thousands of artists and writers who have filtered through its residency program, one of the largest in the U.S. But three years ago, the Gihon River’s currents were instead the source of damage and destruction when catastrophic floods inu
  
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• 3 years after flooding, Vermont Studio Center receives federal recovery funding, supporting an economic driver in Johnson 

  19-06-2026 23:37 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Vermont Studio Center in Johnson sits on the banks of the Gihon River. Seen on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe river that runs through the Vermont Studio Center has for years been a source of inspiration and solace for the thousands of artists and writers who have filtered through its residency program, one of the largest in the U.S. But three years ago, the Gihon River’s currents were instead the source of damage and destruction when catastrophic floods inu
  
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• Black Vermonters celebrated in new South Burlington exhibit

  19-06-2026 23:11 via vtdigger.org
  
  From left: René Rentería, Amina Rhoads and Rajnii Eddins. Photo by Emily Rodin.Emily Rodin is an intern for the University of Vermont’s Community News Service through Report for America’s Local News Internship Program.SOUTH BURLINGTON — When Rajnii Eddins and René Rentería met at Burlington’s Fletcher Free Library in 2024, neither knew the encounter would lead to an oral history project documenting the stories of Black Vermonters.Eddins, a poe
  
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• ‘Act 46 all over again’: Gov. Phil Scott signs education reform bill, kick-starting a familiar process for voluntary school mergers

  19-06-2026 22:13 via vtdigger.org
  
  Buses pick up students at the end of the day at the Westford School in Westford in April 2025. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe year’s landmark education reform proposal is now law.Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday signed into law H.955, the legislative session’s signature bill that launches a new but familiar round of voluntary school district mergers.The bill’s signing brings some closure to what has been a long year for educators, administrators and legislators. Or looked
  
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• Who’s policing Vermont’s e-moto riders?

  19-06-2026 18:26 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,Having read a recent article in VTDigger about electric motorcycles — or e-motos — and as the owner of a registered, licensed, street-legal electric motorcycle, I’m perplexed why Vermont police are not enforcing current statutes on unregistered, unlicensed, unhelmeted e-moto riders on public streets and bike paths. Electric motorcycles capable of traveling at speeds greater than 30 mph or having a motor output above 750 watts — such as the Sondors Metacy
  
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• ‘I tried so hard to stop Jack’: Woman denies manslaughter charge in dog attack on her father

  19-06-2026 17:04 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Chittenden County Superior criminal court in Burlington in July 2023. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerIn a case that may test criminal liability for dog owners, a Vermont woman faces charges including manslaughter after police said her pit bull killed her father after injuring two other people in earlier attacks. Janna Campbell, 43, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Chittenden County Superior criminal court in Burlington to a felony count of voluntary manslaughter. That charge stems fr
  
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• State and employees’ union butt heads over telework in Vermont’s highest court

  19-06-2026 00:09 via vtdigger.org
  
  Vermont State Employees Association attorney Alfred Gordon O’Connell, right, speaks as the Vermont Supreme Court considers the union’s suit against the Scott Administration’s back-to-office order in Montpelier on Thursday, June 18, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerMONTPELIER — The state of Vermont and the Vermont State Employees’ Association presented oral arguments to the Vermont Supreme Court Thursday over whether the state had the right to change employees&r
  
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