Vermont news

• Vermont Electric Cooperative launches discount program

  15-06-2018 18:47 via VTDigger
  News Release — Vermont Electric CooperativeJune 14, 2018
  Contact:Jake [email protected]
  VEC Launches New Discount Program for Members
  Johnson, VT- Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) today announced the addition of an exciting new benefit for co-op members: special discounts at businesses across the region.
  The new VEC Member Discount Program offers a wide range of deals, including bargains on outdoor fun and entertainment, clothing and shoes, hardware, motorsports gear
  
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• In a challenging year, Vermont’s outdoor business leaders are full of optimism

  12-11-2026 23:59 via VTDigger
  
  Chairlifts at Okemo Mountain Ski Resort. Photo via Adobe StockTheo Wells-Spackman is a Report for America corps member who reports for VTDigger.LUDLOW — For Vermont’s outdoor economy, it’s been no ordinary year.State officials estimate that the sector — which by their reckoning includes businesses ranging from ski resorts to bike shops and inns — generated roughly $2.2 billion for Vermont’s economy in 2024. But this year, federal policy has left some businesses on shaky ground, forc
  
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• Vermont to raise minimum wage by 49 cents in January

  12-11-2026 23:46 via VTDigger
  
  Chris Winters, who is now the deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor, testifies before the House Human Services Committee at the Statehouse in Montpelier in May 2025. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThis story by Sophie Levenson was first published in the Valley News on Nov. 10, 2026.Vermont’s minimum wage will rise from $14.42 to $14.91 an hour on Jan. 1, the Vermont Department of Labor announced Monday.Though a 49-cent hourly increase could seem marginal, it amounts to a
  
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• Solar panels are an eyesore

  12-11-2026 23:19 via VTDigger
  
  Dear Editor,Have you ever ridden on a hay wagon or a tractor, or baled hay on a hot summer day? It’s hard work, but I’m fortunate to have had these experiences, and I wouldn’t change a thing. If you’ve never stepped in a pile of cow manure or had to shovel it, if you’ve never run into an electric fence — it usually only takes one time — you haven’t lived. 
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  When I see solar panels on the hillsides and fields, one question comes to mind. In a state where billboards are
  
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• Chittenden parents file lawsuit challenging Vermont’s new public tuition rules

  12-11-2026 22:48 via VTDigger
  
  Champlain Valley School District school busses in Hinesburg in Jan. 2026. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerTwo Chittenden parents are suing the Vermont Agency of Education in federal court, alleging Vermont illegally excludes religious schools from being eligible for the state’s public tuition program for private schools. The lawsuit, filed by Carrie and Greg Bishop, alleges that the requirements for private schools to receive public tuition dollars under Vermont’s 2025 education reform
  
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• Swastika found on Hartford veterans monument on Veterans Day

  12-11-2026 19:57 via VTDigger
  
  A swastika seen on Veterans Day on the side of a monument honoring Hartford residents who served in conflicts after World War II. Alex Ebrahimi/Valley NewsThis story by Alex Ebrahimi was first published in the Valley News on November 11, 2026WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A swastika drawn in what appeared to be black marker was visible on a monument in Veterans Park on Veterans Day.The graffiti was on the park’s newer monument, which honors Hartford residents who served in the Korean War, the Vietn
  
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• Vermont needs a growth plan that adds up

  12-11-2026 19:47 via VTDigger
  
  This commentary is by Matt Swenson, the founder of Omnidex Solutions, an independent research and strategic analysis company. He lives in Vermont.Vermont voters sent a split message Tuesday. They gave Gov. Phil Scott a record sixth two-year term over Amanda Janoo, then handed Democrats a supermajority in the Legislature, enough to override his vetoes. Molly Gray took back the lieutenant governor’s office from John Rodgers by more than 20 points.That means the next two years won’t be decided
  
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• Chronic wasting disease found in wild New York deer for first time in decades

  12-11-2026 13:45 via VTDigger
  
  Stuffed deer heads mounted on the walls inside Choiniere’s Hunting Camp in Brownington in November 2025. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerTheo Wells-Spackman is a Report for America corps member who reports for VTDigger.Chronic wasting disease, a fatal illness in deer, moose and elk, has been discovered in a wild New York doe for the first time in decades.The disorder, which stems from defective proteins called prions, has never been spotted in Vermont, and with northern New York’s deer
  
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• Holly A. Freeman Jones

  12-11-2026 00:08 via VTDigger
  
  Born: 01/07/1955Potsdam, NYDied: 08/18/2026South Burlington, VTDetails of service:A memorial service will take place on June 19, 2027, at 11 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Shelburne, VT, followed by a reception.Holly A. Freeman Jones passed away on August 18, 2026, at the age of 71. She was born Jan. 7, 1955, in Potsdam, New York, to Mary and Philip Pepper and was later adopted by Richard Freeman.She was predeceased by her brother Mark and her beloved husband, Dr. Dennis Jones, whom s
  
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• ‘In memory of the greatest generation’: Rutland unveils new WWII memorial

  12-11-2026 00:00 via VTDigger
  
  World War II vet Bud Taggert kisses the hand of fellow vet Marion Wright during an unveiling of a WWII memorial in Rutland on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerRUTLAND — A towering, tangible reminder of what one generation gave for the generations to come now stands in the city.  Main Street Park hosted more than 300 neighbors, government officials, military service members and veterans Wednesday for the unveiling of a 10-foot granite monument honori
  
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• Vermont Conversation: ‘Freedom in America is never guaranteed.’ Garrett Graff on America’s many revolutions

  11-11-2026 23:56 via VTDigger
  
  
  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 author Garrett Graff explores the revolutions that remade America in his latest book, “America in 25 Revolutions.” Courtesy photoThe blue tsunami of Democratic victories in last week’s midterm elections included a number of notable firsts: the election of
  
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• Elliot Russell sentenced to life in Ulysses Ivey murder

  11-11-2026 23:48 via VTDigger
  
  The defense speaks with Russell’s sister and brother-in-law during the hearing. Photo by Jeff McRae/Bennington BannerThis story by Jeff McRae was first published in the Bennington Banner on Nov. 10, 2026.BENNINGTON — Elliot Russell, 50, will be spending the rest of his life behind bars for the pre-meditated shooting death of Ulysses Ivey, 39, of Bennington following a sentencing hearing on Monday afternoon.At the hearing, Russell maintained his innocence and members of his family were allow
  
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• Don’t blame immigrant students for rising education costs

  11-11-2026 23:18 via VTDigger
  
  This commentary is by Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver, a teacher at Winooski High School. She is the 2025 Vermont Teacher of the Year and the 2026 Vermont History Teacher of the Year. In the WCAX debate on Oct. 28, Gov. Phil Scott incorrectly claimed that the Winooski School District offers 17 languages, unlike smaller, more rural districts that may offer only one or two. This is false. Winooski offers one language, French. Elementary school students have no language opportunities, middle school stude
  
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• Shaftsbury man accused of driving into his friend denies manslaughter charge 

  11-11-2026 23:15 via VTDigger
  
  The Vermont Superior Court building in Bennington. Photo by Mike Dougherty/VTDiggerA Dorset man is facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly losing control of his vehicle in his friend’s driveway, striking and killing him.Arthur Coons, 67, of Shaftsbury, pleaded not guilty earlier this month to the felony charge and was released on conditions, including that he keep the court informed of his address and phone number.Vermont State Police issued Coons a citation into court for t
  
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• I live in my barn so I can afford to stay in Vermont

  11-11-2026 23:12 via VTDigger
  
  Dear Editor,I have one message for anyone in the Legislature talking about taxing second-home owners more. I am on the edge of having to sell up and move south because property taxes are almost as much as my mortgage.I bought my home on 18 acres in 2007: a very simple ranch house, a run-down garage apartment and a small horse barn. After a breakup, I needed to buy my partner out, but I couldn’t afford to keep living in the house. So I took what was left in my 401(k), hired some cowboys to mak
  
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• Vermont receives $190M in the second year of federal rural health awards

  11-11-2026 22:16 via VTDigger
  
  The Gifford Medical Center in Randolph seen on Monday, November 2, 2026.Vermont is set to receive nearly $190 million in 2027 from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the second year of the federal rural healthcare transformation program. In 2026, CMS awarded Vermont $195 million, which the state has just finished awarding to more than 200 projects statewide. The second year of the five-year program is expected to look a lot like the first, according to Vermont’s Medic
  
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• More than 5,000 Vermonters have lost SNAP benefits

  11-11-2026 19:07 via VTDigger
  
  Dear Reader,Today, you can support two worthy causes with one donation. Make a year-end gift to VTDigger and you will also provide 10 meals to the Vermont Foodbank.
  Donate and send 10 meals
  Last fall, when the government shutdown disrupted food assistance, I spoke with Vermonters flooding to the state’s food shelves, and watched leaders in Montpelier approve emergency funding to restore benefits.Since then, provisions in the federal budget law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have furt
  
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• Burlington City Council confirms Geraci as new police chief with 10-2 vote

  11-11-2026 00:33 via VTDigger
  
  Anthony Geraci chats with Burlington City Councilor Allie Schacter, D-East District, after being ratified as the new police chief at City Hall in Burlington on Monday, November 9, 2026. Photo by Glenn Russell, VTDiggerBURLINGTON — Anthony Geraci started Tuesday as Burlington’s new police chief amid some concerns about accountability related to a previous position of leadership.In a 10-2 vote after 8 p.m. Monday, the City Council confirmed Progressive Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak’s appointme
  
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• Annual count finds slight decline in homelessness in Vermont 

  11-11-2026 00:00 via VTDigger
  
  The cold weather shelter at the Miller Center in Burlington in Jan. 2026. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerCarly Berlin covers housing and infrastructure for Vermont Public, in partnership with VTDigger.For the second year running, an annual tally found a modest decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness in Vermont. “On its face, this is an encouraging finding. We certainly want to see fewer people experiencing homelessness in Vermont, and any movement in that direction is
  
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• A broken heart, and a strong backbone

  10-11-2026 23:54 via VTDigger
  
  Veterans’ Advocate Garry DuFour examines a 1980s map that details the number of Veterans Administration locations available in each section of the country. Photo by Danielle M. Crosier/Vermont News and MediaThis story by Danielle M. Crosier was first published in the Bennington Banner on Nov. 9, 2026.PAWLET — In 1968, Garry DuFour was drafted into a war that he strongly opposed. More than half a century later, he has found that he never stopped serving. Disillusioned from the start, DuFour�
  
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• Vermont can’t build its way to affordability

  10-11-2026 23:40 via VTDigger
  
  Dear Editor,Act 250, now maligned by builders, real estate agents and financiers, has kept unmitigated growth and sprawl at bay in Vermont for years. It was enacted by people who wanted to keep the natural beauty of Vermont’s woods, fields and open spaces protected from the wanton destruction of urban growth and capital greed.And it worked. But the Vermont of half a century ago is gone. The idyllic, romantic view of old rural Vermont has somehow persisted while our towns have become cities a
  
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• Kid Governor shows our future voters that their voices matter now

  10-11-2026 23:28 via VTDigger
  
  This commentary is by Sarah Copeland Hanzas, Vermont’s secretary of state. Think of a problem that’s too big for you to solve alone. One that requires bringing people together and participating in collective action to propose solutions. This is really the crux of civics and democracy. It’s the question I pose to Vermont’s students whenever I visit classrooms, and some of those students are answering it on a public stage right now — fifth graders, to be exact.Vermont’s Kid Governor
  
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• Why do only 2 health insurers sell plans on Vermont’s exchange?

  10-11-2026 23:09 via VTDigger
  
  Left: BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont headquarters in Berlin in Oct. 2025. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger. Right: A building for the MVP insurance agency on State Street in the downtown section of Schenectady, New York, captured Oct. 2, 2020. Photo by Tyler A. McNeil via Wikimedia Commons.Over the weekend, Andrew Garland, an executive at BlueCross and BlueShield of Vermont, found himself at Home Depot staring down the array of tools that “all seemed to do the same thing,” he said. DeWalt?
  
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• Mya Adams is soaring toward a career in aviation

  10-11-2026 16:11 via VTDigger
  
  Mya Adams first considered a career as a pilot after watching an aviation documentary. She watched another, and another, and soon her mom was calling it her new hobby. Mya was intrigued by the risk management aspect of flying. “There is this saying that ‘the rules and regulations are written in blood,’” she said. “Each one was put in place because there are lives in your hands when you operate a plane. It’s a big responsibility.” Encouraging her passion at Habitat for Aviation Af
  
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• A different kind of return: Investing in Vermont’s future

  10-11-2026 15:21 via VTDigger
  
  What if charitable dollars could go beyond grants to help build homes, grow businesses, and strengthen Vermont communities?That’s the idea behind mission investing at the Vermont Community Foundation. By investing 5% of nearly every charitable fund it manages in Vermont businesses and community projects, the Foundation helps create local opportunities while seeking financial returns that support future charitable giving.A new short film from the Vermont Community Foundation takes viewers acro
  
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• Measles cases found in Orleans County, health officials warn

  10-11-2026 00:20 via VTDigger
  
  Measles, mumps and rubella virus vaccine at Union Community Care clinic in Lancaster, Pa., on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. Photo by Jessie Wardarski/APThe Vermont Department of Health has confirmed a “small number” of connected measles cases in Orleans County, it said Monday. An investigation and response are ongoing, according to a release.The department is asking healthcare providers to maintain a heightened awareness and report suspected cases immediately, even if there is not yet laboratory
  
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• Montpelier has its long-awaited housing blueprint for Country Club Road

  10-11-2026 00:02 via VTDigger
  
  An overhead rendering of a housing development project proposed by DEW Properties for the Country Club Road property in Montpelier that would incorporate townhomes and smaller buildings.MONTPELIER — Four years after buying a 138-acre former golf course to help solve its housing crisis, Montpelier finally has its most detailed development blueprint to date for Country Club Road.Under a non-binding letter of intent approved unanimously by the Montpelier City Council, developer DEW Properties ha
  
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• Air Force veteran takes a ride of a lifetime

  09-11-2026 23:29 via VTDigger
  
  Lucille Malaney and her caretaker for the day, Karen Parotte, smile together. Courtesy photoThis story by Mari Huglin was first published in the Shelburne News on Nov. 5, 2026.On Oct. 2, Shelburne resident Lucille Malaney began a journey she would never forget.The 83-year-old, a United States Air Force veteran who served during the Vietnam War, joined around 30 other veterans for a flight from Plattsburgh, New York, to Washington, D.C.North Country Honor Flight, based in New York and Vermont, i
  
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• Vermont’s schools are not the problem. Property tax is.

  09-11-2026 23:10 via VTDigger
  
  This commentary is by Paul Cillo, a former member of the Vermont House and co-author of Act 60.In his 2025 inaugural address, Gov. Phil Scott decried rising education property taxes. He noted that if trends continue as they have, property tax bills will have increased by an average of 33% in just three years.It is true that changes made in the Legislature to Vermont’s education financing system have propelled property taxes skyward. But instead of addressing education taxes head-on, the gove
  
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• Stop strong-arming towns into signing off on regional plans

  09-11-2026 21:04 via VTDigger
  
  This commentary is by Colleen Geddis, founder of the Rural Vermont Rising Facebook group.Imagine being handed a 408-page document that will shape how land in your town can be used for decades. You get about 30 days’ notice before the first hearing. Your town’s map was redrawn only this summer, after the law changed again in June. And if your region misses the Dec. 31 deadline, your town could lose state grants, housing exemptions and the help it counts on after a disaster.That is exactly wh
  
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