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Staffing shortages in Waterbury are among post office problems across Vermont that have disrupted deliveries and inconvenienced residents.

Some business owners have mixed feelings.

The city’s long-delayed Main Street Revitalization project began last month.

The bill seeks to ensure better legal protections for donors.

The commission denied the project March 27 after seven months of deliberation.

Part of the bill aimed to ban hunters from using dogs and bait — without a trappers’ license — to hunt coyotes in the state.

In recent years, libraries across the country have come under fire for housing books that focus on gender, sexual and racial identity, especially those for children.

Vermont’s only women’s prison, Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington, is half a century old and in terrible shape. The state has set aside millions for a new facility, but construction is years away.

The storytimes give parents a chance to do a chore while their kids learn. Organizers hope people will turn out for the next event May 30.

Five years of data analyzed by Community News Service shows the state’s largest transit system is approaching an inflection point on the back of haywire trends.

The hope is to train volunteers in planting and caring for the 50-plus trees set to occupy the green space over the next two years.

The complicated state funding formula gave additional weight to students who speak a first language other than English and who live in low-income households.

The food shelf, a service of the church on West Allen Street, welcomes visitors on the second and fourth Wednesday and Saturday of the month.

Sunita Dholakia, of Rutland, is one of 114 finalists competing in Haut Monde Mrs. India Worldwide, an annual beauty pageant for married Indian women across the globe.

It’s a conundrum with many variables and few easy answers. As Murdoch put it, “What other tools do we have in our toolkit?”

The bill would bar people from having guns, frames or receivers that lack serial numbers or transferring them to someone else.

Under S.310, all state emergency communications would by default be accompanied by language assistance services.

Vermont only has five medical cannabis dispensaries as opposed to at least 51 recreational businesses opening within the last two years.

It’s a scaled down version of the event from its high in 2022.

The project has amassed 123,000 entries since its founding in 1994.

Legislators added the original bill’s language to H.878, which deals with “miscellaneous judiciary procedures.”

After seven years, Fair Haven students and faculty share the merits, as well as the challenges, of the proficiency-based grading system.

Winooski officials, like many across Vermont, have sought solutions for housing challenges in the city for several years.

The bill would target shoplifters who steal multiple things in one county within a two-week period. If the combined value of the goods exceeds $900, an offender would face the same fines and imprisonment as the current felony.

If cameras catch you driving more than 10 mph over the limit, the rig takes a photo of your license plate and you’ll get a ticket in the mail. 

The library plans on expanding next March to promote inclusivity in the state’s most diverse city.

Wingman of the Year, a company aiming to redefine dating shows, is coming to Rutland on Saturday for a live dating show.

Winooski’s population is roughly 60% renters, meaning the regulations could impact a lot of residents.

The new nonprofit provides wrestling education to anyone, and hopes to grow the sport amongst young people across the state.

April is National Fair Housing Month. Advocates in Winooski are spending it educating people on their rights.

Rutland County Pride co-founder and Executive Director William Fourney-Mills talks about the organization’s current programs, goals for the future and the atmosphere for the LGBTQIA+ community in Rutland.

The bill says companies that distribute PCBs must pay for the testing and removal of the chemicals in Vermont’s schools.

As April 20 approaches, Autumn Records, like many independent vinyl stores across the country, prepares for one of its busiest days.

Under the bill, companies would be barred from the sale, lease, or disclosure of people’s biometric identification unless it is necessary for the service or the person gives consent. 

The city is responsible for paying 5%, or $3.09 million (whichever is less) for project expenses.

Researchers have concerns about the relation between the bald eagles’ rise and a receding blue heron population in the state.

Lawmakers made the changes after hearing testimony from state officials that called the bill’s language vague and lacking in precedent.

Over the past two years of partnering with farms, Farm Stand Together has provided over 250 families with access to organic food.

A group of five VTSU Castleton students and their professor have spent a year working on a documentary following the controversial, and now rescinded, decision to get rid of all VTSU libraries. They plan to premiere the film on campus later this month.

The bill would fill what supporters say is a gap in the law. 

The bill says if people agree to use protection before or during sex, neither party can remove or tamper with the condom without the other’s consent. The bill would allow survivors to seek damages in court.

Reapportionment occurs every 10 years and is based on census data.

Right now, putting on sunscreen in Vermont schools is a tall order. 

The bill would hold drug sellers responsible for deaths caused by their distribution of laced drugs, even if doing so was down to mere carelessness.

Many Vermont schools faced dramatic increases in their proposed school budgets this year, partly due to state requirements for higher spending in areas such as special education and educator insurance.

Kayon Morgan, VTSU Castleton senior and NAACP chapter president, discusses the importance of the chapter, and the challenges faced, at a predominantly white institution.

The bill would limit Vermont police interrogators from lying to detainees. But lawmakers doubled down on details that got last year’s version of the plan shot down.

The simultaneous eatery openings on Friday, March 22, set up something of a competition.

In a survey by the state after last summer’s flooding, 70% of farmers said they didn’t have crop or livestock insurance. Another 10% said the insurance didn’t apply to their industry — meaning only around one in five had coverage for those losses.

Zach Pratico recently moved back to Rutland to launch his business, SmartScale360, that helps small and medium-sized business leverage offshore hiring.

Charlotte has debated the addition of sidewalks in its West Village for more than a decade.

With this winter’s relatively weak snowfall, more people may have turned to birding as an outdoor activity for the season.

Through her work with the Turning Point Center in Rutland, executive director Tracie Hauck hopes to support those in recovery from substance abuse and de-stigmatize addiction.

The bill would codify the practice of pre-charge referrals so the process is the same regardless of county.

Expungement entirely wipes someone’s conviction from the official record — the goal being to see them treated as if they had never been convicted.

By meeting a slew of conditions, producers wouldn’t need inspections to sell raw chicken products from the farm, at farmers markets or to restaurants in Vermont.

International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual dedication that falls on the final day of March in many cities across the world.

For Castleton’s 10th Annual International Film Festival, filmmaker Jethro Waters visited campus for a Q&A after the screening of his film.

After their church burned to the ground, the congregation met in an abandoned church nearby. Then they decided to revive it.

‘It was a constant battle’ to keep JetBlue in the Green Mountain State — a conflict that started long before the airline pulled out in 2023.

The hotel would serve as a cornerstone of the city’s vision for economic growth downtown.

Students from Windham Elementary School and Compass Middle School were tasked with the mushroom selection.

Washington district constituents approached their senator after they were turned away from a business because they only carried cash.

Andrew Breting graduated from Castleton University in 2017, but his love of the Castleton community inspired him to open multiple restaurants in the area.

The bill would rebrand the board that sets rules for implementing Act 250.

Once collapsing ruins, the two old barns are becoming rustic venues.

The most heated debate arose over a topic that wasn’t even up for a vote: construction of a new fire department.

Waitsfield residents voted to approve two different articles that would establish reserve funds for the road crew and the town planning commission.

Money-related issues were the most notable ballot items for South Burlington voters.

A high voter turnout resulted after a respectful but passionate debate from townspeople over the two select board candidates.

With property taxes increasing across Vermont, town and school budgets are becoming an even more contentious source of debate. 

A proposed town budget increase caused concern among some residents.

Residents cited patrol issues in town and approved a bumping up of the budget for public safety in support of a new contract with the sheriff’s department.

The town hall didn’t have enough seats for the roughly 100 residents who showed up to vote.

Residents showed out to advocate for Lakeview Elementary, which may no longer be a school for much longer.

The town meeting moderator said this year’s meeting was cordial and those who held opposing views agreed to disagree.

Residents decided whether to give the town manager position more power and balked at a steep school budget proposal.

Of the issues voted on, residents voted in a slate of LGBTQ+ city councilors and approved a project to upgrade and potentially relocate the Winooski bridge.

The group is fundraising with donations and grant applications, but they still need town approval.

Jeanette Langston’s non-profit Social Tinkering seeks to build and strengthen community connections.

The changes address problems prompted by education officials.

The rule requires short-term rental hosts to register with the city, apply for a license and, if approved, pay annual fees.

One drone operator understands the lawmakers’ concern, but said he thinks details in the bill are too arbitrary.

But companies like Meta and TikTok would be responsible for assessing their data protection policies under the bill — and for determining whether they are in compliance with the law.

Management last year rolled out parking fees, carpooling incentives and bus service improvements — but it may not be doing enough. 

Deborah and Arthur Laiacona’s new restaurant thrives under their care.

For the first time, residents will vote by Australian ballot.

Professional artists worked with students to design the community artwork.

Members from selectboards across valley towns including Waitsfield, Warren and Moretown say they aren’t considering the idea right now. 

The Ride for Mental Health organization, started by Killington Mountain School student Pippa Scott, recently held an event to fundraise and start a conversation around mental health awareness.

McNeil & Reedy is a staple of downtown Rutland, and third-generation owner Casey McNeil is doing his best to maintain that legacy.

Groton will decide via floor vote to approve an increasing town budget, and Ryegate residents will vote to allow cannabis shops in town.

Among the many increases in general and administrative costs, the budget includes a big jump in funding for cemetery maintenance.

“In the damages part of the legal process, some defendants were still using the argument that a person could be responsible for their assault,” said one of the sponsors of the bill. 

Laura Collins bakes and decorates cookies by hand for events like children’s birthday parties and bachelorette parties.

Voters approved the change on last year’s ballot. Soon they’ll see its effects.

Connective Physical Therapy focuses on neurologic and pelvic health conditions in a state where generalized practices dominate.

Homelessness rates in Vermont have shot up by 18.5% since last year, as of this past January.

Neonicotinoids are insecticides that coat plants’ seeds, so the toxins are taken up into a plant’s tissue as it grows.

The gathering encouraged the community to reconnect and rejoice in the wake of a disaster.

Krishna Guthrie is making a name for himself in music, while still paying tribute to his family.

One selectboard member said he thinks the rise in the tax rate will come as a real shock to Charlotters. 

This year’s circuit spotlights the diversity of performances as the Statehouse opens its doors to valued but underrepresented cultures and groups in Vermont, one legislator said.

The garden metaphor has brought seven artists from different backgrounds to share and indulge in interpretations of paradise, privilege, boundaries and cultivation.

The Burlington lounge’s latest endeavor, the Emerging Songwriters Contest, has drawn musicians from across the state. The last semifinals show is Feb. 20.

The steady flow of students across busy Main Street at University Heights creates constant conflict between vehicles and pedestrians.

While the Murray family has searched for answers in the case, a growing cadre of amateur sleuths have fixated on the mystery, causing disruption for Haverhill residents.

Winooski residents approved the project six years ago, and after a series of delays, construction is set to begin in two months.

That money would make up what lawmakers are calling a climate superfund to help pay for natural disaster recovery in Vermont. 

The bill aims to prevent Vermont from becoming a place for puppy farms or mills — commercial dog breeding operations that raise animals in poor conditions.

The bill would dramatically limit the use of electronic devices, digital platforms and more in all Vermont schools.

About 75 cows died after a fire broke Jan. 20 and turned a 400-foot-long barn into a pile of rubble and ash. 

The crowd included families with young children, experienced anglers, locals and visitors, all there for a day out on the ice.

Under current law, first responders employed by the state don’t have to prove PTSD is related to work when seeking workers’ compensation. The new bill would give that presumption to more state workers.

What started as a food truck has grown into the opening of a second cafe location.

Ghost guns are firearms built at home using kits that come with all the parts needed for a gun. The unassembled parts aren’t considered guns by federal law and have no serial number.

Eleven judges reported supplemental rental income over the past four years, totaling $341,953 from 2019 to 2022. While some judges only reported a couple thousand in rental income annually, other judges reported over $20,000 in some years.

The bill seeks to update the state endangered species list more frequently, establish critical habitat spaces, prohibit the sale of species and curtail rules that allow endangered animals to be taken from the land. 

If a business is culpable, H.614 allows police to seize any equipment it used for illegal activity. Furthermore, the bill increases fines and limits the logging activities of businesses with two or more outstanding fines or judgements.

‘It’s not necessarily doing anything to reinvent restorative justice or restorative approaches; it is making it so it is more streamlined access across the state,’ Dolan said. ‘This is trying to get some consistency and also respect the uniqueness of each county.’

The bill aims to expand the legal definition of mobile home parks to include communities of mobile home owners who own their own lots. Currently, state law defines mobile home parks as land with at least two mobile homes or mobile home lots, or adjacent land owned by the same person.

“What does it hurt to do this? What if you’re a student who, for the first time, is getting a period, and you forgot something?” said the bill sponsor.

Vermont State Police announced last week that troopers had finished an investigation into the incident and that no criminal charges would be filed. 

U-32 Middle and High School in East Montpelier has joined dozens of schools in the state testing positive for the toxins, also called polychlorinated biphenyls.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Green Mountain Transit rides have been free.

Meanwhile, a state police investigation lingers and the boy’s family is in touch with an attorney.

After 27 years with the Winooski Police Department – nine of them as chief – Rick Hebert retired at the end of last month, leaving a legacy of strong community-based policing. Now, the city has a gap to fill, and Winooski residents have a question to answer: What do they want from a new police chief?

Support from migrant rights activists is competing with concerns about the legality of the proposed policy change and, from law enforcement, wariness about restrictions on their jobs.  

Food insecurity doesn’t recognize state lines. New Hampshire and Vermont both battle the problem, and that’s where Rivendell Academy stepped in.

Agricultural, food and nutrition advocates in the state want to see increased focus on climate, protection for nutrition initiatives and stronger support for small-scale growers and dairy farmers, among other things, in the next bill.

As Burlington International Airport braces for the holidays, officials with the city’s vehicle-for-hire licensing board want to see more action on a slew of proposals to improve peoples’ experience going to and from the airport.

Winooski residents want infrastructure improvements along Main Street to make crossing, walking and biking safer, according to local leaders working on a new walk-bike plan for the city.

On the final night of the Palace 9 movie theater’s operation, the hottest ticket was for the three-hour Martin Scorsese film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” costing only a dollar.

The engineering firm that’s overseeing the upcoming replacement of the 95-year-old bridge connecting Burlington and Winooski held its first public meeting last week, inciting questions and feedback from anxious residents.

The Spartans bested previously unbeaten and no. 1 seed Twin Valley 1-0 at Applejack Stadium in Manchester on Nov. 4. 

Sickles is the founder and owner of Standing Stone Wines, the newest business on the rotary, at 33 Main St., which plans to open this Wednesday, November 15.

For the last two years, a heated debate has swirled around the serene setting, stemming from the U.S. Forest Service’s plan to cut and harvest 690 acres of trees around the lake.

Now the Vermont Department for Children and Families is perhaps two months away from setting up temporary quarters in Middlesex in a state complex most recently used for inpatient mental health.

The situation around Struthers, his weed and his ducks has evolved into yelling matches, lawsuits, letters to legislators and an Essex Junction neighborhood on edge.

Invasive species are a big issue in Vermont, and the debates surrounding their management often center on another contentious issue — herbicides and pesticides.   

Rebecca Wasserman was appointed executive director of VT Saves on Oct. 16.

Committee members are confused on what their vote meant — and now need to revote, a Criminal Justice Council admin told CNS.

The Hinesburg Fire Department will be conducting a staged burn for training purposes that day on the corner of Route 116 and Hollow Road.

At a special meeting in August, the Vermont Board of Armory Commissioners decided it was time to address the fate of the Waterbury Armory. 

Construction on the walk-bike bridge known as the East-West Crossing in South Burlington is expected to start at the end of 2024.

FreshAir is entering its 10th year and focusing on growth after spending its first five years as a start-up. To get the word out, the company made its fourth-ever appearance at Tech Jam in Burlington, Vermont, an annual convention that plays host to high-tech companies in and around Vermont seeking new employees and interns.

“I’ve been wanting a place like this for like 10 years,” Kao said in a recent interview. “I grew up in a family business and a family restaurant.”

People in the industry believe the problems caused by the floods will worsen with winter weather soon setting in and, within the next few months, artists could be left wondering what they’ll do without accessible indoor spaces.

The 1950s-era Ho Hum Motel underwent nine months of reconstruction to open a doorway to permanent and affordable housing for those in need.

Open 24 hours a day, the gym serves as a convenient place for locals to cultivate their fitness journey without the hassle of a commute or a time restriction.

The expo is a hotspot for networking and career development that works to bridge the gap between career seekers and Vermont recruiters.

Forest preservation activists are waiting to see whether their lawsuit to stop logging on about 3,760 acres on public lands around Camel’s Hump still has life.

Just 12 schools in Vermont guarantee students a personal finance class as part of their graduation requirements — including Winooski High School, where business teacher Courtney Poquette is working hard to change that. 

“We rely on that water for training, and if those beaches are closed because of the quality of the water, that really impacts us,” said the Burlington diving center’s co-owner.

The commission plans to look at draft amendments to the regulations at its next meeting on Oct. 19.

Fewer than one-fifth of agricultural business applicants had received payments. Those that did, on average, received tens of thousands of dollars less than needed.

A small crowd of students and even fewer parents oversaw the Winooski boys’ dramatic 1–0 victory over Twinfield that Wednesday.

A coalition of Vermont organizations has begun a new project to shed light on harassment, hazing and bullying in schools.

At the DoubleTree Hotel in South Burlington, shoppers browsed the wares of crafters for the Crafts Vermont Show on Nov. 12. We talked to Elizabeth Boudreau, director of events for Vermont Hand Crafters, which organizes the event. The group is celebrating its 70th year.

Our journalists interviewed 16 lawmakers about their environmental priorities ahead of the session.

With the three respiratory viruses circulating, the challenges could be more difficult than previous years.

Waterbury residents expressed concerns to the Development Review Board recently about the design of a three-story 26-unit apartment building proposed for 51 South Main Street. 

Hinesburg locals flooded the gathering space with kids and dogs, taking advantage of activities like old-timey apple pressing, a puppet show and local food offerings.

On Sept. 30, Goodling will join other Vermont sheep farmers and New England fiber artists for the 35th Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds.

What looks like a new state-of-the-art shopping mall is actually the newly constructed home of Winooski schools. 

Adjusting after a natural disaster takes many forms, and for Vermonters in the wake of this summer’s flooding, that includes changes to used car purchases. 

Lacking waste services, poor access to safe drinking water and frustration with the state’s composting requirement were highlighted as common concerns across the state in a report released late last month by state environmental officials.

Federal officials are set to disclose next month the environmental effects of a proposal to cut down trees on about 11,800 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest — and activist groups are hoping to see some changes to the plan amid campaigning to let trees stay up.

Colorful flags flew, pop music filled the air and kids leaped through the greenery trying to puncture drifting bubbles as Pride celebrations enveloped Winooski’s Rotary Park in a rainbowy display of community and performances earlier this month.

Here’s how the heating Charlotte selectboard meeting played out.

New Hampshire homeowners struggling with financial pressures related to COVID-19 still have a chance to seek relief from money provided through the state’s Homeowner Assistance Fund. 

More than 50 years, a slew of roadblocks and $45 million later, the controversial Champlain Parkway is set to push forward along Burlington’s southern edge.

When it was introduced in the Legislature last year, a bill called S.201 proposed prohibiting the use of leg-hold traps in Vermont — rigs with metal pressure plates that, when stepped on, trigger spring-loaded claws to ensnare an animal’s leg.

Even though Winooksi was spared direct damages from the recent Vermont floods, farms that benefit businesses and food programs in the city have been wiped out, causing delays in restaurants and disrupting free food services people relied on. 

Even with these losses, and 10 of the 45 acres of pasture taking significant water damage, Sanford-Long considered herself one of the luckier farms last week.

With the passage of Act 11 this past Statehouse session, legislators have cleared the way for survivors of sexual and domestic violence to take matters to a nearby community justice center. 

Earlier this month, In a backyard overlooking Spear Street, dozens of Vermont Republicans watched a four-part performed history of patriotic songs and munched on barbecue beneath an American flag the width of a two-car garage in the leadup to Independence Day. 

Come next election, if you’re 16 and live in Brattleboro, you’ll get a say in your town elections.

The state’s pandemic-era motel voucher program will continue for Winooskians and other Vermonters until April 2024. 

Lawmakers and advocates say photo-generative software represents a serious escalation of “image-based sexual abuse”

Moved inside from the rain, state and federal leaders joined together at SunCommon in Waterbury on Wednesday to announce new funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All program.

Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke that night as part of the Gen. John Stark lecture series hosted by the Ethan Allen Institute, the small-government conservative think tank named for one of Vermont’s founding fathers. 

A small group of folks made a series of weekly trips around the New North End this past winter to remove the stickers — often found on signs or poles — and the effort is set to pick back up this summer.

On Friday, April 28, the Community College of Vermont held a town meeting on its Winooski campus with Senator Bernie Sanders.

Rees, 48, has dedicated most of her life to serving the South Burlington community.

As the state pushes toward its solar goals, what environmental questions must be examined?

The Harwood Unified School District’s $45.4 million proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year represents 6.5% increase in spending for the coming year, although programs and services remain level with the current year. Voters in the district approved the request by a vote of 1,192 to 599, according to results released Wednesday.

For more than a month, members of the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union (WNESU) community have told school officials they don’t want Principal John Broadley to leave.

The Vermont Agency of Digital Services banned use of the popular app TikTok on all state-owned devices, joining more than half the states and the federal government as concerns about the app’s Chinese ownership continue to swirl.

South Burlington officials want to eliminate 60 percent of the city’s carbon footprint by 2030, and with transportation accounting for two-thirds of that figure, the city’s climate action plan finalized last October is pushing for more electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

For the first time since 2007, properties in Winooski will be reappraised.

Vermont lawmakers are seeking to give workers increased protections when it comes to collective bargaining and union organizing through a bill that has passed in the Senate with a number of changes since it was introduced. 

H.45 proposes a specific protection many might not be familiar with: protection from abusive litigation.

Vermont is the only state in the country where farmers cannot readily access a program meant to pay them back for restoring habitats around their farms.

Vermont’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, formed by legislators last year to document and examine state-sanctioned discrimination against historically oppressed groups, is in the process of hiring an executive director, legal counsel, an administrative assistant and research staff.

The bill, H.483, looks to implement a nondiscriminatory admissions process for prospective students on public tuition.

The Department for Children and Families has been in and out of the Statehouse in recent weeks to initiate the process of building a new rehab and detention facility for juveniles in Vermont, the latest steps in a plan drafted back in December. 

A proposed solar farm in Charlotte would see about 12,500 panels lined in rows across 21 acres on Lake Road.

Vermont students may have more protections when it comes to discrimination and harassment in schools as advocates are urging lawmakers to include them in a bill that right now only focuses on workplaces and places of public accommodations. 

This legislative session’s major housing bill drew a lot of attention last month for its impacts on Act 250 reform and single-family zoning.

A bill that would remove the residency requirement in Vermont’s law allowing terminally ill patients to receive medication with which to end their own life has passed the Legislature and awaits the governor’s approval. 

Vermont continues to see spikes in housing prices with the median home price rising 15% in 2022, according to the Vermont Housing Finance Agency. Communities and state officials alike have spent a lot of time discussing how the growth of short-term rentals in Vermont has contributed to the state’s housing crisis.

A bill to help small farmers diversify their products with a new grant program crossed over from the House to the Senate, but not without a significant cut in the money behind it. 

Vermonters are one step closer to receiving job-protected leave to deal with the fallout of sexual and domestic violence as part of Democrats’ major paid leave bill, which passed through the House and into the Senate last month.

South Burlington officials want to eliminate 60% of the city’s carbon footprint by 2030, and with transportation accounting for two-thirds of that figure, the city’s climate action plan finalized last October is pushing for more electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. 

As lawmakers aim to make universal school meals a permanent measure, they are also looking to make sure more of those meals are made with local food. 

Landlords would’ve had to register rental units in a statewide list under the original version of a bill moving through the Senate, but lawmakers backed away from the plan and now the bill would only commission a study of the idea.

More than 130 students came out to Vermont Technical College for the first-ever Youth Chess Day, an informal tournament organized by Bernie Sanders.

Senate legislators are considering a bill that would end a policy that suspends driver’s licenses as a result of not paying civil traffic violations within 30 days.

House lawmakers passed a sweeping land and water conservation bill March 24, in what is effectively a do-over of legislation vetoed last year by Gov. Phil Scott. 

House legislators passed a bill that would legalize mobile sports betting last week, putting Vermont on the road to joining other states in legalizing the practice.

Communities near proposed telecommunications facilities may get to have more involvement in the siting process through a bill in the House Committee on Energy and Environment.

Lawmakers in the Vermont House are expected to vote this week on a bill that would create a civil recourse for victims of stealthing — the nonconsensual removal or tampering with a condom during sex.

Voters in Brookfield secured a new town clerk, Carol Monness, to follow in the footsteps of Teresa Godfrey, but failed to decide on just one town treasurer—the vote ended in a tie.

Vermont’s post offices have been experiencing staffing shortages since the pandemic began, and the U.S. Postal Service is still playing catch-up.

Cyclists and pedestrians may soon have a safer time on Vermont roadways as state lawmakers look to improve access to certain highways by lowering speed limits and narrowing lanes to create more shoulder space.

The conflict between the desire to maintain open space and the need for more housing in Shelburne came to the forefront on Town Meeting Day when residents cast votes on whether the town should set aside funds to acquire and preserve more undeveloped land.

A new Senate bill would prohibit the manufacture and sale of cosmetic and menstrual products and textiles containing PFAS and dozens of other materials dangerous for people and the environment.

Legislators may be looking at a bill to provide two hours paid leave for employees to vote in primary, general and Town Meeting Day elections. 

House legislators passed a bill last Friday that would allow victims of “stealthing” — when someone secretly removes or tampers with a condom during sex — to bring a civil case against their assailant. 

As lawmakers evaluate a bill focused on universal public preschool, they are also considering ways to strengthen Vermont’s fragile network of private child care providers.

Lawmakers are looking to create a new grant program to help small farmers diversify their products or transition from one type of farm to another.

Residents in Bethel will tackle articles to authorize $2.5 million in bonds to improve the town’s water system, fill two openings on the selectboard, and decide if the town will move to Australian ballot voting in the following year.

Two seats on Winooski’s school board are up for grabs on Town Meeting Day, but only one of them is contested.

A year into its creation as a standalone school district, the Central Vermont Career Center is asking voters in the 18 towns it serves to approve a 17.8% increase in its annual budget to expand its offerings.

Vermonters with disabilities could soon have an easier time on the trails if a new bill is passed. 

City councilors want to drop funding for an equity director in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget, putting a “pause” on a role meant to address racial disparities in Vermont’s most racially diverse city.

Barnard residents will vote Town Meeting Day on whether the town should use $400,000 from budget surpluses to reduce property taxes and fund road repairs, along with deciding several open spots in the town government.

Guidelines for Vermont school districts’ curricula and reading materials may be changing for the first time in 10 years as a working group looks to push the state education board to put greater focus on racial and ethnic diversity and historically persecuted groups. 

South Burlington voters will decide on Town Meeting Day whether to approve a $60,000 capital improvement plan, including renovations to Farrell Dog Park, as part of the city’s fiscal 2024 budget.

More than a dozen House Republicans are looking to repeal the Global Warming Solutions Act and scrap the Vermont Climate Council — but even Gov. Phil Scott doesn’t think their bill will go anywhere.  The bill, H.74, would move away from the expansive 2020 law and toward the state’s Comprehensive Energy Plan, which is renewed […]

As high school winter sports seasons come to a close, The Valley Reporter checked in with all Harwood Union High School winter sports coaches.

A plan to add another mural to downtown Waterbury has found its blank canvas: the northeast side of Stowe Street Cafe and Bridgeside Books.

When Randolph voters hit the ballot box on Town Meeting Day, they will be deciding how to fill four spots on the selectboard and whether to boost the police budget to over $770,000 for the following fiscal year, up 121%.

Residents, teachers, and students turned out in recent weeks to persuade the Bellows Falls Union High School and Windham Northeast Supervisory Union (WNESU) boards to reinstate Principal John Broadley, who in a letter last month announced that he will not seek to renew his contract.

Harwood Basketball fans had much to cheer for in Wednesday night’s doubleheader as both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams took home victories for their senior night games.

U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vermont — the first woman and first openly LGBTQ individual to represent Vermont in Congress — attended her first State of the Union address that night. 

Nearly one in five positions sits empty within Washington County’s state-designated mental health provider.

Officials hope a new state fund can sway landlords to rent to people who might otherwise lack housing.

Lawmakers are looking to pass a bill to make universal school meals permanent in Vermont — an extension of pandemic-era policies with a price tag pegged at $29 million for next year.

With the rise of politicized medical procedures in recent years, some liberal-majority legislatures like Vermont’s are trying to protect patients who receive reproductive and gender-affirming care — and their providers.

Social services leaders say they’re scrambling to figure out what to do when the state’s program to help homeless people stay in hotels ends.

The group, created by the Waterbury Select Board last June, had its first-ever meeting this week in person at the Waterbury municipal center and carried online via Zoom as it begins to address the scarcity of affordable housing in Waterbury.

Environmental advocates across the state head into this year’s legislative session with the goal of updating Act 250 — Vermont’s land use and development law — to protect one of the state’s biggest natural resources: working forests. 

Eleven organic dairy farms in Vermont closed in 2021. The next year, 18 more followed. And this year the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont expects to lose another 28 farms. 

Vermont schools face “critical” staff shortages midway through the academic year.

Communities statewide are set to start a series of wastewater projects funded by federal Covid-19 relief money.

Around a third of Vermont’s towns have adopted declarations condemning discrimination and committing themselves to welcoming all people, and Bethel was one of the first.

Underwater robots developed by Greensea in Richmond help militaries with underwater explosive disposal and maritime industries with ship streamlining.

With a veto-proof majority, Democrats aim to take another crack at a clean heat bill and make climate issues their first priority next year in the State House.

Town leaders can get more tools to welcome newer Vermonters through a statewide program launched last month by Gov. Phil Scott and the state Office of Racial Equity.

Rachel Elliott is a reporter with Community News Service, part of the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program. A possible plan to cut down trees on nearly 11,000 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest is heightening tension between climate advocates and federal officials who claim the logging would help ecosystems. The U.S. […]

New changes in state guidelines around cosmetology licensing allow technical schools like River Bend, which offer career training in a variety of fields, to provide the full 1,000 hours required by state law for students to go work in the field.

Vermont’s recreational cannabis market has taken off this fall in the White River Valley, with more than 25 cultivators licensed by the state Cannabis Control Board in the region and more still pending.

One in every five taps tested was at or above the level requiring that it be removed, because it has a higher chance of harming children. Thousands of lead-tainted taps have been replaced or are no longer in use. Photo illustration by Natalie Williams; photo by Skitterphoto via Pexels State officials have been making the […]

Exit polling across central Vermont on Tuesday would suggest the statewide ballot item on reproductive rights, Article 22, was a leading driver for getting voters out to the polls.

Almost 70% of registered voters in Winooski cast ballots this election.

Voters went to the Orchard School Tuesday morning to cast their ballots.

The board Oct. 17 declined to approve a $3,500 request from the Andrews Town Forest Committee to pay for a trail plan study the committee had contracted and completed without approval. Officials then approved it Nov. 7 after some discussion, said Duncan Wardwell, assistant to the town manager.

Environmental groups see an opportunity to change Vermont’s energy standards and infrastructure next year as more than a third of the state’s legislators will be new to the State House.

Grafton County Commissioner Linda D. Lauer’s decision not to seek reelection this year has given two longtime public servants the chance to win the District 2 commission seat. 

Hinesburg landowners have clashed with town planners over proposed zoning changes that, to prioritize forest conservation, would more strictly govern land use across a large stretch of town.

Bridgeside Books turned down the lights for Spooky Tales readings.

The Hinesburg Firefighters’ Association Halloween Party is back this year.

have to do with funding grant projects?

At the Shelburne Community School, Dynamic Dates fundraiser raffles off adventures from teachers and staff to kids at the school.

Town officials across Washington County are anticipating higher voter turnout than previous elections this year — a trend attributed to wider use of mail-in absentee ballots.

An informational meeting to address lingering questions and concerns regarding the upcoming vote on whether to sell the property at 51 South Main Street attracted approximately 100 village residents on Tuesday. 

Two candidates who emphasize environmental concerns but differ on abortion rights will square off in the midterm election for an open New Hampshire Senate seat.

Voters may be familiar with the two candidates squaring off to represent the Orange-Caledonia District at the Statehouse.

The Old Stagecoach is entering its next chapter with a new owner as the busy winter ski season approaches.

The Montpelier Roxbury Public School Board is considering a proposal to replace the high school’s aging cinder track with rubber and add an artificial turf field.

The race for the Orange 2 House seat features two fresh faces for the Statehouse.

MONTPELIER — The Montpelier Roxbury Public School district is partnering with Talkspace, an online therapy platform, to deal with the growing need for mental health services in Vermont, particularly among youth. Superintendent Libby Bonesteel said the partnership came about after community members expressed concerns that there weren’t enough mental health providers in the area, especially […]

Anti-fossil fuel activists say officials have done too little to let people know about what’s going on.

State tax credits will help fund nearly 50 redevelopment projects around Vermont including three sites in downtown Waterbury

Voters in Braintree will face a slate of state Senate candidates entirely unfamiliar to them when they arrive to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Because the state redrew Vermont’s legislative districts this year, the Orange County town now belongs to a Senate district based mostly in Washington County. “This is definitely an interesting change […]

Two dozen craft vendors, two food trucks and many more guests turned out for the first-ever Autumnal Market in Colchester.

King McMillan, founder of the Fight for Kids Foundation, organizes events like Sweat, Flix & Chill to connect youth in the Winooski community.

Folks danced under rainbow lights for the first-ever Winooski Pride celebration this past Saturday in Rotary Park. 

A spoken word and musical show exploring the messy realities of Vermont teens and the causes they care about has swept the state in the last two years. And last week folks in Winooski got to see it themselves. Community College of Vermont in Winooski screened a recording of the show, “Listen Up,” as performed […]

MONTPELIER — Advocates warn that hundreds could be left homeless and social service groups further strained after the state’s decision to end a pandemic program to help with rent. “Our work just quadrupled overnight,” said Sue Minter, executive director of Capstone Community Action in Barre. “We had no anticipation or understanding of this. … People […]

Artists are set to show off their wares this Saturday at the third annual Vermont Backyard Artisan Craft Show.

CVFiber, the regional broadband district aiming to offer service to central Vermont towns, is set to start building its internet infrastructure in the coming weeks.

A retail cannabis shop could soon occupy the empty storefront on Main Street in Bradford.

Antique skis, bundles of books, and sets of wine glasses packed the tables outside Duxbury’s town office and garage on a recent Saturday afternoon.

Fairlee residents expressed frustration Monday that they’ve been kept in the dark by officials about cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Morey

Many balked at merging the three institutions when the idea was first introduced. And the wariness remains.

Essex Town officials have renamed the town highway garage and other public works buildings after retired longtime public works director Dennis Lutz.

The Shelburne Country Store has a new owner.

For 55 years Shelburne Highway Superintendent Paul Goodrich has worked for the town highway department to keep town streets in great condition for the community.

Two rising seniors at South Burlington High School have a plan to get fellow students interested in the school’s Ultimate Frisbee program — and to raise awareness and money to help victims of the war in Ukraine. Clara Margulius and Saksham Bhardwaj, both Ultimate Frisbee players, are holding a spike ball tournament Thursday, Aug. 18 […]

The Mad Pride March returned to Vermont this summer after the COVID-19 pandemic turned mental health advocacy virtual.

Shelburne may join a communications union district to bring broadband to unserved and underserved homes in the area.

After COVID-19 delays and logistical obstacles, the Wheeler Dog Park is set for construction starting in July.

The Ice Center has reopened after taking three months to repair and replace aging equipment

Construction in Hinesburg to extend sidewalks in the village area may finally be moving forward.

The Vermont Law School unveiled a slight name change, along with an outline for long-term growth and restructuring plans at the school’s Burlington office on St. Paul Street, Tuesday.

Williston Senior Planner Emily Heymann outlined proposed updates to Williston Village zoning regulations.

Shelburne will offer $10,000 to new police officers and dispatchers over their first two years on the job as part of a new retention and recruitment program.

With Covid seemingly in the rear view, this year’s Fourth of July parade and activities on the Village Green spread much joy and appreciation.

Historically, the Charlotte Grange acted as a society of farmers, a place for them to socialize, sell their wares and seek support from one another.

Sunday evening’s Independence Day events attracted music fans, avid readers and ice-cream lovers of all ages.

Community members gather on Sunday, June 19 at Fort Ethan Allen Park in Essex for a commemoration of Juneteenth.

Noah Lafaso

ESSEX — Locals joined people from across the state on Sunday at Fort Ethan Allen, once home to the all-Black Buffalo Soldiers cavalry unit, to celebrate Black history and culture.

The event was coordinated by the Town of Essex and commemorated Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas first heard news of their emancipation. The day has since become a holiday across the south, and last year President Joe Biden declared it a federal holiday.

“It’s important that on Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, we think about what it takes to get to a point of freedom and what the emancipation promise of Juneteenth really means,” the event’s keynote speaker and congressional candidate Sianay Clifford said

Clifford was one of several speakers and artists from around Vermont who spoke at the event. Spoken word poet Rajnii Eddins and multi-talented artist Toussaint St. Negritude also performed music and poetry for the crowd.

Attendees read quotes and short bios of prominent Black historical figures — Barack Obama, Katherine Johnson and Sarah Boone — while local businesses offered free food during the event: honey maple glazed cornbread, ice cream and custom Juneteenth cookies.

But the festivities almost didn’t happen.

Owiso Makuku, the lead organizer behind Essex’s first Juneteenth event last year, recently stepped down as the town’s community development director to become CEO of Main Street Landing.

Others had to find a way to continue her legacy. Folks were worried at first.

“I was sitting in my house thinking, ‘Oh, my goodness, it’s so hard to create an event and start it. If we don’t keep the traction and have it again, that won’t be good,’” Essex Junction resident and organizer Annie Cooper said.

She sent a flurry of emails to town and state officials: “Is Juneteenth happening?”

Through their efforts, and with the help of Town Manager Greg Duggan, the group kept Juneteenth in Essex.

“I think it’s a really great educational opportunity,” said state Rep. Rey Garafano (D-Essex) who helped the effort. “There’s a lot of people who mentioned today they didn’t hear about any of this in grade school or even college.”

The event closed with a celebration of Makuku’s contribution to Essex’s new tradition, and she reflected on what drove her to bring Juneteenth to her town.

“After George Floyd was murdered, and shortly thereafter, a bunch of other Black people were killed in police shootings,” she said. “It just sort of struck me that the only times people were coming together about people of color were when there were tragedies.”

Juneteenth, she said, was an opportunity to celebrate something positive.

“To see yourself reflected positively in a community, as opposed to a victim, or as someone who needs help, or an other, is a really amazing thing,” Makuku said.