Vermont news

• State, municipalities team up to hire mental health responders

  18-12-2017 02:22 via vtdigger.org
  ​Al Gobeille is secretary of the Agency of Human Services. File photo by Erin Mansfield/VTDiggerFrustrated by a growing mental health crisis, officials in six Chittenden County municipalities are teaming with the state to hire a new kind of first responder.
  The communities soon will be sharing four mental health counselors – known as street outreach or community outreach workers – who will try to intervene before a resident ends up in an emergency room or police custody.
  The pr
  
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• Katie Nolan: Let bears fatten up in peace

  27-09-2024 14:00 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,If you’re a black bear in Vermont, September means one thing: it’s time to work on your figure by bulking up for winter hibernation. Beechnuts, acorns and berries are in season and ripe for harvesting, providing the critical calories needed to survive a long winter slumber (known as “torpor.”)Unfortunately, bears themselves have also come into season — hunting season, that is. Vermont’s black bear hunting season began this year on Sept. 1 and runs
  
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• John Greenberg: Tom Pelham cites but does not address my tax proposal

  27-09-2024 13:30 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,Tom Pelham cites my commentary, but then doesn’t really address it.His main thrust concerns potential savings in Vermont’s public education system. This issue has been discussed and debated for as long as I can remember, but despite Pelham’s remarks, I still see no realistic possibility that any politically achievable savings would change the need for the kind of tax reform I’ve proposed. I’m more than willing to be proven wrong, but that was not and is
  
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• President Biden approves disaster declaration for late July storms in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom

  27-09-2024 04:00 via vtdigger.org
  
  Extensive damage to Red Village Road in Lyndon is seen on Wednesday, July 31. Photo by Jeb Wallace-Brodeur/VTDiggerPresident Joe Biden has approved a major disaster declaration for the late July storms that inundated Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The declaration, announced late Thursday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, opens up aid for damage caused in Caledonia, Essex and Orlean counties from July 29 through July 31.The declaration makes available federal grants and low-cost loa
  
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• Vermont delegation backs short-term spending deal but criticizes lack of additional disaster aid

  27-09-2024 00:44 via vtdigger.org
  
  Kaycen Hedges tries to clear mud from Third Street in Barre on July 11, 2024, after overnight flooding. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerCongress late Wednesday passed a stopgap spending bill to keep the federal government open until late December but declined to inject more funding into the cash-strapped Federal Emergency Management Agency.Instead, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., the emergency response agency has been permitted to begin spending out of its Fiscal Year 202
  
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• Vermont regulators to stop accepting new retail cannabis applications next month

  27-09-2024 00:16 via vtdigger.org
  
  Immature cannabis plants grow under LED lights at one of Devon Deyhle’s Tall Truck indoor grow rooms in Peacham on March 27, 2023. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe state panel that regulates Vermont’s cannabis industry voted Wednesday to temporarily stop accepting applications for new retail licenses, a move that comes amid growing concerns the market has become oversaturated in some cities and towns. The decision, which is set to take effect Oct. 25, marks the first time
  
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• Vermont regulators to stop accepting new retail cannabis applications next mont

  27-09-2024 00:16 via vtdigger.org
  
  Immature cannabis plants grow under LED lights at one of Devon Deyhle’s Tall Truck indoor grow rooms in Peacham on March 27, 2023. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe state panel that regulates Vermont’s cannabis industry voted Wednesday to temporarily stop accepting applications for new retail licenses, a move that comes amid growing concerns the market has become oversaturated in some cities and towns. The decision, which is set to take effect Oct. 25, marks the first time
  
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• Williston contractor lands $191 million contract for air defense system

  27-09-2024 00:08 via vtdigger.org
  
  A Bradley Fighting Vehicle equipped with the Iron Fist Active Protection System. Photo courtesy of General DynamicsA contractor with a facility in Williston was awarded nearly $200 million by the U.S. Department of Defense to supply the U.S. Army and other federal agencies with parts for an air defense system designed to protect armored vehicles from the ground. The award to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems — which has an engineering and supply chain facility in Willisto
  
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• Vermont has ‘critical missing piece’ in substance use treatment, advocates say

  26-09-2024 23:45 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dawn Tatro, whose daughter Jenna died from an overdose, speaks during a commemoration of International Overdose Awareness Day at City Hall Park in Burlington on Tuesday, August 29. The Tatro family has established Jenna’s Promise to battle opioid addiction. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThere’s a pattern that plays out, over and over again, among Vermonters who need treatment for substance use disorder, advocates in the field say. An individual will enter a residential rehabili
  
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• Shelburne Museum unveils design for new Native American art center

  26-09-2024 22:48 via vtdigger.org
  
  A rendering of the north facade of the Perry Center for Native American Art at Shelburne Museum. Image by Annum Architects and courtesy of Shelburne Museum
  Shelburne Museum on Thursday unveiled the design of a planned building for its Native American art collection. It also announced a new architectural team that replaces a firm it severed ties with last year. The Perry Center for Native American Art is being designed by Annum Architects of Boston and Two Row Architect of Six Nations of the
  
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• Judge signals quick decision in education secretary lawsuit, with Vermont Supreme Court likely to weigh in

  26-09-2024 18:53 via vtdigger.org
  
  Tanya Vyhovsky, left, Zoie Saunders. Photos by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe judge considering a lawsuit over the governor’s reappointment of Interim Education Secretary Zoie Saunders signaled a decision could arrive as soon as today.Sens. Tanya Vyhovsky, P/D-Chittenden Central, and Dick McCormack, D-Windsor, sued Gov. Phil Scott and Saunders in June over the governor’s decision to reappoint the education secretary immediately after the Vermont Senate voted 19-9 not to confirm Saunders.&
  
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• At least 3 Vermont school districts warn parents that lack of staff will prevent adequate special education services

  26-09-2024 13:45 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Barre City Elementary and Middle School seen on August 8, 2023.File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerAt least three school districts are warning parents that due to a lack of staff, their children may not receive the special education services they’re legally entitled to receive. The Barre Unified Union School District, South Burlington School District and Lamoille North Supervisory Union preemptively alerted parents in form letters to expect the services in their kids’ indivi
  
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• Patrick Flood: Finally, a serious plan for health care reform

  26-09-2024 13:30 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Patrick Flood of Woodbury. He is former commissioner of the Vermont Department of Mental Health and the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living, and former deputy secretary of the Agency of Human Services. Finally, we have a meaningful proposal for health carereform in Vermont. A consultant for the Green Mountain Care Board has provided a plan for health care reform that will better serve Vermonters and reduce costs. Now, the question is, will the gove
  
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• Lee Russ: Who can call this progress?

  26-09-2024 13:30 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,The Legislature allocated a large sum of money — I believea million dollars — for a consultant to assess the state of Vermont’s healthcare and identify potential solutions.After many months and miles and meetings, the consultant, Dr. Bruce Hamory, released a lengthy report that identified numerous problems. The vast majority of these he could have gleaned from simply reading news headlines (people unable to afford premiums and out-of-pocket costs, wait times too lon
  
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• Man gets at least 20 years in plea deal in Woodbury double murder 

  26-09-2024 00:42 via vtdigger.org
  
  The house on Bliss Road in Woodbury where homicide victim Carol Fradette’s body was found Oct. 31, 2018. Photo by Alan Keays/VTDigger A former Connecticut man has been sentenced to at least 20 years in prison after pleading no contest to two murder charges in the shooting deaths of two people in Woodbury over a drug debt nearly six years ago. Manuel Gomez, 35, pleaded no contest Wednesday in Washington County Superior criminal court in Barre to two charges of second-degree murder as w
  
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• Pressure builds for Phil Scott to intervene on motel program evictions

  25-09-2024 23:36 via vtdigger.org
  
  Frank Knaack, executive director of the Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont, speaks at a Statehouse press conference demanding state action to prevent motel housing voucher evictions on September 25, 2024. Photo by Carly Berlin/ VTDigger and Vermont PublicThis story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public.Amidst a wave of evictions from Vermont’s motel voucher program, pressure is mounting on Gov. Phi
  
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• Vermont Conversation: Yale historian Timothy Snyder on freedom and fascism

  25-09-2024 23:17 via vtdigger.org
  
  
  Professor Timothy Snyder and his book, “On Freedom.” Photo courtesy of Timothy SnyderThe Vermont Conversation with David Goodman is a VTDigger podcast that features in-depth interviews on local and national issues with politicians, activists, artists, changemakers and citizens who are making a difference. Listen below, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify to hear more.Timothy Snyder is the Richard C. Levin Professor of History and
  
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• Vermont Supreme Court hears Human Rights Commission’s lawsuit against St. Johnsbury 

  25-09-2024 22:52 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Vermont Supreme Court building on State Street in Montpelier on Tuesday, June 18. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe Vermont Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments in a discrimination lawsuit filed by the state Human Rights Commission against the town of St. Johnsbury.The case stems from a town Development Review Board decision during the Covid-19 pandemic. The commission told the appeals court that the board discriminated against St. Johnsbury resident Nicole Stone by denying a variance
  
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• Vermonters Stitching It Together: The Deep Ties Between Mental Health, Belonging, and Strong Communities

  25-09-2024 17:36 via vtdigger.org
  
  We live in an era where it’s easy to see division: In news headlines, political polls, and anonymous online debates that too often turn rancorous. At times the discord blares so loudly that it’s difficult to hear the notes of optimism and unity that exist in our communities now and need to be amplified. While our differences may be highlighted in the news, there are strong currents of connection and understanding that offer hope for a better future built by people who can work t
  
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• Stitching Together Community: How Vermonters Are Using Art to Bridge Divides

  25-09-2024 17:36 via vtdigger.org
  
  We live in an era where it’s easy to see division: In news headlines, political polls, and anonymous online debates that too often turn rancorous. At times the discord blares so loudly that it’s difficult to hear the notes of optimism and unity that exist in our communities now and need to be amplified. While our differences may be highlighted in the news, there are strong currents of connection and understanding that offer hope for a better future built by people who can work t
  
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• Four reasons to make saving for college or training part of your back-to-school routine

  25-09-2024 17:18 via vtdigger.org
  
  Back-to-school can mean drop-off at daycare, a first big yellow bus ride, a shiny set of tools, move-in day in a dorm, and so many other things. As students of all ages head to school this September, National College Savings Month reminds families about the importance of focusing on future education, too. The years fly by. By preparing now for future educational opportunities for your student, you’ll be better able to make sure the savings will be there for them whenever they need it.
  
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• Walmart plans to upgrade and relocate its Rutland store by 2027

  25-09-2024 16:12 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Walmart store in downtown Rutland in 2017. Photo by Alan J. Keays/VTDiggerWalmart is relocating and growing its location in Rutland.The company told the Rutland Select Board Tuesday it will submit plans to move the existing location at 90 Shopping Plaza Road to the site of the former Diamond Run Mall. The new location will be a Walmart “Supercenter,” offering groceries, a drive-thru pharmacy, auto care and expanded online pickup. “We look forward to the opportunit
  
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• New England journalism organization honors VTDigger for coverage of flooding and Abenaki identity 

  25-09-2024 15:38 via vtdigger.org
  
  Shaun Robinson, who won a Publick Occurrences Award at the New England Newspaper and Press Association’s fall conference on September 21, 2024, pictured earlier that month at the Manchester Community Library. File photo by Glenn Russell.The New England Newspaper and Press Association has named VTDigger a “distinguished” news organization. It also honored the nonprofit digital news site’s reporting on Vermont’s 2023 flooding and a pitched battle over Abenaki identity
  
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• Rachel Stark: We should be cautious about easing restrictions on cannabis

  25-09-2024 14:00 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Rachel Stark of Shrewsbury, executive director of Spring Lake Ranch Therapeutic Community. The Biden Administration announced in May a plan to shift marijuana from a schedule I substance to a schedule III substance. At first glance, this might not mean much to a state like Vermont, where cannabis is legal, but it signals a shift at the federal level that is best balanced by increased regulation, education and resources for those who struggle with mental health and subs
  
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• To Vermont faith groups, ‘climate crisis is a spiritual crisis’

  25-09-2024 13:30 via vtdigger.org
  
  Ascension Lutheran Church, surrounded by trees in South Burlington, has had a focus on faith-guided environmentalism. Photo courtesy of Liv MillerKate Kampner is a reporter with Community News Service, part of the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program.Sam Swanson understands people can feel hopeless in preventing climate change. “You can feel the despair,” he said. “No one needs to be doing the things that need to be done.” As
  
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• Bob Stannard: ‘Don’t You Lie To Me’

  25-09-2024 13:00 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Bob Stannard of Manchester Center. He is an author, musician and former state legislator and lobbyist.“Don’t lie to me, don’t you lie to me / ‘Cause it makes me mad and I get shook up as a man can be” — Tampa Red, interpreted by Chuck BerryThere was a time when a man’s word was his bond. Actually, it was most of the time. During the time of the Revolutionary War there lived a Vermont hero, Ethan Allen. Ethan was one of the
  
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• St. Johnsbury police sergeant denies aggravated assault charge over jaywalking

  25-09-2024 02:24 via vtdigger.org
  
  Photo via PixabayA St. Johnsbury police sergeant has pleaded not guilty to an aggravated assault charge after he was accused of using excessive force on a man who he stopped for allegedly jaywalking.George Johnson, 44, of Lunenburg, appeared Monday in Caledonia County Superior criminal court in St. Johnsbury for an arraignment on the felony charge. Vermont State Police, the law enforcement agency that investigated the case, announced last month that it had cited Johnson into court.After ent
  
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• Big barges help install cable for New York power project in Lake Champlain

  24-09-2024 22:09 via vtdigger.org
  
  Crew members on several barges floating on Lake Champlain are working to install a cable that stretches from the Canadian border to Queens, New York. The main barge houses equipment that installs cable under the lake bed, while multiple cable transportation barges hold approximately 12 miles of cable each. Photo courtesy of Gaye SymingtonFrom afar, three barges in the middle of Lake Champlain may look like a floating amusement park, but in fact, they are part of a project to install a cable that
  
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• The state wants to build a new women’s prison. What do those held there think?

  24-09-2024 21:56 via vtdigger.org
  
  SOUTH BURLINGTON— The political debate about plans to replace Vermont’s only women’s prison, Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, is marked by calls for reform, fiscal responsibility and abolitionism. But for those who are incarcerated at or work inside the 50-year old facility originally built for short term confinement, the debate centers on quality of life. “This place is just too old and small,” Erika Cassani, who’s incarcerated at CRCF, sa
  
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• Conservation Law Foundation proceeds with lawsuit against state for alleged violations of climate law

  24-09-2024 20:59 via vtdigger.org
  
  Traffic travels along Main Street in Burlington on Tuesday, May 14. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe Conservation Law Foundation filed a lawsuit against Vermont Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore on Tuesday for allegedly violating the state’s 2020 Global Warming Solutions Act. In July, the organization gave the state notice that it intended to file the lawsuit, and requested state officials work with them to settle the matter. The state has not engaged in those discussions with
  
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