Vermont news

• Rich Holschuh: Choosing understanding over competition

  18-06-2024 12:03 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Rich Holschuh. He lives in Wantastegok/Brattleboro and serves as chair of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs. He is a citizen of and cultural relations officer with Elnu Abenaki band, and is a co-director of the Atowi Project.
  Professor David Massell’s opinion piece, “The awkward truth about Vermont’s Abenaki,” published in VTDigger on May 29, is itself a dismaying example of polemics masquerading as fact. As a University of Verm
  
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• Best of the Vermont Conversation: The ‘courageous doctor’ who helped legalize abortion in Vermont

  26-06-2024 22:02 via vtdigger.org
  
  
  Jackson Beecham. Photo courtesy of Jackson Beecham
  The 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.
  This Vermont Conversation with Jackson Beecham originally aired in July 2022.When the U.S. Supreme Court ove
  
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• Dramatic win buoys plans for a new women’s soccer team in Vermont

  26-06-2024 21:43 via vtdigger.org
  
  Players on Vermont Green FC’s first-ever women’s team celebrate with fans at a game in Burlington on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Photo courtesy of Vermont Green FC
  Vermont Green FC’s women’s soccer team ended its first-ever match last weekend in what was, probably, the most dramatic way possible. After leading their opponent — FC Laval of Quebec — 1-0 for much of the second half, Vermont Green conceded a goal just minutes before the final whistle. That sent
  
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• Fall tuition bill? 4 steps to help keep the stress out of paying for school

  26-06-2024 19:57 via vtdigger.org
  
  Summer is in full force, but students and families will soon be facing an important deadline: paying the fall tuition bill. As you anticipate new courses, meeting friends, and living on or off campus, a crucial “to-do” before you start packing is determining how you’ll cover tuition and expenses. It can be overwhelming, especially when you don’t have the money on hand.But that’s where VSAC, Vermont’s nonprofit state agency for higher education, can help. VSAC
  
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• Don Tinney: Political courage, not popularity, will build a stronger Vermont

  26-06-2024 17:59 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Don Tinney. He is a longtime high school English teacher and represents 13,000 educators as president of Vermont-NEA.
  No political insiders in Montpelier were surprised when Sen. Jane Kitchel condemned the Scott administration’s proposal to zero out the education fund reserves to provide short-term property tax relief, saying “that is a practice that we never ever had considered, or would consider, as fiscally responsible use of a reserve.”In her long, di
  
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• Neil Odell: Want lower taxes? It’s not so simple.

  26-06-2024 12:53 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Neil Odell of Norwich. He is on the steering committee of Friends of Vermont Public Education, and is a Norwich/Dresen school board member.
  Back in late February, I had to stand up at Town Meeting and tell my community that I anticipated our taxes would increase by double digits.
  It wasn’t fun.
  We’re looking at a 15% increase, and I’m not at all happy about it. I have to pay it, too. My town elected me to make decisions about our schools and about our tax
  
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• Neil Odell: It’s not so simple, Gov. Scott

  26-06-2024 12:53 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Neil Odell of Norwich. He is on the steering committee of Friends of Vermont Public Education, and is a Norwich/Dresen school board member.
  Back in late February, I had to stand up at Town Meeting and tell my community that I anticipated our taxes would increase by double digits. It wasn’t fun. We’re looking at a 15% increase and I’m not at all happy about it. I have to pay it too. My town elected me to make decisions about our schools and about our taxes
  
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• Neil Odell: It’s not so simple, Gov. Phil Scott

  26-06-2024 12:53 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Neil Odell of Norwich. He is on the steering committee of Friends of Vermont Public Education, and is a Norwich/Dresen school board member.
  Back in late February, I had to stand up at Town Meeting and tell my community that I anticipated our taxes would increase by double digits.
  It wasn’t fun.
  We’re looking at a 15% increase, and I’m not at all happy about it. I have to pay it, too. My town elected me to make decisions about our schools and about our tax
  
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• Vermont flood anniversaries once brought revelry and relief. This summer will be different.

  26-06-2024 12:08 via vtdigger.org
  
  This is Part 1 of Downstream, a 9-part series looking at what’s changed — and what hasn’t — one year after catastrophic floods swept through Vermont.How do you commemorate one of the most destructive floods in state history? A year after 2011’s Tropical Storm Irene, Vermonters could count the ways.Brattleboro, for example, screened “Singin’ in the Rain” in a once waterlogged theater.Pittsfield hosted a potluck picnic on the green where all 546 tow
  
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• Shots for trees: Williston tries to stay one step ahead of invasive beetles

  25-06-2024 23:20 via vtdigger.org
  
  Kris Dullmer of Ash Tree Solutions, right, injects a pesticide into an ash tree named Big Jim in the Williston Town Forest to combat the emerald ash borer in Williston on Tuesday, June 25. Drilling and prepping the holes for the injection is Kevin Brewer of Arborjet, left. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
  Latex gloves, alcohol wipes and needles are common tools for administering injections — even when the shots are for trees. On Tuesday, the Catamount Community Forest became a doctor&
  
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• As negotiations continue, UVM Medical Center nurses vote to allow strike

  25-06-2024 19:34 via vtdigger.org
  
  Deb Snell, head of the nurses union at the University of Vermont Medical Center, announces that union members have authorized the bargaining committee to call for a strike vote if negotiations with the hospital fail during a press conference in Burlington on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerNurses at the University of Vermont Medical Center have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike as they negotiate with hospital administrators for a new contract, union representativ
  
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• Burlington council gives unanimous approval to mayor’s $107.8 million budget

  25-06-2024 19:25 via vtdigger.org
  
  The Burlington skyline is seen on Thursday, January 2, 2020.Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
  The Burlington City Council has unanimously approved the city’s $107.8 million fiscal year 2025 budget, which marks a 7% increase over the current year’s budget and will bring a nearly 11% increase to the municipal tax rate.The budget, passed Monday night, closes a significant gap that ballooned from $9 million to $14.2 million. New revenue is being brought in through tax and fee increases, w
  
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• Max Tyler: The Vermont Legislature is exacerbating our affordability crisis

  25-06-2024 15:38 via vtdigger.org
  
  Dear Editor,This week, the Vermont legislature overrode Gov. Scott’s veto of H.887, the “yield bill,” which funds our public education system through property taxes. This bill will directly impact Vermont property owners, raising the average property tax by a significant 13.8%.It is crucial to understand that this tax increase is not an isolated event. It is a significant addition to the already heavy burden of the nation’s fourth-highest property tax rate, as reported by
  
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• Recovery at work: Employees find community and care at Rhino Foods

  25-06-2024 13:56 via vtdigger.org
  
  Lauren McBride, director of People and Culture at Rhino Foods (left), chats with Luong Nguyen in the company’s cafeteria in Burlington on Tuesday, June 11. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
  BURLINGTON – Tricia Bisson pointed to her photo on the colorful wall of fame recognizing employee contributions. It says she is “a star performer” and commends her can-do attitude that “continually inspires her fellow Rhinos.”Next to her plaque is one featuring John Ritchie,
  
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• Flor Diaz Smith: We must work together on creating a better funding system for education

  25-06-2024 12:03 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Flor Diaz Smith, president of the Vermont School Boards Association.
  As this school year ends, schools are celebrating graduations. This is an important moment for all our students, families and educators across Vermont. It is a celebration that public education is at the center of our communities and the foundation of our democracy. As our high school graduates around the state go out into the world, we are reminded that providing an equitable, high-quality education is s
  
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• 3 days after South Burlington chemical spill, cleanup continues

  24-06-2024 23:48 via vtdigger.org
  
  A warning sign seen on the Island Line Trail near the North Shore Natural Area in Burlington on Sunday, June 23. Photo by Alicia Freese/VTDigger
  Cleanup efforts are still underway after 800 gallons of chemical fire-fighting foam spilled at the Vermont National Guard’s aviation facility in South Burlington. The building’s fire suppression system experienced a mechanical failure late Thursday night and began releasing the foam. By Friday morning, the foam had leaked into the faci
  
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• To fund lawsuit over education secretary, senators sought donations

  24-06-2024 22:44 via vtdigger.org
  
  Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, D-Chittenden Central, seen on the first day of the legislative biennium at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Jan. 04, 2023.File ohoto by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
  Last week, two state senators announced they were suing Gov. Phil Scott over his appointment of Interim Education Secretary Zoie Saunders. In a Friday press conference, Sens. Tanya Vyhovsky, P/D-Chittenden Central, and Dick McCormack, D-Windsor, said they’d raised more than $11,000 to fund the lawsuit, which
  
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• Once a workplace for immigrants, historic Brattleboro factory may house refugees

  24-06-2024 22:25 via vtdigger.org
  
  Factory buildings of the former Estey Organ Co. stand guard over Birge Street in Brattleboro. Photo by Kevin O’Connor/VTDigger
  BRATTLEBORO — Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, skilled crafters and carvers traveled across oceans to work at this town’s former Estey Organ Co., once the world’s largest manufacturer of pump and pipe instruments.A century and a half later, the long-shuttered factory may again welcome immigrants.Developers are seeking to convert one of sev
  
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• Richard Oliver Brooks

  24-06-2024 20:36 via vtdigger.org
  
  Born 1934Died June 15th, 2024Lebanon, New HampshireDetails of servicesTo plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.Richard Oliver Brooks (89) of Norwich died on June 15th, 2024, at the Jack Byrne Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital.Born in 1934, he led a life deeply committed to continuous learning and in particular, his love for reading and writing. Brooks received his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and advanced degrees from the University of
  
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• Dr. John Raser: Town medicine

  24-06-2024 20:26 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Dr. John Raser of St. Johnsbury. He is a former member of the planning board and currently serves on the town bicycle and pedestrian committee. He is a clinical assistant professor of family medicine and community health at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine, and adjunct assistant professor at UVM Larner College of Medicine.
  As a family doctor, a parent and just as a human, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the crises of our time. We must stop climate change and cut
  
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• Did you know health data helps EMS providers in Vermont?

  24-06-2024 16:04 via vtdigger.org
  
  You might not think about Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on a daily basis, but when the seconds count and lives hang in the balance, EMS are the heroes rushing to the scene. These dedicated professionals are a lifeline for our communities, providing critical care in the most urgent moments.   In Vermont, EMS is composed of nearly 170 ambulance and first responder agencies supported by approximately 3,000 licensed EMS practitioners. From addressing minor medical concerns to hand
  
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• Grace Cottage welcomes new chief executive

  24-06-2024 12:58 via vtdigger.org
  
  Olivia Sweetnam has been named the new chief executive officer at Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital in Townshend. She will start work on July 1. Photo Courtesy of The Commons.
  This story by Virginia Ray was first published by The Commons on June 18.TOWNSHEND — As fundraising continues for a new rural health clinic, Olivia Sweetnam has been named the new chief executive officer at Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital.On July 1, Sweetnam will replace Doug DiVello, who announc
  
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• Teddy Waszazak: Universal school meals are delivering for Vermont children, families and schools

  24-06-2024 12:02 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Teddy Waszazak of Barre. He is the legislative policy lead at Hunger Free Vermont, a statewide advocacy and education nonprofit working to end hunger in Vermont.
  As another school year comes to a close, all of us in Vermont have two exciting milestones to celebrate: the start of summer and one year of permanent universal school meals. As students, family, school staff and our greater communities turn their attention to swimming holes, family BBQs and summer camps, I wanted
  
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• Vermont remains under tornado watch

  23-06-2024 20:50 via vtdigger.org
  
  Image from National Weather Service of Burlington, VT.Updated at 3:12 p.m.The National Weather Service has placed the entire state of Vermont under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. At around 2 p.m. on Sunday, it issued warnings for parts of Lamoille, Addison, Chittenden and Washington counties — meaning radar activity indicated a tornado could be imminent — but by 3 p.m. the storm had weakened and the warning expired. Marlon Verasamy, a meteorologist with the National Weather
  
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• Vermont placed under tornado watch

  23-06-2024 20:50 via vtdigger.org
  
  Image from National Weather Service of Burlington, VT.Updated at 3:12 p.m.The National Weather Service has placed the entire state of Vermont under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. At around 2 p.m. on Sunday, it issued warnings for parts of Lamoille, Addison, Chittenden and Washington counties — meaning radar activity indicated a tornado could be imminent — but by 3 p.m. the storm had weakened and the warning expired. Marlon Verasamy, a meteorologist with the National Weather
  
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• Tornado warning issued for parts of Vermont; entire state under watch

  23-06-2024 20:50 via vtdigger.org
  
  Image from National Weather Service of Burlington, VT.The National Weather Service has placed the entire state of Vermont under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. and issued warnings for parts of Lamoille, Addison, Chittenden and Washington counties as of 2:28 p.m. on Sunday. A warning means radar activity has indicated a tornado could be imminent in those areas. A “severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over North Fayston, moving east at 35 mph,” as of 2
  
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• Stowe property values double after reassessment

  23-06-2024 16:58 via vtdigger.org
  
  Downtown Stowe. Photo via Adobe Stock
  This story by Tommy Gardner was first published in the Stowe Reporter on June 20.Got $1.5 million? That is now officially the average appraised price of a home in Stowe, following a townwide property value reassessment that recently wrapped up after two years of work.Stowe town appraiser Tim Morrissey said that, while it seems these new values — which will be released next week — might have appeared overnight, Stowe hasn’t done a townwide
  
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• Vermonters with hearing and vision loss fear end of a pilot program

  23-06-2024 14:04 via vtdigger.org
  
  Rene Pellerin, seen at home in Waterbury Center on Friday, June 21, is DeafBlind and has been using a pilot program that provides the assistance of a sighted guide who uses tactile American Sign Language. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
  For roughly the past two years, the state of Vermont has operated a program to help people like René Pellerin.Pellerin, who lives in Waterbury Center, has dual sensory loss — he is deaf and has a condition that has caused his vision to deteriorate.
  
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• Dean Pineles: On the 40th anniversary of the raid at Island Pond, the fundamental dilemma lingers

  23-06-2024 13:57 via vtdigger.org
  
  This commentary is by Dean Pineles. He served as a Vermont district judge from 1984-2005, and then worked internationally as a judicial adviser and criminal judge for most of the next decade. He is author of “A Judge’s Odyssey: From Vermont to Russia, Kazakhstan and Georgia, then on to War Crimes and Organ trafficking in Kosovo”
  At dawn on June 22, 1984, 90 police officers and around 50 social workers, plus medical personnel and numerous state officials, descended upon the rec
  
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• Young Writers Project: ‘After’

  23-06-2024 12:58 via vtdigger.org
  
  “Party,” by Naomi Segal, 13, of Woodstock
  Young Writers Project is a creative online community of teen writers, photographers and artists, which has been based in Vermont since 2006. Each week, VTDigger features the writing and art of young Vermonters who publish their work on youngwritersproject.org, a free, interactive website for 12- to 18-year-olds. To find out more, visit youngwritersproject.org, or contact Executive Director Susan Reid at sreid@youngwriters
  
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