Vermont’s blotter this week ran heavy on drugs, break-ins and impaired driving. A federal judge handed down a six-year sentence in a Windham County guns-and-drugs case, troopers chased down a wanted man at a Newbury burglary, and a Rutland man was charged with torching a community center.
Vermont’s net metering decision just made solar harder; $4 million in FEMA funding coming to Vermont; Kingdom East School District narrowly approves $53.2M revised budget; Vermont State Police investigating ‘road rage’ incident in Middlesex
Neither Mahdawi nor the ACLU mention state police citing his attempt to return from an overseas trip over a decade ago with illegal drugs and a large amount of cash in his possession. Nor do they mention the police report (cited and brushed aside by the federal judge in his decision) about his alleged effort to work for a Vermont gun repair shop, also over a decade ago, citing his expertise acquired in his homeland.
A Connecticut man, who is charged with defrauding the office of the Vermont State Treasurer out of nearly $475,000, had his federal court hearing postponed Thursday when he tested positive for drugs.
Outrage as Netanyahu is caught spying on Trump’s Iran negotiators – as JD Vance reveals a chilling truth about Israel; Trump calls off Iran strikes, tells The Post U.S.-Tehran deal is ‘all wrapped up’; Senate wants to force U.S. to share sensitive intel with Israel
She was riding a 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster southbound when she struck a guardrail.
“Even if our two countries are now like an old married couple who sleep in separate rooms and use separate doors, no matter which door we use it is inside that we will as always meet in friendship.”
Sunny Lowdown is going to open the show with a solo performance. After a quick set with my old bandmates, we’re going to have a Blues Jam where local players can try their hand at wooing the crowd. There are slew of other great players, too numerous to mention, who are playing on supporting the Vermont Blues Society’s event.
There is so much about our great nation to celebrate, particularly in this 250th year since its birth.
Despite political differences, descendants of longtime lawmaker, prosecutor ‘intend to keep the race cordial”
Vermont woman sentenced on firearms offense following fatal shooting; Haskell Free Library holds ribbon cutting for new Canadian citizen entrance; Several roads washed out in Vermont after overnight storms Wednesday; Franklin Foods’ Enosburg Falls plant set to close in August
The investigation began May 19, when troopers and the Vermont Department for Children and Families launched a joint inquiry into a report of suspected sexual abuse involving a child.
“If my choice of words offended some people, I understand that. But the truth is, my frustration doesn’t come from a bad place, ” Coester said in response to Dame’s condemnation of a profanity -laced critique of a reporter and lawmakers.
An advocacy group’s new poll put the issue at the center of the Chittenden County State’s Attorney race. The August vote turnout will be the real test.
The danger of raising a generation of victims
Investigation has shown Crooker was fatally shot at a home shared by Nickles and Lisa Akey and his body was later burned, records show. Vermont State Police later found some bones, but detectives were unable to locate the skull. The investigation continues.
We can solve the nation’s health problems if we establish gold standard science.
But if AI becomes simply the newest tool for satire, parody and political commentary, banning it outright could collide with the First Amendment.
Vermont Green FC plays Canada’s national soccer team in World Cup tuneup; New animal cruelty law to take effect in Vermont next month; From players to family: The lasting Impact of the Lake Monsters Host Program
99 dairy products processing jobs and 142 health care positions are being eliminated in two unrelated layoffs announced this week.
Back to the woodstove? Not quite…
Vermont Public, VT Digger, and Seven Days have done their legislative session wrap-ups. In the year rural Vermonters found their voices, these outlets are mostly disinterested in rural perspectives.
Platner, 41, an ex-Marine whose Nazi tattoo, misogynistic behavior and anti-establishment rhetoric have raised questions over his fitness for public office, nonetheless trounced Maine Gov. Janet Mills by winning roughly 70 percent of Tuesday’s vote.
Four people, including a career criminal, were arrested during a drug raid at 501 Pleasant Street in Newport City on Tuesday, police said.
Whether we live in Swanton, Guilford, Pownal, or anywhere in between, Vermonters take pride in our self-sufficiency and resilience. When we see a problem, we fix it, whether it’s a broken fence or a broken economy. The next two years of the Trump administration will almost certainly see Washington punishing so-called “blue states” like Vermont with less federal help than ever. No one is coming to save us, so it’s up to us to invest in ourselves, and our communities.
A federal-grant project led by UVM Extension will map what Vermonters need to thrive, drawing in part on Local Minutes, an AI tool that searches municipal meeting records. The tool’s own disclaimer says it should not be the sole basis for important decisions.
An Open Letter to the Cabot School Board, June 8th, 2026
Study shows Republicans and Democrats can agree on something.
Ellen E. Willson, 39, of Federal Street has pleaded not guilty in Vermont Superior Court in North Hero to charges of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of gross negligent operation: one with death resulting and one with serious bodily injury, all from the June 15, 2025 crash.
“President Donald Trump also embraces giving the public a stake in AI’s growth,” reports the Brattleboro Reformer.
VTGOP Chairman Paul Dame has joined the weekly rotation of hosts on WDEV’s “Vermont Viewpoint” program from 9am to 11am. The station has already given a platform to Vermont Democrat Chair Lachlan Francis for several weeks, and Dame is being added to the weekly rotation for the foreseeable future.
Man arrested after reported arson at Rutland rec center; Meal program remains in Burlington park despite mayor’s concerns; Riders on the Storm Drains: Barre Turns to ‘Adopt-a-Drain’ to Reduce Flooding; Montpelier’s former post office is up for auction this month. Its lead contender has doubts about the property’s condition; Franklin County Field Days cancelled again
“I think we’re all coming around to the fact that some take a different route and heading to college right off may not be the best path for everyone,” Scott said.
Springfield Police, assisted by the heavily armed Vermont State Police SWAT Team, conducted an early morning drug raid at 26 Litchfield St. on Friday.
The horses’ owners arrived and told responders the animals had broken out of a containment fence.
Platner, wounded by yet another allegation of questionable behavior, avowed he’s not being pressured to drop out.
Ingalls confirmed to VDC today that he is starting a platform, and that he never said he was starting a party.
Vermont man dies from injuries sustained in May single-car crash; One UVM lab’s surprise discovery led to flu science breakthrough; Play it again, Sam: A Vermont picture palace reels in new money with old movies; Skatepark becomes stage during Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
Kurt Wright returns to AM talk radio; Speaking of graduation; Civics Bee today in Stowe
In any given year, roughly 1 in every 430 Black Vermonters is directly targeted in a bias-motivated crime. In a small, close-knit community, that’s not a distant statistic — it’s a neighbor, a coworker, a family member.
And dump the VTNEA!
As the state’s four-year campuses cut programs and ran deficits, CCV grew. The reasons are structural — and they’re reshaping the choices facing Vermont families.
We bring the data. You form the opinions.
People lose trust when government becomes hard to understand. They lose trust when enforcement feels uneven. They lose trust when decisions seem distant from everyday life. And they lose trust when state agencies begin sounding like owners instead of caretakers.
When did our schools become so deeply involved in questions that used to be debated primarily in legislatures, courtrooms, town halls, and around kitchen tables?
The juvenile was transported to Copley Hospital for treatment.
This budget reflects a period of relative fiscal discipline as the state navigates the end of “abundant” pandemic-era federal funding.
Albert Sponheimer, of East Rygate, was there that day, and was awarded the Silver Star for his heroic work as a medic…. He saved countless lives while exposing himself to heavy enemy fire on the shores of Omaha Beach.
H.727- Data Center Bill veto analysis
The death of a 13-year-old student has prompted an outpouring of grief in Barre, along with broader community conversations about youth mental health, bullying prevention, and support for LGBTQ+ young people.
Lamoille County Sheriff: child on bicycle hit by drunk driver; 80-hour weeks and drowning in debt: UVM Medical Center resident doctors rally for a new contract; Vermont Supreme Court: landowners not liable for injury to trespassers
Krowinski and Baruth leaving a disaster in their wake.
Even out of power, the Biden administration just keeps on giving.
Karen Paul was defeated in her 2024 Burlington mayoral bid.
At the time of the offense in September 2021, Fox was working for a social services agency serving as a caretaker.
To date, most of President Donald Trump ‘47’s pardons and small handful of commutations have been for people convicted of fraud, other financial crimes, and obstructing access to abortion clinics. A few have been drug-crime related. None are from Vermont.
As we gear up for the 2026 elections, all of our Republican incumbents can be proud of the work that was done and look ahead to doing even more if Vermonters once again grant our candidates their votes and support to keep making a difference the Vermont Way.
It is his turn and the next week will tell us whether he can be a senator
Federal authorities have arrested five out-of-state suspects as part of more than a $500,000 fraud perpetrated on banks and credit unions throughout Vermont and the Northeast.
Shortly after Ingalls made his post, sources closely familiar with the discussions told VDC that conversations about forming a new political party have been taking place for some time among Ingalls and others involved with the Rural Vermont Rising community.
Affordable housing complex opens in downtown Waterbury; District officials explain how state education bills will impact HUUSD; BETA Technologies opens doors to local and national media for the first time
The larger protest group included members of labor organizations, education advocates, socialist organizations and transgender rights supporters.
Tunbridge school fire ruled accidental; Six people threatened by man in public place
The 4.99 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will deliver backup power for four hours at peak output, according to a December, 2025 report to the Vermont Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the state’s regulatory and permitting body for most energy projects. The project, built by Lightshift Energy on private land, would expand battery storage capacity already present in nearby Panton.
Community organizer and campaign strategist Joanna Grossman and pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth Ann Hunt are running to bring new ideas to the district.
Vermonters gather at the Ann Story cabin in Salisbury to celebrate the Revolutionary War heroine.
Legislative wrap-up on parental rights
An award-winning now former Lamoille County deputy sheriff, who officials maintain helped cause a mistrial in a homicide case, has pleaded not guilty in Vermont Superior Court in Hyde Park to three felony counts, including two counts of obstruction of justice.
Sanity and legal protections prevail.
Secure facility would be open in 2028.
Pitre currently volunteers throughout Lamoille County and surrounding communities, including organizing and participating in local music programs for seniors, individuals with special needs, and community gatherings.
Vermonter train delayed after collision with pedestrian; Three seriously injured in Jericho crash; US Education Secretary tours Vermont schools with pushback from residents, students
If S.208 had become law, Vermont anti-ICE demonstrators and the government officials in active or tacit support of them would have another weapon at their disposal – as seen in New Jersey.
State biologists urge boaters, anglers, and shoreline residents to respect two of Vermont’s most ecologically important — and often misunderstood — native species.
The week’s incidents are a reminder of the steady, often difficult work of keeping Vermont’s communities safe.
Those who support an unmasking bill need to take notice
After years of studies, hearings, delays, working groups, and repeated acknowledgment that Vermont has a dangerous forensic system gap, I am deeply grateful to finally see meaningful movement forward.
Vermont State Police Drug Task Force detectives and the Tactical Services Unit executed a search warrant at a Johnson residence on June 2, arresting James Mason, 47, and Danarius Davis, 23, on a slate of drug charges that includes fentanyl trafficking, cocaine sales, and conspiracy.
The DOT described the flight as a milestone in the development of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs.
Attorney General Charity Clark has joined six other states in challenging the federal cancellation of an offshore wind lease off New York. The electricity at issue belongs to New York and was never bound for Vermont, so the outcome changes little for Vermont’s grid either way. Joining still commits some of Vermont’s legal resources.
Decades later, the BergCum Swim Club relives childhood memories.
A Richards campaign ad released last week shows her playing the Governor Mom role. Her kitchen – peanut butter jar and all – is her stage as she pitches Vermonters on why Scott was wrong to veto the data center bill.
It would accelerate Vermont’s trend toward having One Big School System. That’s a transformation we don’t need, don’t want, and ultimately can’t afford.
BPD did not violate city’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy during ICE operation, report finds; Former Rutland County school superintendent, husband deny underage drinking charges in teen’s death; Thousands celebrate Girls on the Run 5K in Essex Junction; New law allows Windham County sheriff to experiment with regional police coverage
Greensboro and other communities debate herbicide use on invasives.
“I truly believe that in order for us, as a people, to unify, we need to forgive, sit down and talk, try and figure it out, and come to solutions instead of making the hate continue spiraling downward,” Gebroe said.
Fights are on to replace Grismore and Palmer
A co-branded four-pack at Good Measure sends 10% of every sale to dam-removal work in the Winooski watershed. Here’s what that work actually does for a river — and why it matters.
First missing scientist is found dead a year after vanishing as bizarre circumstances of her death are revealed; Iran stops negotiations with U.S., vows to ‘completely’ block Strait of Hormuz; EU at risk from Ukrainian strikes on nuclear plant – Rosatom CEO
The House will certainly be a very different body next year — a perfect opportunity to bring more balance to Vermont.
If the tent of democracy is meant to be a shelter for all viewpoints, there must be civility, listening, compromise, and a retreat from hiding behind the veil of social media.
She’s headed to a tech center in Essex and the Vermont State University campus in Williston.
How the Hermit Thrush became Vermont’s official bird, June 1, 1941
Officials investigating suspicious fire at home in Bennington; With deadline looming, 6 school districts still don’t have a budget in place for next year; Vermont Lake Monsters win 2026 home opener; Annual Essex Pride Festival brought hundreds out celebrating community
Highlights include a foundation funding formula that targets reducing the cost per student by about half the current price. One thing this bill does not do is force the consolidation of school districts. If the bill becomes law, it would take two years to begin implementation.
“I can’t really tell you how amazing it is to find people who are lost,” Daniel Lampignano said.
The 2026 Vermont legislative session ran past its expected close, and the reason wasn’t a mystery. The three biggest issues, education reform, the statewide property tax rate and the FY27 budget all needed to be untangled.
Both the Speaker of the House (Jill Krowinski) and the Senate Pro Tem (Phil Baruth), both of Burlington, have announced they are not seeking re-election. Less known were likely changes at the committee chair level.
Lone state’s attorney’s race is in Chittenden County with George and Kranichfeld
If Vermont’s climate policies cannot measurably affect the climate, and if the worst-case scenarios used to justify urgency are no longer considered plausible, why should Vermonters keep paying for the Global Warming Solutions Act and Clean Heat Standard?
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