An ex-New Jersey man, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison last month for homicide in Burlington City Hall Park four years ago, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court on Friday to federal gun and drug charges.
City Hall Park killer denies gun and drug charges
States without Right to Work have higher taxes and living costs, fewer private sector jobs, new watchdog report says
The report examines Proposal 3, the proposed constitutional amendment on the November general election ballot, in the context of Vermont’s current economic challenges—including declining private-sector employment, high taxes, high living costs and population loss—and compares employment, affordability, tax and migration data across states with different labor policies.
Council President may challenge Mulvaney-Stanak for mayor
Traverse and Mulvaney-Stanak have differed over the city’s approach to public safety. Traverse is scheduled to discuss his public-safety plan Sunday at 11:30 AM on WCAX’s “You Can Quote Me.”
Livingston: Shutdown of town listservs leaves Vermonters scrambling to save them
There is a particular kind of Vermont institution that nobody notices until it’s gone: not the general store, not the town meeting, but the humble email listserv — the digest that lands in your inbox each morning carrying news of a missing dog, a farmers market, a zoning hearing, and, occasionally, two mysterious explosions rattling windows across White River Junction. For more than two decades, that plumbing of local civic life has belonged to Vital Communities, the White River Junction-based nonprofit. This summer, with little warning, the organization moved to shut it down.
Feds charge convicted felon after reportedly making 15 drug sales in Brattleboro
Shameik Camara, 37, was on federal supervised release from illegal gun theft and possession convictions when he made the drug sales in Windham County, a federal prosecutor said in U.S. District Court.
VT Headlines: Fair Haven man accused of firing gun, fleeing police custody
Fair Haven man accused of firing gun, fleeing police custody; Students kick off opening day of Tunbridge World’s Fair; Lt. Dan Band to make appearance in Vermont
Mom: school transitioned her special needs son without her knowledge or consent
“I was left with no other choice but to pull one of my children from school in order to save his life,” Duprey said.
Federal judge tosses out Trump demand for Vermont voter rolls
On Thursday, September 17, United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier dismissed the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s lawsuit against Vermont demanding the state’s voter rolls.
Gettin’ stinky at Garlic Town, USA
Thousands flock to Bennington for a (slightly smelly) festival.
Cheese The Day on Burlington Marketplace Saturday
Get ready to say cheese! Church Street Marketplace will celebrate Vermont’s rich cheesemaking tradition on Friday, September 18, with an evening of free tastings, live music, and local flavor as part of Vermont Cheese Week.
Vermont’s newest flood buyouts: 98 homes in 25 towns, 23 of them in Plainfield
The delegation announced 90. The state’s own count is 98 — and Vermont taxpayers are covering about $9.2 million of the cost.
A massive data leak has put millions of Americans’ driver’s licenses at risk—including people in Vermont
In early September 2026, a dark-web service began advertising digital scans of more than 153 million U.S. and Canadian driver’s licenses, according to a recent TechCrunch article, along with millions of other ID cards, passports, and medical or cannabis cards.
Small-town fatal bike crash case changes venue
Kaylee Bailey, 16, was traveling west on Richardson Road on a 2025 Kawasaki KLX140 on Oct. 5 when she struck Kyle Hunt’s 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. According to Vermont State Police, Hunt was traveling east when he turned south in front of the dirt bike.
VT Headlines: Car crashes into gas pump at Orleans convenience store
Crews monitoring stubborn wildlfire in Bristol; Police investigate New Hampshire truck driver death in Barnet; Burlington adds fencing, cameras and toilets at City Hall Park
Darn Tough Sock Sale set for Nov. 21 and 22
The dates surfaced on a sign taped to a Cabot Hosiery Mills truck in Northfield’s Labor Day parade, before the company posted them online.
Vote to merge municipalities fails in Northeast Kingdom town
In the Northeast Kingdom last Thursday, hundreds of Troy voters packed the school gymnasium to meet in two separate town meetings to determine whether the Village of North Troy would lose its municipal charter and merge into the town. With the merger requiring two affirmative votes to pass, the merger failed.
VT joins lawsuit challenging Medicaid restrictions on youth gender-transition care
Vermont has joined a coalition of 22 jurisdictions challenging a new federal rule that would end Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program reimbursement for certain gender-transition treatments provided to minors, setting up another dispute between states and the Trump administration over federal health-care policy.
Coyote feared rabid in Windham County
The coyote was reported with porcupine quills and behaving aggressively.
Man escapes crash, walks off cliff
A 73-year-old New Hampshire man died Tuesday after witnesses said he got out of his truck following a crash on Route 5 and walked off a nearby cliff.
Teen charged with Stewart’s robbery
Security footage showed a male—later identified as Hemingway—arrive at the store in a white Kia Soul, enter the store, point an apparent handgun at store clerks, demand money, and then leave the store with cash.
UVMMC, Dartmouth hospital announce big job cuts
The University of Vermont Medical Center will lose 118 positions as part of a new round of workforce reductions announced Tuesday by UVM Health, while Dartmouth Health is separately eliminating 124 jobs at its flagship medical center and clinics.
Third person dies from gas explosion at Granville home
Sheila Hammond, 69, the homeowner, died while getting treatment out-of-state for critical injuries received in the propane leak blast on Saturday Sept. 5, police said.
VT Headlines: Repeat teen offender facing Federal robbery charges
Man dies after being hit by car in South Burlington; Man accused of sexual harassment at Sand Bar State Park; Dartmouth Health cuts 124 jobs, 300 open positions as costs rise; New pilot program launches in Brattleboro to fill empty storefronts downtown
Washington County Sheriff attends elite FBI National Academy
Washington County Sheriff Marc Poulin attended an elite training program at the FBI National Academy early this summer, returning in late June from two and a half months of training.
More Vermonters favor socialism than capitalism, UNH poll shows
But a closer look at the poll shows that support for socialism, membership in the Democratic Socialists of America and the electoral value of a DSA endorsement are three different things.
State trooper, rescue dogs honored for search
A state trooper honored for her heroic 2024 rescue of an eight-year-old girl who had plunged through the ice into freezing waters is being honored again for her role, with five other troopers, in searching for a person with dementia suffering from hypothermia.
MacDonald: Partisan prosecutions
When a parody video of Becca Balint hit the internet, the libs were triggered. The Congresswoman got all huffy, and the Progressive AG Charity Clark sent a threatening letter to the video’s creator.
Blotter: Bland double-murder sentence, more familiar activity lead Vermont Crime This Week
Elsewhere the pattern was familiar and grim — domestic and sexual assault arrests in Washington County, an interstate fentanyl pipeline intercepted on a Brattleboro side street, and a steady run of out-of-state fugitives turning up at Vermont ports of entry and traffic stops.
Roper: The housing crisis: It’s the regulations, stupid
How Austin, Texas, solved its housing crisis, and lessons for VT.
Vermont fall fishing heats up as waters cool
“As water temperatures cool off, many different fish species begin to feed heavily,” said Shawn Good, a fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “From warm water species such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, perch, and walleye, to cold water species like trout and salmon, fish feeding activity really picks up and creates exceptional fishing conditions for anglers.”
Secretary of State applauds Supreme Court backing universal mailed ballots
Vermont’s mail-ballot system will proceed without new federal Postal Service restrictions after the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday left in place a lower-court order blocking the rules for the November election.
Gray runs to reclaim the Lt. Governor’s office after a four year hiatus
The Burlington resident is running again for Lt. Governor to stand against the Trump administration and tackle the pressures that working families in Vermont face.
Some – but not all – VT hospitals told to reduce commercial insurance rates
UVMMC prez Dr. Stephen Leffler warned the hospital expects to lose more than $75 million this year and said the board’s decision could result in another $75 million loss next year. He said UVM’s reserves currently are being supported by stock-market gains.
VT Headlines: Green Mountain Care Board approves aggressive cuts to UVMMC revenue, rates
Police find nearly 200 bags of suspected fentanyl in Brattleboro car search; Woman cited after police chase ends in Shelburne cruiser crash; Possible rabid coyote prompts warning in Windham County
Newport mayor on CNN: trade war is testing Canadian ties
The segment also touched on Derby Line, the border village north of Newport, where the CNN correspondent said residents on both sides voiced less anger about the tariffs themselves than uncertainty about what comes next.
Woman misses court date after going into labor
Fatal crash, no seat belt. And, traffic stop leads to discovery of about 196 bags of suspected fentanyl and/or heroin.
Lincoln: Rural Vermont cannot afford to become an economic museum
Vermont still has abundant talent, but the barriers to business growth in our state have become extraordinarily high, complicated, and expensive.
Rich kids go to school on Vershire farm
“At the semesterlong Mountain School program, families pay $40,000 for their teens to do chores on a farm in rural Vermont.”
School district mulls merger, moving high school to former Cabot Cheese HQ
After receiving preliminary declining enrollment data for the new school year, Harwood school leaders this week took two key steps regarding merger talks with neighboring school districts and a separate effort to investigate combining four of its elementary schools.
Bland avoids death penalty, gets double life sentence for drug murders
New details about the brutal and senseless killing by Theodore Bland, 31, formerly of Stowe, because of a drug debt Oct. 12, 2023 were outlined during the more than one-hour sentencing.
‘Tap trees not Vermonters’ Rodgers seeks 2nd term as Lt. Governor
Northeast Kingdom resident and incumbent Lt. Governor, John Rodgers, is seeking reelection to the state’s second highest office. He is running on a record of advocacy and turning the position into an active participant inside the Statehouse on legislation and important policies. Rodgers faces former Democratic Lt. Governor Molly Gray in the November general election.
Sibilia asks AG to review Americans for Prosperity advertising
The social media advertisements criticize Vermont lawmakers and their voting records, according to Sibilia. One also urges Vermonters to contact legislators in support of positions backed by AFP.
Four arrested in Addison/Chittenden County cocaine case
Three New York City area men, who authorities said set up a temporary drug trafficking business in Addison County, along with a local resident, are behind bars following a joint state and federal investigation into the distribution of illegal drugs in the New Haven and Hinesburg area.
VT Headlines: Opening arguments begin today in Burlington attempted murder trial for Jason Eaton
Police search for suspect in South Burlington store robbery; Car hits unoccupied business in Vergennes; Vermont Almanac will not publish a seventh edition
Vagrant charged with pointing (fake) handgun at passing cars
Also: Man accused of threatening clerk over cigarettes, assaulting officer, and a man held without bail in Waterbury sex-assault case
LaFleur: The race on the ballot we shouldn’t overlook
On Election Day, members of the Board of Civil Authority are not simply names on a ballot. They are the people working at the polls, greeting voters at check-in, overseeing the voting process, monitoring the ballot tabulator and helping ensure that every ballot is properly accounted for.
United We Stand Media Fest screens “15 DAYS: The REAL Story of the Pandemic School Closures”
Burlington event explores solutions to the politicization of schools and ideological division tearing communities apart through film, panel discussions, and keynote addresses
Salmonella illnesses traced to Windsor County farm
Fourteen cases of salmonella illness in Vermont have been linked to eggs produced at a Windsor County farm, prompting a recall covering more than three months of production.
Moyer: Act 181 bureaucrats’ map doesn’t tell story of my land
Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) draws my region’s planning maps. Vershire is one of thirty towns in that picture. That is how fifteen to seventeen acres of private farmland here were classified and color-coded in a restrictive Future Land Use category.
Swanton man denies drug charges, including running a crack house
Nathan Farr, 36, denied in federal court on Friday that he managed and controlled 2465 Frontage Rod in Swanton as an owner and occupant between at least September 29, 2025 and Dec. 4, 2025 when the residence was raided by law enforcement authorities led by Swanton Village Police.
Koch: Fed up with Trump
I have been a lifelong Republican. I remain active in the Barre Town, Washington County, and Vermont State GOP committees. I will be voting for Republican candidates this fall. However, I am totally fed up with the antics of our President Donald J. Trump.
The Border Report: Tariff churn, a stalled fire hall and the Haskell’s anniversary season
The Pulse is a daily English-language newspaper covering Stanstead, Coaticook, Magog, Sherbrooke and the surrounding communities just across the line. Each week we share a selection of their stories most likely to matter on this side of the border.
Rutland propane rail car derails, rolls over
The accident happened Saturday morning in Rutland City.
VT Headlines: Brattleboro birthing center to stay open
Richford man charged with swiping nearly $1,400 in merchandise from Church Street business; Jury selected for trial of man accused of shooting Palestinian students; Plans for Rutland town’s new Walmart Supercenter progress at Act 250 prehearing on Thursday; Vermont farmer, former Air Guard pilot recall 9/11 response
Police cruiser damaged in DUI crash
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM: A 79-year-old driver from Texas was arrested Thursday after police say he turned around and drove the wrong way on Interstate 91 to speak with a state trooper.
Vermont has been quietly building a 485-mile trail with cabins along the way. The world just noticed.
A 38-mile loop through Rochester and Pittsfield caught the BBC’s attention. It is the first finished piece of a planned 485-mile route across the state.
State issues waiver for Finch wood
Regulators in Vermont have issued a waiver to permit biomass plants Ryegate Power and the McNeil Generating Station in Burlington to purchase low-grade wood that had been destined for a Glens Falls mill, Finch Paper, before it suddenly discontinued its pulpwood operation in July.
Chittenden County Sheriff’s Office hired to help patrol airport
Burlington Police remain short-staffed.
Leahy BTV to conduct full-scale emergency exercise
The simulation will test emergency response procedures, communication, and coordination among the participating agencies while helping identify areas where plans and processes can be strengthened.
McGuinness: Proposal 4 “Equality of Rights” amendment would nix affordability in Vermont
Think your taxes are high now? If a majority of Vermonters vote to adopt Proposal 4 on the November 2026 general election ballot, you can expect your taxes to go up – waaaay up, not down.
VT Headlines: Vermont lieutenant governor accused of violating state cannabis laws
Police take man into custody after report of gunshots fired in St. Johnsbury; Jury draw begins for trial of man accused of shooting Palestinian students in 2023; Van goes up in flames at Charlotte fishing access
SoBu gets tough on public drinking, drug litter, e-motos
Councilors also discussed, but took no action on, Burlington’s proposal for a 100-bed low-barrier homeless shelter on Williston Road.
Homeless advocate charged with recruiting teens to make and sell drugs
The arrests mark a striking turn for Kinkade, who received favorable attention for her work with Brattleboro’s homeless population.
Man arrested for daytime stabbing of a wheelchair user in Burlington
Thompson has prior convictions for assault and robbery as well as aggravated assault with a weapon. At the time of the August stabbing, he was already out on pretrial release conditions after a July 2026 arrest for assault and robbery in which a police officer was injured.
Letters: Fry on what Vermont Fish & Wildlife would say if they were honest
Also: Don’t move needle exchange next to Single Pebble, across from new hotel, and, Rebuild Woodstock’s foundation from the bottom up
Brian Dubie profiles Vermont Air Guard, DOD role on 9/11
“I work for American Airlines, and I was notified that a plane that was being flown by a friend of mine was in the process of being hijacked,” Dubie said in the film. “And that’s how I first heard about the beginnings of the World Trade Tower tragedy.”
Thayer: Charlie Kirk, a life that changed hearts
One year ago, America lost a young man whose life was far larger than his years.
Norwich University to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
Commemorative events will begin on Thursday, Sept. 10, when Norwich students from both the Corps of Cadets and civilian student population will place flags in front of Jackman Hall in remembrance of each person murdered in the 9/11 attacks.
Dam removal across Winooski watershed proceeds despite setbacks
Removing obsolete dams is a huge and tricky job. Permissions must be secured and regulatory and financial hurdles cleared. Engineering and construction are complex.
Jesse Strong Patriots Day, September 12
Marine Sgt. Jesse Strong, son of Rev. Nathan and Vicki Strong of Albany, Vermont, was killed in action in Iraq on January 26, 2005, along with three other young Marines, as a result of an ambush attack on his convoy when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the open-top Humvee they were riding in.
Former state trooper says Island Pond raid was dark day for Vermont
I saw one little boy crying and looking at his father. His father said, “You should not be afraid. You are the apple of God’s eye and you will not be harmed,” quoting Zechariah 2:8; “…for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.”
VT Headlines: Barnet woman facing assault charges
Man tried to lure child with candy in attempted kidnapping, police say; Barre Unified Union School District heads to third budget vote after two failed proposals; Police search for suspect in Shaftsbury Elementary School theft; Burlington merchants feel the pinch as tax revenue stalls
Orleck: Christians need to vote Republican in the Midterm Election
The midterm elections are close at hand and sad as it seems to be, Christians fail to turn out to vote in these elections. Each may have their reason, but honestly, none are adequate considering what is at stake.
Candidate and former tomboy puts up her own $$ for Tomboy Clubs
“Young girls need strong role models and people within the school system saying, ‘You know what? Maybe you’re not a boy—maybe you’re just a strong girl.’ Why aren’t we advocating for that?”
Lily Tang Williams wins House primary
Williams, who appeared Aug. 13 on VDC’s “Chronicle Conversations” program on WVMT AM 620, won the Republican nomination for New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District.
CLG: U.S. forces strike ‘multiple’ Iranian tankers tied to IRGC after attempted attack on Navy warship
Putin meets Trump envoys at Kremlin; Trump wants Biden’s Ukraine billions back Israeli strikes on southern Lebanese town kill 12 as fears of escalation mount; U.S. Army doctor claims 28 troops died from Covid vaccines
Judge blocks Attorney General action against Planet Hank over Balint AI
Lawsuit over political satire videos by “Planet Hank” will continue
Essex Junction mom and son died in Addison County blast
VSP says house leveled after propane leak explosion
Bartley: As your Senator, I’ll continue to leave it on the field
Our family has a motto: no matter the task, big or small, we leave it on the field. I decided to run for the State House about eight hours into labor with my daughter — because I’ve learned there’s no perfect moment to act, only the decision to do the work.
Vermont Covered Bridge Society to hold open meeting in Tunbridge
The Vermont Covered Bridge Society (VCBS) will hold its Fall Meeting on Saturday, October 10, at the Tunbridge Town Hall. Registration is from 9:30 – 10:15 am, and the meeting runs from 10:30 am – 4:00 pm. The meeting is open to everyone who wishes to attend, and attendees are asked to RSVP by October 4.
Motorcyclist clocked at 123 MPH; fatal Dorset crash; hospital assault; stolen vehicle arrest
A motorcyclist accused of traveling 123 MPH on Interstate 91, a fatal motorcycle crash in Dorset, an alleged assault at Central Vermont Medical Center and the recovery of a stolen vehicle are among incidents reported by Vermont police following the Labor Day weekend.
Two minutes into annual speech, UVM president focuses on Burlington ‘challenges’
“We’ve seen challenges in our home city, the city we’ve called home since our birth,” Tromp said. “And we are partnering to help work on those changes.”
Roper: Want to keep people in Vermont? Lower the freakin’ taxes!
A few months back the University of New Hampshire ran a poll showing that 86 percent of Vermonters found the state to be unaffordable and 64 percent of prime working age folks 18-34 were actively planning to leave. Last week the Fiscal Alliance Foundation followed up with another poll, this one asking (among other things), what would it take to make someone change their mind and decide to stay. The number one answer – don’t spill your popcorn here – LOWER TAXES.
Hansen: Former candidate running in different kind of campaign
Many VDC readers know me through my 2020 campaign for Lieutenant Governor, my time as president of the Ethan Allen Institute, or my other work in Vermont’s political and policy spheres. Today, I would like to tell you about an initiative that carries deep personal significance for me.
Two guvs and a lt. guv endorse Murray for state senate
Statewide leaders cite Murray’s independence, experience and commitment to making Vermont more affordable
Affordable housing, community center opens next door to ‘Murder Mart’
Post Apartments includes 38 apartments with nine set aside for people experiencing homelessness – and four of the apartments are occupied by veterans.
Page: The Green New Deal, and the horse watering trough in Canaan
Wind and solar can produce large amounts of electricity, but they don’t produce it whenever customers need it. Meanwhile, grid watchdogs have warned about reliability risks as older coal and other power plants retire.
VT Headlines: Man arrested in Rutland for attempted abduction
Montpelier pet store recognized as ‘coolest pet store’ in US by magazine; Brattleboro hospital pursues federal designation to try to save birthing center; Burlington firefighters join bike ride honoring 9/11 victims; Vermont man killed in Dorset motorcycle crash
Soulia: Stormy Skies: Exploring weather modification, chemtrails, and the search for truth
While skeptics often view chemtrail concerns as unfounded, history reveals a pattern of secrecy and manipulation that warrants critical consideration. Could modern weather modification efforts be hidden in plain sight, or are we witnessing natural phenomena misunderstood?
Roper: New York’s Vermont-clone “Climate Superfund” shot down by Obama Judge
Vermont’s Big Oil shakedown should meet a similar fate.
Keelan: A great time for Bernie
In addition to his 85th Birthday earlier this week, Senator Bernie Sanders has much to celebrate. His deep involvement in transforming America into a Socialist country has gained traction in several congressional districts throughout the country. The crown jewel of this is close to home: the election of socialist Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City.
Vermont’s mountains are barely measured in winter. A $5.9 million award starts to fix that
Snow depth is what Vermont measures. Water content is what predicts floods. The state has almost no way to measure the second one.
Man arrested for attempted Murder One
Pol8ce say the shooting was the result of a dispute between Brackett and the victim regarding a domestic relationship with a third party.
E-scooter battery fire prompts evacuation of apartment building
A lithium-ion battery caught fire.
Farm stand felons sought
Police say the thefts happened in July.
House explodes, two dead, three injured
Early reports say some people were trapped in the rubble.
Vermont’s grassroots groundswell grows
For decades, Vermonters for a Clean Environment (VCE) has been a watchdog looking out for Vermonters, our communities, and the environment.
Man arrested after pointing loaded gun at people on College Street, Burlington
At about 1:16 a.m. on September 4, officers were called to College Street near Thorsen Way for a report of a man waving a firearm. A responding officer spotted Isaac Walters of Winooski and tried to stop him. Walters ran, and the officer chased him on foot, bringing him to the ground.
Vermont’s F-35s are flying home after 266 days and four operations
Eight of the 158th Fighter Wing’s twelve jets reached England Friday on the first leg back to Burlington. What follows them home is a records problem still unresolved.
Clergy arrested at anti-ICE protest in Williston
Police discussion led to several people leaving the inside of the building, while the others indicated they’d need to be arrested.
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