According to the commission, tissues collected during its public and private truth-telling sessions — symbolizing the tears shed as Vermonters shared their experiences — will be offered in a ceremonial fire as a gesture of healing.
Truth & Reconciliation Commission collects truth-telling tears, burns tissues
VT Headlines: Vermont State Police investigating Vernon mail thefts
Memorial grows for teen killed in Burlington e-bike crash; VSP: Gun discharged accidentally into Highgate apartment; Vermont Green women finish inaugural season as national runners up; Vermont Green FC Men’s Soccer advances to USL2 Eastern Conference Finals
Homeless man with long arrest history held for assault on woman with kids present
Prior arrests for the man with ‘kill rats’ tattooed on his face include domestic assault with a deadline weapon, arson, fleeing scene of a crash.
Town Meeting initiative puts students at the center of school funding
The non-binding initiative asks whether Vermont should move toward a student-centered education funding system in which education dollars follow each child rather than being allocated primarily to school districts.
Paper mill closure bad news for Vermont forest products industry
Veteran Vermont forester and author William Sargent is warning that the closure of the Finch Wood Yard in Glens Falls could have far-reaching consequences for the Northeast’s forest products industry, calling it one of the most significant events of his more than 50-year career.
As Hawaii burns oil, Vermont gets GWSA
Perhaps electrical grids are more complicated than the mandates.
Swenson: VT healthcare system can’t handle population growth
Vermont makes a serious mistake when it treats more housing and a larger population as automatic progress. Every subdivision cut into a field, forest edge, hillside or former farm permanently removes part of the landscape that makes this state worth living in.
Two busted for drugs in South Burlington by Burlington PD
Interim Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke said the two men were arrested following a month’s long investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in the downtown area of the Queen City.
Kathie Lee Gifford memoir forgives hubby Frank, who trained with New York Giants in Colchester
The New York Giants and their legends made Colchester the team’s preseason home away from home in the 1950s.
Roper: Vermont: The best place to live people are fleeing
Does CNBC’s “Best States” ranking make any sense?
Prop 3 will empower plans for a general strike
Education. Government. Health care. Prop 3 would clear obstacles to a general strike freezing activity in all three sectors.
Firefighter, motorist restrain knife-wielding transient
When the ranking firefighter confronted him assaulting the woman, Butchino allegedly threatened him with a large hunting-style knife.
Bear hound group offers reward in sow dumping case
The Vermont Bear Hound Association announced it is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person or people responsible for illegally shooting and dumping the bear.
Kids injured when drunk young woman drove SUV into pool: cops
20 year old New Jersey woman charged.
Cops: 53-time repeat offender started fracas at library
Two years ago the suspect pleaded guilty to 53 charges, mostly stemming from alcohol-induced behavior.
UVM dumbs down application process amid declining enrollment
Vermont’s ranking state university is facing pushback over plans to stop requiring hopeful freshmen to submit essays with their applications.
Teenager on e-bike killed in crash
Police identified the victim as Shiloh Skalka, 16, of Burlington. Authorities said Skalka died Thursday evening from injuries suffered in the collision.
VT Headlines: Burlington protest following shooting deaths of two by ICE agents
Vermont man accused of assault with hammer, threatening baby during fight; Vermont man arrested in New York for DWI, illegal weapons possession; 25 Vermont communities could become “opportunity zones”; E-biker seriously injured after Burlington crash; Rutland County Agricultural Society shares plan to upgrade old infrastructure at Vermont State Fair; Middlebury Festival on the Green back for 47th year
Matthew Lyon, early freedom of the press champion, honored Saturday
The celebration, organized by the Fair Haven Historical Society, will begin at 11 AM in the town park with remarks from state leaders and journalists about the importance of First Amendment rights. Scheduled speakers include Gov. Phil Scott, Senate Minority Leader Brian Collamore, House Minority Leader William Canfield, and Vermont Press Association Executive Director Michael Donoghue.
Drowning in North Hero
The first deputy to arrive located the man in the water, swam out to reach him, and brought him back to shore.
Tanker fire shuts down Interstate
Vermont State Police responded at about 3:15 AM on July 17 to reports of a truck on fire in the roadway. A preliminary investigation found that a small tanker truck traveling southbound experienced an apparent mechanical problem that ignited the vehicle. The cause of the mechanical failure remains under investigation.
Son remembers….No chocolate cake like Mom’s
“July 20th was my mother and her mother’s birthday,” VDC reader recalls.
BREAKING: Massachusetts man guilty on 10 felony drug and gun counts in Vermont
It includes using 6 juveniles to sell his crack cocaine in Rutland County
New cancer drug shows promise in Mesothelioma trial
Vermont team controls disease in 67% of patients—by attacking cancer energy system
ICE looked at Derby for office space. Vermonters in the Kingdom are asking what that means.
A federal notice names Derby among sites ICE is scouting for office space. It surfaces as two ICE shootings in Maine and Texas sharpen nerves along the border.
Suspected gangster from India busted in Vermont
According to the FBI, he is accused of being a member of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group, a transnational criminal organization that originated in India’s Punjab state.
Vermont Secretary of State’s office hosting free summer speaker series on Vermont history
The speaker series, titled “Those Who Came Before: 250 Years of Vermont History,” will explore the quest for liberty, equality, justice, and acceptance in Vermont. Speakers will use archival records, including those held by VSARA, to tell the stories of individuals, communities, and our nation.
Burlington Republicans to nominate Justice of the Peace candidates
GOP justice of the peace nominating meeting July 20.
Author claims cancer is a parasite: Kill it with the safe, over-the-counter antiparasitic Fenbendazole
Fenbendazole Can Cure Cancer presents Case Reports of people who have treated their own cancers along with other articles to help understand how fenbendazole works to treat cancer.
VT Headlines: Sanders denies endorsing Molly Gray for Lt. Governor
Burlington ranks number 6 in top towns to visit list; Group accuses Chittenden County sheriff’s campaign of transphobic speech against primary opponent; Ben & Jerry’s Foundation says it will shut down amid legal dispute with parent company
Fed $$ to help repurpose old high school into childcare/senior center
Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) earlier this week announced $3,547,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding through the Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP).
BREAKING: Stabbing and shooting in Middlebury; Man with mental history in custody
Initial reports indicated that one man, Puma’s father, James, was stabbed and taken to Porter Hospital, apparently by his wife, Janet.
Pro-Ayatollah Orange County high bailiff moved to Russia after election
Since his November write-in election to the unpaid county post, and after he accompanied an anti-Israel activist Mohsen Mahdawi to a detention hearing in Colchester in April, 2025, Helali was reported by a Vermont community newspaper to be living in Russia.
Letters: Papal fallibility
Also, Woodstock’s budgetary correspondence. and Balint’s budgetary record.
Flagger struck by truck on Route 105 in Jay
Renee Orzolek, 49, of Craftsbury was conducting flagging operations for road maintenance near Leavitt Circle at about 3:55 p.m. when she was struck by a 2025 GMC Canyon driven by Colby Currier, 88, of Troy, according to police.
Cohen: No wonder Bernie is so hot – he’s surrounded by old people like him
Twenty-three percent of Vermont residents are over 65, placing it second nationally to Maine, with 24 percent.
Tailgating road rager points gun at another driver on I-89
Police say Mississippi woman rolled down her window and pointed a gun at Shelburne man.
Forest fires cause smoke plume, emit tons of carbon
The largest contributor to Vermont’s hazy, smoky plume remains the dozens of active wildfires in Canada, where 34 fires are burning across nearly 24,812 acres.
VT Headlines: Multiple roadways closed this morning due to downed trees, wires
Vermont housing crisis is subject of candidate forum; Richmond still under boil water notice; Manchester Police Chief Owns retiring; Lt. Blanchard to assume leadership
Vermont State Police get new leader
Shawn Loan replaces retiring Col. Matthew Birmingham
Bernie to blame for Hillary’s 2016 catastrophe, Trump victory: Carville
Will Bernie win the Democratic nomination in 2028? Hear Mark Halperin explain why he thinks so on Chronicle Conversations at 12:30 ttoday on WVMT.
Map: public school learning varies town to town
Newly released 2025 state assessment data compiled by EdWatch VT shows many Vermont public schools are not meeting state proficiency standards in reading, writing, math and science – even though neighboring towns have much better results.
Black Bear shot and dumped in Connecticut River
On the morning of July 13, a lactating female black bear was dumped into the river from the Newbury Crossing Fishing Access Area. The bear had died from a gunshot wound.
No-mow strategy to protect birds now backfiring
Biologist Kevin Tolan from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies tells WCAX-TV the lack of mowing is spawning invasive plants choking off the very grass that was designed to save ground-nesting birds.
Revolutionary War reenactors bring the Battle of Hubbardton to life
Over the weekend, reenactors took to a southern Vermont hillside and put on an educational show
Taxpayers’ rights group comes to Vermont
“For too long, Vermont has been part of a policy experiment that too often fails to ask a basic question: who pays?”
VT Headlines: Mosquito samples from Vergennes test positive for West Nile Virus
Burlington man pleads not guilty in alleged downtown sexual assault; British ‘Red Arrows’ pay Burlington surprise visit; UVM Medical Center resident physicians approve new contract with pay raise and benefits; Tornado safety tips that could come in handy late today
Keelan: Too many historic buildings, too little volunteers and money
Not all historic buildings will be able to be preserved
In statewide reappraisal, your house is worth whatever Vermont says it is
According to the 2026 Property Valuation and Review Report, Vermont estimates that taxable property statewide is currently assessed at only about 70% of its fair market value. That doesn’t mean your tax bill is about to jump overnight, but it does mean the state is preparing for more frequent reappraisals designed to close that gap.
Will Bernie Sanders be the Democratic nominee for president in 2028?
Right now the ‘smart money’ – AKA the investors in the bookie website Polymarket.com – give him just a one percent chance, even with Oprah Winfrey and way below seven percenter Kamala Harris. Even comedian Jon Stewart gets 2%.
Vermont ski operator Vail under fire for ‘lack of investment’
“I absolutely think that their infrastructure is underinvested in, and that these are complicated machines,” Prince – a potential buyer of Vail properties – told SummitDaily.com. “When they don’t get invested in, unfortunately, people can die.”
McDonald steps down from Campaign for Vermont, MacKenzie steps up
Campaign for Vermont Prosperity has named longtime Vermont business and civic leader Pam Mackenzie as its new president, succeeding Pat McDonald, who led the nonpartisan public policy organization for the past decade.
Everybody stops for the Whale Tails. Almost nobody knows the mountains behind them
The ridge behind the sculpture isn’t the Green Mountains. It’s a range of its own — and the state has been buying it up with federal money for years.
Chester pitcher highest Vermont MLB draft pick ever
Kaiden McCarthy of Chester was drafted by the Atlanta Braves.
No plane crash Monday in the Northeast Kingdom, after all
It remains unclear what triggered the automated emergency alert.
News report: Car pulled from resort swimming pool
The report, which includes extensive video also captured on YouTube, says that a sport utility vehicle crashed into a swimming pool, sending guests scrambling but causing no serious injuries
Danger heat expected Tuesday
Heat index values to top 100 degrees.
Congressman, Vermonters cry treason on VT elected official in Iran
According to an X post by Orange County High Bailiff Christopher Helali, he’s been in Iran since at least July 7 to “honor, salute, and pray for” Iranian leader Ayotollah Khameini slain by U.S. military forces at the outset of the 2026 Iran – US war.
Roper: Looks like “progressive” Vermont gives young people the ick
64 percent want to leave, mostly citing high cost of living and high taxes.
Police bust drunk man for disturbing Do Good Fest
Following a brief struggle, the individual—identified as Matthew Adams, 35, of Essex Junction—continued to actively resist arrest, striking and biting law enforcement officers before being taken into custody.
VT Headlines: VT man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentence
Union rally in Burlington calls for safe staffing at UVM Medical Center; Morristown resident charged with abandoning child on highway; Woman rescued after falling near Lone Rock Point
Auditor: Sheriffs need more oversight after years of misconduct, financial problems
Report concludes that while “most sheriffs do not engage in behavior that warrants removal,” Vermont’s current system leaves few options for dealing with problem sheriffs.
Young Vermonters eyeing the exits as affordability concerns mount, poll finds
A new statewide poll suggests Vermont may be facing a growing “brain drain,” with nearly two-thirds of young adults saying they are likely to leave the state within the next five years, driven largely by high housing costs and the overall cost of living.
Stowe golf course ends public playing privileges amid major renovation
The iconic Stowe Country Club has reopened after a massive redesign, albeit now as a private course for the first time in its more than seven decades.
2 arrested on drug charges in Barnet
Ashley Williams, 31, of St. Johnsbury, was found outside the residence and was in possession of a trafficking weight of a substance that tested positive for fentanyl, police said. Osvaldo Andino Rodriguez, 43, of Meriden, Connecticut, was found inside the residence, police said. Approximately 115 grams of a substance that field tested positive for cocaine base and over $47,000 in currency were seized, police said.
Community National Bank turns free balloon rides into $2,500 for NEKCA Food Shelf
Pilots Joe Doerer and Hélène Viens inflated Doerer’s balloon, Dream Chaser, on Saturday, July 4, to offer free tethered rides to visitors at Gardner Memorial Park.
From the mountains to the desert: How Dug North’s Vermont upbringing prepared him for a grueling survival challenge
North put skills learned in his youth to the test on the History Channel’s “Alone” series. Now he’s passing them along.
BREAKING: AG Charity Clark wants to block social media creator
One 49-second video posted on social media by Poitras apparently got under the skin of U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt.
Vermont man cited for hate-motivated crime: “It’s Jew Hunting Season”
Warning: this news story contains profanity and language of religious bigotry.
Father finds stalker’s tracker on daughter’s license plate
19-year-old charged with stalking.
Dog found tied to sign at 3 AM – cops seek info
Do you know anything about this dog found tied to a street sign?
Father imprisoned for DUI crash killing two daughters faces new drug charge
Couture pleaded guilty in 2024 to negligent homicide in the deaths of his daughters, Kyriana Couture, 10, and Kelsey Couture, 7.
USDA cracks down on SNAP errors – Vermont safe from similar action
Vermont should learn if it seeks to avoid California’s $1.4B penalty
Youngblut’s lawyer fears lost evidence in Border Agent homicide case
Teresa Youngblut, 22, of Seattle, Wash., wants to make sure she can have a proper defense, Assistant Federal Defender Steven Barth said as part of a 16-page motion filed in U.S. District Court in Burlington this month.
Vermont official in Iran in support of slain leader
Elected official in Iran poses in front of Kill Trump sign.
VT Headlines: Street flooding in Barre, Lyndon leads to road closures
Burlington man recovers after beaver attack while swimming in Lake George; Tree damage in Northeast Kingdom; U.S. Route 5 closed in Windsor County due to downed wires; Burlington man charged with excessive speeding, eluding police
To boldly brew where others have brewed before
When a Vermont brewery says it’s the only one making non-alcoholic beer in-state, the interesting story may not be the beer. It’s what the claim quietly admits about the category’s economics.
Vermont Agency of Education announces Summer Meals Program available to all children
This federally funded program ensures that children across the state have access to nutritious meals throughout the summer. Meals are served at a wide range of locations including schools, parks, housing complexes, and libraries.
How do you build a mile and a half of trail in a Vermont State Forest and go unnoticed for five years?
A $35,000 settlement over an illegal bike-trail network on Mount Mansfield closes the case this week. The state’s own court filing answers the harder question — and it isn’t reassuring.
Governor Phil Scott announces Commerce Sec. Lindsay Kurrle is leaving, names Tayt Brooks as new Secretary
Tayt Brooks has worked for the Scott administration since 2017. He started as director of affordability and economic initiatives, then became deputy secretary of ACCD in 2021. He will officially become secretary on July 27.
Vermont gets $1.3M from CashApp settlement
Vermont will receive approximately $1.3 million as part of a $45 million multistate settlement with Block Inc., the company behind Cash App, over allegations the payment platform misled consumers about its fraud protections and failed to adequately safeguard users, Attorney General Charity Clark announced Wednesday.
Bernie Sanders, 84, ‘is the most likely 2028 Democrat Presidential nominee:’ Mark Halperin
The political establishment is reeling from analyst Mark Halperin’s prediction that Vermont’s senior senator is likely be the left’s presidential nominee in two years.
Stone: Past predications of today’s warfare
Assessing Bushnell’s 2000 vision of 2025 warfare—and what it reveals about AI’s role in society
Crow: How will we know if Vermont’s healthcare reforms are working?
Now, Vermont has a unique opportunity to put many of those ideas into practice. Through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, the state is expected to receive nearly $1 billion over five years to strengthen healthcare access, support providers, expand the workforce, and improve health outcomes. Combined with this year’s healthcare legislation, Vermont has an unprecedented opportunity to reshape healthcare delivery.
Worker dies at landfill
Feerick was operating an aerial lift to remove a section of fencing when the lift tipped over down a small embankment.
Vermont Attorney General to investigate Planet Hank political video of Balint
“This is a law to protect incumbent politicians,” Poitras said.
DOJ warns Vermont officials about non-citizen voting
In a July 7 letter to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, reminded state officials of their obligations under federal election laws, including the National Voter Registration Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Act.
Scott order reduces health care premiums for young people, non-smokers
“People are not willing to take promotions because they can’t take the increase in pay because they will increase their health care,” a Colchester business owner said.
VT Headlines: Vermont flood victims share stories for Welch, Balint in Barre
Two arrested for reported drug trafficking in Barnet; Vermont to receive $1.3 million from Cash App settlement; Sarah George, Bram Kranichfeld face off in primary forum; Vermont farm’s Winnimere cuts the competition at national cheese contest
Police investigate dog-on-dog killing
Investigators are now trying to identify the owner of the pit bull, described as a woman between 40 and 50 years old who was accompanied by a child believed to be 8 to 10 years old at the time of the incident.
Bernie Sanders’ fave officially quits Maine Senate race after being accused of rape
Graham Platner denied the sexual-assault claim as “false” but said it has “placed an immense amount of weight” on him, as he had until only Monday to decide whether to continue his candidacy.
Kelly: “Temporary” tax hike becomes permanent in Burlington
As the economist Milton Friedman famously observed, “Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government measure.”
Holt: Vermont deserved better
Vermont’s display on the National Mall during America’s 250th birthday celebration was a significant embarrassment on many levels.
FBI recovers money cyber crooks stole from waste district
Payment diversion scams remain among the most common cyber threats facing organizations.
VT Headlines: Vermont scientists use Lake Champlain boat ride to study cyanobacteria blooms
Two men fined $35k for cutting down 300+ trees to build illegal mountain bike trail in Stowe; Montpelier man arrested after reported assault; Vermont man pleads not guilty after truck crash and gunfire incident
Analysis: Vermont cuts off the nose of tourism to spite the face of Trump
Imagine what we could have showcased: the Green Mountain Boys, the independent Vermont Republic, maple syrup, dairy farms, our ski resorts, fall foliage, covered bridges, Lake Champlain, and the story of the first state admitted after the original thirteen colonies. The first state to ban slavery.
Ellis: I am American
Why we should care about the country
83 year old man shoots at contractor parked in his driveway
When the contractor did not respond to Provost’s demands to move the van, Provost presented a small caliber handgun and fired two rounds into the ground near the van.
11-year-old aspiring doctor Lilly stays calm and steady, helping rescue her Dad on Sterling Pond Trail
“We had the joy of meeting young Lilly, who blew us away with her maturity.”
Letter: VT’s anti-Catholic dogpile
You don’t have to be Catholic to realize something is very wrong with our legal and judicial systems to allow these cases to continue to bankrupt The Diocese of Burlington.
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