At two public meetings held a week apart, Council members and staff from the Climate Action Office walked through Vermont’s updated Climate Action Plan, introduced a list of “Top 10 Priority Actions,” and discussed next steps — even as the state has already missed its first statutory emissions benchmark and faces mounting costs to reach the next.
Vermont’s 2020 energy standards focused on basic quality and efficiency. In contrast, the 2024 standards are designed to support the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), joined by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), introduced legislation Tuesday Jan. 13 to prohibit sitting presidents from naming or renaming federal buildings, land, or other assets after themselves.
The proposed legislation would, for those involved, remove the risk of prison time if they come forward within a predetermined period and admit and cease their illegal activity.
The following is an open letter from Barre resident Larry McEnany to Treasurer Michael Pieciak.
The Global Warming Solutions Act money pit deepens!
BTV airport joins anti-human trafficking program; Judge denies bail in deadly vehicle chase despite report blaming Rutland police; Vermont National Guard members to deploy to Germany for training mission
Rep. Greg Burtt (R-Cabot) said he is developing a bill to repeal the so-called “Road Rule” included in Act 181, the sweeping Act 250 reform package passed by the Legislature’s 2024 Democratic supermajority. The provision places any development on a private road 800 feet or longer automatically under Act 250 jurisdiction, regardless of project size or environmental impact. It takes effect July 1 – hence Burtt’s effort to introduce a bill to rid Act 250 of what he believes is an onerous provision.
New legislation (S.171) sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Rebecca White (D-Windsor), would create a Clean Fuels Program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels.
Registry data reveals a significant disconnect between the perception of local hosts supplementing income and the reality of ownership patterns.
A significant source of friction in negotiations stems from wage comparisons with nurses at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington—the network’s flagship facility.
Also: Report: last school merger saved some $$ but VT still has #2 per-pupil spending AND $3000 scholarship applications accepted
A nonprofit that helps immigrants, regardless of legal status, get to health care appointments is asking Vermont lawmakers for $167,000 in state funding after losing support from the University of Vermont Extension Service.
Vermont Futures Project: right diagnosis, (mostly) wrong solutions.
UVM researchers designed a game to test agricultural policy but found something unexpected.
Two bills sit before the Vermont Senate that would undo the state’s unfolding climate policy disaster. S.110 would repeal the Global Warming Solutions Act’s citizen-suit provision and convert its mandates back to goals. S.68 would repeal the Affordable Heat Act.
After years of coping with rampant drug use, vandalism, littering, unsanitary conditions, crime and panhandling that downtown business owners say drives away customers, the town selectboard on January 6 resolved – almost – to remove encampments – a policy first proposed three years ago.
Killer will remain on state probation after for life after prison
For years, the City of Burlington has pursued its ‘salesman’s foot in the door’ strategy to begin broader gun bans in the city. Gun-banning Bolsheviks will try anything to get that ball rolling. Get one local, isolated ban, and then work on it until you have made it almost impossible to exercise your right to self-defense.
Continued action by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials has raised important questions about constitutional due process. The Fifth Amendment is clear: “no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law”. Senate Republicans believe that any discussion on this issue must begin with a commitment to due process for all individuals, including non-citizens.
As for solutions ….. Sanders called for a more progressive tax system and a significant increase in the construction of affordable housing. In other words, Sanders said Vermont should solve the problem by increasing taxes on the income (and likely other assets) of the upper middle class and wealthy, allowing for the reduction or at least stabilization of property taxes , and building more affordable housing.
Barre Vigil Honors Minneapolis Woman Killed by Federal Agent Jan. 6; Rep. Casey Toof to resign from Vermont House of Representatives; Montpelier mayor not running for re-election, Marc Gwinn running for seat
Harley Breer Jr., 56, who public safety officials consider “one of the most dangerous criminals in the state,” was denied release from prison by the Vermont Parole Board on Thursday. His adult criminal record, which began when he was 18, includes 25 felony arrests with 14 convictions, parole board records show. Breer also has 47 misdemeanor arrests with 11 convictions, they noted.
The Vermont Senate opened the 2026 legislative session with a significant influx of new legislation on January 6. Lawmakers introduced a wide array of proposals ranging from sweeping public safety reforms and climate initiatives to critical updates in health care governance and technology regulation.
Vermont has been awarded more than $195 million in federal funding to support rural health system innovation, though state officials cautioned lawmakers the money cannot be used to replace or stabilize existing programs.
The U.S. Attorney for Vermont said Brattleboro Memorial Hospital failed to effectively communicate with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A settlement has been reached.
As Beta Technology’s wealth converts to cash over the coming year, money will flow back to the state through multiple distinct channels—including three Vermont-based investment funds with substantial local ownership and hundreds of millions in potential capital gains taxes.
State Treasurer and legislative leaders push program that could save hundreds of dollars monthly—but critical details about insurance deductibles and pharmacy participation remain unclear
Editor’s note: the White House released this commentary January 8.
When Pittsford pushed back on the Rutland Regional Planning Commission’s draft Future Land Use (FLU) map, it sounded like a local fight: one town objecting to being painted dark-green “Rural Conservation” on a new set of regional maps.
It is inappropriate for a non-partisan school board to express solidarity on a purely political stance established by another district.
Vermont Health officials reaffirm existing childhood vaccine schedule in light of federal changes; U.S. House approves funding for Trudeau Institute, Lake Champlain patrol boat; Burlington Telecom announces new president; Waitsfield will move ahead with flood plain reconnection study
Vermont now mails over half a million absentee ballots to every person on the voter checklist (unless formally challenged) for general elections without request, creating a large pool of unclaimed, unwanted, and misdirected “live” absentee ballots that can be abused to impact the outcome of local elections.
Reasonable but mistaken, individualization, and lack of reflection
Anti-Israel coalition asks for resignations, ethics probe
Employers must register through the Vermont Saves portal, provide employee census information, and facilitate payroll deductions at their own cost.
As Vermont works toward a goal of 40,000 new housing units by 2030, lawmakers this year face a central question: will recently enacted tax reforms and infrastructure tools finally translate into shovels in the ground?
Security to heighten at Vermont’s statehouse after spike in threats to lawmakers; 5,200 enrolled in Vermont Saves, says treasurer; Rutland City Police Department responds to multiple snow-related crashes
While a large portion of the country is moving toward restricting choices, Vermont has chosen a distinct path.
This is the kind of bipartisanship we’re talking about!
Maduro attorney once represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange; CIA ‘carries out drone strike’ on Venezuelan drug port in first U.S. land attack inside the country; FBI disrupts alleged ISIS-inspired New Year’s Eve attack plot targeting NC grocery store, fast food restaurant; House GOP bill could trigger self-deportation for Somali refugees amid Minnesota fraud probe
Vermont can no longer admire the problem. It must act, guided by data, employers, and long-term planning.
Two bills sponsored by Vermont Democrat and Progressive legislators continue to push the Transgender Ideology Agenda at the potential expense of Vermont taxpayers and female prison inmates. H.576 intends to establish an “Affirming Health Care Trust Fund,” while H.550 intends to allow transgender incarcerated persons to choose their prison and their cellmate based upon their gender identity.
Act 181 does not change who owns the land. It does change who draws the lines that matter — and who has the final say when those lines do not match what towns and landowners thought their future would look like.
State’s attorney says all 2022 Burlington gunfire cases resolved – except one; New report shows a 25% nationwide drop in deaths of on-duty law enforcement officers in 2025
As Vermont enters another legislative session, lawmakers are once again proposing housing legislation they believe will protect tenants from eviction and homelessness. While the intent may be laudable, the reality on the ground is far messier — and the consequences are increasingly harmful not only to landlords, but also to responsible tenants and to Vermont’s already strained housing supply.
Free service gives journalists instant, searchable access to committee hearings—with video verification and shareable SmartClips
The study, conducted by researchers at the Texas-based Barber Law Firm, examined data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine where truck drivers face the lowest risks on the road.
Former U.S. Attorney Christina E. Nolan, 46, of Burlington and current First Assistant Michael P. Drescher, 60, of Hinesburg will need to be confirmed by the Vermont Senate.
An illegal immigrant from Venezuela, who federal officials claim led four other undocumented aliens over the international border into Vermont during Christmas week, will remain in custody while his federal criminal case is resolved in court in Burlington.
Structure fire put out in Chester Sunday; Authorities seeking info on reported Grand Isle theft; Corinth studio offers a window into an artist’s life; UVM men’s hockey snaps home game losing streak
Vermont police say that the likelihood of DUI crashes is twice as likely when the driver is under the influence of drugs, compared to alcohol.
Governor Scott proposed a sweeping education reform bill, and many of us went out on a limb to give it a shot. What has happened thus far is that the special committee comprised of a mix of legislators and non-legislators that was tasked with drawing new districts over the summer refused to do their assigned task, with Democrat members that are in the majority refusing to do it.
We voted for this. And until the Democrats or someone else can articulate a better vision for the country, this is what we have.
An illegal immigrant, who has been deported twice previously due to rejected claims that his life was in jeopardy from a Canadian street gang, has been busted again in Derby Line, federal court records show.
On the White House executive order targeting state AI laws.
An illegal immigrant from Mexico, found unlawfully in the United States for a third time in just over a year, has been arrested in Vermont by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of an unrelated criminal investigation, records show.
But back in Vermont, state policy allows schools to keep two separate records on your child, one of which parents cannot see!
Road reopens in Montpelier after water freezes over during main break; Burlington opens cold weather shelter in preparation for negative temps; Only Cannoli partners with King Street Laundry to offer free lunch
As you set your 2026 goals, reading lists, and New Year’s resolutions, The Daily Signal is proud to offer you some of our favorite reads from 2025.
While fewer Vermonters are dying from overdoses, supply of illicit drugs remains robust, high prices incentivize trafficking, and the infrastructure supplying Vermont’s drug market has hardened.
Childcare Center US claims there are 687 childcare centers in New Hampshire, over 2100 in Massachusetts, and over 1300 childcare centers in Vermont. We should check them all, but who, besides me, thinks the Vermont number looks a little high?
Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced its first set of Medicare-negotiated “maximum fair prices” for 10 selected drugs, with negotiated prices ranging from 38% to 79% below their list prices. A drug’s list price is the manufacturer’s sticker price, though it is rarely what insurers or patients actually pay and is mainly used as a starting point for negotiations.
Valley Vista has opened 27 new residential treatment beds at its Vergennes facility.
It may be home to Ben & Jerry’s Factory Store, but Waterbury’s last three dairy farms were driven out of business. Their former owners struggle to let go.
U.S. Border Patrol apprehended seven people who unlawfully crossed the Canadian border in North Troy and Derby Line between December 23 and December 25, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced.
A family in Pownal have spent a year dealing with the tortuous telecom siting process called Section 248a, trying to relocate a proposed cell tower away from their children and home in the woods of Vermont.
Vermont will receive over $195 million in Rural Health Transformation Funds in 2026, which is among the highest award per capita in the nation. But not all Vermont political figures are so complementary.
Two brought to hospital following crash into Colchester brook; VT parent makes Youtube alternative; Local 15-year-old to represent the U.S. internationally on the youth luge national team
Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill announced the action Monday, saying the freeze is part of a broader effort to halt what he described as widespread abuse of federal childcare funding.
First study of wildfire smoke’s effects on children with asthma in the Northeast reveals growing health risks for the region as climate change fuels more smoke-filled summers.
Vermont hawkwatch counting sites saw fewer numbers for the broad-winged hawk population this year.
Behind Vermont’s DEI debate
As reported by CHNI and other news outlets, a drone video capturing a large, dark shape moving beneath a boat on Lake Champlain has landed filmmakers Richard Rossi and Kelly Tabor on an episode of William Shatner’s The UnXplained.
And are, in fact, disastrous.
We are running out of time.
PBMs were created to control drug costs, but their profit-driven practices have turned them into key drivers of price inflation.
State police said 55 of those crashes occurred between 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday alone. Thirty-two were reported on interstate highways and 23 on secondary roads. Most of the afternoon crashes, 31, happened in southern Vermont. Five injuries were reported during that time period.
The First Day Hikes program includes 18 hikes ranging from easy family walks to challenging mountain ascents, led by volunteers from organizations including the Green Mountain Club, Otter Creek Audubon Society, and South Hero Land Trust, along with state parks staff.
More bailouts for nursing homes? Why Vermont has given millions to keep care centers afloat; Electric crew working scene of downed power line in Burlington
An anti-Israel umbrella organization comprised of socialist and pro-Palestinian advocacy groups wants five Vermont legislators to resign following their September junket to Israel.
Restricting parental choice in the name of empowerment.
The rapid rise in negative sentiment among young men—a group historically open to risk and digital gaming—suggests an experiential problem rather than a moral one.
Minnesota’s day care fraud reportedly stretches back to 2014, saw scammers leave U.S. with up to $1M a pop in cash; Ukraine launched 91 kamikaze drones at Putin’s state residence – Lavrov; MAHA backers refuse to stop pushing for healthier food as Obama-appointed judge deals blow
To hasten housing permits, lawmakers consider moving appeals out of a courtroom; VSP looking for man who tried to break into cars, damaged sign in Wells River; Snowy start to winter brings record weekend to Catamount Outdoor Center; Burlington community celebrates Kwanzaa
The release of a new digital initiative this week has brought renewed focus to a quiet but growing environmental crisis in Vermont’s most populous county: the salination of local waterways.
According to the Blue Cross campaign, a standard MRI scan at UVM Medical Center costs approximately $6,520 compared to $1,799 at an independent facility.
The state’s no-bail policies and a perceived “revolving door” justice system have left many residents and businesses feeling unprotected. Beyond the personal pain and financial hardship crime causes, there’s a broader economic toll: individuals, businesses, and even the state suffer under the weight of persistent crime.
While national elections draw the most attention, many of the most immediate impacts on Vermonters — particularly school spending and local taxes — are decided earlier in the year, often with less public awareness.
Nonprofit that helped combat loneliness in Rutland County to close; New online ‘toolkit’ offers Vermonters a how-to for disaster recovery; Killington opens new Skyeship gondola on Christmas Day
FBI did not believe it had probable cause to raid Mar-a-Lago for classified documents; FBI accused of ‘corrupting’ Epstein jail footage after his death, bombshell memo claims; Trump deploys troops and special ops aircraft to Caribbean as U.S. moves closer to war with Venezuela
The most transformative aspect of the newly adopted plan is the authorization of significantly taller buildings along the city’s major corridors.
My presentation on grass-fed meats.
Officers were called to the area of North Winooski Avenue and Grant Street at about 9:36 p.m. on Dec. 22 after receiving multiple reports of gunshots. Witnesses also reported seeing several people running from the area, police said.
AG Clark’s press releases often overstate her role in lawsuits led by bigger states. Yet, a 2025 ruling requires Vermont to join them to secure federal funds.
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations began an investigation after learning Reginald Adam Velasquez, 33, attempted to buy a Glock .40-caliber pistol from a federally licensed gun dealer in Barre on Nov. 14, court records show. He listed his Bradford address on the form and not the more recent Barre residence, records show.
The real solution is to reduce current education spending and put in place mechanisms that apply downward pressure on future spending. Many of the components of Act 73 do this, the governance changes are intended to reduce administrative overhead, class size minimums will reduce instructional overhead, and a statewide foundation formula will provide the mechanism for downward pressure on future spending.
Brandon thrift store funds new town solar projects with $50,000 donation; Garneau Family Lights collects 80+ toys for kids this holiday season; White House rebuffs Catholic bishops’ appeal for a Christmas pause in immigration enforcement; Adrian Dubois introduced as UVM men’s soccer head coach
People saw the Cardinals as a way to connect with loved ones and often purchased several at a time from Norton’s Gallery of Woodcarvings, Norton’s namesake gallery in Shoreham.
Originally introduced at the 1992 Rio Summit, Agenda 21 is an international action plan for sustainable development that aims to address the balance between human activity and environmental sustainability.
