Jada Samitt, 22, was working as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries observer aboard a dragger that sank off Gloucester, Massachusetts on Friday.
Former UVM student smong seven dead in sunken Massachusetts fishing boat
Timothy Page
Wolk resigns as judge in Rutland
Plans to run for Vermont Senate
Vermont rejects police chase limits: Letting suspects escape could be more dangerous
The Council’s deliberations occurred against a backdrop of deteriorating roadway safety conditions as speed-related fatalities increased 50% between 2023 and 2024.
VT Headlines: Noah Kahan documentary lands at Netflix
Recent UVM grad on board missing fishing vessel; Vermont woman shares her father’s work desegregating Boston schools; Partial government shutdown over immigration underway. How long will it last?
‘Vermontiana’ book due this out this month
A new book from J. Kevin Graffagnino, coming in February
Vermont senator proposes annual tax on vacant homes to address housing crisis
Senator’s proposal would transform one-time purchase surcharge into yearly assessment
Farmers push back against town control
To grow or not to grow, that is the question that the Senate Agriculture Committee is taking on with its newest bill that challenges a ruling of the Vermont Supreme Court that opened the door to allow towns to regulate agriculture, even gardens and backyard chickens.
CLG: Epstein Files having global impact
DOJ Epstein Files Reveal Michael Wolff’s Political Collaboration With Jeffrey Epstein to Undermine Trump; Top Israeli general secretly visits Pentagon; U.S., Israel deny involvement in mysterious blasts that killed 6, wounded over a dozen across Iran; Trump administration on alert as deadly virus with no cure sparks Covid-era quarantines
Proposed VT constitutional amendment enshrines some civil rights – why not others?
The 2024 Vermont Senate rushed a proposed amendment to the Vermont Constitution guaranteeing equal protection for ‘race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin,” a parents’ rights advocate told a Senate committee Thursday.
ATF in Vermont investigates bogus gun-grabbing Homeland Security letter
Federal authorities say they are investigating a report about a bogus letter purportedly written by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to at least one Vermont gun store claiming the U.S. Government was temporarily suspending the Second Amendment right to have guns.
Martin: Not enough changes since 2024 Tax Revolt
Be sure to send the message you intend to send with your vote.
Bradley: Falsehoods, misrepresentations and guns in Burlington bars
The apathy rate of Burlington voters is high, just like the city’s crime rate.
VT Headlines: More than a dozen Vermont towns face road salt shortage
Woman sentenced in fatal shooting outside downtown Burlington bar; Ex-prosecutor not recommended for Vermont’s high court; Human Rights Commission calls for new civil rights laws in Vermont
Roper: Are we really spending $157,000 taxpayer dollars per childcare spot?!
Senator says we need to be discussing return on investment, and YEAH!
Nation’s fastest-shrinking state: Vermont loses 0.3% of population amid aging crisis and housing stagnation
Vermont has experienced what demographers call “negative natural change”—more deaths than births—every year since 2016, and new housing is blocked by regulations from the days of rotary phones.
Evictions bill seeks to protect tenants and landlords
“The theory behind the bill is pretty simple, rather brutally simple, which is to give each side what it most wants, regardless of the fact that the other side really doesn’t want what the other side wants,” Mihaly said.
VT Headlines: Rutland County sheriff deputy fired for racist messages, misconduct letter says
Esther Charlestin launches 2026 bid for Vermont Lieutenant Governor; City leaders reflect on past VSP presence in downtown Burlington; Vermont schools are making headway to address chronic absenteeism, but rates remain stubbornly high; Vermont Conversation: Local clergy see Minnesota as ‘testing ground’ for Trump’s immigration crackdown
Page: Response to Maryellen Griffin’s commentary on evictions and homelessness
Hard facts and market dynamics suggest that increasing hardship for owners can drive independent landlords out of business, ultimately reducing housing availability, flexibility, and affordability—exacerbating the very housing crisis Griffin seeks to address.
State to modernize healthcare with ‘One big beautiful bill’ $$
“Instead of throwing more money at the problem, we need to address the root causes and fix the system,” Governor Scott stated during the briefing.
Lyndon D-3 hoop star leading nation in scoring
Wesley MacIntyre, a Vermont State University – Lyndon junior, is leading the nation in scoring, according to a January 28 Caledonian-Record news report by reporter Kevin Doyon.
Amid AI labor disputes and persistent deficits, VTDigger CEO Sky Barsch to leave in June
VTDigger’s challenges reflect broader pressures on Vermont journalism. In August 2025, Vermont Public eliminated 15 positions. Vermont has lost 75% of its newsroom workforce since 2000.
Bill includes value of farmland in solar permitting
“The value of a great corn crop on a good year would net a farmer $400 an acre. I’ve heard values on solar rent paid to the farmer up to $2,000 per acre,” Nelson said.
Thayer: Protecting the Vote is not voter suppression
A nation without borders is not a nation, and a democracy without clear voter eligibility rules is not a democracy.
Bananas: Ice disappears innocent pedestrians
Concerns about have been increasing as the unseasonably and unreasonably non-climate changey cold winter saw ice terrorizing the streets of Minneapolis.
Vermont boycotts surge: Consumers target businesses over political ties and values
How digital platforms and trade tensions are reshaping the State’s commercial landscape
VT Headlines: Amtrak Vermonter service disrupted after train derails in Northfield, MA
Nick Deml to take control of Rikers Island; Collision between car and South Burlington police cruiser; South Burlington students start school food pantry for classmates
Vermont State Police arrest Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer
Palmer, a Democrat, upset longtime Windsor County Sheriff D. Michael Chamberlain, a Republican, during the General Election in November 2022 and was sworn in Feb. 1, 2023.
‘Return home’ homeless likely can return to VT, receive benefits
Can the state of Vermont impose residency requirements for its welfare programs? This was the topic of debate last week in the House Committee on Human Services when Representative Brenda Steady (R-Milton) asked if fraud could result from the “return home” provisions in H.594.
Angwin: Don’t look North
Québec takes care of its own people first
Energy committee chairs sponsor fossil fuels legislation
A pair of bills sponsored by the chairs of energy committees in both House and Senate would further regulate and tax the sale of fossil fuels in Vermont.
Fernandez: Media and protestors ignore other stateless Middle Easterners
The University of Vermont and Middlebury College each have a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), while Dartmouth College lists two similar but separate programs: Palestine Solidarity Coalition of Dartmouth Students (PSC) and Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine. But where are their organizations to protest and advertise the occupation and subjugation of other unrecognized peoples?
VT Headlines: Vermont is failing to meet its energy-reduction targets, state auditor finds
Plans to send Vermont immigration staff to Minnesota rolled back; Burlington’s mayor to convene emergency meeting as ICE tension heats up; Enosburg home destroyed by fire
Bring back the catamount, build housing off-site, create new State Wildlands, ban rodent poison, & more in House committees this week
H. 276, State Wildlands, is scheduled for testimony in the House Environment Committee on Wednesday afternoon at the Vermont Statehouse. Sponsored by committee chair Rep. Amy Sheldon, the bill would create a new Wildlands designation within Vermont’s Ecological Reserves, permanently protecting certain lands from conversion, promoting natural processes and old-growth forest conditions, and permanently designating many state parks as Wildlands.
Soulia: VT bill would create taxpayer-funded right to immigration defense
The bill, introduced by Rep. Leonora Dodge (D – Chittenden-23), proposes creating a new Legal Representation in Federal Immigration Proceedings Program within Vermont’s Office of Defender General. As written, the legislation declares it to be the public policy of the State of Vermont that covered individuals “should have the right to ongoing legal representation” in federal immigration cases.
Mileage-based user fee may leave gas tax in rear-view mirror
The initial proposal would apply only to electric vehicles, swapping the current flat EV fee of $89 with a per-mile charge using odometer readings. While officials say broader expansion is not on the immediate horizon, decisions made in the next few months could shape whether MBUF becomes Vermont’s long-term transportation funding model.
Bill bans sale of new tires without approved disposal plan
A bill that would ban the sale of car and truck tires in Vermont unless the manufacturer has an approved plan to dispose of waste tires will get a hearing in House Environment at 9 AM Thursday morning.
Roper: Cut the BS, not the Transportation Fund
Fixing the roads is a core government responsibility, DEI is not.
VT Headlines: Colossal winter storm kills at least 13; hundreds of thousands without power across US
Following fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, protesters rally in Essex Junction; Deadly fire investigation underway in Sharon after man dies in camper; Butler Family Auto in Barton destroyed by fire; Facing housing crunch, Stowe considers strict restrictions on short-term rentals
Scott, other GOP leaders join condemnation of Pretti shooting
One widely shared account suggests that during the struggle, one or more ICE officers shouted “gun,” prompting another officer to draw a weapon. According to this version, Pretti’s sidearm was removed by an officer who then walked away, but the weapon discharged negligently. Some commentators point to the Sig Sauer P320 handgun, which has been the subject of lawsuits and controversy over unintentional discharges, typically when dropped. The theory suggests the discharge may have led other agents to believe Pretti was firing, resulting in what they perceived as a justified use of deadly force. “If this is what happened, it’s an incredibly unfortunate accident,” one commenter wrote.
Senator’s bill would force vote on local retail cannabis stores
At present, selectboards have option of voting on local pot stores – or not
Man charged with nursing home car theft, crash, second (failed) car theft
A 26-year-old Glover man was arrested early Sunday morning following a series of alleged vehicle-related crimes that began at a nursing home parking lot and ended with his capture at a nearby residence, according to Vermont State Police.
Covid-era van conversion business owner pleads guilty to fraud
ECVB marketed itself as specializing in converting Ford Transit vans and Mercedes Sprinter vans into “reliable, self-sufficient adventure homes.”
Police identify 2 people killed in 3-vehicle crash in Colchester
Dead are: Kendall Lemay, 38, of Cadyville, N.Y., a driver, and Jacob Rivers, 41, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., a front seat passenger, police said.
Letters: MLK & Charlie Kirk/ Alex Pretti shooting
Like King, Charlie Kirk spoke out against restrictions on the freedom of the individual, and despite many contesting his views, did not turn to violence or retaliation to further his beliefs.
CLG: ‘Massive fleet’ heading to Iran – Trump
Deadly bat-borne virus with no cure is spreading in India with ‘epidemic potential’ as new cases emerge; Israeli fire kills three in Gaza, medics say, as U.S. pushes deal; United States Completes WHO Withdrawal; Children’s Health Defense Hits AAP With RICO Suit Over Fraudulent Vaccine Safety Claims; Alex Pretti’s Sig handgun has history of accidentally firing – offering possible clue to why Border Patrol agent shot him
Elle St. Pierre stuns with world-leading 3000m win just 8 months postpartum
The winning time ranked as the fifth-fastest performance ever by an American woman indoors.
Despathy: H.545 is yet another example of unbalanced and irresponsible legislation in VT
An open letter to the Vermont Legislature
North: No new taxes!
This past Tuesday Governor Phil Scott delivered his 2026 Budget Address to Vermonters and the General Assembly saying the time for structural reform is now. With federal stimulus dollars winding down and revenue forecasts downgraded, Vermont faces a pivotal moment that demands discipline, innovation, and collaboration.
Keelan: Vermont needs a success story
The former Prime Minister of Turkey, Ahmet Davutoglu, once said, “The Mid-East needs a success story.” And here in Vermont, that is precisely what we need in 2026.
VT Headlines: Vermont House passes bill on recommending vaccines
Senator Bernie Sanders in Burlington to talk health care;; Vermont school district voices support for education reform amid controversy; Burlington Chief of Staff Erin Jacobsen to resign; Vermont lineworkers headed down to Virginia ahead of ice storm
Rutland Garden Club serves the city with winter projects
The club currently has more than 50 active members and meets on the second Tuesday of each month in Rutland
Progress in Vermont public pensions: funding up sharply, but $B’s in liabilities linger
The teachers’ retirement system now has 10,772 retired members and beneficiaries drawing pensions, compared to just 10,526 active teachers contributing to the fund.
Roper: WCAX misses (or chooses to ignore) the real story about Vermont election security
Pushes left-wing narrative despite evidence.
VT Headlines: More cold weather shelters opened ahead of freezing weekend
Wells River man dead in reported single-car crash; Thousands report Microsoft 365 outages, including Outlook and Teams; Vergennes warns residents that the city is low on salt ahead of weekend snowstorm; Downtown Burlington bar closing ‘effective immediately’
Somali cabbie living in Burlington, sentenced in 2019 for immigration fraud, detained by ICE
Hussien’s supporters on Reddit are asking the public to support his family: “Hussien Noor Hussien has been living in the US for 22 years. He used a false name to escape Somalia, which hurt no one, and served his time for that fraud after he was caught. A few weeks ago, ICE abducted him from his cab at the Burlington airport and imprisoned him at the NW correctional facility in St Albans.”
“Anne Frank: A History for Today” exhibit coming to three Vermont high schools
Travelling exhibit utilizes unique “peer-education” to teach the lessons of the Holocaust
Peter Welch wants to lower credit card costs; JP Morgan says ‘try it in Vermont first’
JP Morgan’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, called a nationwide interest rate cap an “economic disaster” that would result in “a drastic reduction of the credit card business” for 80 percent of Americans.
Thayer: President Trump’s first year back in the Oval is action, not apologies
In an era defined by hesitation, that alone is a notable accomplishment.
Shorts: Last call for telephone land lines
Traveling without Real-ID; Lifetime hunting & fishing license winner
Victims of crime involving mental health demand Legislature’s help
Vermont needs a secure facility to hold people deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial for violent crime. That was one of the “asks” to lawmakers by crime victims, survivors, and advocates from across Vermont who gathered at the State House on Tuesday for the first Voices for Vermont Victims Public Hearing, urging lawmakers to enact reforms to better protect victims’ rights in cases involving mental health and forensic competency issues.
Klar: The Clinton Conundrum: Bill and Hillary defy Congress at what cost?
Will they face criminal proceedings?
Cohen: UVM students live in squalid dorms while prez enjoys free family housing
University of Vermont President Marlene Tromp silent on dorm squalor while she lives with her entire family in ‘free’ campus housing.
Alzheimer’s Association Vermont and Lt. Gov. Rodgers launch statewide caregiver listening tour
Unpaid caregivers provide millions of hours to dementia patients
Illegal immigrant with 25 convictions awaits deportation from VT
The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Benjamin Paul Sheldon Schooner, 35, of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada near the Haskell Library and Opera House in Derby Line on Christmas Day about 12:20 a.m., records show.
Franklin County man denies attempted murder
Milton resident still recovering from shooting
Roper: How state government destroyed childcare in Vermont
State subsidies and regulation made childcare more expensive, less available, and less effective.
VT Headlines: Wind chills up to -40° this weekend
Gov. Scott forecasts comeback for nuclear; ICE Out protests happening across Vermont, including Burlington and Williston; Gov. Phil Scott aims to fix Vermont’s ‘broken’ criminal justice system this session
From ICE to ice cream at the State House
At a Capitol Ministries mixer Tuesday afternoon, elected officials as disparate in their views as Progressive Rep. Brian Cina of Burlington and Republican Rep. Mary Morrissey of Bennington could be seen sitting down peacefully over the ice cream served up by the State House ministry overseen by Rev. Aaron Clark of Montpelier.
Guv says days of Covid-era federal $$ are over, time to restructure
Gov. Phil Scott on Tuesday unveiled his proposed FY2027 budget, saying the $9.4 billion plan reins in costs, provides targeted property tax relief, and begins addressing long-term structural challenges in education, transportation, housing, and human services—without raising broad-based taxes.
Legislature looks at tolls for transportation revenue
The Transportation budget faces a $33 million shortfall this year. Growing use of EVs, increasingly fuel-efficient gasoline/diesel cars and trucks, and people working at home rather than commuting have conspired to reduce purchasing at the pump – where the Transportation Fund gets most of its funding. So now both interested residents and state legislators are looking elsewhere.
Children’s Health Day at the Vermont Statehouse
Vermonters will have an opportunity to share their concerns and become better informed regarding the increasing role schools and government have been playing in their family’s health care decisions.
How modern factory-built homes could solve the State’s housing crisis—if regulators would let them
A surge in homelessness and a 32% construction labor shortage have exposed Vermont’s housing crisis as a shelter emergency. Meanwhile, a transformation in off-site construction has created homes that are often higher quality and more energy efficient than traditional builds—at half the cost. So why do state and local regulations still treat them like the mobile homes of 1970?
Selectboard passes anti-ICE resolution, faces social media backlash
In particular, one Facebook commenter said the resolution would have no effect on ICE except to draw federal attention to Williston as a sanctuary town. “It equates to the drunk driver that thinks he’s smart for throwing his beer cans/packages out the window so they’re not in his car if he gets pulled over. That pile of cans on the side of the road equates to putting up a big sign that says, ‘I drive drunk on this road, please patrol here more,’” Frank Williams said.
VT Headlines: Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital brings back mask requirements for staff
Hundreds gather in Waitsfield, Vermont for peaceful protest on Martin Luther King Jr. Day;Vermont’s Transportation Fund faces $33 million shortfall; Arctic blast expected to bring near record cold this weekend in Vermont, New York; Rutland community shares mixed reactions over Walmart relocation
When faith crosses party lines
A story of salvation and friendship in the Vermont State House.
Vermont Senate would ban ICE masks, some arrests
One bill prohibits arrests for civil violations – including immigration violations – in ‘sensitive locations’. The other requires all law enforcement – including federal officers – to wear name tags and not wear masks.
Bufka: MLK’S ‘Strength to Love’ a must-read
In these chaotic times, it is a good idea to reach out for and hold fast to whatever helps us to remember what it means to be fully human. You don’t have to be a Christian, or an activist, to appreciate Strength to Love. You just have to be human and want to be the best human you can be.
Sanders a never-show at Holocaust Museum council meetings
Records provided by museum staff show Sanders, who is Jewish, has missed every council meeting since joining the board, despite his long tenure and high-profile role in national politics, including his Democratic presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020.
Vermont grapples with out-of-state EV drivers not paying for roads they use
As much as 20% of public charging goes to non-residents who contribute nothing to highway maintenance. The state has studied—and largely rejected—direct solutions.
Klar: MAHA scores major Congressional ‘win’ against Big Chem.
But will SCOTUS Intervene on behalf of pesticide manufacturers?
Scott gives budget address this afternoon amid slow revenue growth
Bills, news rules impact cost of fuel, fuel storage, overtime pay, credit card usage
Gassett: Voter ID law ‘no-brainer’
Vermonters deserve an elections system that is convenient, but also secure and accurate. We have the former, but we do not at present have the latter. Moreover, multiple polls by a wide spectrum of pollsters such show around 80% of people support Voter ID. Passing H.670 should be a no-brainer.
Coester: Shame on Omar for cursing United States
For those who missed her charade, here it is: @IlhanMN refers to our great country as the “U.S. G*dd*mn States.” But without the asterisks. There is no circumstance in which she should refer to our country in this way. It is beyond disrespectful—it is appalling, disgusting, and sick. Shame on her!
Soulia: VT bill would speed up evictions, tighten court timelines
Only 3 days of warning given for eviction, under the new proposed bill.
VT Headlines: Police charge 20-year-old with attempted murder in Colchester shooting
Multiple people, including minors, seriously injured after head-on crash in Monkton; Vermont State Police investigate Chittenden Regional inmate death; Crews Respond To Structure Fire In Swanton; Hinesburg and new police union agree to three-year contract
Dance recital bus slides off I-89
Vermont State Police said the bus, returning from a dance recital, left the roadway on the southbound Exit 3 off-ramp in wet, slushy conditions. The driver, Brittany Pontier, 26, of Bennington, was able to reenter the roadway, and the bus continued on its way.
By 2030, one in 3 VTers over 65 – here’s what it means
Vermonters use less total energy than the residents of any other state in the nation and their total energy consumption per capita is among the lowest five states. About 11% of Vermonters heat with wood, the highest share of any state, according to the EIA.
CLG: Minnesota National Guard placed on standby to support law enforcement as protests turn violent
Trump selling seats on Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ for $1B; U.S. opens missile facility in Qatar amid Iran tensions; U.S. freezes all visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iran
National Martin Luther King Jr. tribute ends at Shelburne library
The Obama White House, the National Civil Rights Museum and Little Rock Central High School: all have hosted bronze statues of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as part of a local man’s public art project. Now, 15 years and 17 sculptures later, the last statue in the project has found its final home in Shelburne.
Crosby: A ground solar nightmare
All permanent ground solar should require local town permitting complete with Notice and Public Comment, with certified letters including Notice and Public Comment opportunity to abutters.
Vermont State Auditor candidate, a Montpelier-outsider, looks to bring more accountability and less policymaking to the job
A fourth generation Vermonter, Graeter’s focus is on a return to granular fiscal oversight rather than the broad policy analysis that has characterized the office exiting auditor Doug Hoffer’s tenure.
Letters: Smith on the true reason for high taxes
Also: Rowell on Mulvaney-Stanak & ICE
Vermont’s Plan to bring lottery sales to your smartphone relies on Michigan’s success—but Pennsylvania tells a different story
Two states, two outcomes, and a different model in New Hampshire shape the debate
At least 150,000 Vermont customers lost Verizon service this week — they’re each getting $20
A nationwide network failure left roughly one-quarter of Vermonters without cell service for ten hours on January 14, exposing critical vulnerabilities in the state’s communications infrastructure
New England Donor Services announces record number of life-saving organ transplants in 2025
Despite national headwinds and federal regulatory uncertainty, leading OPO coordinated organ donations from 640 deceased donors across the New England region that resulted in a record 1,692 life-saving organ transplants
VT Headlines: National guard, multiple fire crews respond to repeat Colchester structure fire, now under investigation
Lowell Town Garage destroyed by fire, officials say; Monkton farm matches furry friends with seniors, veterans; Vermont organizations merge accessible recreation and conservation goals in ‘first-of-its-kind’ outdoor center in Rochester; Roadway in Randolph closed due to crash
The black beast of Snake Mountain
Among its dense forests and rocky ledges, local folklore speaks of a terrifying cryptid known as “The Black Beast of Snake Mountain,” which allegedly terrorized the region during the 1920s and 1930s.
Former Detroit denies three new federal felony cocaine charges
Just off court supervision for Central Vermont drug case
Klar, Murray named to Vermont Farm Service Agency
Members of the FSA state committee are appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and, in support of the Trump Administration’s Farmers First commitment, members of the FSA state committee are responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining cooperative relations with industry stakeholders and keeping producers informed about current FSA programs.
Vermont lawmakers push ‘accountability’ model in H.594 to rein in $2.7M monthly motel costs and homelessness crisis
The most discussed feature of H.594 is the Return Home Program, where the state would fund travel and relocation for unhoused individuals who wish to return to a state where they maintain legal reside
