“We are now witnessing a full blown war on science, public health, and on truth itself,” said Sanders at the joint press conference.
Both Vermont senators continue to pressure RFK to step down
New law says illegal immigrants don’t need social security # to apply for rental housing
“What that means for people in the farmworking community is that we’re obligated to stay on jobs where our rights aren’t being respected and we’re being abused, just because the farm is the only place where we’re able to get housing,” a Migrant Justice member said at the event.
Police chief: Violent felon given probation breaks officer’s hand
If certainty of punishment is zero, then the associated fear is also zero. Assaults on police officers, or other members of the community, inevitably become more prevalent.
VT Headlines: Job program for VT at-risk youth will close next month due skyrocketing healthcare costs
Hinesburg fire chief recognized for exemplary emergency management; Bernie Sanders on what comes after his ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour; State contractors blame Vermont’s new digital procurement system VTBuys for missing and late payments; The Conjuring’ star surprises staff at Vermont movie theater
Death penalty decision due for Stowe suspect in murder of out-of-state drug dealers
Bland, son of prominent lawyer, shared Morrisville drug den with victims
Blotter: Young teens busted for social media threats
Assault at Berlin homeless camp. Pistol whipping in Hinesburg. Arrest in Ford dealership robbery.
‘EVs are here to stay,’ despite Federal tax incentives going away
One result of President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” passed by Republicans in July is that it ends a federal tax incentive for the purchase or lease of electric vehicles as of Sept. 30, 2025. So if you’ve been thinking about an EV, now’s the time to act.
FYIVT: Do voter ID laws suppress or protect?
Trump’s proposed executive order has stirred a partisan storm. But step back from the slogans, and the evidence points to a simpler truth: voter ID laws may impose a minor hurdle for some, but they have not prevented record participation. Instead, they may serve a larger purpose—ensuring that every legitimate voter’s choice is protected, and that lawful ballots are not canceled out by unlawful or invalid ones.
O’Neil: What drives the transgender violence against Christians?
None of this means most people who identify as transgender pose a violent threat, nor that activist groups like the Human Rights Campaign are intentionally inspiring people to commit violence. However, the violent trend raises serious questions about the unintended consequences of transgender activists’ rhetoric.
Lindberg: Secretary of State not honest about election security
We need to get back to a system where there are, in practice, multiple eyes on every step of the process from registering a voter to casting a ballot to counting the votes. But to achieve this we will need to pass new election laws that meet this standard. I hope our lawmakers will do this in 2026.
Despathy: Truth about child vaccine trials
It would be most welcome if more people, especially healthcare providers and parents, would dig into the research on vaccine harms for the sake of our children and the future of humanity.
Feds imprison Venezuelan cocaine dealer for illegal re-entry
Also, a St. Albans man sentenced to 6+ years for mail fraud, aggravated identity theft
VT Headlines: 2 arrested in Essex during investigation into social media threats
Memorial for St. Joseph’s Orphanage survivors unveiled; Missing girl in Northeast Kingdom found safe; Burlington streets come alive for Pride Parade; Burlington restaurant shuts down after 11 years
Miss Vermont wows national stage as combat nurse, wildlife rehabilitator
She credits her grandfather, a World War II veteran who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and received the Purple Heart, with inspiring her own path of service. “One of the things that always stuck with me [was] how he was a part of something bigger than himself,” Parker told Fox News in an interview before the pageant.
Letters: Concerned about school shooters, parent advises shutters at public and private schools
Illegal roundup stifling economic growth? Plus: What do town committees do?
Cult member pleads innocent to murder charge after feds insist on death penalty
Teresa C. Youngblut, 21, of Seattle denied the four charges, including gunning down veteran Border Patrol Agent David “Chris” Maland during a traffic stop in the Northeast Kingdom community of Coventry on Jan. 20.
Emotions run high as towns discuss losing high schools to Act 73
Act 73 formed a statewide redistricting task force, which is holding meetings–one of which could be held at Oxbow next month.
Bossange: How President Trump threatens Vermonters
Dictators love big government. They remain in power through the long arm of the law and big government overreach. For them the government is their tool of control and pathway to creating a police state.
Soulia: Why Peter Welch’s lightning analogy fails on voter fraud
When Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) defended voting access on social media, he leaned on a familiar line: “More Americans are struck by lightning every year than commit voter fraud.” It’s a catchy sound bite. It suggests fraud is so rare that worrying about it is like worrying about unicorns. But what happens if we pull the numbers apart and look not just at perpetrators, but at victims?
Keelan: “Affordable housing is an oxymoron”
This is why affordable housing projects completed or under development in places such as Putney, Bennington, Burlington, and other Vermont cities and towns are costing up to or exceeding $600,000 per unit. In California, the cost is closer to $1 million.
Animals fight crime, are crime victims in VT last week
In one stop, police said Mike detected a felony quantity of MDMA (Ecstasy), two handguns, and drug paraphernalia.
Man charged with repeated injury, cruelty to six-week-old
The infant is being treated at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries.
Air National Guard base open house Sunday, September 7
Attendees can expect an F-35 flyby, working dog demonstration, military band performances, Norwich Silent Drill Team, a “jaws of life” demonstration and guided access to aircraft and vehicles, plus opportunities to meet the pilots, mechanics, medics, engineers, and other professionals who serve in the Vermont National Guard.
Gov names former ICE public defender as state’s attorney
Claire Burns was recommended to the Governor by the Caledonia County Republican Committee. Burns has worked in public defenders’ offices in Colorado and California, representing individuals at all stages of criminal proceedings, including those facing deportation at the Aurora ICE Processing Center, as well as at a juvenile detention center in Colorado, providing group and individual therapy.
VT Headlines: Youngblut to be arraigned on murder charge in border agent’s death
Crews respond to fire at Rutland nursing home; Construction to begin once again on Colchester Diverging Diamond Interchange project; Central Vermont Career Center hoping to expand
40 Days for Life prayer vigil begins with 9/21 kickoff rally
Vermont’s 40 Days for Life 7 AM – 7 PM sidewalk campaignon Washington Street, outside the Barre Planned Parenthood, starts on Wednesday, September 24 and runs through Sunday, November 2.
EAI video covers Vermont left’s long history of making change with out-of-state money
There has been widespread protest from many politicians and non-profit organizations about the decision by Americans for Prosperity to support efforts to reduce taxation and over-regulation in Vermont.
Michigan woman charged in Vermont cross-border child smuggling operation
Attorney General Pam Bondi, flanked by federal prosecutors, including Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher of Vermont, outlined on Thursday several recent significant efforts to combat human trafficking and smuggling along the international borders, including an important felony indictment in the Green Mountain State.
Most VT workers dodged data breach at Teamsters’ health union
If you live in Vermont, and your information was compromised in this breach, you should have received a formal letter in the mail from TeamstersCare.
Volunteers needed for River Clean-up Month
Low water levels make this September a good time to clean debris out of rivers.
Roper: More climate propaganda and left-wing bias from VT Digger
This time they really jumped the shark.
Bernie wants RFK Jr to resign, cites ‘overwhelming opposition’
“Despite the overwhelming opposition of the medical community, secretary Kennedy has continued his longstanding crusade against vaccines and his advocacy of conspiracy theories that have been rejected repeatedly by scientific experts.”
Eden at odds over seaweed herbicide in popular lake
Officials are using the herbicide, ProcellarCOR, which has been used in lakes and ponds such as Lake Fairlee, Lake Morey, and Sunset Lake, to battle the invasive milfoil.
VT Headlines: Loss of SNAP funding prompts closure of Northeast Kingdom food shelves
Vermonters dream big as Powerball jackpot reaches $1.7 billion; September marks Suicide Prevention Month; Orleans County Fair kicks off
Amazon to Milton? Local officials hope so
‘Workers will most likely patronize Milton Diner, Dunkin’ Donuts, Adam’s Table, Hannaford’s and all the other wonderful places in Milton,” Steady said.
Blotter: Undercover op leads to Brattleboro drug bust
Ryan struck a woman with a can of soup and then hit her in the head with a phone, causing injuries, police say.
Vermont’s bear population estimate is above goal for fourth consecutive year
New research will explore why.
Judge drops stabbing suspect bail from $20,000 to $2000
Previous rulings by judges had kept Lackie, who has a lengthy criminal record, jailed. The stabbing victim’s wife testified she would feel unsafe if he was released.
U.S. Forest Service approves 72-miles for the Velomont Bike Trail in Vermont
Unlike a thru-hiking route, the Velomont is designed as a multi-use system with mountain biking as a central focus, weaving together public and private lands across the spine of the Green Mountains.
Soulia: Act 21, VT’s $1M medical debt jubilee
Act 21 appropriates $1 million for fiscal year 2026. That money goes from the State Treasurer to a nonprofit debt buyer, which purchases old hospital accounts for pennies on the dollar and then cancels them. Patients who qualify — Vermont residents with incomes under 400 percent of the federal poverty line (FPL), or whose debt exceeds five percent of household income (with no income limit) — get letters saying their debt has been forgiven.
Bank robber sentenced for buying guns for drug dealers in return for cocaine
18 of the firearms were handguns that Loewe provided to his drug dealer in exchange for crack cocaine.
High winds, drought spell near-critical fire risk for Thursday
The highest danger period will be from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, when winds are strongest and humidity lowest.
Scenes from Burlington Labor Day Parade
Activists for illegal immigrants and Palestine joined anti-Trumpers paraded through Burlington Monday. Photographer Troy Austin was there.
Burlington utility lost $951,000 due to REC reporting failure
The Commission’s letter observed repeated issues across various cases, impacting both BED’s role as an energy efficiency utility and a distribution utility.
Newport Elementary completes green infrastructure project to improve water quality
The project, first identified in the 2016 Memphremagog Stormwater Master Plan managed by the Memphremagog Watershed Association, is now known as the Newport City Elementary School Green Schools Initiative. It supports ongoing efforts to meet Lake Memphremagog’s Total Maximum Daily Load requirements for phosphorus reduction and the Tactical Basin Plan workplan for the watershed.
Vermont doctors declare victory in restoration of LGBTQ data
On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to remove all statements that “promote or otherwise inculcate gender ideology.”
Blotter: Six arrested, 18 detained in Royalton drug raid
Cocaine, guns and suspects seized in Royalton drug raid.
Lawmakers gather across VT to speak, listen to public
Organizers say the forum is an opportunity for Vermonters to hear about plans to address affordability and other challenges facing families across the state.
VT Headlines: Man accused of chasing children with machete in Brattleboro
2 suspects plead not guilty in deadly Church Street assault; A Vermont animal sanctuary proves that roosters can live peacefully after cockfighting; Vermonters share concerns over new COVID-19 vaccine regulations
Vermont a part of labor and industry pushback against proposed home care changes
The rollbacks would undo an Obama-era change, reverting regulations to those drafted in 1975. The impact would include removing overtime protections as well as the $7.25 federal minimum wage requirement for home health workers. The agency says the move would improve costs for home health care providers and stimulate growth in the struggling industry.
GOP leaders hold legislative forum in Ludlow Thursday, September 4
The GOP leaders who held the line on property taxes and stopped the Clean Heat Standard say there’s much more to be done. They’ll dish, listen and take questions at a forum in Ludlow Thursday, 6 PM September 4.
Passenger trains to Montreal are in the works — what does it mean for Vermonters?
The biggest hurdle? Clearing passengers who board the train before they cross the border.
Klar: The skinny on whole foods
What they are, and why consumer demand is heating up.
Does Mt. Mansfield look like its namesake, or more like another famous Vermonter?
Regardless of identity, the Mountain endures.
Fireovid: SpeakVT’s checklist for the new school year
Vermont summers pass quickly, and here we are in another school year.
Church Street killers attacked the wrong person
The beating stemmed from a report – that proved false — that Kastner earlier had struck Taylor’s mother, Katie Bollman, over a $400 dispute and the Aug. 11th incident was retaliation.
One Vermonter died by overdose for every two days in 2024
DEA 2024 report shows fentanyl less ‘pure’ due to Chinese manufacturers concerns -but no less deadly.
Soulia: Dark money in Vermont: It’s not coming from AFP
The Affordable Heat Act raised costs, the PUC confirmed it, and the real outside cash is already funding Vermont’s media and advocacy landscape: they just don’t like competition.
VT Headlines: Champlain Valley high schooler starts poker club to empower girls
Northfield commemorates Labor Day with annual parade; Labor Day rally in Burlington highlights workers’ rights and political divides
Campaign for Vermont seeks answers to rising housing, school, health care costs
Non-profit seeking to grow VT’s middle class updates its research priority list for 2025.
AG Clark wins in Vermont Supreme Court against Meta’s Facebook and Instagram
It’s likely the battle isn’t over.
Roper: “People experiencing Progressive policies”
Some on the Left call for abandoning “woke” language.
Shelburne Sgt. Kapitanski to close out case
The Shelburne Police officer charged with an on-duty fatal cruiser-bicycle crash last year has apparently struck a deal with the state to resolve his reckless driving case, Vermont Superior Court records show.
Legislative wrap-up in Barre September 18
Orange and Washington County lawmakers review how the actions of the 2025 Legislature affect Vermonters’ safety and prosperity.
Two arrested for murder in Burlington’s Church Street homicide
A New York man and a South Burlington teen are being held without bail at the Vermont Department of Corrections.
Will Trump invoke Insurrection Act for Chicago?
Trump “stands ready to help and assist any community that wishes to be liberated from these criminal elements that are such a dire threat to the freedom and tranquility of the American people,” Miller said.
Eye-gouging road rage in Winooski leads to charges
Bushway told officers the pain was “a ten out of ten” before losing his vision.
Burlington gang member sentenced for shooting into crowded apartment
Abdiaziz “Drill” Abdhikadir was sentenced to 5-7 years, with credit for time served, for shooting in 2022 into an apartment occupied by the family of a man he allegedly murdered five months later.
Sheriff under investigation by State Police over spending, finances
The investigation comes — by coincidence or otherwise — as two top ranking deputies departed the sheriff’s department.
VT Headlines: Colchester man arrested following violent road rage assault
Two recovering after late-night rollover crash in Burlington; Canadian tourism falls; Vermont holds out hope for fall season
Sarah George to seek re-election in 2026
Even in cases involving repeat offenders, cash bail is often posted by non-profits, and the suspect walks free without losing their own cash, George said.
AG Clark ‘plays no role in immigration enforcement’ while issuing anti-ICE press release
Clark’s latest anti-Trump press release noted the detaining for possible deportation of illegal immigrants living in ‘the Northshire,’ an unofficial name for the Bennington County area. Press reports say that on August 25 ICE detained two Jamaican women working as home health aides and living in Manchester.
Newport man arrested for ‘credible’ bomb threat against high school
Cypher Aiken, listed as age 25 by Newport police, was charged with domestic terrorism and threatening a civilian population with mass destruction and mass killings, according to Chief Travis Bingham.
Charles F. Orvis, Vermont’s angling visionary
Vermonters have always been an innovative breed, and yet most of the Green Mountain State’s iconic manufacturers built their companies elsewhere. Henry Wells, co-founder of both American Express and Wells Fargo, left Thetford for New York, as did Elisha Graves Otis of Halifax, founder of Otis Elevator. John Deere left Rutland for Moline, Illinois. One Vermonter, however, managed to achieve iconic status without leaving his hometown of Manchester.
Vermont hesitant to remove gender ideology from federal education materials
Human Services Secretary Jenney Samuelson: “Just to put some of the facts out there, the PREP program does provide information for adolescents and youth, particularly around STI [sexually transmitted infection] HIV, prevention and prevention of unintended pregnancies. It is not a school-based program, so it is not offered in the schools.
Plans for a municipal septic system are underway in Jericho
Reliance on on-site septic and well water signifies that a place “is frozen in amber, ain’t nothing gonna happen here again, it is what it is, nothing’s gonna change,” said Chris Campany, executive director of the Windham County Regional Planning Commission.
Illegal immigrant held by feds for daylight shooting at Barnes & Noble
The shooting followed a confrontation at a Burlington bar, Red Square on Church Street, between Wilson and the victim over a mutual female friend about 2 AM that morning, the investigation revealed.
Wanted woman overdoses, crashes car
Palmer was administered Narcan and transported to Central Vermont Medical Center, where she was later released. She initially provided officers with a false name, and further investigation revealed the vehicle and license plates were stolen.
Legislature passed youth crime, anti-stalking, corpse abuse laws this year
Quick list of criminal justice laws passed by Montpelier this year.
Franklin County drug dealers face the Feds
John “Fluffy” Lapan, 41, of St. Albans appeared in U.S. District Court on Monday afternoon for a federal criminal complaint that he was involved in three controlled drug purchases in February, according to an affidavit from the St. Albans City Police.
Meanwhile, Jonathan J. Letourneau, 36, also of St. Albans is named in a separate criminal complaint for a charge of knowingly and intentionally distributing crack cocaine in Franklin County in January, records show. He is due in federal court later.
Federal funding loss leads to major cuts at Vermont Public – but organization was already in the red
According to the organization’s official announcement, the elimination of 15 positions stem directly from a $2 million shortfall caused by a recent federal rescission bill that eliminated key funding for public broadcasting.
VT Headlines: Lake Champlain water levels are down significantly amid drought
A Manchester family searches for direction after ICE raid takes one of their own; NBC5 gets a sneak peak at brand new Burlington High School campus
Letters: Democrats, act your age/ Make Sex Great Again
For all our modern focus on sex, it seems our increasingly secular world is having less of it—and it’s declining decade after decade. MSGA!
Page: AI hallucinations and digital mirages
Unpacking the hype, limitations, and the dawn of the human comeback.
Warner: A.I. equals artificial integrity and a massive cost to consumers
We are witnessing the build-up of Orwell’s Ministry of Truth in our monthly power bills, replete with hydro-electric memory holes.
VT Headlines: Amidst work stoppage, bus company brings in replacements for start of school in Windham County
Champlain Valley Fair tries for square dancing world record, hundreds dance in the rain; Lyndon Institute students to fix Miller’s Run Bridge barrier after it took a heavy hit; First Robotics Vermont recruiting elementary and middle schoolers at Champlain Valley Fair
Vermont lowest ranked state for gold-diggers
With a total score of just 4.38/10, Vermont ranks as the state least likely to be labeled a ‘gold digging’ hotspot. Despite having a relatively solid average annual income of $66,330, the state’s small population means there are only 16,000 millionaire households and no billionaires.
SHORTS: Gone Guys, Wells River water hauling, and Old Growth Forest conference
Gone Guys exposes disengagement, isolation of Vermont boys; Wells River hauling water from New Hampshire after oil spill; Old Growth Forest conference next month
Victim identified in fatal Church St., Burlington beating
Ten days after his death, Scott Kastner, 42, was identified Tuesday as the man that died following a vicious beating at Burlington City Hall Park, city police said.
19-year-old in prison faces sex assault charge as juvenile/ fatal crash
A silver ring with engravings was recovered at the scene of a Derby Line car vandalism, and police are seeking information about its owner.
Salmon’s success bodes well for Winooski River health, but flooding and federal cuts stir fear
Scientists say the fish are a reliable measure of lake and basin ecological health.
Water finds a way: Ruins of 200-year-old Cabot dam to be cleared
The Clark Sawmill Dam collapsed during the flooding that hit Vermont in 2023, punctuating years of back-and-forths about its future.
Former Chief Supreme Court justice writes true crime thriller about Clarence Darrow murder trial in VT
Nearly a century ago, America’s most famous defense attorney, Clarence Darrow, came to Vermont to fight for the life of a convicted murderer. Now, that forgotten chapter of legal history is the focus of a new book from the Vermont Historical Society.
Bean’s Creemees & Snack Shack to Host Barry T. Chouinard Memorial Labor Day Motor Show on 8/29
The Barry T. Chouinard Memorial Northfield Labor Day Motor Show is set to take place on Friday, August 29, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at 470 North Main St., Northfield, VT 05663 at Bean’s Creemees and Snack Shack!
Suggested (but not required) donation of $15 per car to be donated to the Veteran’s Place in Northfield!
Keelan: Young Marine saw racial segregation up close
Much progress has been achieved over the past six decades in addressing discrimination, but as a nation, we cannot say it is behind us.
Balint claims no corporate PAC $$, but fed records raise questions
In the first half of 2025, “Courage PAC,” linked to Balint, received thousands in donations from PACs connected to major corporations, per its latest FEC report.
VT Headlines: Haskell Free Library inspires VT play about borders and belonging in the Trump era
Grants available for child nutrition, farming education in Vermont; Old McDonald Farm offers sweet rewards for kids at the Champlain Valley Fair
Barrier stops another truck from smashing covered bridge
Perhaps no other Vermont landmark except Smugglers Notch is more prone to trucking mishaps than the Millers Run Covered Bridge in Lyndonville.
Regulator reduces proposed health insurance rates
GMCB said it ordered insurers to “lower their assumptions about hospital price increases” as part of its order. The board also is requiring hospitals to reduce their costs.
Pipe bomb suspect detained in Colchester case
Now Feds have him in custody, court says
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