With the continued dry weather outlook and the abundance of dry leaves and dry fuels in Vermont’s forests, wildfires have the potential to spread rapidly, officials said.
State issues no-burn order
UVM raises tuition instate and out-of-state
Trustees set a 4.5% increase for out-of-state students and a 2% increase for Vermonters, as well as a 3.5-percent increase for room and board.
Burlington suspect robs second bank in three days, still at large
On October 28, Key Bank on Bank Street was robbed by a male suspect. Investigation has identified James Plunkett, 39, of Burlington, as the suspect for both this robbery and the robbery of the M&T Bank on Pine Street on October 26.
AI is listening when you talk to you doctor
Although AI may improve short-term productivity and accessibility, it risks reducing the human element in care, UVM College of Medicine researchers say.
Married 70 years, couple chooses death together
“As a devoted couple of more than 70 years, who had recently experienced precipitously declining health, they chose to die together as they’d lived together,” the family said.
Forest fire destroys two camps
Fire suppression and smoke will continue for days. Also: fatal Rte. 7 crash; teen survives crash on wet, icy roads; stolen vehicles.
Monitoring the mighty migration of the Monarch
“It was not a good year for monarchs (in Vermont),” McFarland said. “Monarch productivity was terrible.” He believes the bad heat waves and heavy rain the state faced in July put a strain on the population migrating north.
Judge’s Vermontiana collection goes to auction block
“It’s probably the best Vermont collection to come on the auction market in 20 years,” said Graffagnino, who started dealing Vermontiana at 17 and has worked with it ever since.
Douglas, elected at age 21, endorses Douglass
Former Gov. Jim Douglas mentioned that he was elected to the legislature at 21-years-old and there were three other legislators younger than him when he got there.
Post-Santonello, Californication of Burlington makes national news
The national spotlight is focused on the City That Gave Bernie His Start.
KVS EXCLUSIVE: BPD recruitment officer resigns, numbers still down, drug crime up
The Burlington Police Department’s new recruitment coordinator resigned.
Roper: The real misinformation about the Clean Heat Standard
Rob Roper tells the Public Utilities Commission why supporters’ claims about the Clean Heat Standard “are observably, demonstrably, and obviously false.” So can you.
Friday at Four: Big election stories in a new studio
Hot election stories reported and discussed in our new studio space at 802 Scoop in Barre.
VT Headlines: New toilet debuts
Burlington seeks higher electricity rate.
It’s Our Turn, Vermont
Cops seek Burlington bank robber who said he had a bomb
Before noon today (Saturday), a man walked into a Burlington bank, said he had a bomb, and walked out with stolen cash.
New software tax bill comes due
The expansion of the state sales and use tax to include software is one of two new taxes created by the Vermont Legislature this spring to reduce the 20% school spending property tax increase down to 14%.
Legislative pay bill, phone call from Scott help fuel a Keyser’s run for House seat
Chris Keyser, son of former Governor Ray Keyser, is taking on a powerful leader of the House Democrat supermajority.
Windham County man in gun case
Russ was sentenced to 2 ½ to 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to a Guilford burglary that involved the theft of several firearms. The former Brattleboro man was captured on security video during the break-in
Keelan: Child-abusing organizations lack a ‘culture of safety’
Because of a lack of a “culture of safety,” bystander professionals fail to speak up.
Trump sign waves continue
“You would have been shocked at the positive response in this supposed left leaning section of Vermont,” organizer Rebecca Pitre said of a recent sign wave in Chittenden County.
Newport family’s game cameras record illegal border crossers
“This is an everyday thing,” LeBlanc said, expressing concern for his family’s safety on their farm.
Wanted suspect wounded after he fires on deputy U.S. marshals near Ryegate
At some point during the dragnet, Reynolds fired upon the marshals, and they returned fire, officials said.
VT Headlines: Stocking trout for fall, winter
Supreme Court meets at high school. Perennial candidate runs against incumbent Secretary of State.
Santonello: Why my Burlington video was removed from YouTube
Globe-trotting podcaster Peter Santonello is a truth-teller about Burlington. He draws the direct line between the decline of San Francisco, where he used to live, and Burlington, where he was born.
UPDATE: Burlington mega-repeat offender released in September, arrested October 23, released same day, burglarizes same business next day – then released!
270 police encounters. Released in September. Made it a whole month before his next arrest (this time for burglary).
Soros-connected group bailing out repeat offenders, St. Albans mayor says
“The individual who was recently released was spotted on cameras once again trying to break into vehicles. But the Vermont Freedom Fund [VFF] we can thank for their bailing folks out and impacting what we are trying to do as a community,” Smith said.
Dem challenging Rutland Republican works for law group suing State over carbon emissions
By contrast, GOP incumbent Paul Clifford co-sponsored two bills to repeal the Global Warming Solutions Act.
Truck shatters in crash in front of Vermont AOT building
Both the cab and trailer were crushed on the right side and the trailer broke open, disgorging a load of furniture into a nearby brook.
Reported shooter in double homicide sentenced for firearms crime
The new indictment against Bland includes a charge of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and a charge of using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and discharging that firearm during the offense last October.
VT Headlines: New plans for F-35 noise reduction
Colchester wants $115 million to modernize schools. And the How and the Who of fixing state’s broken health care system.
Milk Cows! Not taxpayers! – Cast your vote today for the Nov 5 election
The only candidates on the ballot that will not destroy the home heat industry, which my coworkers and I rely upon to support our families in Vermont, are Republicans.
Uncovered: In 2017, Kamala Harris praised Soros-Funded prosecutor
Despite her past embrace of policies progressive prosecutors have been known to advocate for, Harris has pegged herself as a tough on crime criminal prosecutor on the campaign trail.
Is Speaker challenge a sign of big VTGOP pickups in the house?
Sibilia is no doubt one of the ten privileged people Jay Hooper referred to. Why risk giving that up? Because if Sibilia fails, Krowinski will — most definitely
The Presidential butterfly effect
As Vermont’s cost of living rises and its tax environment becomes increasingly burdensome, the state’s ability to attract and retain talent, businesses, and investment has come into question.
Vermont surgeries postponed due to IV fluid shortage
UVM Health Network has determined the need to reschedule certain elective procedures that use large amounts of IV and sterile irrigation fluid beginning this Friday.
Another out-of-state teen charged in apparent drug murder
The youths’ alleged involvement in the shootings is the latest instance of young OOS drug traffickers on either end of the fatal gunshot.
Roper on Sims, Stearns on Nielsen, Wheeler on Global Swarming
Climate Council member backing big Clean Heat Standard carbon tax endorses Sims for Senate.
Fellow lawmakers, activists react to contested race for House Speaker
VDC asked people who have worked with Laura Sibilia in the State House what they think of her decision to run for Speaker of the House.
Singing helps folks reclaim memories at Winooski’s senior center
“Music is one of the longest lasting forms of memory because it’s mapped in so many different parts of the brain. So even when there’s deterioration, music can stick,” McFeeters said.
Court appeal coming for Essex Junction weed and ducks case
In court papers from August, Walsh reasoned that Struthers’ duck raising is exempt from municipal regulation because it is a necessary farming practice protected by state law. They also reasoned his weed cultivation is protected by his license and exempt from local regulation.
State order to cut spending like closing VT hospitals for 17 days, UVMMC says
At issue is a GMCB red flag that the hospital exceeded its approved patient revenue by $80 million.
VT Headlines: Guv, U.S. Senate candidates debate
One of Vermont’s most photographed churches undergoes steeple renovation. A big town that has successfully added housing now has 100 new child care slots.
Independent Sibilia announces run for House Speaker
“Our public institutions cannot afford an extended political stalemate,” Sibilia said.
State mulls expanding county government
Does Vermont need a thicker layer of county government between state and municipal?
Officer down! Blue alert test tomorrow
The VT-Alert system will send messages to the thousands of subscribers, the Vermont Agency of Transportation message boards will be populated with exercise information, and VT Lottery will activate their system to message their signs, tickets, and kiosks.
Students grades 6-12 can win big $$ in ‘Value of a Human Life’ essay contest
Beerworth hopes parents and church and school leaders will challenge young people to engage in the Essay Contest entitled: “The Value of a Single Human Life,” in which young people will reflect on a person in their lives whom they have come to value and appreciate.
Amazon shells out $400K for not stopping third-party vape sales
Vermont prohibited vaping sales to minors, then reaped $400K from Amazon for its failure to stop third-party vendors.
Klar: Ecstatic about MAHA
They love to hate the “MAGA” people (and all the baloney propaganda they have invested in maligning them), and there is no pivot to hating “MAHA.”
Soulia: Small interest groups ‘knew best’ about eugenics; Climate interest groups ‘know best’ now
In recent decades, the state’s approach to control has evolved into land-use policies, zoning laws, and environmental regulations—most notably Act 250—all of which continue to impact Vermont’s rural communities.
Bifano: cashless society – the road to tyranny
With basic CC interest at about 22% someone’s making a lot of money. They, will make a ton more when we are forced to only use credit cards. But by far the biggest fear is government control.
Roper: FPF really means “For Progressive Favoritism”
So, someone at FPF, with no knowledge of what the content of my presentation was going to be, made a – and dare I say defamatory – conclusion that what I would say would be false, etc. Who exactly “identified” the things I hadn’t said yet as “misleading” and on what basis?
Headlines: The good news is, I’m not dead
Declared dead and prepped for organ harvesting surgery, he woke up screaming.
‘Future of Public Education’ commission can’t meet cost-saving deadline
An influential House chair has reprimanded the Legislature for its too-quick deadline to report on short-term school spending solutions.
Enosburg homicide defendant is suspect for serious attack on prison guard
During the altercation, Lawyer, who was handcuffed, managed to kick the guard in the head while they were both on the floor, VSP spokesman Adam Silverman said.
Gov. Scott pulls campaign coattails from Democrat Sims
“There she goes again. Katherine Sims is trying to hide her record.” writes Douglass on October 12 in his response to Sim’s post.
Vermont eugenics targeted poor women but not Abenakis, historians find
Two UVM grad students are disputing the widely held notion that Vermont during the early 20th century targeted native Americans with a eugenics-related sterilization policy.
Fish and Wildlife: Regulated trapping seasons open October 26
“Vermont has had regulated trapping seasons for decades and Vermont hikers, hunters, skiers, trappers and others have a good track record of sharing the same landscape safely and respectfully.”
Distressed swimmer swims away from rescuer
The rescue swimmer was able to secure the patient and place a water rescue harness around her as the shore support team rapidly pulled them to the dock where EMS companies began evaluating the patient.
Berry: Trickle-down totalitarianism
VP Kamala Harris said in a recent interview that “freedom of speech is a privilege.” To this I would counter that, no – it is a right, and an inalienable one at that. Just imagine how astonished these same powerful people will be if they succeed in collapsing the First Amendment, and then are silenced by opposing forces in the future.
VT Headlines: Another horse has mosquito virus
Pestilence, fire,legal drug-dealing, and getting stuck on I-89. On the plus side, SoBu and Vermont ranked high for safety.
Here comes the other carbon tax! The one on gasoline & diesel!
The big vote on the Unaffordable Heat Act is coming up right after the election after all! But home heating and cooking account for less than half of overall greenhouse gas emissions, and an equal if not larger chunk comes from transportation, a.k.a. all you miscreants daring to drive your cars and trucks.
Electrifying everything means higher energy costs for consumers. These DOE numbers prove it (again)
One of the richest climate NGOs in the US, the Natural Resources Defense Council (annual revenue: $193 million), claims that “done right,” electrifying everything will “bring big benefits to environmental justice communities,” including “lower energy costs.” Except it won’t.
Friday At Four: Democrats run from their roll calls votes
Tune in to VDC-TV’s Friday at Four today at 4 PM – Guy Page, Paul Bean, and Orleans County Senate candidate Sam Douglass discuss Dem candidates’ Clean Heat Standard double speak and attempts to climb on to Gov. Scott’s coat tails.
Woodstock police chief on leave after fracas involving his husband
The highly decorated police chief, a Woodstock native, is on leave after an automotive incident involving his husband, a local lawyer.
State House supermajority voted themselves a pay raise – but veto killed it
A rare successful veto stopped the Supermajority from doubling their pay AND givng themselves some generous new perks.
UVMMC conserving IV fluids due to national shortage caused by Helene
Helene knocked out 60% of IV fluid production in the U.S. The plant is weeks away from resuming production.
Alarm bells ringing over SOS warning to ‘make sure you get your ballot in the mail today’
VDC asked the Sec State office if there’s a particular, potential problem voters don’t know about that would warrant a sense of urgency.
VT Headlines: Truth & Reconciliation Commission works with ‘pretend Indians’
“Vermont’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (VTRC) practices neither truth nor reconciliation when it works with these pretend Indians,” leaders of recognized tribes say.
CLG: Bibi backs bombing
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly signed off on a list of targets that could be struck in response to Tehran’s missile strikes earlier this month.
Mom slams Kamala for putting her in prison for protesting abortion
The administration’s charges against Williams stemmed from an incident when she was preaching outside of an abortion facility in Manhattan, New York, and allegedly blocked the entrance and injured the hand of one of the abortion workers.
Gassett: What our Constitution says about choosing legislators
Most letters to the editor report how ‘nice’ the candidates are. But that’s not the main qualification?
Wheels for Warmth: stacking tires and impact year after year
Wheels for warmth is a fundraiser where you can donate your used tires off to be resold at the annual tire sale. Tire drop-off locations are listed below. 100% of the proceeds go to emergency fuel assistance in Vermont. Tires can be donated Thursday, October 24 and Friday, October 25. If tires cannot be re-sold there is a recycling fee for $5 per tire and $10 per truck tire.
Randolph woman dead in I-89 crash
The victim was not wearing a seat belt.
Does VT have the lowest “Climate Change” risk in America?
No frogs, burning hail, insects, or the angel of death, but from where I sit (roughly an hour away from their state border), the checkboxes for Vermont fall short. They don’t tag drought or inland flooding, which puts the entire exercise on notice, especially after the past two years.
Across the river, Supreme Court Justice indicted
It was a banner day in New Hampshire yesterday for public figures facing criminal charges.
Dairy workers report unsafe work, low pay in Migrant Justice study
Out of over 200 migrant dairy workers surveyed in Vermont this year, 77% say they have suffered an accident or injury at work and 87% make lower than the minimum wage, according to a report published recently by advocacy group Migrant Justice.
Koch: Vermont has a spending problem
Although we can improve the way we pay for education, we have more of a spending problem than a funding problem, and until we figure out how to reduce our education spending, our tax bills will continue to go up, regardless of whether those bills are for property, income, sales, or some other tax!
Executive Director of the Vermont Democrat Party calls Trump “fascist” and his supporters “extremists”
“I’m just listening to this gentleman here belittling Republicans and all that,” he said. “We are voters, we are Americans, we are Americans first. We don’t look at things like you look at it. We care about America. I know when Donald Trump was in office, I was very better off than today.”
Jiron denies aiding triggerman in drug murders
Jiron is believed to have unlawfully helped Bland avoid capture after the fatal shootings at a trailer in Lowell on Oct. 12, 2023, records show.
Heavy metals found in COVID Vaccines
The detection of multiple undeclared toxic elements, including heavy metals, in COVID-19 vaccines raises a dual and multiplied concern for human health.
Coester says Balint “directly benefited from millions in dark money and fraudulent donations”
The Balint campaign took $1 million from a PAC set up by disgraced crypto financier Sam Bankman-Fried.
VT Headlines: State to open family homeless shelters
Bus service cuts to begin in December. Health care fraud in state prisons, suit claims. New big discount to store open.
Supermajority trying to defend veto votes
Roll call – how did YOUR legislator vote in the veto session on statewide property tax, etc.?
Couple arrested after waking up in stolen car
Four months after they were arrested for assault, a Hinesburg couple were arrested on firearms violations.
Abenaki carve canoe with fire for first time in Missisquoi delta in 300 years
The event marked the first Abenaki log burn in the delta in over 300 years, said Dan Shears, a member of the Nulhegan Abenaki tribe and an expert on the tradition.
For the Record: Rodgers strong on Second Amendment, opposes AR-15 ban
“They asked if we would ban assault weapons,” Rodgers said. “In my mind an AR-15 semi automatic is not an assault weapon. I own several of them and would not support a ban on their sale.”
Gervais: Vermont DOES tax unrealized gains
Is this Vermont’s goal, to force Vermonters out of the state?
‘Joy’ of destroying society required reading for Milton teachers
Joy is the joy of destruction of the current system.The next time someone says that CRT isn’t being used in Vermont schools, point them to this book.
VT Fish and Wildlife: help conserve species endangered bats, homes for bats on halloween
Bats migrate between winter and summer roosts during the fall and spring and do not have vulnerable young at these times. You can learn how to safely evict bats from your building at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s best management practices page.
State police ID dead man in Waterbury trailer park shooting
The victim of the fatal shooting was a 34-year-old New Hampshire man. Also, corrections, clarifications and updates on the citation of an animal rescue worker for making abusive phone calls.
No third trial for Sheriff Grismore
DiSabito said he has decided to dismiss the criminal charge that Grismore, while a deputy, kicked an intoxicated, unruly prisoner in the groin in August 2022
Roper: Property tax commission brainstormers suggest more taxes, bake sales
And this one really gets the old jaw to drop: “Bake sales.” Yeah, sure! At an average cost of $2 each, we would only have to sell around 100 million chocolate chip cookies to cover the current over-spending gap – assuming parents foot the cost of ingredients. Sound thinking here from the brains of those charged with preparing our young people for future of success.
Newport rallies en masse behind struggling hospital
NCH has over 220 days of cash on hand and is financially stable despite challenges, the hospital animal administrator said.
Vermont leaders make Agenda 21 goals legally binding
In Vermont, we see a clear pattern of policies and laws that mirror the goals of Agenda 21 and Agenda 2030.
Agenda 21 Puts the You in U.N.
Agenda 21 is not a conspiracy theory; it is a real plan of action created by the United Nations in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit. The document outlines voluntary steps nations should take to achieve sustainable development, including land use planning, protecting ecosystems, managing resources, and reducing carbon emissions.
13% of mail-in ballots returned by Oct. 14
Middlebury had the highest proportion of returned ballots as of Oct. 10 at 20%, according to the data. South Hero and Guildhall followed with 19% and 18%.
VT Headlines: BED wants to buy out wood-chip plant co-owner
Snow arrives on Green Mountains – but warm weather is expected next week! Pro basketball back at the Aud in Barre.
Franklin County Braver Angels ‘Stand Together for Democracy’
“As Americans, it is our duty to protect our democracy and our constitutional republic by ensuring a peaceful and fair election and a peaceful transition of power regardless of who wins.”
Town Meeting petition to ban geoengineering
The Town Meeting resolution would prohibit the intentional injection, release, or dispersion, by any means, of chemicals, chemical compounds, substances, or apparatus within the borders of this state into the atmosphere with the express purpose of affecting temperature, weather, or the intensity of the sunlight.”
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