Cat missing after altercation with bobcat – A Berlin resident shared a plea about a missing cat who had a run-in with a bobcat. The Washington County resident shared this information on Next Door, a community social media site. Her contact info is in the full post. 

“My cat has been missing since 11/10 from the Sherwood drive area. A bobcat was spotted around the same time and a neighbor believes my cat got into an altercation with it and ran off. He is likely lost and hiding under a porch, in a shed or outhouse/garage. He may be injured. His name is Kilo and he is a neutered male (full grown) all grey with a white patch on his belly and green/yellow eyes. He is our beloved kitty and we would be truly grateful for any information that brings him home.” 

Teacher sues district, newspaper – A South Burlington High School teacher has sued the school district and The Other Paper to block the release of an investigation into a complaint about a so-called ‘black book’ containing negative commentary about district leadership that teachers had allegedly circulated at social gatherings, reported The Other Paper.

The suit was filed by the co-president of the South Burlington teachers union. The Other Paper, the longtime community newspaper for South Burlington, is also being swept into the litigation, since it had made the public records request for the investigation report.

Former Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell conducted the investigation. Although the court case was opened Oct. 21, Judge Megan Shafritz agreed to seal most of the court documents, effectively barring this newspaper from reporting on the contents of the litigation. That changed after a hearing on Nov. 5. – Source: the Journal-Opinion.

Scott, NE guvs ask for more emergency home heating cash – All six New England governors signed a letter asked federal lawmakers to appropriate an additional $3 billion to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, reported WBUR.

“According to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), heating oil prices are projected to increase by approximately 50 percent this winter,” the letter states. “NEADA estimates that low-income households across the Northeast could face nearly $1.1 billion in additional heating oil costs alone.”

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott joined his five colleagues in signing the letter. Source: the Journal-Opinion.

Media coverage influences suicide risk – The Vermont Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will hold a virtual presentation and discussion, Ethical Reporting on Suicide Saves Lives, Thursday, November 19. 

 Led by longtime AFSP leader and Boston broadcaster David O’Leary, the free session will offer practical guidance for covering suicide with care: using safe language, avoiding harmful details, consulting experts, and centering help, hope, recovery, and prevention.

Why this matters: Research shows that the duration, frequency, and prominence of suicide coverage can influence contagion risk, while responsible reporting, including resources and messages of hope and recovery, can encourage help-seeking and reduce the risk of additional suicides.

The Vermont data underscore the urgency. In 2025, 140 Vermonters died by suicide—a rate of 21.6 deaths per 100,000 residents—and nearly 6,400 emergency department visits were related to suicide. Vermont’s suicide rate has remained higher than the U.S. rate for the past 15 years. Suicide was also the second-leading cause of death among Vermonters ages 15–44 in 2024.