Former Vermont Republican State Committee Chair and radio and online commentator Rob Roper says he’ll nominate Senator Russ Ingalls of Essex-Orleans to lead the state GOP at Saturday’s state convention in Burlington.

Roper, in remarks shared exclusively with the Chronicle, praises outgoing chair Paul Dame as “a good administrator,” but says Republicans now need a leader who can build and lead a team heading into 2026.

In crime news, a Mount Holly foster parent has been arrested on multiple sexual-abuse charges involving three male youths in foster care. The investigation is ongoing.

Also, voters in Central Vermont have rejected the $149 million bond for the Central Vermont Career Center. Results released Thursday show six out of ten voters across 18 towns said no to the proposed tech center, which would have trained students for trades including electrical, plumbing, auto mechanics, and welding.

And Paul Bean reviews the Vermont film “Gone Guys: Unmasking the Male Malaise.” Bean critiques the film’s take on modern expectations of manhood — from school discipline to cultural attitudes toward family life — and how those pressures shape today’s young men.

As the federal government shutdown drags into its 37th day—the longest in U.S. history—the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV) is bracing for potential disruptions despite dodging major delays so far. With air traffic controllers working unpaid amid chronic national shortages, airport officials warn that the strain could soon ripple to Burlington’s skies.

You can read all these stories and more at vermontdailychronicle dot com and burlingtondailynews dot net.

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