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Education funding: The three cliffs problem

December 18, 2024
Education spending saw its biggest jump in years in fiscal 2025, and school taxpayers are noticing the change in their bills. The increase this year was due to a lot of factors outside both schools’ and taxpayers’ control—inflation, healthcare costs, and the loss of pandemic-era federal support chief among them. All of that led to…

Be idle free: Turning your key saves money, supports a cleaner environment

December 18, 2024
As Vermonters prepare for colder weather, the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) urges drivers to switch off their ignition to limit unnecessary idling of engines. “Idling isn’t good for your car or our air,” said DEC Commissioner Batchelder. “It not only causes excess engine wear and wastes fuel and money, but it also pollutes our…

RRMC named to U.S. News 2025 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care

December 18, 2024
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC) as a 2025 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study. RRMC was the only…

Rockingham scientist combines research and recognition to aid shorebirds

December 18, 2024
Stephen Brown, PhD, is leading a charge to reverse the alarming decline of North American shorebirds. As vice president of science at Manomet Conservation Sciences, Brown’s groundbreaking research and conservation efforts are reshaping the future for species teetering on the brink of extinction. For the past 20 years, Brown has worked at Manomet, where he…

Vt Cannabis businesses sue over alleged free speech violations

December 18, 2024
FLŌRA Cannabis, a licensed cannabis retailer in Middlebury, has filed a lawsuit against the Vermont Cannabis Control Board, challenging what it claims are unconstitutional restrictions on free speech rights for the state’s 500-plus licensed cannabis businesses. The suit, Park Rec LLC v. Vermont Cannabis Control Board et al. (Case No. 24-CV-05027), was filed in Addison…

House Republicans mull a plan to repeal the environmental Clean Heat Standard

December 18, 2024
By James Kent Armed with new confidence and voted in by residents hoping they’ll help make Vermont more affordable, Vermont House Republicans set their sights on controversial Act 18, the Clean Heat Standard, which most have said they seek to repeal in 2025. Citing a report from the independent Vermont Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that…

Casella Waste Systems, Inc. dedicates CDL Training Center to first employee

December 18, 2024
Casella Waste Systems, Inc., a regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management services company, dedicated its CDL Training Center to Ken Hier, the company’s first-ever employee, in a ceremony held at the facility on Dec. 12.  Established in 2020, The Kenneth A. Hier Sr. CDL Training Center (“The Center”) has graduated nearly 300 drivers since…

Killington Resort builds 30 bikes to support Teddy’s toy party

December 18, 2024
Teddy Arbo’s Holiday Toy Party is an annual tradition in the Killington community. What started as a dinner party in 1986 where guests were asked to bring toys instead of a side dish has grown into something much bigger. The 38th annual party was held this year at The Foundry on Dec. 7.  “The purpose…

Ski Vermont’s passport program offers free skiing to fifth graders everywhere

December 18, 2024
On Dec. 12, Ski Vermont launched its popular Fifth Grade Passport for the 2024-25 season. Regardless of state or country of residence, the program provides any fifth grader access to 90 days of skiing at ski areas across Vermont. “The passport program gets kids outside to experience skiing and snowboarding. It’s a chance to learn…

Vermont loosened Act 250 rules for housing, how are developers responding?

December 18, 2024
By Carly Berlin Editor’s note: This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public. When 10 apartments at the new Armory House building just outside of downtown Vergennes opened in June, they all had tenants within two weeks. To Peter Kahn, the building’s developer, watching…

Uncertainty over funding clouds proposed school construction aid

December 18, 2024
By Ethan Weinstein/VTDigger A group of lawmakers and a Vermont Agency of Education executive tasked with designing a potential school construction aid program have hashed out the details but stopped short of identifying a funding stream. The group is hoping Gov. Phil Scott will recommend appropriating state money in his budget proposal to help pay for school construction…

Vote ‘yes’ for a flat tax rate without programing cuts

December 18, 2024
Dear Editor, As a former school district board member for 15 years, I know budgeting always comes with difficult choices — particularly when making cuts.  This year, the Mountain Views Supervisory Union (MVSU) board proposed $2.5 million in cuts — no small feat, especially because insurance costs and contractual obligations to teachers and staff rose…

Jason Tylor Thomas, 52

December 16, 2024
KILLINGTON—Jason Tylor Thomas, 52, of Killington, Vermont, and formerly of Putnam Station, New York, passed away suddenly on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. Born in Middlebury on Jan. 2, 1972, he is the son of Jeanette L. (Cummings) LaPointe and the late Henry A. Thomas. Jason was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He graduated from…

School district budget woes are exacerbated by late changes

December 11, 2024
Dear Editor, Editor’s note: This letter was originally scripted as a message to legislators. As you get ready to go to work in Jan. I wanted to share the budget situation in our district.  Due to the penalty phase being enacted, we calculated that we would need to cut $2.5 million to stay under the…

Care Coordinators save lives and costs

December 11, 2024
Dear Editor, Is aging at home working for you? Do you have an advocate that checks in, helps find what you need, someone to talk over what going on? I do in Sharon. We have Dena, Health Care Coordinator, because 10 years ago a group us formed the Sharon Health Initiative (SHI), to get this…