By Erin Mansfield, VTDigger.org Thirteen Vermont entities will receive more than $4 million in grants to make them more resilient, affordable, and accessible, Governor Peter Shumlin announced Wednesday, March 11. The grants are aimed specifically at helping small communities build affordable housing, improve public facilities and rebuild in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene. The…

By Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger.org Driver privilege cards, the form of identification intended to extend driving rights to migrant workers, have been issued to more than 40,000 Vermonters—considerably more than the state’s estimated 1,500 migrant population the cards were designed to serve. About one in five Vermonters who have gotten or renewed driver’s licenses since January…

By Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger.org Vermont lawmakers are facing down a budget gap of at least $112 million in the current fiscal year. But even after they find a way to mend the 2016 budget, there’s more bad news ahead. The state will have to find at least $48.8 million to resolve funding gaps in FY…

Submitted Vermont Writers’ Prize winner Mike Minchin with his daughter Bryn. Mike Minchin is the winner of the 2015 Vermont Writers’ Prize. His short story, “Neighbors,” tells of two neighbors of very different backgrounds and how they connect during a power outage. The Vermont Writers’ prize is awarded by Green Mountain Power and Vermont Magazine.…

By John Herrick, VTDigger.org As new mandates to ban recyclables from landfills take effect July 1, the solid waste industry says the law will be costly for rural areas of the state, prompting some solid waste districts to seek exemptions from the law. The state’s universal recycling law, known as Act 148, aims to ban…

By Morgan True, VTDigger.org The Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously Friday, March 13, to pass legislation intended to keep firearms out of the hands of convicted felons and people with a court-identified mental illness. The bill would prohibit people with convictions for certain violent crimes from owning firearms. It would also require that people with…

By Robin Alberti Over the weekend, Pico hosted the 12th annual Antique Ski Race to benefit the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. The mission of VSSM, located in Stowe, is to collect, preserve and celebrate Vermont’s skiing and snowboarding history. Currently, the museum has over 7,750 items catalogued. VSSM displays equipment includes boots, skis, poles,…

By Governor Peter Shumlin Earlier this month, Vermonters gathered at town meetings around the state to make decisions large and small about their communities. This year, two towns in particular made one very large decision about the future of education in their communities. As we continue the debate in Montpelier about how to address rising…

By Rob Roper There are plenty of reasons for parents and kids to love school choice in the 90-plus Vermont towns that already have it, and there are plenty of solid educational and social arguments for expanding the program to all Vermont towns. But why should folks without kids care? Property values. A recent study…

Dear Editor, We want to thank everyone involved in the Bruce Oldenburg benefit held on March 8. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, support, generous donations and their time, the benefit was a huge success. Special thanks to Chris Karr for hosting the benefit at the Pickle Barrell Nightclub and providing food and advertising. We also…

By U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy Sunshine Week is a time to celebrate one of our nation’s most basic values, the public’s “right to know.” Our very democracy is built on the idea that our government should not operate in secret. James Madison, a staunch defender of open government, whose birthday we celebrate each year during…

You have a few opportunities to hear Dan Brown and I suggest you take them all. Brown brings a great variety of music to the Killington scene. Every Thursday night at Jax you can see his duo group, Supply and Demand. This weekend at the Foundry you can see his other group, Down n’Around. Later…

Submitted Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman had the crown singing along at Okemo’s Sugardaze festival, March 14. By Juliette Kapitan LUDLOW—Okemo Mountain hosted a free music event Saturday, March 14, featuring local band CK3, Brad Corrigan of Dispatch and headliner Switchfoot. With beer and maple syrup flowing, the Sugardaze Festival provided a memorable experience for both skiers…

By Dom Cioffi It was as urban ghetto as our little Vermont town was ever going to get. It was the early 1980s and we had just been declared legal to drive (which consequently gave us the freedom to roam). Sure, we’d hit the gorge or the movie theater on occasion, but most of the…

©Ember Photography A backcountry skier enjoys powder turns between the trees earlier this year. Partnering organizations are promoting safe and responsible backcountry practices statewide. Ethics promote backcountry safety and responsible use of Vermont’s winter mountain environment In an ongoing effort to promote the safe and responsible use of Vermont’s backcountry environment, many organizations teamed up…