Vermont is currently experiencing abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions, and the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation is reminding the public to exercise caution and follow all state laws and local ordinances with open burning. Open burning currently requires a permit from your town forest fire warden, and Vermonters should always check with their town forest…

BRANDON — The Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Brandon Alliance and other town entities are putting on a town wide event that Celebrates Brandon!! The Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to a celebration on Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26. The goal is to stir up buzz that weekend and showcase…

Vermont PBS and Vermont Public Radio have announced the 2020 VPR–Vermont PBS Debates, a series of pre-recorded debates among candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor and U.S. House of Representatives. The debates will be moderated by Bob Kinzel and Jane Lindholm during VPR’s program Vermont Edition and broadcast by Vermont PBS. The debates will take place…

By Kit Norton and Xander Landen/VTDigger The Vermont Senate voted Tuesday to override Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of the Global Warming Solutions Act — legislation that legally requires the state to meet targets for reducing carbon emissions in the coming years. Since the House had already voted to override the veto, the measure is now law. Without…

Dear Editor, Soon Vermonters will receive ballots for the upcoming elections. Voters in Brandon, Sudbury and Pittsford have the chance to re-elect Stephanie Jerome for State Representative. As we can all imagine, stepping into her role as a newly-elected Representative in these particular times was a challenge that Stephanie Jerome met with full-on energy and…

Dear Editor, Serving my community has become a way of life for me. Besides for my loving family, my life’s passion has revolved around public service. Giving back, leading, and being a voice of reason have been driving forces behind my public service. Since 2004, I have had a role in volunteerism and community service.…

Dear Editor, I’d like to introduce myself to those who may not know much about me. I attended Johnson State College and studied education. It was my experience with what I call old time Vermonters that led me to choose a life as a farmer. I was drawn to their value system and connection to…

By Catherine Antley MD and Spencer Smith After decades of fighting Big Tobacco, is the Vermont Legislature unwittingly inviting Big Cannabis into our state, our towns and our schools? Creating a retail cannabis market is not about decriminalization or social justice. It’s about creating a hugely profitable industry which depends on addiction and youth users…

By Angelo Lynn Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is right about the shortcomings of Joe Biden’s campaign for president against Donald Trump. He is not focusing enough on what he will do differently to help Americans regain their economic footing. “We … have to give people a reason to vote for Joe Biden,” Sanders (I-Vt.) said…

By Erin Petenko/VTDigger The state’s K-12 schools can transition to “Step 3” of reopening this Saturday, allowing them to fully play fall sports, officials said at a press conference Tuesday, Sept. 22. Secretary of Education Dan French said the new rules “still require stringent measures” to limit the spread of Covid-19, but schools have more flexibility…

Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains have donated more than 81,000 packages of Girl Scout cookies to hometown heroes, those in the military, and to those simply in need this year. The donation was over four times the number donated last year, and a likely record for the council. The donations came about…

By Anne Galloway/VTDigger The Vermont congressional delegation and the governor issued statements Friday night, Sept. 18, mourning the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In the same breath, the two senators and congressional representative decried the news that the Senate majority leader will hold a vote for a Trump nominee to replace her before the end of…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Much like the runners entering the home stretch of a race, the sprint to the finish for the 2020 Legislature has begun. House or Senate rules that normally allow for the slow and deliberate process of bills are now routinely suspended to move things along. Legislative leaders have targeted Sept. 25…

Democratic nominee for Vermont lieutenant governor Molly Gray held a community forum in Rutland Saturday, Sept. 19. The event, organized by the Gray campaign and held at Main Street Park, was the third of eight socially-distanced public community forums to take place across Vermont in September. “Our campaign is committed to reaching every corner of…

Rutland County native founded Rotary International and is latest addition to sculpture trail The Rutland Sculpture Trail will expand early next month with the addition of a marble portrait of Paul Harris, a Rutland County resident who founded Rotary International, one of the world’s largest service groups. A larger-than-life bust of Harris, designed by Amanda…