By Rep. Jim Harrison This past Friday, the House gave preliminary approval to H.673, which gives authority to towns to adopt a shade tree regulation plan. The legislation is only enabling and was advanced by the agriculture and forestry committee […]
Category: State News
State News
Homelessness and Covid-19
By Sen. Alison Clarkson Public health is improved with safe housing The Covid-19 crisis is challenging all of us, but it is particularly challenging for those already at risk in Vermont. “Stay Home, Stay Safe” assumes two things – that […]
State News
Golf…
By Rep. Jim Harrison Call it a mother’s ingenuity, but our son is not always the best with reading and responding to emails. It may be a guy thing? So Pat has learned that when she needs to get Ben’s […]
State News
Opioid deaths in Vermont decrease for the first time since 2014
Preliminary data show a 15% decrease last year over the year prior Opioid-related fatalities in Vermont have decreased for the first time since 2014. Newly released data from the Department of Health show a 15% decline in the number of deaths attributed to […]
State News
With less money, what is a priority?
Everyone is responsible for doing their part to stop this pandemic – wear a mask By Sen. Dick McCormack State Colleges As everyone knows, the proposal to close three state colleges has been taken off the table, at least somewhat […]
State News
Brighter days ahead
By Rep. Jim Harrison Confirmed new cases of Covid-19 in Vermont continued to decline last week, another sign that we are beyond the peak and doing better than many other areas. On Friday, May 1, Scott again turned the proverbial […]
State News
Agency of Transportation receives $21 million federal grant for public transit
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) has received a grant for more than $21 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The grant funds […]
Featured, State News
How Vermont is deciding to spend the largest federal grant it’s ever received
By Kit Norton and Xander Landen/VTDigger Once the state cashes the checks it received from Washington, D.C., Vermont’s coffers will have $1.25 billion in funding that can be used to cover costs related to the Covid-19 crisis. Gov. Phil Scott and lawmakers have […]
State News
Vermont added to innovative SNAP online pilot program
USDA is expanding access to innovative online food purchase program U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced, approval of a request from Vermont to provide online purchasing of food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households April 24. This approval […]
State News
More money becomes available, payment deadlines extended
By Sen. Allison Clarkson Thankfully as a result of Vermonters adopting “Stay Home, Stay Safe” and practicing public health safety measures — social distancing, wearing face masks and gloves — the spread of the novel coronavirus has slowed significantly in […]