The Vermont Department of Libraries, in collaboration with the Department of Corrections, has provided over $42,000 in books to the six state correctional facilities. The books will refresh the facilities’ library collections available to incarcerated individuals. The funding was part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant provided to the Vermont Department of Libraries…

“Hunting is one of the safest outdoor activities, thanks to advances in education as well as science,” said Vermont Hunter Education Program Coordinator Nicole Meier. “Our volunteer hunter education instructors stress that wearing orange during hunting season is important, and studies prove that wearing fluorescent hunter orange keeps hunters visible to other people in the…

State officials are calling a program to reduce lead in school and child care drinking water a success, following a new report that found 98% of Vermont schools and child cares have completed testing for lead in their drinking water and taken any needed steps to keep water safe. A law passed in 2019 requires…

The colors of Vermont’s fall foliage season are right around the corner, reminding us all of the changing seasons. Cooler temps, sweatshirts, flea markets and the red, yellow and orange leaves of our state’s maple trees are all part of our shared Vermont fall experience. In celebration of the many year-round benefits of our maple…

By Fred Thys/VTDigger Nine McDonald’s locations in Vermont and New Hampshire and 12 Dunkin’ locations in Vermont have been fined for violations of federal law regulating child labor. The McDonald’s franchise locations in Barre, Berlin, Rutland, Springfield, Middlebury, Randolph and Bennington, as well as one location in Claremont, New Hampshire, allowed 142 14- and 15-year-olds…

The scholarship organization is seeking candidates, registration is open Registration to compete to become the next Miss Vermont and Miss Vermont’s Outstanding Teen is now open, according to a news released last Wednesday, Sept. 7.  The competition is an official preliminary in the Miss America Organization. Miss Vermont and Miss Vermont’s Outstanding Teen 2023 will…

Governor launches short-term forgivable loan program Gov. Phil Scott, the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD), and the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) today announced the launch of the Short-Term Forgivable Loan Program designed to support Vermont businesses experiencing continued working capital shortfalls as a result of the pandemic. “Supporting businesses in every region…

By Peter D’Auria/ VTDigger Late last month, at an event for parents at Burlington’s Flynn Elementary School, a parent distributed copies of a note asking others to consider sending their children to class in masks. “Masking request: A student in your child’s classroom has an underlying health condition that may place this individual at higher…

A new report from the non-profit Energy Action Network finds that Vermont is not on track to meet its legally mandated emissions reduction requirements under the Global Warming Solutions Act. “While there is a lot of important information in this comprehensive, 40-page report, a key takeaway is that Vermont is not on track to meet…

By Rep. Jim Harrison In a few short weeks, ballots will be mailed to all registered voters in Vermont for the general election this fall. Voters can choose to fill the ballots out ahead of time and return to their town or choose to wait and vote in person on Nov. 8. For me, my…

By Erin Petenko/VTDigger Covid-19 levels in Vermont remain “low,” according to the Vermont Department of Health’s latest weekly surveillance update. The data comes amid the first week of the Omicron booster, also called the bivalent vaccine, which became available Wednesday, Sept. 7 in Vermont. This booster specifically targets the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron. About 80% of…

Drivers need to be alert and cautious because moose are on the move, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dept. (VTF&W). Moose are more likely to be crossing roadways at this time of year, especially after dark or early in the morning because this is breeding season for moose. “Motorists hit 49 moose on…

Vermont has expanded eligibility for the hMPXV (human monkeypox virus) JYNNEOS vaccine to certain groups at higher risk of contracting the virus and has increased vaccination opportunities, but officials caution that vaccine supply is still limited at this time. hMPXV can spread to anyone through close and often skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected.…

Bivalent vaccine offers protection against new virus variants State health officials announced Tuesday, Sept. 6, that Vermonters will be able to receive the newly approved Covid-19 vaccine booster shots starting Wednesday, Sept. 7. The updated boosters are designed to be a match for the BA.5 Omicron variant currently affecting most people. Last week, the CDC…

By Jeralyn Darling/ VTDigger As she seeks to end her life through Vermont’s medical-aid-in-dying law, Lynda Bluestein faces one major obstacle: her zipcode. Bluestein, 75, was diagnosed last year with terminal fallopian tube cancer. She said she’d like to make use of Vermont’s Act 39, which allows doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs to terminally ill…