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…

Santa with his endless lists, and many others are busy this time of year getting ready for the upcoming holiday season. Likewise, Vermont legislators are also busy prepping for the new session, which begins Jan. 8. Newly elected representatives and senators attended a three-day orientation session last month at the State House and all new…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

By Curt Peterson No one will ever call Lucrecia Wonsor a “nine-to-fiver.” The veteran Killington clerk (20 years, 4 months) and treasurer (11 years, 10 months) is known for her dedication to her responsibilities, working long hours and some weekends to successfully manage the official and financial affairs of this resort town of about 1,500…

Vermont’s legislative focus is sharpening on healthcare and housing as Representative Lori Houghton (D-Essex Junction) and Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (D-Chittenden County) take on their new roles as House and Senate majority leaders, respectively. Both leaders transitioned from key committee chair roles, marking the first in at least two decades for Vermont’s Legislature. Houghton, a…

2024 was a banner year at Vermont State Historic Sites. New data released Dec. 3 by the Vermont Dept. of Housing and Community Development’s Division for Historic Preservation shows 80,678 people spent $512,053 at seven Vermont State Historic Sites during the 2024 season. Spending is the result of admission fees (charged at six sites) and sales at six…

On Tuesday, Dec. 3, Speaker Jill Krowinski and the Chairs of House Education and Ways and Means outlined the groundwork for the upcoming legislative session to address the rising property taxes and the future of public education in Vermont. Governor Scott issued the administration’s “December 1 Letter” which projected a property tax increase next year…

By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger A Vermont advisory group is not recommending a state psychedelic therapy program after group members could not agree on its potential risks and benefits. In a final report issued mid-Noveber, the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group declined to support the creation of some kind of a state-backed program involving therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs, specifically…

By Ethan Weinstein/VTDigger and Polly Mikula Vermonters can expect a 5.9% average increase in education property taxes next year absent major changes, according to the annual forecast from Craig Bolio, Vermont’s tax commissioner. The news arrived Monday, Dec. 2, in the form of the “Dec. 1 letter,” an annual projection required by law that represents the…

By Klara Bauters / VTDigger Vermont has been awarded $5.3 million from the federal government to implement its Digital Equity Plan — which outlines how the state will provide individuals and communities with the tools and skills necessary to benefit from meaningful access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet service. “Internet and broadband. It’s no longer…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger As Donald Trump prepares to return to the presidency, experts worry that his climate and environmental policy goals could destabilize ongoing work in Vermont. The president-elect campaigned on tossing out policies related to climate change and loosening or abandoning environmental regulations. As a small state, Vermont leans on federal funding and regulatory frameworks…