State News

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger The Conservation Law Foundation expects Vermont to miss its first legally mandated deadline to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 9%-12%. The group’s estimates marked the latest in a debate between state officials and data experts over the accuracy of the data used to assess Vermont’s compliance with its emissions deadlines.  A 2020 state law, known…

Green Mountain State maintains No. 2 ranking for outdoor recreation as part of GDP New data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) on Dec. 19 reinforces outdoor recreation’s significant and growing impact on Vermont’s economy. The BEA found outdoor recreation created $2.1 billion in value added for Vermont in 2023, accounting for…

Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing announced Dec. 17 the recipients of the Transformational Tourism, Events, and Regional Marketing (T-TERM) Grant Program. The T-TERM grant program was created to help events and communities offering unique visitor experiences to expand and/or market themselves to attract more out-of-state visitors and increase overnight stays. “These grants are…

Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, the state’s minimum wage will increase from $13.67 to $14.01 per hour — an increase of $0.34. If full-time, a minimum wage worker would earn $29,140 in a year. This annual adjustment also impacts the minimum wage for tipped employees. The “Basic Tipped Wage Rate” for service, or “tipped employees,” equals…

By Ekaterina Raikhovski Editor’s note: The following story was supplied by Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, originally produced for an assignment for the Winooski News. Grandchildren running around his 1840s farmhouse isn’t the only thing keeping John Rodgers’ hands full these days. There’s the masonry business the West Glover 59-year-old has…

By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger The Guidon, Norwich University’s student newspaper, has resumed reporting and publishing for the first time since it was suspended by administrators earlier this year. Prior to last week, student writers and editors had refused to resume publication of the paper, saying they were protesting administrative oversight of the paper and holding out for concessions. But…

Saint Michael’s College is fortifying its mission to make a deeply engaging, student-centered education more affordable through a new financial aid initiative: the St. Mike’s Community Commitment. The new initiative gives families whose income falls at or below $100,000 a total aid package that covers full tuition after federal grants, according to a news release Friday, Dec. 13.…

By Kristen Fountain/VTDigger Vermont’s senior U.S. senator shared new insight this week into how long he may be willing to represent the Green Mountain State in the nation’s capital.  In an interview published by Politico Tuesday night, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said he was likely to call it quits after his fourth six-year term in the chamber. Asked…

Education spending saw its biggest jump in years in fiscal 2025, and school taxpayers are noticing the change in their bills. The increase this year was due to a lot of factors outside both schools’ and taxpayers’ control—inflation, healthcare costs, and the loss of pandemic-era federal support chief among them. All of that led to…

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…