RUTLAND—Over the weekend of March 18-19, the Cobra Gymnastics Team participated in the superhero-themed Vermont State Gymnastics Championships at Bellows Falls High School. A cosmic team banner depicted the gymnasts as their own kind of superheros. Their motto of the day was a quote from author Roman Payne who said, “You must give everything to…

By Gaen Murphree Motivated by constituent outrage over unregulated coyote hunting, some Legislators are asking state wildlife officials to rethink Vermont’s open season on the canine predator. “Coyotes are important animals, not vermin to be attacked,” said Rep. Jim McCullough, D-Williston. “They’re important ‘people’ that need, if you will, the honor of having controls on…

Governor Phil Scott and members of his senior staff and cabinet traveled to Québec City this past week for the first official meetings with their Québec counterparts, as well as meeting with businesses and industry groups in the province, according to a Feb. 17 press release recounting the trip. “Our partnership with Québec plays an…

By Adam Federman, VTDigger A ruling from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upholding a Seattle judge’s decision reversing nearly all of the provisions of the Trump administration’s executive order on immigration means that refugee resettlement will continue in Vermont. However, the program is still operating under a cloud of uncertainty and it remains unclear…

By Erin Mansfield, VTDigger Ten members of the Vermont House have introduced a bill intended to get to the root of why people take their own lives. H.184 would require the Department of Mental Health to issue a report to the Legislature every year describing why suicides happen and recommending ways to prevent them. Under…

By Mike Polhamus, VTDiggger Plastic bags are sometimes said to last forever, but they might not last much longer in Vermont after legislators last week introduced a bill to ban single-use carryout bags. The bill, H.105, is one of two intended to curb the use of disposable plastic bags. Another, H.88, would impose a 10-cent…

By Jasper Craven, VTDigger The U.S. House has unanimously passed a bill co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., that aims to improve the quality of rural phone service. “Whether an emergency call or a business order, Vermonters should have confidence that their calls are completed without disruption,” Welch said in a statement. “This bill…

By Mike Polhamus, VTDigger A report on Vermont’s solid waste shows that more than half of what residents throw away could be recycled, composted or diverted from landfills. About 28 percent of Vermonters’ solid waste is organic matter, much of which could be turned into compost, according to state officials. The Biennial Report on Solid…

By Tiffany Danitz Pache, VTDigger More children in Vermont have access to prekindergarten programs through a new law that gives families 10 hours of free instruction a week. Families, however, continue to struggle to find good quality child care, according to an advocacy group. Act 166, the Universal Pre-k law, gives parents vouchers to send…

Governor Phil Scott signed four executive orders on Inauguration Day, establishing his strategic priorities and creating teams in support his efforts to address the opiate epidemic and modernize state government, according to a news release Monday, Jan. 9. Executive Order 01-17, “Governor’s Strategic Goals,” directs all state agencies and departments to utilize their powers, duties…

On Jan. 5, the American Red Cross reported a severe winter blood shortage and issued an emergency call for blood and platelet donors to make a donation appointment in order to help save patient lives. Hectic holiday schedules for many regular blood donors contributed to about 37,000 fewer donations in November and December, 2016, than…

Poster board bearing a blown up Trump tweet goes viral By Kevin O’Connor, VTDigger Bernie Sanders may not have won the 2016 U.S. presidential race, but the Vermont senator — former presidential candidate turned chairman of his chamber’s Democratic Party outreach — can claim last year’s highest number of Sunday show appearances (70, double President-elect…

By Jasper Craven, VTDigger Perched on a podium on the U.S. Senate floor, Vermont’s Bernie Sanders suggested this week that Republican president-elect Donald Trump was a liar. Gesturing at a cardboard cutout of a Trump tweet in which the billionaire businessman promised not to cut federal health care programs, Sanders took aim. “I was the…

RUTLAND—BROC-Community Action, located at 45 Union St. in Rutland (west of the railroad tracks) is offering information about the 3SquaresVT program and personalized assistance with applications. Staff are ready to help new users sign up for this benefit and access healthful meals. 3SquaresVT is an important nutrition program that provides benefits based upon income, expenses…

Gov. Peter Shumlin issued 10 pardons last week to people convicted of various felonies and misdemeanors. These pardons were issued separately from the marijuana pardon program announced earlier this month. The pardons mark a total of 16 issued by the governor to date. “I believe in second chances, and I believe we as a society…