By Morgan True, VTDigger.org Three Central Vermont residents are accused of pouring gasoline on a young couple and lighting them on fire in their Northfield, Vt., apartment as part of a plan to rob them of drugs. One victim died, the other was badly burned. The three were arrested following the deadly blaze at the…

By Bruce Parker, Vermont Watchdog A limit on education spending is set to force Vermont school districts to reduce staff, but only if lawmakers don’t rush to stop it from happening. As part of Act 46, Vermont’s statewide district consolidation law, lawmakers imposed a new spending threshold to restrict the state’s out-of-control education spending. Called…

Major enforcement effort seeks to save lives Vermont joins the nation in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which began Friday, Dec. 18 and will last through Jan. 3, with a strong law enforcement presence on Vermont highways. Law enforcement agencies across the state include the DUI Task Force, local police, sheriff’s departments, and…

By Mike Polhamus, VTDigger.org Gubernatorial candidates spoke Tuesday, Dec. 15, afternoon to top Vermont manufacturers and businesses at a forum presented by the Associated Industries of Vermont. AIV represents the manufacturing industry and advocates for free-market economics and limited government intervention. The organization brought candidates Bruce Lisman, Matt Dunne, Susan Minter and Phil Scott to…

Engineer, parent and former school teacher crafts novel method for teachable moments In the history of child development, the widespread participation in the use of video games is not only a relatively new phenomenon, but a widespread one, too. The fact is that 97 percent of children and adolescents in the United States play at…

Grantees represent organizations from Burlington, Guilford, Johnson, Middlebury, and Putney Six Vermont arts organizations were awarded grants totaling $110,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). In announcing more than $27 million in grants awarded nationwide during this grant round, NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “The arts are part of our everyday lives – no…

On Tuesday, Dec. 8, leaders of Hunger Free Vermont announced that a long-time, trusted employee secretively had siphoned off the organization’s reserve funds over a 10-year period. The theft was initially discovered by the organization’s executive director, Marissa Parisi, who received a call from the charity’s bank reporting irregularities with its checking account. Parisi immediately…

Submitted Bernie Sanders By Jasper Craven, VTDigger.org Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has taken a double-digit lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, just two months before Granite State voters go to the polls in the nation’s first primary. According to the CNN/WMUR poll released Wednesday, Dec. 9, Sanders has a 50 to 40 percent…

Expanding on his ambitious plan to combat climate change, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced the Climate Protection and Justice Act, Dec. 10, to establish a price on carbon pollution. The legislation would cut total emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, fund historic investments in energy efficiency and sustainable energy technologies, return billions of…

By Matthew Cox, VTDigger.org A controversial federal visa program that offers permanent U.S. residency to foreigners willing to invest $500,000 or more in at-risk companies has helped Sugarbush Resort return to profitability, while also benefitting the 40 foreign investors who loaned the Warren, Vt., resort $20 million, both sides say. The 40 investors—from Canada, Mexico,…

Courtesy of  VTF&W, By Kris & Norm Senna Vermont Fish & Wildlife says some bears are still active and to wait for six or more inches of snow and colder weather before putting up your bird feeders. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is urging people to wait for colder weather and snow before putting…

On Dec. 8, Peace Corps announced that Vermont ranked No. 1 among states with the highest number of Peace Corps Volunteers per capita for the third straight year, with 52 residents currently serving worldwide in Peace Corps. With a ratio of 8.3 Volunteers for every 100,000 residents, the Green Mountain state has the highest per…

By Leonard Perry, UVM horticulturist, and Charlie Nardozzi, garden consultant Providing birds with water by means of heated birdbaths, starting herbs indoors, and choosing the best poinsettias are some of the gardening activities for this month. Keep birdbaths ice-free and filled with fresh water. Heated bird baths, and heating elements made to insert into bird…

Public-private partnership assures no cost to taxpayers Gov. Peter Shumlin, Department of Buildings and General Services Commissioner Michael Obuchowski, and Transportation Secretary Chris Cole Dec. 11 joined the partners of Maplewood LTD to sign an agreement and break ground on the state’s first 24-hour Vermont Traveler Services Center. The center will be built and operated…

It’s a formidable challenge to develop a syllabus for a college-level pharmacology course focused entirely on a drug that’s illegal to possess, use and even research under federal law. That’s the task that Wolfgang Dostmann, Ph.D., and Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D., have undertaken as they plan the University of Vermont’s first medical cannabis course in the…