Staff report Vermonters went to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 13, to vote in a primary that features far fewer competitive statewide races than last cycle but many high-interest races lower down on the ballot. And for some offices, there isn’t going to be much of a choice until the general election in November.  Only…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced in a release dated July 1 the start of a sweeping survey to gather in-depth, real-time information on the conservation practices farmers use. Over the course of this harvest season into next year, nearly 12,000 farmers and farm managers nationwide will be asked to share their experience…

While the July 26 figures from the state of Vermont on tax and fee revenues for the General Fund, Transportation Fund and Education were $143.6 million — above projections— and the General Fund contributed nearly $140 million of that with the personal income tax leading the way, as it has done for several years, another…

Interim Secretary of Administration Sarah Clark releases Vermont’s revenue results for June 2024 on Friday, July 26. Led by the Personal Income Tax, the General Fund exceeded its monthly consensus cash flow target as adopted by the Emergency Board at its January 2024 meeting. The Transportation Fund and the Education Fund lagged their June targets.…

The state’s BEAD initial proposal has been approved Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) announce Aug. 1 that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Vermont’s Initial Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which describes Vermont’s plans to use $229 million allocated to the state. This funding is key to…

What to look for and how to report any findings Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), a new disease affecting beech trees and caused by an invasive worm-like nematode, has been detected in four Vermont counties: Bennington, Chittenden, Windham, and Windsor. It has only recently been discovered, so much about this disease remains unknown, including the full cause…

By Jason Mikula A true Mountain Bike adventure is waiting for you just outside the quaint little town of  Rochester. Most people choose to do it as a one-way, 13-mile ride with 3,000 feet of climbing and elevation gain. It has over 150 berms (up and down), lots of mud, stumps, running creeks, and on…

In fiscal year 2024, the Vermont State Treasurer’s Office processed a record 19,010 individual unclaimed property claims, returning $5.8 million to Vermonters. It is the highest number of claims the office has ever paid in a single year. The state also received $18.14 million in unclaimed property for the fiscal year—the most collected in two…

Staff report Starting on Aug. 1, 2024, a 3% tax on short-term rental bookings in Vermont will be added. This tax applies to all short-term rentals and is in addition to the state’s existing 9% rooms and meals tax and any 1% local tax option, meaning hosts and guests will now see a combined tax…

If accepted, the new request would increase premiums for individual health plans by 21% and small group plans by 24% in 2025 By Peter D'Auria/VTDigger BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont is seeking to raise health insurance premiums by an additional 4.3% next year, further increasing a request for already near-record-high rate hikes.  The proposed increase would increase premiums for individual…

By Charlotte Oliver/Community News Service Editor’s note: The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost. From the top of the Northeast Kingdom down toward the Berkshires, the VTXL carves a path the length of Vermont. The biking route takes…

Bats are everywhere! It may feel that way to some of Vermont’s human residents. Summer is when some species of bats gather in colonies to raise their young in human-made structures such as houses, barns, office buildings, and bat houses, but fall is the safe time to get them out. “Summer is the time of…

The 2024 census recorded 3,458 people homeless in Vermont, a nearly 5% increase over the number tallied in January 2023 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. The number of unhoused Vermonters living without shelter jumped last year,…

Attorney General Charity Clark filed a lawsuit July 17 against pharmacy benefit managers Evernorth (owner of Express Scripts) and CVS as well as nearly two dozen affiliated entities for unfairly and deceptively driving up prescription drug prices in Vermont. Pharmacy benefit managers (sometimes referred to as PBMs) are the middlemen who negotiate contracts with pharmaceutical…

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) published its weekly report of planned construction activities that will impact traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont, July 22-26 and ongoing. I-89 Royalton: Work continues on the northbound and southbound I-89 bridges near Exit 3 in Royalton. A new traffic pattern is in effect until fall 2025.…