By Sarah Mearhoff/ VTDigger Kicking off his fourth two-year term as Vermont’s top government official, Republican Gov. Phil Scott in his inaugural address on Thursday echoed familiar calls for statewide economic recovery in the face of unprecedented opportunity. But from Scott’s seat, this legislative biennium looks quite different from the past two years and presents…

  Vermont Fish and Wildlife (VTF&W)  is offering shooting range improvement grants to encourage upgrades of shooting ranges for enhanced safety and operation.     The Shooting Range Improvement grant program seeks grant applications from clubs and government agencies involved in the operation of shooting ranges, including archery ranges.  Grant applications must be received by 4:30…

The final number of deer taken in Vermont’s 2022 hunting seasons will not be available for a few more weeks, but the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says the final tally will be a little over 17,400 deer. Those deer will provide approximately 3.5 million servings of local, nutritious venison.  The buck harvest will be…

Covid-19 community levels rose to “medium” last week, the Vermont Department of Health reported. The rising number of hospital admissions was mainly responsible for the state moving from “low” to “medium,” according to the department. It reported 67 new hospital admissions for Covid in the past week, compared with 33 the week before.  As of Wednesday, Jan. 4,…

Following an analysis of Covid-19 data, the Vermont Dept. of Health is reporting a cumulative 86 additional Covid-associated deaths that occurred over the course of the pandemic but had not been previously reported. Most of these deaths occurred in 2022. This  brings the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Vermont to 877, as of Jan.…

In response to recent recommendations from Vermont’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB), physicians from the Vermont Medical Society (VMS), the American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter (AAPVT), the Vermont Psychiatric Association (VPA) and the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians (VTAFP) have urged the Vermont legislature to maintain the current statutory THC potency limits for the retail…

By Rep. Jim Harrison The first week of a new legislative biennium is full of tradition, pomp and circumstance, along with a heavy dose of getting organized. And, unlike the U.S. Congress this past week, the Vermont House and Senate completed their organization within hours of their respective official roll calls. Once the House members…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson It is always exciting to begin a new biennium in the Vermont Statehouse. And, the 2023 launch of the first year of that two year legislative period was no exception.  Over one third of our legislators are newly elected. Of the 10 new senators, only three have served previously in the…

The Vermont Arts Council gave $3,692,500 in awards to 49 creative sector organizations and businesses in its first round of funding through the Creative Futures program.  On Jan. 5, it announced that round two is now open for applications. Supported by $9 million from Vermont’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act, the program aims…

About 33% of U.S. home fires involving Christmas trees occur in January. With this post-holiday fire hazard in mind, the National Fire Protection Association strongly encourages everyone to remove the hazards by disposing of Christmas trees promptly after the holiday season.  “As much as we all enjoy the look and feel of Christmas trees in…

When counselors at Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (VSAC) speak with students who have successfully completed high school and achieved their first early-adulthood goals — be it college admission, starting a technical program, or starting a job — there is usually one common denominator: Adults shared their expectations, their encouragement, and their advice. VSAC offers this…

By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger In June, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in a case called Carson v. Makin, finding the state of Maine could not withhold public money from private religious schools simply because those schools might use the money for religious purposes. In Vermont, which operates a tuition program that is similar to…

By Curt Peterson In an effort to streamline gathering of financial and human resources data from more than 300 school districts, former Agency of Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe signed a $5.2 million contract in 2018 for eFinance. The state had been wrestling with data provided via multiple software systems from districts. The contract term started…

Staff report  Two skiers with Vermont ties made history, Thursday, Dec. 29 in Semmering, Austria. Mikaela Shiffrin secured her 80th World Cup win and 50th slalom victory on Thursday while Paula Moltzan came in second place, earning her first podium in the discipline. It was the first time Americans finished first and second in a…

The Legal Services Corporation in Burlington has received technology initiative grants for 29 legal services providers across the country. Legal Services Vermont is one of the organizations selected for a grant-funded project that leverages technology in delivering legal help to low-income residents. Legal Services Vermont will create online guided interviews that walk Vermonters through filling…