Discover More from This Category: State News

At Vermont State University, Canadian college students navigate an uncertain political landscape

May 7, 2025
By Jackson Burden Community News Service Editor’s note: This story is via Community News Service in partnership with Vermont State University Castleton. At Vermont State University, Castleton, a vibrant community of Canadian students has long thrived, embracing the American dream while pursuing their college years in the U.S. in a welcoming academic haven. However, following…

Burke Mountain Resort is sold for $11.5 million

May 7, 2025
By Habib Sabet/VTDigger A federal judge has signed off on the sale of Burke Mountain Resort for $11.5 million, releasing the Northeast Kingdom ski mountain from nearly a decade of federal receivership.  Judge Darrin P. Gayles issued the order in U.S. District Court in Miami formally approving the sale of Burke Mountain to Bear Den Partners LLC, a…

Vermont sees nation’s largest household income increase

May 7, 2025
Census Bureau data recently released indicates that Vermont was the nation’s leader in income growth from 2022 to 2023. Vermont median income grew 5.4% year-over-year, while the national median stayed roughly flat with a 0.15% decrease. Vermont’s median income increase represents a jump from below to above the national median. Vermont ranks 17th in household income.…

Leave turtles in the wild, Vermont officials warn

May 7, 2025
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. urges residents not to keep wild turtles as pets, citing potential harm to animals and broader turtle populations. “Capturing a wild turtle and keeping it as a pet, even if only for a short time, is not only bad for that individual, but it could hurt turtle populations as…

Vermont sues Trump administration over funding for K-12

April 30, 2025
Attorney General Charity Clark recently joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Dept. of Education’s threat to withhold federal funding from state and local agencies that refuse to abandon lawful programs and policies that promote equal access to education in K-12 classrooms across the nation. On April 3,…

Vermont, 11 other states sue Trump admin over tariff policies

April 30, 2025
By Habib Sabet/VTDigger Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark is joining the top prosecutors of 11 other states in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, the Attorney General’s office announced Wednesday, April 23. The attorneys general, who filed the lawsuit Wednesday in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York City,…

Proposed infrastructure financing program would allow even small Vermont towns to incentivize housing

April 30, 2025
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. Jonah Richard wants to build a new neighborhood in Bradford, an Orange County town of about 2,800. Richard envisions 15 small “starter home” cottages tucked off the town’s main drag.…

Vermont’s 2025 open enrollment sees record numbers for health insurance

April 30, 2025
The Dept. of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) released figures on marketplace open enrollment for 2025 earlier this month after Vermont’s open enrollment period ended on Jan. 15— data showed a substantial increase in the number of Vermonters enrolling in plans through Vermont’s health insurance marketplace, known as Vermont Health Connect. Most Vermonters enrolled in Qualified…

Crosswinds

April 30, 2025
By the end of the week, it was clear that the Senate was moving on a different track from the House and the governor on a couple of major bills. It’s the beginning of some strong winds, not necessarily in the same direction. At his weekly press conference on Wednesday, Scott made it clear that…

Detained Palestinian Vermonter and activist, appears in federal court

April 30, 2025
Story Update: On Wednesday, April 30, Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi from prison on bail, pending the resolution of his habeas petition. The government requested that Judge Crawford pause his release from prison for seven days by issuing a stay of the order, which the judge denied. By Ethan Weinstein/VTDigger Lawyers…

H.91 would overhaul Vermont’s response to homelessness, dissolving statewide motel program

April 23, 2025
By Carly Berlin/VTDigger This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, is published via a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public. A bill that would fundamentally overhaul Vermont’s response to homelessness is making its way through the Statehouse. H.91 provides a potential off-ramp to the state’s mass use of motel rooms as a…

DMV reminds Vermonters of upcoming REAL ID deadline

April 23, 2025
The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is reminding Vermonters that the REAL ID requirement takes effect on May 7, 2025. This means that people aged 18 and older will need a REAL ID-compliant Driver’s License or Identification Card, or another form of identification accepted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), for domestic air travel and to…

New study shows most Vermonters report good health 

April 23, 2025
Newly released data from the Dept. of Health, April 15, shows that most adults in Vermont report they are in good health, but that education and income levels, disabilities and other factors can lead to stark differences in people’s health.  This data helps state officials and partners monitor trends and prioritize efforts to improve the…

Trade partners

April 23, 2025
For anyone who thinks that what is happening in Washington isn’t having a profound effect on life in Vermont, think again. It began with neighbors being fired from USAID and has evolved into destabilizing commerce with Vermont’s biggest trade partner, Canada. In addition, President Trump’s irresponsible rhetoric about Canada is having a profoundly negative impact…

Eyes on the Senate

April 23, 2025
This is that time of the session when the major money bills have passed the House and are now in the Senate for further review or amendments before heading back to the House for reconsideration. The next few weeks will tell the story of what was or wasn’t accomplished this year. These “money bills” —…