The non-partisan Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) has named Kim Rupe of Poultney as its first development and communications associate, the organization announced Feb. 17. The role will help VCRD share programming and successes, highlight the excellent work and powerful stories of local leaders in rural communities across the state, and help lead fundraising…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger Christina Nolan, the former U.S. attorney for Vermont, is running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican. She formally announced her candidacy Tuesday, Feb. 22, in an exclusive interview with Fox News and released a 3-minute campaign video. “I think it’s a blessing and a privilege to have been born in Vermont,…

By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger Under Vermont law, once teachers sign a contract to teach for the upcoming school year, they must honor it. Unless they have “just cause” to leave the job, a teacher who breaks a contract will be barred from teaching in a public school for the rest of the academic year. Now, a…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson Many of us are feeling relief that omicron’s surge has taken a steep nose dive. The possibility of a return to something more like normal looks promising. It’s great to be able to feel more comfortable and a bit safer than we did a month ago. However, for a significant number…

Chris Winters of Berlin announced his candidacy for the office of secretary of state on Feb. 17. Winters, 51, is currently the deputy secretary to Sec. of State Jim Condos, who recently announced his retirement and has stated Winters has the most experience to replace him in November. A graduate of Williamstown High School in…

By Rep. Jim Harrison As reported last week, Governor Scott vetoed H.157, which establishes a new registration system for home contractors. When there is a veto, the bill goes back to the House or Senate where it originated for the first vote on an override. In this case, it was a House bill, which meant…

By Sarah Mearhoff/VTDigger After more than a decade in office, Secretary of State Jim Condos is retiring from his post overseeing Vermont’s statewide elections system at the end of his current term. The 30-plus-year veteran of local and state politics announced his plan to retire in a Tuesday, Feb. 15, virtual news conference and also…

By Katy Savage After Vermont school districts have grappled with how to deal with offensive school mascots, a new law may prevent schools from having mascots with racial or ethnic ties. The Senate Education Committee discussed a bill on Tuesday, Feb. 8 that would prohibit schools from having offensive mascots and branding. Bill S.139 would…

Governor Phil Scott, Senator Bernie Sanders and Vermont Afterschool announced Feb. 9 that a new round of grants for afterschool and summer programs is now open for a wide variety of organizations — including non-profits, municipalities, and licensed/regulated providers of school age childcare. The announcement follows the successful Summer Matters grant initiative, which used funds…

By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger On Tuesday morning, Feb. 8, members of the Vermont Immunization Advisory Council, a group of state officials that makes recommendations about vaccine requirements for Vermont schoolchildren, met for the first time in nearly two years. About 25 minutes later, the meeting was over, with the council declining to take up a question…

Positions are currently open in Addison, Bennington and Windsor counties In Vermont, the Fish and Wildlife Board (FWB) makes regulations for hunting, trapping and fishing. While they are given advice and recommendations from the State Fish & Wildlife Department (FWD), they are not required to implement those recommendations. “A trapper’s request to extend the bobcat…

 Covid’s risk to students mental health is now greater than physical health, governor says By Polly Mikula Masking in schools — among the last remaining Covid mitigation measures in place for students — will soon be optional for schools with a student vaccination rate of over 80%, Governor Phil Scott announced at his regular press…

Seven species and three critical habitats received updated conservation designations on Vermont’s endangered and threatened species list, including the highly anticipated de-listing of the bald eagle after over a decade of restoration efforts. “The bald eagle’s de-listing is a milestone for Vermont,” said Wildlife Division Director Mark Scott. “This reflects more than a decade of…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Last week saw the first veto of the session by Governor Phil Scott. The legislation was H.157, which creates a new registry for home contractors. Given some of the bills headed his way, this may not be the only veto this session. And with Republicans only holding 46 seats in the…

By Mike Dougherty/VTDigger Recent trends in Vermont’s Covid-19 case counts have officials and experts feeling optimistic about the course of the pandemic — but all warn it would be premature to brush off the Omicron threat just yet. As of Friday, Jan. 28, the state’s seven-day average for daily new cases had fallen by more…