The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) has received a new grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) that will help protect native turtles. The grant will fund landowner outreach by CRC and wood turtle site assessment by project partner, The Orianne Society (TOS). Wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta), primarily found in river floodplains, and spotted…

The VPR–Vermont PBS 2022 Poll asked hundreds of Vermonters how they feel about state leaders. A total of 600 people responded. Braun Research conducted the poll under the direction of Richard Clark, a professor at the University of Vermont. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president?…

By Rep. Jim Harrison That must have been the feeling of the special pension task force when they found a path forward to a plan to address the growing pension funds liability. Initial indications suggest it was very much a compromise reached by all on the special committee last Monday (three Democrat and two Republican…

Gov. Phil Scott and the Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced the launch of a multi-unit Dwelling electric vehicle charging grant program to bring more home charging opportunities to Vermonters on Jan. 13. A total of $1 million in funding is available to subsidize the cost of purchasing and installing electric vehicle (EV)…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson The 2022 Vermont Legislative Session is off and running. As this is the second year of our Biennium, we dove right in on Tuesday, Jan. 4. Sadly, this is also the second year in which the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting our ability conduct our business in person at the Vermont State…

Lieutenant Gov. Molly Gray will re-launch, “Lt. Governor for a Day” — a virtual program to engage Vermont students and classrooms in civics education and state government. Gray launched the program at the start of her term in January 2021. The bi-weekly program hosted every other Wednesday restarts Jan. 19 and will run from 12-1:15…

Since the spring of 2012, the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) has followed the Vermont high school Class of 2012, collecting data on the students’ college enrollment plans and degree completion rates. VSAC released its final study of this group on Dec. 30. The data revealed that 46% of students from the high school Class…

By Rep. Jim Harrison The 2022 Vermont legislative session was gaveled in on Jan. 4. The first week provides the governor with an opportunity to give his State of the State address, where he outlines some of his priorities. Legislative leaders also utilize the first week to share their agenda for the session as well.…

By Jeralyn Darling/VTDigger Vermont’s teachers’ union is calling Friday’s decision to end contact tracing and surveillance testing a “demoralizing blow” to anyone involved in the state’s school system, including students and their parents. In a statement issued Saturday, Jan. 8, the Vermont chapter of the National Education Association, the largest union in the state, criticized…

Staff report Gov. Phil Scott and other state officials defended their controversial and “abrupt” shift in school policy for combatting Covid-19 in the governor’s weekly press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 11. As case numbers have hit record numbers with the omicron variant, Agency of Education Sec. Dan French sent school administrators a letter on Friday,…

Governor Phil Scott announced his appointment of three Vermont Superior Court judges: Elizabeth Novotny of Jericho, Heather Gray of Quechee and of Underhill, Dec. 20. “I have often said there are few responsibilities more important than governors making judicial appointments,” said Governor Scott. “The people who are entrusted with interpreting the law and upholding justice…

Students and staff return to school closures, surging cases, expired tests, changing guidance, frustration By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger As students returned from the holiday break, some Vermont schools made it just three days before closing under the weight of Covid-19 cases. There were so many cases in the building which houses JFK Elementary as well as…

Money could flow in advance of move to incite decision, officials propose By Fred Thys/VTDigger The Scott administration and state senators are considering overhauling Vermont’s programs that pay people to move to the state. “(M)y budget will support the Senate’s worker relocation incentive program — with some changes — to bring in more families who…

On Friday, Jan. 7, Governor Phil Scott announced the launch of the state’s “Tests for Tots” program, which will provide rapid antigen Covid-19 test kits to regulated child care providers across Vermont. Child care providers can enroll in the program effective immediately. Test to Stay has been an important tool in Vermont’s K-12 schools, saving…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger The state is partnering with the National Institutes of Health to send 500,000 free Covid-19 rapid antigen tests to Vermonters’ homes in the coming weeks, Gov. Phil Scott announced Thursday, Jan. 6. On Jan. 11, the announced a site would be up on Jan. 12 where families could register to receive two…