Attorney General TJ Donovan announced May 26 that his office has reached settlements with nine different online sellers of electronic cigarettes for violations of Vermont’s Delivery Sales Ban and Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act.  Under the settlements, the companies resolved claims that they sold electronic cigarettes, e-liquids, or other tobacco paraphernalia to individual consumers. As of…

Jobs The number of hotel and restaurant jobs increased by 1,800 in April, out of 1,900 total new private-sector jobs last month. As Covid-19 cases declined and business restrictions loosened, jobs in the hospitality sector grew to 24,300. The sector is still down more than 20% from pre-pandemic levels. Shrunken reserves Increased demand from jobless workers in…

Plan presents opportunities to spur economy, reduce energy use and costs Achieving Vermont’s climate commitments is not only possible—it is also an opportunity to make energy less expensive for Vermont households and businesses while creating jobs for Vermonters. That’s one of the key findings of the latest Annual Progress Report for Vermont, released Tuesday, May…

Vaccinating 80% of the state’s eligible population may be achieved this week, the governor says By Polly Mikula Governor Phil Scott announced at the Friday, May 21, press conference that when 80% of Vermont’s eligible population — those age 12 and older — have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, the state will enter Step…

Captures thousands of Vermonters’ ideas for long-range recovery As the state was finalizing its budget for next year, the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) released its summary of feedback from thousands of Vermonters who weighed in with their ideas of what we need to do in the next few years in order to have…

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) has received federal designation of three highways as alternative fuel corridors, which will further solidify and support Vermont’s efforts to decarbonize its transportation system and accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Earlier this month, the Federal Highway Administration named these Vermont corridor-ready designations: U.S. 2 between Danville and Montpelier U.S. 7…

FAIR HAVEN —The Slate Valley Unified Union School Board voted in favor of district-wide elementary and middle school reconfiguration at its regular meeting on Monday, May 24. The board also voted to close Castleton Village School. Castleton voters will have the opportunity to vote on the future of the building on Town Meeting Day in…

A tuition-free college course for the classes of 2020 and 2021 To the high school classes of 2020 and 2021: Vermont has a graduation gift for you! The state of Vermont, the Vermont State Colleges System and Vermont Student Assistance Corp (VSAC) are teaming up to provide one tuition-free college class to the graduates of…

By Rep. Jim Harrison In a note to House members early last week, Speaker Krowinski referred to the week ahead as the “Hurry up and wait” period of the session. As the Legislature strives to meet its self-imposed adjournment deadline, the full House recesses with the fall of the gavel periodically throughout each day, waiting…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson The Vermont Legislature adjourned Friday afternoon May 21. We all agree, it was an historic session. It was the first legislative session to be conducted completely remotely during an international pandemic. And, we also agree that, despite our productivity, we all long to be back in the State House doing the…

RUTLAND—The U.S. Forest Service is urging the public to be extremely careful with all types of outdoor fires as temperatures rise and we continue to see drying trends throughout New England. The agency is hoping to educate local and visiting campers about fire safety as the Memorial Day holiday approaches. Increased visitation, lack of precipitation…

Tuesday, May 25 at 4 p.m.—VIRTUAL—Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) Secretary Julie Moore invites the public to join her on May 25 from 4-5 p.m. for a virtual conversation about climate change in Vermont. Secretary Moore will talk about the work of the Vermont Climate Council and provide an update on the upcoming Climate Action…

Bears are exiting their winter dens, so it’s the perfect time for Protect Our Wildlife to share their new bear report, “Vermont Black Bears and How to Effectively Manage Conflict.” The report is the product of a five-month-long project launched by an Environmental Sciences student at the University of Vermont and was overseen by Protect…

May 26-27 — VIRTUAL — The Summit on the Future of Vermont on May 26-27 will bring Vermonters together virtually to consider The Vermont Proposition – a set of bold and transformational ideas for the state’s economy, environment and people by mid-century. The summit is produced by the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD). For 30 years…

VIRTUAL — The Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) invites people to take part in a new statewide community mapping project to improve state maps of where wetlands occur. People can submit observations of the wetland species they find by using the free iNaturalist website or phone app and upload these observations to the iNaturalist…