Thursday, May 27 at 7 p.m.— VIRTUAL — Susanne Schmidt, comedic storyteller and producer of “The Moth StorySlam” in Burlington, is hosting a live evening of virtual stories from an outstanding line-up of Vermonters on Thursday, May 27, from 7-8 p.m. These deeply personal stories will share the common theme of “Connection and Community -…

The Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) is now accepting applications for their Summer Readers Grant for Summer 2021. The grant includes a virtual storytelling presentation and brand new, high quality books for children to choose and take home at the event. An organization, program, or facility must meet these requirements to apply for CLiF’s Summer Readers program: Based…

Vermont now allows the fully vaccinated to go maskless indoors and outdoors, state expects full reopening before July 4 target By Polly Mikula Vermont continues to lead the nation in vaccinations, state officials reiterated at the press conferences, Friday, May 14 and Tuesday, May 18.  “We continue to have the highest rates in the country…

Amtrak and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) announced Tuesday, May 18, that tickets are now available for purchase on their state-supported train services for travel beginning on Monday, July 19. This includes the Vermonter, which provides daily service between St. Albans and Washington, D.C. and the Ethan Allen Express, which offers daily service between Rutland and…

With a bit of luck and some pragmatic approaches to unsettled proposals, the Vermont Legislature should adjourn for the 2021 session this coming Friday or Saturday, May 21-22. Differences between the House and Senate, and at times, with the governor, will need to be remedied on key bills, like the state budget. Other bills may…

Panelists framed paid family and medical leave as an essential infrastructure  On Monday, May 17, Lt. Governor Gray hosted her seventh and final “Seat at the Table” of this legislative session on “Caregiving During Covid-19 & Paid Family and Medical Leave.”  Over the last four months, Lt. Governor Gray has welcomed more than 500 Vermonters…

Donation to aid increased need for mental health resources, associates wear green shirts and ribbons to recognize May as Mental Health Awareness Month Hannaford and the Hannaford Charitable Foundation jointly announced May 12 a $50,000 donation to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Vermont to help build a strong network of resources for…

Cybersecurity is a key focus for Vermont’s system of non-profit hospitals as they gathered last week with experts to discuss threats and mitigation efforts in response to increased cyberterrorism activity across the globe. Hospital leaders included CEOs, chief medical officers, chief information officers, communications experts, emergency department leaders and others. The group, convened by the…

The 57th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars recognizes 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts and career and technical education fields John Cotter from Mendon, who attends Rutland High School was recognized Thursday, May 13, as a U.S. Presidential Scholar. He was joined by fellow Vermont student Theresa J. Christiansen, from Richmond…

By Mike Dougherty/VTDigger Vermonters who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks or adhere to social distancing guidelines, Gov. Phil Scott announced Friday. The change follows a drastic shift in guidance announced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. The new rules stipulate that fully vaccinated people can largely resume normal…

$285 million spent from 2010-2019, auditor's report finds Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer released a first-ever comprehensive accounting of Vermont state government’s total annual spending in support of Vermont’s dairy industry, Monday, May 10. From state fiscal year 2010-2019, the auditor’s office estimates that Vermont taxpayers spent more than $285 million on programs and policies…

The Vermont Dept. of Taxes reminds Vermonters of the upcoming May 17 due date for federal and Vermont personal income taxes. Earlier this year, the federal and state filing due dates were extended to provide taxpayers additional time to navigate challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic or manage extra complexity in their tax returns this…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger New England Newspapers Inc. is selling three newspapers in southern Vermont to Guilford resident Paul Belogour.  Company president Fredric Rutberg announced Tuesday, May 4, that the Bennington Banner, Manchester Journal, Brattleboro Reformer and UpCountry Magazine will split off from the Berkshire Eagle, which is located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where Rutberg is based. The…

By Rep. Jim Harrison A clear sign we are entering the final days of the 2021 session was the initial meeting on Friday, May 7, of the House-Senate budget conference committee. When the budget is done, the Legislature is done.  A conference committee is made up of three House and three Senate members, whose job…

At a Vermont State House press conference Thursday, May 6, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that Vermont will receive $12 million in Covid relief funds that will help communities strengthen their responses to substance use disorders and address new challenges brought on by the pandemic. Leahy was joined…