School tax rates likely to decrease By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger This spring, Vermont lawmakers may have a welcome question on their hands: what to do with a $90 million surplus in the state’s education fund.  State tax officials unveiled the projected surplus in the “December 1 letter,” a series of financial projections that the tax commissioner is required to…

Vermont’s loons are thriving with a record 109 nesting pairs recorded in 2021, the highest since loon monitoring began in 1978, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. and Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE). “Across Vermont, 77 loon nests produced 125 chicks this year, and 84 of those chicks survived through August,” said VCE…

By Ethan Weinstein Despite Gov. Phil Scott signing a legislation on Nov. 23 allowing cities and towns to create their own mask mandates, few municipalities seem keen to use the new power. The town of Rutland is one exception. On Nov. 24, the Rutland Town Select Board, which also serves as the board of health,…

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. won a $106,256 competitive grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to take advantage of groundbreaking new data that will help conservation planners protect plants, animals and their habitats in the face of climate change. Vermont conservation design is a science-based assessment of Vermont’s ecologically functional landscape that…

By Sarah Mearhoff/VTDigger The long-suspected rumors are true: Vermont’s U.S. Rep. Peter Welch is launching his campaign for the U.S. Senate. The Democrat announced early Monday, Nov. 22, that after 14 years in the 435-member House of Representatives, he wants to jump to the more senior chamber, vying for the seat soon to be vacated…

Cases hold steady at near record highs across the state By Ethan Weinstein As statewide case counts remain at or near record levels, reinstated mitigation measures may be coming. The state Legislature reconvened Monday, Nov. 22, passing a bill allowing cities and towns to pass their own mask mandates, which Governor Scott signed Tuesday. At…

On Nov. 17, Governor Phil Scott directed the Agency of Human Services to implement a universal booster program for Covid-19 vaccinations and is strongly encouraging every Vermonter over the age of 18 to get a Covid booster shot. Anyone who has received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is eligible two months after their first dose.…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger As soon as Gov. Scott told top lawmakers in a letter Monday afternoon, Nov. 15, that he would call them back into session and allow them to pass a measure clearing the way for time-limited municipal mask mandates, reactions started flooding in. According to Senate Pro Tem Becca Balint, D-Windham, legislative leaders…

By Angelo Lynn BRANDON — To say schools across the state are stressed is an understatement. That they are in crisis is a more accurate description, and one that school officials don’t shy away from. But in doing so, it’s not to say that academic progress is not being made for a vast majority of…

The Vermont Dept. of Labor has announced an increase to the state’s minimum wage. Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, the state’s minimum wage will become $12.55 per hour. This is an increase of $0.80 from the current minimum wage of $11.75. This annual adjustment also impacts the minimum wage for tipped employees. The basic tipped wage…

By Katy Savage After much anticipation, the state rolled out Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11 on Monday, Nov. 8. More than 200 students traveled from around the state to attend one of the first clinics at Riverside Middle School in Springfield that Monday. Most of the children and parents who attended said…

One of our native wildlife species historically played an important role on Thanksgiving Day. North America’s native wild turkeys were the ancestors of the Thanksgiving turkey on our dinner table. Originally found only in the wild, turkeys now exist as meat-producing domesticated derivatives — the broad breasted white, broad breasted bronze, white Holland, bourbon red,…

By Lola Duffort and Sarah Mearhoff/VTDigger After eight terms and nearly five decades in office, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy is retiring. He announced his decision during a press conference at the Statehouse Monday morning that was attended by members of the media and his supporters, including his wife, Marcelle. “While I will continue to serve…

By Ethan Weinstein Following a week of record cases, Gov. Phil Scott will call the Legislature back for a special session, allowing them to pass a law granting municipalities to install local mask mandates — but only on his terms. Scott called his decision an “olive branch” and a “compromise.” Vermont currently has the fifth…

The Dept. for Children and Families announced Nov. 12 that, to enhance predictability and stability for program participants, the adverse weather conditions policy for the General Assistance Emergency Housing Program will be applied for a 100-day period from Nov. 22, 2021, through March 1, 2022. The adverse weather conditions policy has historically been applied on…