Revises outdoor mask guidance, moves to Step 2 of reopening plan By Polly Mikula On May 1 the state announced that it had hit the targeted vaccination threshold of 50–60% of all Vermonters and 60–70% of Vermonters 16-plus, triggering the planned move to Step 2 of the reopening plan, Vermont Forward. As of Tuesday, May…

Record equity levels unlikely to spur many homeowners to sell Vermont has the third highest increase in real home value in the nation according to the First American Real House Price Index (RHPI), which measures the price changes of single-family properties throughout the U.S., adjusted for the impact of income and interest rate changes on consumer…

Women may now join any combat arms unit in the Vermont Army National Guard, following authorization by National Guard Bureau issued April 28. The Vermont Army National Guard is the first in the nation to open all combat arms units within its organization to the recruitment of women. “This is a momentous achievement for the…

Ludlow-Mt. Holly, Rutland Town, Hartland, and Mt. Ascutney school districts named in appeal By Lola Duffort/VTDigger The state board of education on Wednesday, April 21, ordered three Vermont school districts to reimburse families who live in “school choice” towns for the tuition they paid out of pocket this year for their children to attend religious schools.  The board’s…

Beware of a dangerous imposter if you are foraging for ramps Wild leeks, also known as ramps (Allium tricoccum), are a wild edible that many Vermonters enjoy each spring. But if you are foraging for them, be careful to not mistake the ramps for a poisonous lookalike plant called false hellebore, the state warns.  The…

By Rep. Jim Harrison File it under "be careful what you divulge in a public forum." As I began some remarks in a House session last week, I started with a short childhood story to make a point where my mother would say, “Jimmy, you must clean your room.” Well, I have gone by “Jim”…

Vermonters participated in the nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back Day this past Saturday, April 24, turning in more than 3.5 tons of unused, unwanted and expired medication at over 55 collection sites throughout the state. The 7,165 pounds of collected medication sets a record for Drug Take Back Day in Vermont, exceeding the previous record of 6,734 pounds collected in October 2019.  “As we continue to work to prevent substance misuse in Vermont, we know having unused prescriptions in the medicine cabinets at…

U.S. congressmen Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), and senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) re-introduced bipartisan legislation that requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take enforcement action against manufacturers labeling non-dairy products as dairy on April 22. The Dairy Pride Act would stop the use of dairy terms such…

May 1-31— A successful hunter in Vermont’s May 1-31 spring turkey season must, by law, report their turkey within 48 hours to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. The department says hunters can report their turkey online through its website vtfishandwildlife.com or at local big game reporting stations. “Online reporting was used successfully last year,”…

Youth help to keep a 50+-year-old environmental tradition alive Saturday, May 1 —With Green Up Day celebrating its 51st year, attracting new generations and keeping the activity of cleaning up litter exciting is an ongoing commitment and fun sort of challenge for Green Up Vermont coordinators.  “It is so important to attract Vermonters of all…

By Curt Peterson Some people aren’t fans of returning to full-time, in-class learning. Who they are may surprise you. But pro-reopening voices have echoed loudly across the country and state — nowhere, perhaps, more so than at the virtual National Safe School Reopening Summit on March 24.  First Lady Dr. Jill Biden said, “Classrooms are…

All adults 16-plus can sign up for a Covid-19 vaccine Staff report Vermont teens age 16-18 became eligible for vaccine signup early on Saturday, April 17 at 10 a.m. The full age band (including 19- to 29-year-olds) followed Monday, April 19 at 6 a.m. About 47,000 have registered, or 40% of that age group, said…

By Xander Landen/VTDigger A consulting firm hired to examine Vermont’s corrections system has proposed five plans for redesigning it in the coming years — all of which involve closing the state’s only prison for women. The proposals, presented to legislators Tuesday, April 13, would increase the number of beds in the state’s prison system to more…

Vermont will receive $ 104,438,131 from FEMA to support the state with emergency protective measures to store, handle, transport, distribute, and administer the Covid-19 vaccine in accordance with the state vaccination plan. These funds are being awarded to support the Vermont Agency of Human Services in order to address this immediate threat to life and…

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) issued a grant invitation for new infrastructure projects that improve access and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, April 14. In 2020, awards totaled $3 million for construction and planning projects throughout the state. “These projects make it possible for more people to walk and bike safely in Vermont communities,”…