By Lola Duffort/VTDigger Education property taxes could rise an average of 9% next year, mostly as a result of the pandemic-induced recession, new pension obligations and, to a lesser extent, rising school spending, Vermont’s tax commissioner said earlier this month. This prediction was laid out in the so-called Dec. 1 Letter, a document the department is required…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger Castleton University, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College should all become one school, and the state should more than double its investment in the state college system, at least in the short term. Those are the key items in a long-awaited package of preliminary recommendations issued Friday, Dec. 4, by a special legislative panel.…

By Katie Jickling/VTDigger If all goes smoothly, doses of a Covid -19 vaccine could be distributed throughout Vermont this week, but likely won't be administered to anyone until next week. Doctors, state officials, and nursing home administrators are scrambling to get ready to offer the first doses, which will go to high-risk Vermonters.  Medical teams are…

Governor Phil Scott is encouraging families and businesses to help show that "Vermont Lights the Way," an effort to literally brighten communities and neighborhoods around the state by decorating homes, businesses, trees or other creative ideas to help celebrate the holidays during the pandemic. “I know how hard this pandemic has been, especially as we…

Opportunities, challenges identified for workforce development The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. released a study this week that examines postsecondary enrollment and completion patterns among Vermont students at two-year schools. This follow-up study of the Vermont high school class of 2012 examines such themes as preparedness for college, full-time versus part-time enrollment, and barriers to degree…

By Ellie French/VTDigger For 30 years, Susan Stoutes worked for Tuttle Printing and Engraving in Rutland. But in March, along with thousands of other Vermonters, she was laid off as the pandemic hammered businesses across the state. Armed with an art degree from the 1970s and 40 hours a week of newly found free time, Stoutes…

Governor Phil Scott announced on Nov. 19, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) has relaunched the state’s Plug-In Electric Vehicle (PEV) Incentive Program with a new round of $950,000 in incentive funding available to income-qualified applicants to purchase or lease new PEVs. The program was first proposed by Governor Phil Scott in his FY2020 budget,…

All road troopers expected to receive devices by early December The Vermont State Police has begun outfitting all uniformed troopers with body-worn cameras, culminating a multi-year process to secure the necessary funding and fulfilling a commitment to Vermonters to deploy the devices. The state police launched an effort in 2015 to add body-worn cameras for…

Apple found to deliberately slowing down certain iPhones Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced Nov. 18  that Apple, Inc. will pay $1.16 million to the State of Vermont as part of a $113 million settlement with a coalition of over 30 attorneys general. The settlement announced stems from Apple’s 2016 decision to throttle consumers’ iPhone speeds—artificially…

By Jim Harrison That is essentially the message from our governor and health commissioner following the alarming uptick in Covid cases here in Vermont and across the region. The state broke daily records at least three times last week. We have been through difficult times before and will get through it again, if we follow…

The deadline to apply is Dec. 15! Woodstock Area Relief Fund (WARF) wants to be sure those struggling financially during the pandemic know about all state and local resources. Last week, Vermont announced good news: the Vermont Covid-19 Arrearage Assistance Program (VCAAP) has been expanded. VCAAP helps any Vermonter (resident, business, or nonprofit) facing service…

Six Vermont organizations, affiliated in a regional effort to support people seeking asylum in the U.S., are partnering for a Giving Tuesday fundraiser, on Tuesday, Dec. 1. People who seek asylum in the United States have fled persecution and violence in their countries of birth, only to encounter the same in U.S. detention facilities. Under…

Senate to see women-dominated leadership By Katy Savage Shortly after announcing his candidacy for House speaker, Rep. Charlie Kimbell (D-Woodstock) dropped out of the race on Friday, Nov. 20 and endorsed House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, to the position. Kimbell said he spent 2 ½ weeks calling about 80 colleagues. Most of them said…

Vermont has experienced 60 traffic fatalities so far this year.  Of those killed, 57% were not properly restrained with seat belts, and more than 45% of the fatal crashes involved impaired drivers. As part of the continual and ongoing efforts to reduce deadly and serious injury crashes on Vermont’s roads, the Vermont State Police will…

Prestigious award honors Vermonters making a difference for state’s wildlife, natural areas RUTLAND—Seeking to honor a leading Vermont environmentalist and the legacy of a legendary wildlife advocate, Green Mountain Power (GMP) is calling for nominations for the 12th annual GMP-Zetterstrom Environmental Award. Named for famed osprey advocate Meeri Zetterstrom, the award is given to one…