By Rep. Jim Harrison The state’s economic picture is bleak. Since the pandemic hit, tax revenues are down and will be down for at least the next two years according to state economists…all as a direct result of closed or limited businesses and high unemployment. Yet, at the same time, the governor and Legislature are…

On Tuesday, June 23, Gov. Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Labor announced changes to the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program that will reduce employers’ UI tax rates and increase the maximum weekly benefit amount for UI claimants. “This tax relief will help reduce the burden on employers who’ve had to make difficult decisions to…

This article is based on a story by Miriam Valverde that was published by PolitiFact on June 9, 2020, and republished by VTDigger. For more than a week, Americans across the country have been out on the streets calling for justice for George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt…

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) held an awards ceremony at the State House lawn on Tuesday, June 23 at 11 a.m. to honor the winners of a contest to design a photo backdrop where new drivers can pose for a celebratory photo instead of taking a selfie with their driver’s license or permit.…

Vermont-NEA task force outlines comprehensive steps to ensure safety, health, and learning A group of 25 educators from across the state issued a comprehensive list of requirements that must be met before Vermont students can be safely welcomed back to class. The Vermont-NEA task force on school reopening met earlier this month to discuss the…

By Elizabeth Gribkoff/VTDigger While plastic bag bans in some parts of the country have been rolled back during the pandemic, Vermont’s single use bag prohibition will still go into effect next week. Starting July 1, stores and food service establishments will no longer provide plastic carryout bags at check-out. Stores and food service establishments may provide…

Staff report Vermont state law bans food scraps from the trash starting July 1. The state defines food scraps as “Parts of food items that are typically discarded rather than eaten: peels, rinds, cores, eggshells, seeds, pits, bones, coffee grounds (and filters), loose-leaf tea, and fats/oils/grease” and/or “Food that was eaten but not finished.” “If it was once…

Vermont Rotary Clubs across the state have teamed up to donate fresh Vermont yogurt and butter to the Vermont Foodbank. Ten Vermont rotary clubs joined forces to raise over $10,000 dollars, adding significant financial support to the effort already in place to recover Vermont milk. In collaboration with Dairy Farmers of America, Commonwealth Dairy LLC…

Vermont Congressional delegation announces two-month extension of Farmers To Families Food Box program, now lasts through summer U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, along with U.S. Representative Peter Welch announced Wednesday, June 17, that two Vermont-based entities, the Abbey Group and Willing Hands, have secured extended contracts through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)…

Vermont high school graduates gifted a free CCV course As school districts across the state said good-bye to the Vermont high school class of 2020, the McClure Foundation announced a graduation gift for every member of that class. Every graduating senior, no matter their circumstances, will be eligible for a free course of their choosing…

Law enforcement and public safety leaders from across Vermont presented to the Legislature a draft set of action items and reforms intended to modernize policing in the state, according to a news release June 11. The 10-point proposal, intended as a starting point for the conversation, was developed by the Vermont Department of Public Safety,…

The Vermont State Police in 2015 initiated efforts to obtain body-worn cameras for all troopers and to replace two-decade-old in-cruiser dashboard camera systems. State police leaders have been working ever since with the Legislature to acquire not only body-worn cameras but also the necessary data storage systems to support them, according to a news release,…

By Rep. Jim Harrison This past Friday, the House gave final approval to S.348, which removes the governor from the decision on how the elections are run this fall and allows the secretary of state to establish any new rules. Secretary Condos has indicated he plans to mail out ballots to all registered voters for…

School immunization data recently released by the Vermont Department of Health shows that over 95% of Vermont students from kindergarten to 12th grade have all their required vaccines. “This high rate of children who are up-to-date with their vaccines reflects the ongoing work by Vermont health care providers, child cares, schools and parents,” said Christine…

Until the recent Covid-19 restrictions, the number of Vermont homes used as short-term rentals has ticked up each year, according to a recent analysis by Vermont Housing Finance Agency. In a typical month last year, about 8,000 homes were listed as short-term rentals across the state. Largely located in towns near Vermont ski areas, homes…