Staff members on the Manchester and Rochester-Middlebury ranger districts of the Green Mountain National Forest have been working to develop a recreation strategy that is intended to reduce costs and maximize public benefits while balancing social, economic, and environmental factors. The Forest plans to finalize its 5-year Recreation Facility Strategy before this year’s prime recreation…

by Red. Jim Harrison The headlines last weekend were the Governor’s veto of H.107, the paid family leave program. While the veto was expected due to the bill’s new $29 million tax on employees, legislative leadership is now busy trying to find the votes to override the veto. While it may be possible to switch…

Gov. Phil Scott announced he will move forward with his voluntary paid family and medical leave program, and vetoed H.107, a bill which levied a $29 million payroll tax on Vermont workers to fund a mandatory paid leave program. “I share the goal to provide a program that allows workers time to take care of…

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department reports that bear hunters in Vermont had a safe and successful hunting season in 2019. Preliminary numbers show that hunters took a record 750 black bears during the two-part early and late bear seasons. The previous highest harvest ever recorded in was 728 in 2004.  There were no hunting-related…

Secretary of State Jim Condos announced that the early voting period for the 2020 Presidential Primary Elections began Friday, Jan. 17. Vermont voters may request their ballot to vote early any day leading up to the March 3 Presidential Primary Election day. Ballot requests can be made with local town and city clerks by phone,…

By Sen. Dick McCormack On Jan. 9, several climate crisis protesters disrupted the governor’s State of the State address for about 20 minutes. Colleagues, constituents, and media had several different reactions; outrage at the disruption, snide sarcasm about the protesters, outrage at the climate crisis and outrage at government’s failure to respond to the crisis…

By Jim Harrison Gov. Phil Scott used part of his State of the State address two weeks ago to remind us all of the growing demographic change facing Vermont. Its impact can be seen in schools with fewer students and a shrinking labor pool. With the governor’s budget address scheduled for this Tuesday, Jan. 21,…

By Art Woolf/VTDigger The U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent population report shows that each year since 2016, Vermont has experienced more deaths than births. Vermont continued to lose population in 2019, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates of each state’s population. On July 1, Vermont had 623,989 residents, 400 fewer than a year earlier and…

Ski areas across Vermont saw record levels of business over the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday weekend, thanks to timely snowstorms that resulted in prime conditions for skiing and snowboarding. Sugarbush Resort enjoyed the “biggest day” in its 61-year history on Sunday, according to Public Relations Manager John Bleh. “Sugarbush had a record day on…

Governor Phil Scott  delivered his fourth budget address Tuesday, Jan. 21, presenting a balanced budget that limits spending growth to a total of 2% across all funds and does not raise taxes or service fees paid by Vermonters, such as drivers’ license, vehicle registrations, permit application, park admission or hunting and fishing fees. Scott once…

Green Mountain Power (GMP) is building on the success of its customer programs to cut carbon and costs by renewing rebates for 2020 – helping customers find affordable options on electric vehicles, bikes and lawnmowers, heat pumps, and more. GMP launched the rebates in 2019 to reduce costs and customers’ carbon footprints, and customers responded…

By Lisa Lynn/Vermont Ski and Ride In mountain towns around Vermont, skiers and riders are setting up remote offices so they never miss a powder day. “Over there, we have this guy who works for Twitter, down the hall is a someone who works for Google,” said David Bradbury as he walked through the uber-hip,…

Second annual Vermont Tourism Day to highlight importance of sector to state’s economy “If you fund it, they will come.” That is the crucial message behind the second annual Vermont Tourism Day, slated for Jan. 15, 2020, at the State House in Montpelier. The event will highlight the importance of tourism to Vermont and advocate for…

By Rep. Jim Harrison The 2020 legislative session had barely begun when news broke that Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (D/P) was likely planning to announce his run for governor. In addition to creating a buzz around the State House, it also created a potential open statewide position that others immediately began to eye. Two senators,…

Governor Phil Scott delivered his 2020 State of the State address on Jan. 9, calling for unity and collaborative leadership in making a difference in the lives of Vermonters across the state. The governor cited Vermont’s growing demographic crisis as the largest threat to sustainable growth. With addressing demographic trends being the governor’s primary focus,…