Vermont News
818 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★ - 11 ratingsGet daily updates from Vermont's leading online news source. Read more at vtdigger.org.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Prosecutors ask judge to sentence Bill Stenger to 5 years in prison
April 06, 2022 17:45 - 3 minutes - 4.56 MBAlso: 210 Vermonters died of an opioid overdose last year; Vermont Department for Children and Families plans to lease space in Brattleboro; The Vermont National Guard last year investigated five allegations of sexual assault involving its members.
Data shows disparities in how many students are getting Covid-19 shots
April 05, 2022 17:56 - 3 minutes - 4.44 MBAlso: The Vermont Supreme Court met in secret to hear an appeal in a Chittenden County murder case; A superior court judge has ruled that Montpelier can continue to let residents without U.S. citizenship vote in local elections; Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger touted the city’s response to the pandemic in his annual State of the City address Monday night.
Burst pipe delays close to 50 surgeries at UVM Medical Center
April 04, 2022 20:21 - 3 minutes - 3.24 MBBurst pipe delays close to 50 surgeries at UVM Medical Center; Vermont rest areas staying open, but on a reduced schedule; Vermont State Police suspends trooper after court rules that he abused a woman; What next for Rutland Regional Medical Center?
Senate unanimously advances pension deal
April 01, 2022 21:57 - 3 minutes - 4.5 MBAlso: Senate fails to override Governor Phil Scott’s veto of a Brattleboro charter change; 10 communities in Vermont have been sampling their wastewater to measure for Covid-19; VTDigger announces Vermont’s first U.S. House debate of the year.
Vermont’s top education official sent a terse email to a school superintendent over mask mandates
March 31, 2022 20:52 - 3 minutes - 577 KBAlso: Vermont man sentenced to 27 years in prison in a murder-for-hire case; Over $5 million awarded to a Florida woman who discovered her fertility doctor had impregnated her with his own sperm; Beta Technologies says it could relocate its manufacturing facility to New York
University of Vermont Health Network strikes last-minute deal with nation’s largest insurer
March 30, 2022 22:24 - 2 minutes - 3.37 MBAlso: State regulators said no to an increase in service charges at Rutland Regional Medical Center; USDA closes loophole in National Organic Program; Head of Vermont’s largest prison has been suspended; Green Mountain Transit says some temporary service cuts will likely become permanent.
Former fertility doctor takes stand in Burlington
March 29, 2022 18:50 - 2 minutes - 3.92 MBAlso: Large hospitals are asking for an increase in prices, but small hospitals are not; Man who has been in prison for killing his wife up for parole; 5,000 Vermonters’ health insurance coverage is at risk in a contract dispute.
House passes massive transportation plan
March 28, 2022 23:13 - 2 minutes - 3.98 MBAlso: Smaller hospitals say they aren’t planning to increase their service charge; Devastating invasive fish is moving toward Lake Champlain; Senators are trying to figure out a way to get Phil Scott to agree to a contractor registry.
Vermont is experiencing parallel crises
March 25, 2022 20:46 - 2 minutes - 3.99 MBAlso: Six judges will keep their spots for six years, a controversial proposal from Vermont’s second-largest hospital is in limbo, and the longest-running court case in Vermont history will remain an open file.
House approves bill to put Education Fund surplus toward universal meals
March 24, 2022 20:27 - 3 minutes - 4.27 MBHow to keep feeding all K-12 students for free; Sending public money to private and religious schools; A single agency for all of Vermont’s state-level public safety and law enforcement entities; A state commission to study the history of racism, discrimination and eugenics in Vermont laws
Vermont hospitals, struggling to make ends meet, want to raise their service charges
March 23, 2022 21:18 - 3 minutes - 3.18 MBVermont hospitals, struggling to make ends meet, want to raise their service charges; Scott threatens to veto housing bills if they contain contractor or rental registries; Lawmakers push ahead with testimony on a modernized bottle bill; Vermont winds down Covid vaccine clinics as BA.2 subvariant rises.
University Mall in South Burlington sold
March 22, 2022 20:49 - 3 minutes - 2.87 MBHedge fund and developer buy University Mall in South Burlington; Judge lets results from Burlington’s Ward 7 City Council race stand; Auditor finds state overpaid health care providers $7 million using federal Covid relief funds; Burlington short-term rental proposal discarded after City Council sustains mayor’s veto.
Where in the world is Vermont’s public tuition money going?
March 21, 2022 20:31 - 3 minutes - 3.19 MBHouse lawmakers finish their draft of Vermont’s state budget; $1.5 million of public tuition money going out of the state — or country; Boves say they won’t evict Winooski tenants; Organic Valley offers ‘lifeboat’ for many organic farmers, but national trends still threaten Northeast
Canada relaxes border testing requirements for Covid
March 18, 2022 18:16 - 3 minutes - 2.86 MBCanada relaxes border testing requirements for Covid; Bill to expand eligibility to seal criminal history moves forward; Prosecutor alleges murder suspect ‘hunted’ the St. Johnsbury man he’s accused of killing; UVM faculty union criticizes decision to lift mask mandate.
Rutland Regional hospital projects $7.6 million operating loss due to Covid-19
March 17, 2022 18:56 - 2 minutes - 2.79 MBPandemic’s financial implications continue to squeeze hospitals; Vermont House preliminarily approves clean heat standard; Police arrest New York man on murder charge in shooting death of St. Johnsbury man; Former Green Mountain Care Board chair Anya Rader Wallack to head OneCare board.
Scott signs Ukraine aid into law
March 16, 2022 21:58 - 3 minutes - 3 MBScott signs Ukraine aid into law during candlelit vigil on Statehouse steps; Amtrak is Burlington-bound this July, officials say; Brattleboro Town Meeting to debate feeding itself a $2,500 tax-funded lunch; Town of Pawlet seeks foreclosure on Slate Ridge property.
Workers protest staff shortages, patient safety issues at UVM Health’s 2nd-largest hospital
March 15, 2022 16:53 - 3 minutes - 2.81 MBMontpelier City Clerk John Odum joins race for secretary of state; Vermonters urged to remove bird feeders as bears emerge from hibernation; Workers protest at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital; Lyndonville woman charged after allegedly trying to ditch gun in fatal shooting.
Workers protest at UVM Health’s 2nd-largest hospital
March 15, 2022 16:53 - 3 minutes - 2.81 MBMontpelier City Clerk John Odum joins race for secretary of state; Vermonters urged to remove bird feeders as bears emerge from hibernation; Workers protest at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital; Lyndonville woman charged after allegedly trying to ditch gun in fatal shooting.
Vermont relaxes Covid-19 masking and isolation guidance
March 14, 2022 17:34 - 3 minutes - 3.31 MBMasks no longer broadly recommended; Vermont pharmacies aren’t likely able to participate in Biden's test-to-treat program; Proposal seeks to expand eligibility to clear past crimes; Watered-down qualified immunity bill advances after facing ‘unified front’ of opposition.
More towns follow suit on ending mask mandates
March 11, 2022 20:03 - 3 minutes - 3.05 MBMore towns follow suit on ending mask mandates; Senate moves ahead on school mascot bill; Leahy revives EB-5 program — with reforms; Anti-hunger advocates renew push for universal meals in schools Vermont.
House approves $367M spending package, investing in workforce and housing
March 09, 2022 21:18 - 3 minutes - 2.86 MBHouse approves budget adjustment bill; State officials seek to resolve dispute threatening health coverage for 1,800 Vermonters; Organic Valley to take as many as 90 farmers dropped by Horizon, Maple Hill; Vermont winds down contact tracing contract.
Amid widespread workforce unrest, UVM Medical Center residents form a union
March 08, 2022 19:08 - 3 minutes - 2.98 MBUVM Medical Center residents form a union; Burlington leaders certify Ali Dieng’s reelection; Many school districts ready to ditch mandates; Vermont plans for another fall moose hunting season to reduce the moose population.
Addiction recovery centers ask for more state dollars amid workforce challenges
March 07, 2022 18:29 - 3 minutes - 3.25 MBVermont's 12 recovery centers face difficulty hiring and keeping workers; Herbicide treatment for invasive weed in Lake Bomoseen spurs big opposition; UnitedHealthcare, UVM Health Network dispute could leave 2,900 patients searching for care; Philanthropist donates land for 100 new homes in Hinesburg.
Scott asks Legislature to fund humanitarian aid for Ukraine
March 04, 2022 19:17 - 3 minutes - 2.97 MBRazing and rebuilding Burlington High School could cost up to $230 million; Scott asks Legislature to fund humanitarian aid for Ukraine; Brooklyn man charged in incident prior to fatal shooting in St. Johnsbury; Dartmouth professors organize to bring Ukrainian graduate students to the US.
A former child star turned crypto capitalist is bankrolling his own Senate run in Vermont
March 03, 2022 20:51 - 3 minutes - 2.92 MBMascot debate loomed over Rutland school board race; Burlington leaders interpret message sent by voters; Brock Pierce's Senate run; Police identify fatal shooting victim in St. Johnsbury.
Voters expand the map of towns where cannabis retail will be allowed
March 02, 2022 22:21 - 2 minutes - 2.76 MBAt least 25 towns say yes to retail cannabis; Towns approve big water infrastructure projects; South Burlington City Council to remain as is; Montpelier voters pass budget — and purchase country club.
Scott vetoes Brattleboro charter change to lower the voting age
March 02, 2022 00:32 - 3 minutes - 2.84 MBScott vetoes Brattleboro charter change to lower the voting age; Study shows more Vermont police budgets rising than falling; Balint congressional campaign gets new manager; Burlington’s outgoing racial equity director takes similar position in Minneapolis.
Before he died, a Bennington resident advocated for medical monitoring
February 28, 2022 19:48 - 3 minutes - 3.09 MBVermont set for hybrid Town Meeting season; School board candidates fueled by fears of ‘critical race theory’; Sandy Sumner's advocacy for pollution victims; Vermonters plan to kick off trucker convoy Wednesday.
Scott appoints Nancy Waples to the Vermont Supreme Court
February 25, 2022 20:02 - 3 minutes - 3.33 MBWaples would become first woman of color to serve on the state's highest court; Record-setting 2021 opioid overdose death toll continues to rise; Lawmakers consider $18.6M estimate to install air conditioning at all state prisons; Vermont to get $200M to modernize 5 US-Canadian border ports; Vermont towns look to finance water infrastructure projects this Town Meeting Day.
Beta Technologies eyes St. Albans for new battery facility
February 24, 2022 18:46 - 3 minutes - 3.2 MBBeta Technologies eyes St. Albans for new battery facility; Vermont’s 2 largest credit unions to merge; Protesters rally for legislation to combat climate change; Snow squall alerts prompt buzz on Vermont’s emergency notifications.
Scott vetoes firearm background check bill, but offers path forward
February 23, 2022 20:57 - 2 minutes - 2.69 MBBurlington City Council votes to place restrictions on short-term rentals; Scott vetoes bill to close “Charleston Loophole”; Police investigate death of incarcerated man at Springfield prison; GlobalFoundries moving ahead with utility petition.
Legislators have used Zoom’s private chat function in public meetings — without preserving records
February 22, 2022 23:14 - 3 minutes - 4.28 MBLegislators have used Zoom’s private chats; Hospitals remain critically understaffed; New spending would bolster Williston Fire Department ranks; 2 men face federal firearms charges amid homicide probe
Does the Bennington County sheriff still live in Vermont?
February 21, 2022 19:05 - 3 minutes - 3.15 MBLocal officials say they haven’t seen Chad Schmidt in years; Weird weather for Harris Hill's centennial; UVM Instagram posts renew furor over sexual misconduct on campus; Should non-medical doctors be allowed to perform eye surgery?
Utility commission denies GlobalFoundries’ request to become its own self-managed utility
February 18, 2022 19:27 - 3 minutes - 3.1 MBUtility commission denies GlobalFoundries’ request to become its own self-managed utility; Police union issues rare endorsement in Burlington's Ward 7; Senate advances criminal threatening bill; Chris Winters running for secretary of state.
Resettlement agency announces 1st group of Afghan refugees has arrived in Rutland
February 17, 2022 19:50 - 2 minutes - 2.71 MBResettlement agency announces 1st group of Afghan refugees has arrived in Rutland; Senate panel rejects bill to turn former Windsor prison into juvenile detention facility; Democratic candidates for US House talk energy, climate change policy at REV forum; Environmental groups urge Biden administration to stop logging mature forests on national lands.
Vermont moves to drop masks in highly vaccinated schools
February 16, 2022 22:12 - 2 minutes - 2.69 MBState plans to drop universal school mask recommendation; Public weighs in on controversial hunting and wildlife bills; Secretary of State Jim Condos announces retirement after 11 years in post; 2 operating rooms now open at Fanny Allen surgical center.
Company that owed Gov. Phil Scott $2.5 million is sold
February 15, 2022 21:55 - 3 minutes - 2.87 MBBarrett Trucking buying DuBois Construction; UVM Medical Center nurses get immediate pay bump amid unprecedented staff shortage; Auditor finds state mismanaged aging dams; Shelburne aerial skier Megan Nick wins bronze in Olympic debut.
A lieutenant governor candidate was present for Jan. 6 — and doesn’t regret it
February 14, 2022 18:40 - 3 minutes - 3.05 MBJan. 6 an ideological Rorschach test for Republican LG candidates; Restaurants see a ‘dire tipping point’ as Omicron recedes; Enosburg principal placed on leave after using offensive language over school’s intercom; Low-income, refugee families face eviction from Winooski apartments.
Burlington mayor wades into Vermont’s discussion of qualified immunity
February 10, 2022 19:39 - 3 minutes - 3.14 MBBurlington mayor wades into Vermont’s discussion of qualified immunity; Senate again approves a statewide rental registry bill, but a veto remains likely; More than 30 people test positive in Covid outbreak at Newport prison; Racial slurs used at high school basketball game, school officials say.
Vermont House gives tentative green light to $1,200 child tax credit
February 09, 2022 20:19 - 2 minutes - 2.2 MBVermont House gives tentative green light to $1,200 child tax credit; Burlington’s ‘pit’ could see construction this spring; Vermont vaccine advisory group quiet on Covid-19 mandates in schools.
Vermont House approves reproductive rights constitutional amendment, sending it to voters
February 08, 2022 21:23 - 3 minutes - 3.42 MBReproductive Liberty Amendment approved in 107-41 vote; How would proposed 'clean heat standard' work?; Planned Parenthood announces Newport clinic closure; Bennington moving forward on police oversight; Burlington City Council reaches consensus on homelessness proposals.
Senate approves $370 million spending package
February 04, 2022 22:15 - 2 minutes - 2.69 MBPreliminary approval for budget adjustment bill; Fire kills at least 130 cows at Stowe dairy farm; Burlington City Council candidates raise money to compete in another pandemic election; Kitty Toll running for lieutenant governor.
Bill would make it simpler to amend birth certificates to reflect gender identity
February 03, 2022 21:58 - 2 minutes - 2.68 MBBill would make it simpler to amend birth certificates to reflect gender identity; Vermont’s report on long medical wait times is delayed as Omicron brings new challenges; Senate gives green light to medical monitoring bill, but Scott is lukewarm; Amid police chief debate, Progressives’ opponents see public safety as top election issue.
FBI records reveal an EB-5 fraudster’s direct line to Gov. Peter Shumlin
February 02, 2022 18:50 - 3 minutes - 3.04 MBPostal employees say mail delivery is spotty because they’ve been told to prioritize packages; FBI records reveal an EB-5 fraudster’s direct line to Gov. Peter Shumlin; Brattleboro Retreat staffing shortage traps psychiatric patients at the ER for days; Quechee renters forced out of at least 18 apartments.
Burlington City Council rejects acting police chief for permanent job
February 01, 2022 19:19 - 3 minutes - 2.85 MBBurlington Progressives vote no on Murad; Vermont legislators to consider ranked choice voting for federal elections come 2024; State officials take stock of climate policy progress in Legislature; Bill would allow composting of human remains.
New Covid-19 subvariant has been detected in Vermont
January 31, 2022 19:42 - 3 minutes - 3.12 MBBA.2 case detected last week; Experts warn against a premature shift in Covid strategy; IT woes hold up child care subsidies from low-income families; Vermont Supreme Court swiftly denies Banyai’s motion to reargue Slate Ridge case.
UVM study paints grim picture at Springfield prison
January 28, 2022 19:06 - 2 minutes - 2.73 MBUVM study paints grim picture at Springfield prison; Vermont House advances hospital gun ban; Activists want more spent on housing initiatives; Former Rutland GOP chair launches bid for lieutenant governor.
In cross-border school district, protections for transgender students face a legal threat
January 27, 2022 22:21 - 3 minutes - 2.95 MBWith Breyer retiring, Vermont politicians call for change in the nation’s highest court; In cross-border school district, protections for transgender students face a legal threat; Essex Junction and town officials plan staff changes after separation vote; Housing issues loom large in Burlington Ward 5 race.
Senate passes bill to amend Vermont’s medical-aid-in-dying law
January 26, 2022 19:54 - 2 minutes - 2.55 MBSenate passes bill to amend Vermont’s medical-aid-in-dying law; Program aims to address gap in home construction and appraisal costs; House to vote on hospital gun ban, strengthened background checks; Brumsted to retire as chief of UVM Health.
2 dozen athletes with Vermont ties named to US Olympic team
January 25, 2022 20:00 - 2 minutes - 2.78 MBShiffrin and Diggins among Vermont-connected Olympic athletes; New bill would raise mandatory age of school attendance in Vermont; Burlington City Council finalizes March 1 ballot items; Vermont homeowners can receive up to $30,000 to cover late mortgage and utility payments.