News from Vermont Public

Republican Gov. Phil Scott had previously insisted on a proposal that forces school districts to merge into larger governance units. But administration officials say it’s become clear that Democratic lawmakers won’t agree to mandatory consolidation.

Lawmakers learned that the conservation measures they enacted in Act 181 “were alienating rural landowners and were not the right tool for the job,” said Rep. Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury.

Removing the Jackson Dam could cost $4 million to $9 million — or more, depending on what’s found in the sediment. “I’m not sure anyone wants to pay for it,” said the general manager at Hardwick Electric.

Opponents argued that a land-use plan in the 1970s was “Satan’s work, Communist propaganda, and a wishy-washy bureaucratic nightmare,” according to one news report from the time.

The House Committee on Ways and Means has spent the last three weeks crafting proposals that would raise income taxes on households that earn more than $586,000 a year. Though the legislation has no chance of becoming law this year, some Democrats hope the debate will resonate with voters heading into the midterm elections.

A growing number of support groups in Vermont are using music to foster joy and connections for people with memory loss and their caregivers.

Citing climate change as a factor, Burke Mountain and its partner ski academy plan to experiment with storing snow under massive tarps over the summer.

A growing number of Vermont's primary care providers are shrinking their practices and charging membership fees. Concierge practices offer providers a break from burnout — but leave many patients behind.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott says he won’t let a state budget go into law unless the Legislature approves an education reform bill that includes mandatory school district consolidation. House lawmakers have refused to budge on forced mergers, and they've begun preparing for a government shutdown over the issue.

A conversation about collecting sap for maple syrup, and making a resourceful living, in Cabot.

A conversation about collecting sap for maple syrup, and making a resourceful living, in Cabot.

These small panels can be plugged into a regular wall outlet, and when paired with a battery, they generate enough electricity to keep a refrigerator running through a power outage.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate were in lockstep on mandatory school district consolidation heading into the 2026 legislative session. House Speaker Jill Krowinski says it’s since become clear that while voters are desperate for property tax relief, they’re not willing to sacrifice control of their local schools to get it.

Memphremagog Community Theatre, whose members come from Canada and the United States, held a kick-off event recently at a venue that straddles the international border.

A new estimate projects that 442 of the nation’s 1,700 private, nonprofit four-year colleges and universities, with a combined 670,000 students, are at risk of closing or having to merge within the next 10 years.

Last year, in the wake of controversial, patient-facing cuts at the University of Vermont Health network, lawmakers passed a new law. They said regulators would get to intervene if they didn’t think hospitals should shutter a service. But now, barely a year later, lawmakers are already second-guessing that decision.

Mary Lake drives all over the Northeast in the spring, shearing people's sheep and talking with them about the health of their flock.

Democratic leaders say they don't have the votes to move forward with mandatory school district consolidation. And they say it's become clear to them that Vermonters don't want it.

Democratic leaders say they don't have the votes to move forward with mandatory school district consolidation. And they say it's become clear to them that Vermonters don't want it.

As the state’s expanded program for winter emergency housing ends Wednesday, Fred and Lisa Allard confront the challenge of living in their Jeep.

The House Committee on Ways and Means has agreed to vote on legislation this year that would increase state income taxes by 3% on household income over $500,000 a year, and by an additional 2% on income over $1 million.

Act 181 and its ecological conservation measures emerged from this week’s Senate debates delayed but intact. Heated debates are likely to continue in the House.

Buying down property taxes with one-time money comes with the risk of creating a spike the following cycle. But Gov. Phil Scott has indicated he'll pressure Democrats to use even more one-time cash to lower next year's property taxes.

With a key legislative deadline looming, lawmakers raced to get key policy bills out of committees this week.

Aerial imagery from flooding in 2023 shows water covering part of the proposed building site. A neighbor says adding homes there could “do more harm than good.”

Last week the students of Calais Elementary held their first town meeting, during which they made a momentous decision about an end-of-year field trip.