Every year, a wide-ranging mix of stories make up VTDigger’s list of most popular posts, as calculated by our analytics tools. But 2020 may be the most diverse.
This year, rapidly shifting Covid-19 restrictions affected every Vermonter’s daily life. Six of our top 10 posts were breaking news stories about Covid, and the virus cast a shadow on nearly every other area of our coverage. Still, a VTDigger investigation into a controversial gunfighting center, and a profile of actor and Cabot resident Luis Guzman, both got their due.
Here are our 10 most popular posts of 2020.
10. Killington private party sparks Covid-19 outbreak: 14 cases and counting
Aug. 31: In the summer months when Covid was mostly contained, news of an outbreak in Killington came as a surprise. About 40 people, mostly from Rutland County, attended the Aug. 19 event at Summit Lodge, according to the Vermont Department of Health.
9. State orders universal quarantine for travelers
Nov. 10: Vermont’s cross-state travel map, for months a closely watched indicator of Covid’s spread in the region, was suspended in favor of a universal quarantine policy. Officials announced the new measure amid a surge in cases and multiple outbreaks spreading across the state.
8. Scott announces first ‘small steps’ in reopening Vermont businesses
April 17: With case growth decreasing, Gov. Phil Scott announced the first “quarter turn of the spigot” in allowing some employees to return to their workplaces.
7. Militia training site terrifies neighbors in West Pawlet
Oct. 29: Slate Ridge training center devotees have harassed neighbors, posted photos of weapons stockpiles and in practice sessions have shot up vehicles. VTDigger’s investigation revealed the extent of the site’s activity and forced authorities to address local residents’ concerns.
6. Bars and restaurants in Vermont will be ordered closed at 2 p.m. Tuesday: Scott admin
March 16: Just hours after banning gatherings of more than 50 people, Gov. Phil Scott ordered the closing of bars and restaurants across the state. It was one of the administration’s first sweeping restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus in Vermont.
5. Where is the latest wave? Vermont’s recent Covid cases, town by town
Nov. 13: VTDigger’s data reporter Erin Petenko started a weekly update on town-by-town Covid data provided by the health department, which in early November revealed surges in Barre, Williamstown, Northfield and Colchester.
4. Labor Department battles unemployment benefit fraud
June 4: The beleaguered Vermont Department of Labor, while struggling to process new unemployment claims, also faced a rash of fraudulent claims that Vermonters started reporting in late spring. Officials said the claims appeared to be part of a larger problem hitting many states.
3. Applications for hazard pay grants to open Aug. 4
Aug. 3: The $28 million Hazard Pay Program allowed employers to apply for funding to provide up to $2,000 in hazard pay to each employee who met the specified eligibility criteria. Factors include risk of exposure to Covid-19, number of hours worked and the employee’s hourly wage.
2. Scott bans multi-family gatherings in Vermont, closes bars and clubs
Nov. 13: With Vermont’s Covid-19 cases rapidly rising again this fall, Gov. Phil Scott said his administration had no choice but to take strict new measures to suppress the virus.
1. Luis Guzman: Vermont one of safest places in world right now
The actor Luis Guzman has made Vermont his home since 1995 — a fact that surprised many readers. “People don’t believe I go to the dump,” Guzman told reporter Jon Kalish. “‘What are you doing here?’ ‘Dumping my garbage.’ I get that from people who come up here for the summer.”
Plus, here are our 10 most popular Facebook posts of the year.
10. State orders universal quarantine for travelers
9. Gov. Scott: Trump won’t decide when to lift Vermont Covid-19 restrictions
8. VIDEO: Vermont declared independence on this day in 1777
7. Hundreds help paint ‘black lives matter’ in front of Statehouse
6. Scott mandates masks in public starting Aug. 1
5. Habitat for Humanity dedicates home to Syrian family in Rutland
4. Scott votes for Joe Biden
3. Scott relaxes ‘Stay Home’ rules to allow small gatherings, outdoor recreation
2. Luis Guzman: Vermont one of safest places in world right now
1. Billionaire MacKenzie Scott gifts Vermont Foodbank $9 million, largest donation in its history
