Vermont State University could consolidate, cut academic programs in ‘optimization’ process
Vermont State University has been analyzing its academic offerings to see which programs could be combined or “retired,” interim president Mike Smith said this week. The process could ultimately lead to lost positions, he said.
Putney School reports 70 Covid cases amid 14 school outbreaks
More than 300 cases have been reported in K-12 schools since the beginning of the school year, according to the Department of Health.
Following the Floods
Read VTDigger’s latest coverage of the aftermath from historic flooding that hit Vermont this summer.
Matthew Morgan, stuck in prison after dismissed shoplifting charge, is released on furlough
Morgan had filed a lawsuit against the Department of Corrections, seeking to limit the types of furlough violations that could send a person back to prison.
After facing racism at a Middlebury middle school, a departing dean calls for stronger protections
“My issue wasn’t that these things happened, but that leaders did not have protocols to follow to help guide them,” Esther Charlestin told VTDigger.
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Editors’ Picks
Our best stories, investigations, podcasts and more, as recommended to you by VTDigger editors.
Vermont regulators trim $145 million in hospital cost increases
The Green Mountain Care Board said its reductions to hospitals’ proposed charge hikes for 2024 should limit the increase in costs to commercial insurers next year to 4.1%.
Northeast Kingdom Buddhist retreat at center of landmark ruling on child sexual abuse
A decision by the Vermont Supreme Court upholds a 2019 law removing the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file a lawsuit seeking damages against the person or organization responsible.
The Deeper Dig: Synagogue sold — what happens when a historic house of worship becomes something else
“The Jewish community in Burlington survives. It flourishes. … So, yes, the building may not be there, you know, as the synagogue, but we’re still here.”
The late Louvenia Dorsey Bright, Vermont’s first woman of color in the Statehouse, will be honored with lifetime achievement award, official portrait
“She chose the path that allowed her to be there and speak on behalf of people who weren’t there. And that made space for me to be much more visible, so that (people of color) could see themselves thriving, not just surviving,” said Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D/P-Chittenden Southeast.
Vermont Conversation: Is truth dead?
The war on truth is threatening to topple democracies around the world, according to author Lee McIntyre, and undermining truth is a key strategy of authoritarian leaders.
Parole board declines to release man convicted of strangling wife in 1993
Gregory Fitzgerald, 66, was originally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole but qualified for community release after striking a deal with Vermont prosecutors last year.
Brattleboro Selectboard approves municipal EMS takeover
The 5-0 vote came at a standing-room-only meeting during which opponents presented a petition signed by more than 400 residents seeking a return to the town’s past ambulance provider.
Three days left: All gifts matched today
There are just three days left in our fall member drive, and I’ve been told we have some ground we need to make up.
Opinion
Columns, commentaries and letters to the editor written by community members and regular contributors.
Pat Suozzi: With flood resilience, sometimes doing less is better
By reducing lawn mowing and creating vegetated buffers at the shorelines, you can effectively absorb more runoff and reduce the contaminants that reach the water.
Duane Sherwood: What to do when everyone’s lying
Our world is awash in lies and propaganda, and I’m not sure how to fight that. It’s discouraging.
Letter to the editor: Absolutely the wrong place for a large concert venue
Burton and Burlington officials have turned a thoughtless blind eye to the genuine concerns and horror caused by the massive concert venue plan.
Letter to the editor: Please save our smaller lakes and ponds
Wake sports present serious safety issues for paddleboarders, canoeists, kayakers, sailors, anglers, swimmers, and other boaters out on the lake.
Benchmark Space Systems in Burlington rides boom in small satellites
The company’s founder and CEO, Ryan McDevitt, credits the University of Vermont with helping to grow Benchmark from an idea into a business. Now, McDevitt is trying to provide opportunities for UVM graduates who hope to work in space technology from Vermont.
Town officers, selectboard member resign from Isle La Motte government
The sudden departures have rocked local politics on this 500-person island and left the town office closed to the public while board members scramble to recruit new staff.
Obituaries
Death notices and celebrations of life.
Postponed by flood damage, a Barre festival returns to celebrate the city’s recovery
The Barre Heritage Festival and Homecoming Days begins Wednesday. It will be the city’s largest event since historic flooding caused widespread damage to homes and businesses in the Granite City.