Vermont's small size means legislators may “wear two or three hats.” Some argue they bring needed expertise on the issues.
Full Disclosure: Lawmakers serve on the boards of nonprofits they fund
Author: Riley Robinson
Riley Robinson is a general assignment and multimedia reporter, covering stories across the state in writing, photos and video. She is a graduate of Northeastern University's School of Journalism and first joined the Digger newsroom as a Dow Jones News Fund intern.
Essex town voters overwhelmingly approve 22% local tax increase
The $15.4 million budget is a nominal decrease from last year’s budget but will be supported by a significantly smaller tax base than previous years, after Essex Junction split off from the town.
Equity policy supporters win in Milton school board elections
Incumbents Jeremy Metcalf and Melinda Young fended off challengers Allison Duquette and Nicholas Smith.
Conflict over replacing women’s prison continues as lawmakers consider millions in new funding
The Vermont ACLU is again calling on lawmakers to decrease the prison population and consider community-based alternatives to Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility.
The Deeper Dig: In the forest, a patch of common ground
Amid heated debate over what’s best for forests — and people who rely on them — one Vermont proposal seeks to balance “forever wild” with active forest management.
Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi pushes back on complaint against MVU’s Thunderbird mascot
“We do not believe the Thunderbird has any harmful imagery for any student at MVU, including our Abenaki population,” Chief Joanne Crawford, of the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi, and Brenda Gagne, president of the school district’s Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee, wrote in a joint statement.
PHOTOS: Swimmers brave single-digit temperatures for annual festival at Lake Memphremagog
The festival brought more than a hundred competitors from over a dozen states, Canada and Ireland to swim off the shore of Newport.
Final Reading: House committee considers nixing ‘fusion candidates,’ citing voter confusion
Leadership from the Vermont GOP and the Vermont Progressive Party testified against the proposed fusion-label ban, arguing that fusion labels give voters helpful information, defining candidates' views within a big-tent party label.
Vermont DCF plans to build temporary secure youth facility near St. Albans prison
The Department for Children and Families expects to use the temporary site for five to eight years while the state builds a permanent facility.
The Deeper Dig: What’s happened at Vermont sheriffs’ departments
Several Vermont sheriff departments have come under scrutiny in the past year after drastic turnover, allegations of misconduct or unusual financial activity. Two sheriffs — one former, one recently sworn in — face criminal charges. The Legislature is considering a constitutional amendment to increase oversight.
