208 stories, newest first.
The contract covers BED's 85 union staff and was wrapped up before the new fiscal year even started, a notably drama-free outcome as city labor negotiations go. With BED asking customers to trim usage during heat waves and juggling grid demands, keeping the lineworkers happy is not a small thing.
The Main Street institution is bringing back late night hours on Fridays and Saturdays, reopening from 10 PM after its daytime shift, welcome news for anyone whose midnight Shiner cravings survived the pandemic era. Meanwhile Judi's Ice Cream is expanding to South Burlington's City Center, which …
The Church Street mainstay plans a second, 5,300 square foot location this winter at Catamount Run, the UVM-linked housing development on Market Street, and the Burlington original is staying put. With Judi's Ice Cream announced the same week, City Center's food roster is starting to look like a …
Beyond the fireworks hype, this one doubles as your logistics cheat sheet for tonight. Organizers recommend the $2 parking at UVM's Gutterson with continuous GMT shuttles, and drivers should expect Battery and Main closed from 9 to 11:30 p.m. Officials also flagged a storm evacuation plan to near…
[Beachgoers flock to the waterfront as the heat wave arrives](https://www.wcax.com/2026/07/01/beachgoers-pack-burlington-waterfront-heat-wave-kicks-off-july/)
St. Albans picked up a new ice cream shop on Lake Street, where Karen and Madison Barchowski churn small batches and fold their own waffle cones. The mother and daughter ran an oceanside shop in Florida for a decade and briefly owned Burlington's Revolution Kitchen before deciding scoops were the…
The siblings grew up beside the Burlington-Winooski Bridge in a brick building whose ground floor was buried when the street was raised after the 1927 flood. Their parents survived the Armenian genocide and settled in a Ward 1 neighborhood where, they remember, the family felt shunned and their n…
A senior director at Essex Junction's GlobalFoundries says the plant's semiconductors are built to handle the extreme temperatures and radiation of space, powering everything from satellite communications to onboard AI. He couldn't name specific missions but framed the local fab as ready for what…
Vermont farmers hit by the 2023 and 2024 floods will receive $31.7 million in USDA relief, aimed especially at those with little access to FEMA help for infrastructure, crop and market losses. The money is half of the $62 million the state requested, and officials are still waiting to hear about …
Eva Sollberger's latest episode visits siblings Steve, 92, and Lucy, 85, who grew up in the brick building beside the Burlington-Winooski Bridge, children of parents who fled the Armenian genocide. The 1927 flood raised the street so much that the family's first floor became a basement, a piece o…
Williams, the board's longest serving member and a 30 year educator, resigned June 3, citing governance breakdowns and meetings she felt had drifted toward personal agendas. She singled out a recent presentation on classroom neutrality that she read as a rebuke of district staff who helped during…
Storms earlier in the week dumped nearly three inches of rain on the Hardwick and Wolcott area, washing out a culvert and damaging Bunker Hill Road before crews patched it up. The timing matters for anyone who lived through the floods of recent summers, since this is the start of the stretch when…
Strong winter snowpack and steady spring temperatures gave sugarmakers a more consistent run than recent years, with 8.2 million taps deployed statewide. The economic side is just as notable, with 2025 production valued at roughly $102 million and retail prices averaging $51.40 a gallon. Vermont …
Fletcher Free Library, the COTS Daystation, and the City Hall Park fountain are all open as cooling spots, and translated safety materials are available in well over a dozen languages. The detail worth absorbing is who is most at risk, namely older adults, outdoor workers, people without air cond…
Lawmakers passed close to 250 bills this biennium, and a few will touch Burlington wallets directly. Vermont became the first state to ban paraquat, the herbicide linked to Parkinson's, while also adding a per mile fee for EV owners starting in 2027 and reworking emergency housing in an $83 milli…
The March 11 ICE raid in South Burlington drew more than 100 complaints, and the city's internal reviews cleared every officer involved, including Cpl. Julian Gonzalez, whose body camera caught him forcing a woman to the ground. The citizen police commission broke with city leadership, concluding…
This year's festival, curated by MacArthur Fellow and former Kennedy Center jazz director Jason Moran, made a point of centering young players. Flynn executive director Jay Wahl says the lineup featured 44 school bands and close to 993 students, the largest youth showing in the festival's history…
The group formed in 2010 after the workplace death of a young Chiapas farmworker, and it has since become the public face of Vermont's resistance to the federal immigration crackdown, with about 3,500 people now signed up for text alerts that summon crowds to ICE actions. The piece also surfaces …
Cohen, now 75, is openly campaigning to win back creative and ethical control of the company he and Jerry Greenfield started nearly fifty years ago, after CEO David Stever was ousted last year and Greenfield quit in protest. The feud traces back to the 2021 decision to stop selling in the Israeli…
After five years, Aisha and Danny Bassett are closing the dairy free creemee business that began at Winooski's Myers Memorial Pool in 2021 and most recently shared space inside Uncommon Coffee in Essex. Rising costs and the arrival of their daughter over the winter both factored into the decision…
The House passed S.208, which creates a statewide masking and identification policy for state and local police but stops short of applying those rules to federal agents. That was a bitter pill for roughly 50 of the chamber's 87 Democrats, who backed a failed floor amendment to restore the origina…
Nearly two years after catastrophic flooding, Montpelier is finally getting $11.78 million for repairs to City Hall, the fire department, and police buildings, while VTrans receives over $9 million for rail trail and railroad damage in Washington County. The money had been held up under former DH…
The Conservation Law Foundation and the Burlington-based Rozalia Project have been working together as part of the Lake Champlain Basin Marine Debris Coalition, combining legal advocacy with scientific data collection to push for policy change. Their efforts helped pass Vermont's 2024 Flood Safet…
Thursday's action targeted an ICE digital surveillance center at 426 Industrial Avenue in Williston, where four protesters were arrested on trespassing and resisting arrest charges after blocking entrances. This follows a similar February protest at the same site where 11 were arrested, though Ch…
The study, published in Nature, found that when and how frequently rain falls matters just as much as total precipitation in determining drought risk. For Vermont, this means more rain overall but delivered in heavier downpours with longer dry stretches between them, a pattern that leads to both …
The new 10-meter monitoring tower in Lyndonville is a prototype and the first of roughly 20 stations planned across the state. Vermont's geography creates real blind spots for weather prediction. The Green Mountains obstruct radar coverage from Burlington, meaning storms and flash floods in the N…
While brook trout populations are declining across much of the eastern U.S. due to warming water temperatures, Vermont's cooler northern waters and some clever conservation work are keeping populations strong. The standout effort is a strategy called "strategic wood addition," led by fisheries bi…
The Shelburne Tree Committee is playing a long game against the emerald ash borer, the invasive beetle first found in town in 2024 that kills 98% of untreated ash within a decade. Rather than relying solely on expensive inoculation (required every two years), the committee has been planting diver…
[South Burlington to Scale Back Pickleball Courts After Noise Complaints](https://www.wcax.com/2026/05/05/south-burlington-scale-back-pickleball-courts-after-noise-complaints/)
Efficiency Vermont's annual Better Building by Design conference drew more than 840 professionals to South Burlington this week and honored ten organizations with awards spanning affordable housing, energy efficiency, and a first ever workforce development category. Local highlights include Champ…
The culprit is a snowfall deficit that stretched from February through April. Burlington measured just 8.1 inches in March, more than 50% below the 17.5 inch average, and even Mount Mansfield's snowpack has been below normal since late March. While the region has actually seen a slight precipitat…
The Trump administration's border czar visited Vermont last week to meet with Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison, State Police Colonel Matt Birmingham, and the Burlington and South Burlington police chiefs about the March 11 ICE operation and protest. Morrison called the meeting product…
Six hours of bodycam footage from South Burlington Deputy Police Chief Sean Briscoe paint a vivid picture of local law enforcement navigating an impossible position on March 11. The video shows Briscoe trying to walk a middle line between ICE agents pushing to execute their operation and hundreds…
Galvion, a defense manufacturer in Newport and one of the Northeast Kingdom's largest employers with 238 workers, produces ballistic helmets for the U.S. military and NATO. VTDigger's investigation matched the company's helmet designs to headgear worn by federal agents at high profile immigration…
UVM's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is tackling flood resilience on two fronts; Barsky's recently published research on how rural communities weather natural disasters, and the Ecological Planning Laboratory's ongoing partnerships with Mad River Valley towns to manage invasive knotweed…
The House Judiciary Committee gutted S.208, the bill that would have required all law enforcement in Vermont to display identification and stop concealing their faces during operations. The retreat came after a federal appeals court struck down a similar California law last week, ruling it violat…
During the council's annual reorganization, Democrats replaced Progressive Councilor Melo Grant as chair of the Public Safety Committee with Ranjit "Buddy" Singh, whose approach is shaped by 18 years on the Church Street Marketplace Commission. Singh's priorities include accelerating the search f…
[Burlington Ranks 5th Snowiest City in Eastern US](https://www.wcax.com/2026/04/21/burlington-ranks-5th-snowiest-city-eastern-us-after-recent-measurable-snow/)
The department released roughly 60 hours of body camera footage and a nearly 100 page after action report last week, and the picture that emerges is one of local police caught between federal agents and the community they serve. Chief Bill Breault's report concludes that South Burlington officers…
George's decision not to prosecute drew a sharp response from state law enforcement leaders, who called it "a disheartening decision that sets a dangerous precedent." The six were arrested during the March 11 ICE raid on Dorset Street, an operation later found to have been triggered by mistaken i…
[FEMA Approves $2.2M for Vermont Flood Recovery Projects](https://www.wcax.com/2026/04/24/fema-approves-22m-vermont-flood-recovery-projects/)
The Champlain Valley is on track to become a designated American Viticultural Area, a federal recognition covering more than a million acres from the Canadian border down to Rutland County. The designation means wines made from grapes grown in the region can carry the AVA label, which helps consu…
Last week we covered the release of South Burlington's body camera footage from the March 11 Dorset Street ICE raid. Seven Days dug deeper this week. Both South Burlington and Vermont State Police concluded their officers did not use excessive force or violate the state's Fair and Impartial Polic…
After an investigation found a teacher at Burlington's Frog & Toad Child Care was physically abusing toddlers, including incidents captured on video of a staff member throwing a child into a snowbank and restraining another for six minutes, parents are demanding that owner Tiffany Corbett be barr…
The 43rd annual festival runs June 3 through 7 and is largely free. Headliners include Tank and the Bangas, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the legendary Mavis Staples, who takes the Waterfront Park stage on Saturday, June 6. Curator Jason Moran is pushing the festival into some unexpected space…
The department published 51 body camera videos to YouTube showing officers' perspectives during the Dorset Street operation that drew hundreds of protesters and ended with federal agents deploying tear gas and flashbangs. A letter from the city manager found no South Burlington officers used exce…
The community meeting at Contois Auditorium gave the public its first chance to hear directly from one of the people swept up in the March 11 raid, which targeted a Mexican citizen who was never actually taken into custody. All three people detained were later ordered released by a federal judge.…
The Rutland County town of 2,100 is the latest Vermont community to embrace the pop-up university model, offering a weekend of free classes taught entirely by residents. The 19 courses range from foraging wild mushrooms to understanding life as a transgender person in today's society, and several…
If you've been watching the Champlain Parkway sit there looking basically finished and wondering when it would actually open, there's finally a timeline. Construction restarted last week, and Spencer says the parkway should be open by June or July. What's left is mostly finishing work: overhead s…
VTDigger's David Goodman spoke with attendees and legislators at the Montpelier Statehouse during the third No Kings protest on March 28, which organizers say was part of the largest single day of protest in American history, with 8 to 9 million people at over 3,000 demonstrations nationwide. Ver…
Local entrepreneur Blaine Paxton and a group of activists organized a satirical bus tour of federal immigration facilities in Chittenden County, complete with actors playing tour guides, scripts, and branded buses. The five stop route included the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, where …
"Human Impact: Contemporary Art and Our Environment" opened March 20 and features work from eight artists responding to climate change, land use, and ecological disruption. The show runs through June 20 and is worth a visit if you're already wandering the Pine Street arts corridor this First Frid…
[Dog Lovers Gather for Pug Meet-Up in Burlington](https://www.mynbc5.com/article/pints-for-pups-fundraiser/70876470)
The picture that's emerged since March 11 is remarkable. All three people ICE detained have been released, and it turns out the man they were actually looking for was never in the house or driving the car that led agents there in the first place. The federal judge who ordered one detainee's relea…
After President Trump twice denied Vermont's request for FEMA funding to help Northeast Kingdom towns recover from last summer's flooding, the Scott administration is proposing to redirect about $1.3 million in state reserves to cover half the estimated damage. Most of the money would go to Sutto…
This one is hard to categorize. A Burlington resident named Blaine Paxton organized a performance art slash activist tour of federal immigration facilities in the greater Burlington area, complete with branded vans, trivia questions, and inflatable eyeballs handed out at ICE's National Criminal A…
The piece is a deep dive into the escalating legal battle between Ben & Jerry's and Magnum Ice Cream Company, the Unilever spinoff that now owns the brand. At the heart of it is a merger agreement from 2000 that gave Ben & Jerry's an independent board and full control over its political activism.…
Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak outlined the status of Burlington's internal review of the March 11 encounter between ICE agents and local police in South Burlington, which has generated 121 citizen complaints to date. BPD is conducting a supervisor review expected to wrap within 30 days of the incide…
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Vermont State Police Sgt. Jacob Zorn is immune from a lawsuit brought by protester Shela Linton, who suffered permanent wrist and shoulder injuries and PTSD after being forcibly removed from the Statehouse during a 2015 demonstration. The conservative majority fou…
What began as a pandemic sewing project with her 5 year old son has become a growing business that's diverted more than 40,000 pounds of ski gear from landfills. BirdieBlue, based in Stowe, partners with Burton and Turtle Fur to source upcycled materials, employs about 20 home sewers across Vermo…
All three people detained during the March 11 raid have now been freed following court hearings this week, with federal judges in Burlington ordering immediate release in each of the sisters' cases. Judge Reiss noted that Patin Patin's warrantless arrest may have been unlawful. The person ICE was…
The Governor insists state police did not violate Vermont's Fair and Impartial Policing policy, while Public Safety Commissioner Morrison argued that withdrawing would have led to worse outcomes for protesters. Body camera footage is under review. The administration also acknowledged it did not r…
Vermont is part of a 24 state coalition challenging the Trump administration's repeal of the EPA's 2009 "endangerment finding," which underpinned federal authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and power plants. Legal experts note an interesting contradiction: the administrat…
Vermont's bear population has roughly doubled its target range, now estimated at 6,500 to 8,000 animals. And they're waking up about two weeks earlier than they did 15 years ago, likely driven by shorter, milder winters. The practical takeaway: it's time now to pull bird feeders, secure trash and…
The joint House and Senate Judiciary Committee hearing laid bare sharply divided accounts. Law enforcement officials say they were there strictly to keep the peace and had no advance knowledge of ICE's plans. Advocacy groups and some lawmakers counter that state police clearing protesters so agen…
Contractors from across the Northeast gathered in Winooski for a first of its kind summit on air to water heat pumps, which work with existing boiler systems to provide both heating and hydronic cooling. The technology can store energy purchased at off peak rates and now performs reliably even in…
Seven Days published a detailed reconstruction of the March 11 ICE operation on Dorset Street that consumed an entire day and drew hundreds of protesters. Federal agents initially arrived without a warrant to enter the home, spent hours obtaining one, and ultimately raided the house with a SWAT t…
The House passed H.849 days after a tense ICE operation in South Burlington on March 11 that involved flash bang devices, chemical agents, and an hourslong standoff between federal agents and protesters. The bill would allow anyone in Vermont to sue federal officers who violate their constitution…
That's César Camacho, a UVM junior and U.S. citizen who grew up in Ecuador and now carries his passport at all times with a location tracking app at his mother's request. The piece paints a sobering picture of how federal immigration policy is rippling through Vermont's colleges. At Middlebury, a…
At least 19 towns weighed new 1 percent taxes on meals, rooms, alcohol, or sales, and a majority of them passed. Bristol stood out by earmarking 20 percent of its projected $250,000 in new revenue specifically for climate resilience and emergency preparedness, a direct response to FEMA denying Ve…
Colchester's Development Review Board approved plans for "The H on Malletts Bay," a 20 room hotel with a 40 seat restaurant and 60 person event space on a 2 acre lakefront slope owned by the Hazelett Strip-Casting Corp., now part of Austria's EBNER Group. Opponents, organized as Save Malletts Bay…
With temperatures jumping into the 50s this weekend and rain on the way, officials are warning that Lake Champlain's ice will start cracking and loosening, creating dangerous pockets of open water. State law requires ice fishing shanties to be removed before the ice weakens, including all debris …
The protesters, ranging in age from 21 to 85, had been scheduled for arraignment on March 2. George cited the group's lack of criminal history, their nonviolent conduct, and the absence of any reported disruption to other tenants in the building. The decision drew sharp criticism from the propert…
[Vermont Cities Recognized for Bike Friendliness](https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-news/vermont/vermont-cities-recognized-for-friendliness-to-bikes/)
South Burlington has cut greenhouse gas emissions by 10% since 2019 despite adding over 850 new homes in 2022 and 2023 alone, but the city's goal of a 60% reduction by 2030 remains a steep climb. Updated modeling now suggests transportation and building heating each account for roughly 50% of cit…
The 2026 Annual Energy Report paints a complicated picture for one of Vermont's key climate strategies. Heat pumps are among the cheapest heating options available, but three factors are blunting their impact: federal tax credits ended in December under Trump's One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, Vermo…
Red knitted hats inspired by Norwegian resistance caps from World War II have become a quiet but visible form of protest against federal immigration crackdowns, and the movement has taken off across Chittenden County. The pattern, dubbed "Melt the ICE," originated at a Minneapolis yarn shop and h…
Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak signed an executive order Tuesday laying out the city's playbook if federal immigration enforcement escalates locally. The order directs emergency plan reviews, establishes communication lines with neighboring towns and the school district, and mandates training for city emp…
A federal judge in New Hampshire granted Tendo's habeas petition on Friday, ordering the release of the Ugandan asylum seeker who was detained by immigration agents in a Shelburne parking lot earlier this month. Tendo, a pastor and health care worker who has lived in Vermont since 2021, was immed…
Vermont's county fairs generate about $9 million annually, but a stormwater runoff rule requiring permitted systems for areas with more than three acres of impervious surface is creating real headaches. The Vermont State Fair in Rutland is the hardest hit: 17 of its 60 acres are impervious, a bro…
[Vermont Philharmonic Presents 'Heritage in Harmony'](https://www.colchestersun.com/things_to_do/arts_entertainment/vermont-philharmonic-presents-heritage-in-harmony-this-saturday-at-saint-michaels-college/article_ac80469e-2128-4049-9caf-4ac4bc727685.html)
Scores of students at South Burlington and Essex Junction high schools walked out of class Friday afternoon in a coordinated protest against federal immigration enforcement. The walkouts come in the wake of the detainment of a Somali taxi driver whose children attend South Burlington schools. Stu…
After 29 years of independent family ownership, Smuggs is changing hands. Bear Den Partners, which purchased Burke Mountain last spring, will take over, though the Stritzler family will maintain a stake and daughter Lisa Howe will stay on as an advisor. Season passes will be honored and employees…
Eleven people, many of them older adults, were arrested on trespassing charges during a civil disobedience action at the Williston office park housing ICE's National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center. Protesters read names of people killed in ICE custody and called on the landlord to cancel …
If you're craving green in February, two conservatories inside UVM's Main Campus Greenhouse are open to the public on weekdays from 10 AM to 4 PM, featuring subtropical and tropical species from around the world. The broader facility houses over 400 plant species and supports everything from a 60…
Balint's comments came after a Congressional oversight trip to Minneapolis, where she said roughly 3,000 masked federal agents were conducting operations she described as being about "power and control and submission" rather than law enforcement. On Wednesday, she got into a heated exchange with …
Starksboro resident Ellen Yount will take over the Vermont Afghan Alliance on March 4, replacing Molly Gray, who is stepping down to run for lieutenant governor. Yount brings a resume that includes stints as press secretary for former Congressman Tom Ridge and director of the press office at USAI…
The scope of preparation here is striking. Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak met with Burlington's police and fire chiefs last week to game out a response to a potential large scale ICE operation, while Migrant Justice has built a rapid response network of roughly 2,000 people and tallied 107 immigration det…
After nearly three years running a 120 seat, full menu Italian restaurant in Montpelier, the Penzo family has scaled back and returned to Essex Junction, where they originally launched as a food truck in 2021. The new spot at 3 Maple Street (formerly Nomad Coffee) is a 20 seat counter service ope…
Wednesday was a day of sharp contrasts outside the federal courthouse in Burlington. Hussien Noor Hussien, a Burlington cab driver and Somali refugee detained by ICE on New Year's Day, walked free after U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered his release on bail, citing more than 40 letters…
Five skaters got stranded on Lake Champlain on Tuesday after a large chunk of ice broke apart roughly 700 yards off Charlotte Town Beach, leaving about 200 yards of open water between them and the intact ice closer to shore. Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue crews reached them by cell phone, co…
[Mikaela Shiffrin to Race 3 Events at Milan Cortina Olympics](https://www.wcax.com/2026/02/06/mikaela-shiffrin-race-3-events-milan-cortina-olympics-after-entering-twice-many-beijing/)
[Phoenix Books Hosts Vermont Poet Laureate Bianca Stone](https://www.vtcng.com/otherpapersbvt/community/noteworthy/phoenix-books-hosts-vermont-poet-laureate/article_be402569-5f0d-49d0-8ff3-13f4cd1e3393.html)
The Winter Games kick off Friday in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, and Vermont's delegation runs deep. Beyond marquee names like Jessie Diggins, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, and Mikaela Shiffrin, the state is sending competitors across disciplines. South Burlington's Kevin Drury just notched his first ski …
Activists are targeting two Williston locations that house ICE operations, with the White Cap Business Park becoming a particular flashpoint. A four hour sit in there last week drew backlash from tenants, including a café owner forced to close early. The property manager called police and demande…
Burlington singer-songwriter Grace Palmer is gearing up for a full length LP expected this spring, tentatively titled Everybody Is Somebody, with new singles rooted in social justice and climate change. The 25 year old Connecticut native landed in Vermont after COVID cut short a Nashville stint, …
Senate bill S.208, sponsored by Sen. Nader Hashim (a former state trooper) and 12 other senators, would prohibit law enforcement officers from concealing their faces while on duty, with exceptions for illness, hazards, and undercover work. Officers would also need to display their name, badge num…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services quietly canceled plans to deploy at least seven Vermont based employees to Minnesota to support ICE enforcement. USCIS, which normally processes visas and citizenship paperwork, notified workers by email without explaining why the plan was scrapped. Rep. …
Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak confirmed that ICE has been active in Burlington and elsewhere in Vermont in recent months, while noting the city has credible information disputing a circulating rumor about an upcoming surge. The city launched a dedicated webpage for verified updates and the mayor is conve…
VTDigger's sweeping retrospective tracks the Trump administration's impact across nearly every dimension of Vermont life over the past year. The numbers are sobering: $211 million in projected Medicaid losses by 2032, doubled ACA marketplace premiums, a temporary $26 million education funding fre…
[Green Mountain Transit EV Buses Out of Commission](https://www.wcax.com/2026/01/30/green-mountain-transit-ev-buses-out-commission/)
[Vermont House Passes Mid-Year Budget Adjustment](https://www.wcax.com/2026/02/01/vermont-house-passes-mid-year-budget-adjustment/)
['ICE Out' Rally Draws Huge Crowd in Burlington](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/news/ice-out-rally-draws-huge-crowd-in-burlington/)
Businesses across Vermont are navigating today's nationwide general strike in response to the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and ICE's aggressive enforcement, particularly in Minneapolis. While Santiago's closed entirely after a staff vote, most local businesses are finding middle g…
CVOEO's extreme cold weather shelter at the Miller Center has already been activated eight nights this winter, nearly matching last year's total of nine. Russell says the region needs approximately 200 additional shelter beds in Chittenden County to meet demand. The Miller Center operates from 5 …
Hussien Noor Hussien, a 63 year old Somali refugee who has lived in Vermont for 13 years and runs Freedom Cab, was detained by ICE at the Burlington Airport on New Year's Day while his wife worked nearby as a cleaner. His five children, ages 3 to 17, are all U.S. citizens. Hussien had a court dat…
Governor Scott's proposal to spur housing development by relaxing wetlands regulations has drawn sharp criticism from environmentalists and wetland scientists. The changes would reduce buffer zones from 50 to 25 feet and allow housing on unmapped wetlands in designated growth areas. A proposed de…
These workers typically process applications and check for immigration fraud. They've never been sent out of state or performed enforcement work before. Rep. Becca Balint called the move "outrageous," noting these are public servants who signed up to help people navigate the system, not conduct d…
Nikhil Goyal, an adjunct assistant professor at UVM and former senior policy advisor to Sen. Bernie Sanders, launched his campaign for the Chittenden Central seat as a Democrat/Progressive. His platform centers on property tax relief, education funding, healthcare costs, and affordable housing. G…
[Gov. Scott Joins Growing Number of Lawmakers Criticizing ICE-Related Shootings](https://www.wcax.com/2026/01/26/gov-scott-joins-growing-number-lawmakers-criticizing-ice-related-shootings/)
The Robert Miller Community Center will serve as an emergency overnight shelter from Friday through Tuesday morning, accommodating roughly 100 people. That's about half the number believed to be living outside in the greater Burlington area. The timing is significant: the annual Point-in-Time Cou…
[Vigil Calls for Support for Unhoused People Ahead of Frigid Temperatures](https://www.wcax.com/2026/01/22/vigil-calls-support-unhoused-people-ahead-frigid-temperatures/)
The Burlington City Council unanimously approved an updated Open Space Plan Monday, the first revision since the original was adopted in 2000. The plan serves as a roadmap for growing and stewarding the city's parks and open spaces, including an inventory of more than three dozen sites and guidel…
[Vermont Responders Train for Ice Rescues on Lake Champlain](https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-news/vermont-responders-train-for-ice-rescues-on-lake-champlain/)
Senate Democrats are advancing two bills aimed at limiting federal immigration enforcement in Vermont: one would prevent civil arrests at schools, government buildings, health care facilities, and shelters, while another would restrict when law enforcement officers can wear masks. Legislative att…
Hundreds gathered at Burlington City Hall Thursday evening before marching up Church Street to the federal courthouse, joining nationwide demonstrations over the fatal shooting of 37 year old Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Federal officials called …
After 25 years of continuous research on Mount Mansfield's watersheds, UVM researchers found their original hypothesis was wrong: Stowe Mountain Resort hasn't significantly impacted stream chemistry. What they did find is more concerning for everyone. National Weather Service data shows the mount…
That's Paddy Donnelly of Bern Gallery, describing a summer where sidewalk closures and construction barriers made customers think Church Street simply ended. The good news: with construction halted and snow bringing folks downtown, Main Street businesses are feeling the love again. Pearl, North S…
While many Vermonters are preparing to bundle up indoors, Red Rocks Park in South Burlington remains busy year round. The 100+ acre park stays open for snowshoeing and cross country skiing, and regulars say the winter views of Shelburne Bay and the frozen lake are worth braving the cold. Park For…
Burlington punched well above its weight in this year's roundup. Wilder Wines on College Street earned a nod for its lambrusco spritz (the lower alcohol summer sipper with Castelvetrano olives over pebble ice), while La Reprise on Pine Street drew praise for its perfectly executed pastas and that…
A new Agency of Agriculture report tallies the damage from this summer's extended dry spell: $18 million in losses across more than 81,000 acres statewide. Addison County took the hardest hit with roughly $1.4 million in damages across 25,000 acres. The timing is particularly rough for dairy farm…
[Arthur Park's Sea Caves Open for Ice Skating](https://www.wcax.com/2025/12/24/arthur-parks-sea-caves-open-ice-skating-burlington/)
[CVU Cellphone Ban Gets Mixed Reviews](https://www.willistonobserver.com/community/schools/cvu-cellphone-ban-gets-mixed-reviews/article_adfe3761-bb25-446e-93ee-23b06072d827.html)
Vermont set a record this year with nine dam removals, reconnecting 125 miles of river across the state. The push has gained urgency after the 2023 floods, when five dams failed and research increasingly shows that derelict dams can actually worsen flooding rather than prevent it. The Winooski Ri…
Fresh off ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange following a $1.2 billion IPO, Clark outlined plans to hire roughly 1,000 new employees over the next 18 months while keeping about 90% of the workforce in Vermont. The electric aviation company offers employees free lunches, onsite healthc…
Mount Mansfield hit 63 inches of snow depth this week, the deepest recorded for this date in history and nearly three times the seasonal average. Jay Peak leads all U.S. ski mountains with 192 inches of total snowfall. The early season bounty has skiers celebrating, though Friday's flash freeze f…
BLUE BTV, a nonprofit founded in 2017, is partnering with the city to offer residents up to $2,000 for rain gardens, permeable driveways, and other projects that absorb stormwater before it reaches the lake. Runoff from Burlington and surrounding suburbs accounts for 16% of the excess phosphorus …
[Comedian Nick Offerman to Perform at The Flynn](https://www.mynbc5.com/article/comedian-nick-offerman-flynn-burlington/69675287)
Peter ter Kulve, CEO of Unilever's ice cream offshoot Magnum Ice Cream Company, told the Financial Times that Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, both in their seventies, need to "hand over" control of the brand they founded nearly five decades ago. The comments come as Magnum prepares to demerge fro…
That's Gina Anne Frattone Johnson, who has been trying to sleep at Burlington's bandshell for two days. The state set aside $1.5 million for faith based organizations to run emergency cold weather shelters, creating about 200 beds across seven locations. But only two were open Wednesday night des…
The state's largest ski area is sitting out this year's World Cup racing, which relocated to Colorado while Killington completes a new $12 million Superstar trail chairlift. The resort's new independent owners are hoping to bring back the Thanksgiving weekend competition in 2026, possibly on an e…
Tuesday evening's commute turned treacherous as icy conditions brought traffic to a standstill on Interstate 89 south between Williston and Richmond, with vehicles stopped from the Williston Rest Area to Richmond's Exit 12. Additional disruptions hit Route 15 in Essex heading toward Underhill, wh…
Former pro snowboarder and Driven Studio co-founder Seth Neary presents "Fall Down, Get Up," his first solo exhibition featuring over 50 collages made from shipping labels, Polaroid borders, and decades-old Letraset type. The Burlington graphic designer, whose commercial work appears on Ben & Jer…
For the first time in eleven years, Burlington will have no drop-in shelter for people who aren't sober this winter, leaving approximately 200-plus people sleeping rough to face freezing temperatures with limited options. While COTS opened its expanded 56-bed Waystation shelter and CVOEO plans to…
Small Vermont farms are using new agritech tools to ease labor shortages and climate impacts, with Rutland maple producer Brian Kussel praising the "peace of mind" from an app-based monitor called Farmblox. The system, which he installed with a state grant, alerts him to equipment issues like fro…
Tonight's solar storm is forecast to have a K-index of 7.33 at maximum strength, classifying it as a G3-strength geomagnetic storm. Best viewing chances will be just after sundown and especially between 7 PM and 10 PM, with another possible window between 4 AM and 7 AM. Despite favorable solar co…
At Majestic, new chef Micah Tavelli (2024 James Beard semifinalist) has brought more formally plated entrées despite owner Sam Tolstoi's initial "no tweezers" decree, with standouts including lobster spaghetti and brandy-peppercorn pork loin. Mr. Creemee opened its sherbet-colored Pine Street par…
South Burlington adopted its first-ever Economic Development Strategic Plan, positioning itself as Vermont's economic laboratory with 20% of the region's jobs and emerging sectors in life sciences, clean manufacturing, and electric aviation. The plan, developed after engaging 100+ stakeholders, r…
President Trump rejected Vermont's request for FEMA aid following July's devastating Northeast Kingdom floods that caused nearly $2 million in damage, while approving declarations for states where he won elections. Governor Scott's office won't appeal the decision, leaving small towns like Sutton…
As drought conditions leave wells dry, health officials caution against using historic roadside springs that may contain E. coli or giardia. Fifteen people in New Hampshire recently contracted giardia from a roadside spring.
WalletHub's analysis ranks South Burlington 10th nationally for Hispanic entrepreneurs, with the city earning second place for Hispanic purchasing power. While neighboring Burlington landed at a dismal 146th, South Burlington's recent infrastructure investments and welcoming business climate attr…
The Party for Socialism and Liberation drew over 100 demonstrators to Harvest Lane Sunday to protest ICE's plans to hire a dozen contractors for social media surveillance at the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center, with work potentially starting May 2026. The protest occurred across f…
Shelburne Orchards thrives despite extreme drought conditions, with pick-your-own operations now comprising 95% of business after a strategic pivot from wholesale in 2000. Owner Nick Cowles, who's operated the orchard for 50 years, has adapted to climate change by planting cold-hardy peaches and …
The snowboard film, two years in the making and shot in Japan, Alaska, and British Columbia, premiered Friday night before its official New York debut. It features Olympic athletes and pro-snowboarders including Brock Crouch, who's been sponsored by Burton since age 8. The collaboration between B…
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning to hire a dozen contracted workers at its National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center in Williston's Industrial Avenue business park. These contractors would use social media platforms and government databases to track people targeted for deport…
Apple Island Marina worker Jeff Woods reports they've replaced six boat propellers this season after boaters ignored warnings about record-low water levels. Despite having to move docks deeper and remove some boats early, both the marina and The Rest Stop food truck report strong summer business.…
Immigration activists believe their months of monitoring and documenting have pushed ICE to stop moving detainees through Burlington's airport since early August. The agency appears to have shifted operations to airports in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Bedford, Massachusetts, playing a regional…
Vermont's losing two federal energy grants as the Department of Energy terminates over 200 renewable energy projects nationwide. UVM's losing $3.4 million for studying place based renewable power generation while South Burlington's Beta Technologies is losing $1.8 million meant to develop battery…
Berlin's public works supervisor Craig Pelletier is literally running a fire hose to keep the town's elder care facility from going dry. With nearly 94% of Vermont experiencing severe drought and almost a quarter in extreme drought conditions, towns across the state are scrambling to maintain bas…
The extreme drought has spread from the Upper Valley west across central Vermont, now covering about 24% of the state. In just one month, Vermont went from half the state seeing drought conditions to nearly a quarter in extreme drought. The good news is this week's rain wasn't included in Thursda…
Vermont State University researchers spent two weeks in Cambridge Bay, Canada, collecting cores of snow, sea ice and permafrost to study microbes and microplastics in pristine Arctic environments. The DRACO team, using a state-of-the-art nano-CT scanner on the Randolph campus, has completed four …
Vermont quietly renewed its contract to hold federal immigration detainees with virtually no changes except a $5 nightly rate increase to $185, disappointing lawmakers and advocates who pushed for better legal services and protections. The agreement, signed September 4, comes as ICE detainee numb…
Overnight construction from 7 PM to 6 AM Sunday through Friday will slow traffic through the popular shopping area, with the project now aiming for completion next summer after multiple delays. The innovative interchange design, which has faced setbacks due to the "economic climate" according to …
Lake Champlain's water level sits at 93.36 feet, a full foot below the September average of 94.36 feet, creating headaches for boaters and recreational users across the region. Dock owners are running out of room to move their structures deeper as water recedes, with some facing the prospect of p…
Vermont's severe drought has forced dairy farmers like Jon Lucas to haul 5,000 gallons of water daily since June while George Foster spent $100,000 on additional feed after the drought decimated his corn crop, the first time his family farm needed to buy feed since 1965. With the entire state in …
While the University Mall struggles with vacant storefronts and declining foot traffic, a dedicated community of senior mall walkers keeps the space alive, with some like Bruce and Sheila Bailey maintaining their half-mile lap routine for 24 years. The walkers form distinct social groups dependin…
The governor and Burlington's mayor are locked in a public blame game over who's responsible for addressing the city's visible struggles with homelessness and drug use. Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison called visiting Burlington "terrifying" while Scott suggested the mayor's strategie…
After an extremely wet spring, Vermont has received only 25 to 75 percent of normal rainfall since June while temperatures run 2 to 4 degrees above average. Trees are showing severe stress with browning leaves, premature leaf drop, and branch dieback. The drought weakens natural defenses, making …
Marlene Tromp officially began July 1 as UVM's 28th president after leaving Boise State amid Idaho's intense anti-DEI political climate, bringing along CFO Alicia Estey who helped eliminate a $15 million deficit at their former institution. Tromp's $575,000 salary comes as she inherits Vermont's …
This marks the second time in as many months that Vermont's Republican governor has told the Trump administration no thanks when it comes to using our National Guard for federal domestic operations. The first rejection came in July when Scott declined to let a dozen Vermont guard troops do cleric…
Governor Scott's casual announcement about bringing state workers back to offices sent ripples through the workforce last week, prompting Agency of Administration Secretary Sarah Clark to quickly reassure 8,000-plus employees that any changes are still being figured out. The state employees union…
The 2023 salmon lift at Winooski's Salmon Hole pulled 212 fish, the highest count in three decades, suggesting improved ecosystem health. Credit goes to aggressive sea lamprey control and invasive plant removal, with Burlington High School students helping rip out buckthorn to make room for nativ…
After two days of asking roughly 12,800 Burlington and Colchester customers to ease up on water usage during this week's heat wave, the city lifted its conservation notice Thursday morning. The 25-year-old booster pumps that failed are getting increased maintenance attention, with one already fix…
Vermont just secured $68 million in federal community development block grants aimed at helping towns devastated by the 2023 floods build back stronger. The bulk of the funding targets Lamoille and Washington counties for infrastructure improvements, housing development, and planning initiatives.…
Vermont Green FC's championship season showcased more than athletic prowess, with fan-organized fundraisers collecting over $25,000 for Migrant Justice and the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund during the team's playoff run. The club's identity intertwines environmental justice with communit…
A high-tech weather station buoy on the Plattsburgh side of Lake Champlain is revealing surprising secrets about our beloved lake's underwater dynamics. Funded by a $700,000 federal grant, this second monitoring buoy is already delivering unexpected findings about how storms affect the lake all t…
Immigration activists have documented ICE agents moving detainees through nonpublic side entrances at Burlington International Airport, bypassing public areas where advocates have been monitoring transfers for months. Videos from July 25 and early Thursday morning show officials escorting people …
Governor Phil Scott has denied a Trump administration request to deploy Vermont National Guard troops to assist ICE operations, citing insufficient detail and planning in the proposal. The Department of Defense had announced Guard members would replace Marine and Navy reservists in tasks like tra…
When MLB cut the Lake Monsters loose in 2020, it could've been game over for Burlington baseball. Instead, new ownership led by Chris English rebuilt the franchise as a summer collegiate league, won a championship their first season, and created something arguably better than what we had. GM C.J.…
This is the second major lawsuit this week pitting Vermont against the Trump administration over frozen funds. This one targets a key FEMA program that funds projects designed to protect against natural disasters like floods, which is critical for a state that has seen the devastation of events l…
This is a straightforward but important public service update as the heat advisory continues. The availability of places like the Fletcher Free Library, COTS Day Station, and the Old North End Senior Center as cooling centers highlights the city's response to extreme weather. More importantly, it…
While this year's storms were less widespread, the symbolic weight of flooding hitting the state for the third consecutive year around July 10th is immense. For residents and officials still grappling with the trauma and paperwork from 2023, it's a stark reminder of our new climate reality. State…
If you're looking for a dose of nostalgia, the Vintage Inspired Marketplace on Dorset Street is delivering. After a decade tucked away in Burlington's South End, the multi-vendor market moved to a highly visible South Burlington location and is thriving. With over 50 vendors packing the 4,500 squ…
It's hard to believe that this date has marked catastrophic, historic flooding for the past two years. While rebuilding continues, it is a moment to reflect on our community's resilience and to be grateful for a much calmer forecast this year. The link includes a video that is well worth watching…
This piece explores the fascinating and necessary adaptations Vermont farmers are making in response to our changing climate. Milder winters are making peach crops more reliable, while wetter conditions have led some to experiment with rice paddies in flood prone areas.
Hundreds of Burlington residents gathered in City Hall Park this week, joining nationwide protests against recent ICE activities. The demonstration highlighted a growing local frustration over the detention of migrant workers in Vermont, connecting the state's issues to a larger national picture.…
If you thought last month felt particularly damp, your senses weren't deceiving you. May 2025 was indeed a soaker, with Burlington recording over six inches of rain and experiencing precipitation on 23 out of 31 days. This made it the wettest May for many areas in the region since 2013. The silve…
South Burlington is tapping the brakes on allowing all legal residents, including noncitizens, to vote in local elections, a measure already adopted by Burlington, Winooski, and Montpelier. The split on their charter committee highlights a difficult balancing act: concerns over potential federal …
Maple-glazed tofu might sound boutique, yet the project’s bigger aim is locking in 25 percent local sourcing by 2030. If it sticks, campus dining could become one of the state’s stealth stimulus programs for small farms.
It’s not every day you see a library cross a bridge—but Johnson, VT just pulled it off. Beyond the impressive move, this relocation means better access and flood safety for a key community hub. I recommend you watch the video!
Not exactly a Burlington headline, but worth noting if your ski gear isn’t packed away yet. Jay Peak is riding a surprise April snow bump and plans to stay open past Mother’s Day. Just another reminder that Vermont spring doesn’t always mean what the calendar says it should.
Bolton, Smuggs, and friends have called it a season, but Stowe, Jay, Sugarbush, and Killington are still spinning lifts. If your mud‑season plans involve both shorts and ski boots, you’ve got options—just remember your pass, sunscreen, and at least a T-shirt!
The famous ice cream maker’s staff took a stand against corporate constraints with a midday march. Whether you side with Unilever or the local brand’s push for autonomy, it’s clear that folks in Vermont take both democracy and dairy very seriously. We’ll see how this corporate swirl shakes out in…
Last fall’s windstorm ended the festival early, and it looks like the fallout is lingering for another year. Craftspeople and vendors are disappointed to lose such a popular showcase, especially during peak leaf-peeping season. Here’s hoping they’ll come roaring back once the supply chain (and th…
BU caught the Catamounts on a tough night at Gutterson. With the Hockey East playoffs on the horizon, Vermont’s aiming to regroup and sharpen their defensive play. After all, nobody likes giving up a six-spot at home, especially on Senior Night.
It’s a community-driven showdown on the ice to commemorate a fallen Border Patrol agent. If you’re near Jay Peak on Sunday, swing by to cheer — and know your support lifts up a family in need.
The ice cream legends are leaning into eco-friendly sweet treats on wheels. Be on the lookout for those Rivian-made vans purring quietly around town this spring. Another reason to look forward to warmer days—and Free Cone Day on April 8.
The city’s public works teams pounced on this week’s mild temperatures to tackle some of those legendary potholes dotting our streets. They’re patch jobs for now, since asphalt plants are still closed for the season. More permanent fixes roll out once the real spring arrives (whenever that might …
Milton’s annual Winter Festival saw spirited sledding, disc golf competitions, sleigh rides, and a chili cook-off. The turnout was huge, which might be proof that locals embrace winter—at least when there’s a warm drink and fireworks in the picture.
A small plane went down near Mount Equinox’s summit, but miraculously all three aboard escaped with non-life-threatening injuries. Getting everyone off the mountain in four feet of snow was no small task. Cheers to our first responders for a job well done in tough conditions.
Nothing like a graceful glide on Lake Champlain to remind us why winter can be magical. Maybe we’ll all be inspired to lace up and find a patch of ice before the thaw sets in.
Balancing safe, ice-free roads with protecting the lake is a typical Vermont juggling act. If you see salt trackers around town, it’s all part of the plan to keep our beloved waters healthy.
If your shovel got a workout, you’re not alone. Whether you reveled in the powder or felt it in your lower back, Vermont’s old-school winter vibe is definitely back in action.
Why travel west for deep powder if Jay might go all-in this season? Keep that gear handy—this winter might have a few more surprises for us before the thaw.
It’s still a big parking lot today, but maybe not forever. Keep an eye on Lakeside Avenue—2026 might bring fresh housing, jobs, and a new vibe to the South End.
Ice in McNeil’s Cove forced the shutdown, leaving travelers to seek alternate routes across the lake. It’s a good reminder that winter crossing can be unpredictable, so check for updates before heading out.
With overnight wind chills expected to dip below zero, the city’s stepping up to keep folks safe. If you know someone in need of a warm place this weekend, pass along the info—and remember, being neighborly can make a world of difference when the thermometer drops.
Ice skating, fireworks, dog sled rides—the perfect trifecta for a mid-winter weekend. If you’d rather stay in, there are plenty of other indoor adventures, too. Check local listings if you’re traveling.
File under “Things you never thought you’d see in Vermont.” If you missed this fleetingly delicious-looking phenomenon, keep an eye on the lake, Mother Nature might dish up seconds if conditions align again.
Mamava pods have popped up in airports and offices like mushrooms after a rainstorm. Let’s cheer on a homegrown business that makes life easier for new moms—score one for #BTV innovation.
The scoreboard might have been tighter than downtown parking, but a win’s a win. Now if only we could break our mid-winter losing streak against lingering ice.