VERMONT – Vermont became the first state in the country, Tuesday, to ban the sale and use of paraquat, a herbicide that has shown strong association with the onset of Parkinson’s disease. “Governor (Phil) Scott signed this bill into law because he understands the harmful impacts paraquat has on the[Read More…]
Vermont
VSU graduates 1,531 students
VERMONT – Vermont State University’s Class of 2026 has a weekend of commencement ceremonies at four of its residential campuses: Castleton, Johnson, Lyndon, and Randolph, with Williston campus students participating in the Randolph ceremony. Commencement was held on the Castleton and Randolph campuses on Saturday, May 16, and on the[Read More…]
Naming household objects and speaking to them
EAST MONTPELIER – Yesterday was the eighth anniversary of my wife’s death. I remember the day well, even though through a fog, as if I were watching from a distance what was happening only an arm’s length away. Other people, mostly family, took charge of things I couldn’t have handled.[Read More…]
Spring garden chores, planning for more
CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – This was supposed to be my very last gardening column, but (spoiler alert) it is not. I started writing a gardening column in 1998 and wrote weekly for 25 years. Then in late 2023 I dropped down to once a month. I liked the extra time[Read More…]
Act 250/181 public comments sought
VERMONT – The Land Use Review Board (LURB) is accepting public comments on proposed guidelines for road construction under Act 250 / Act 181. Beginning July 1, 2026, “…the construction of a road or roads and any associated driveways…” will trigger the need for an Act 250 permit. Some exceptions exist for the length of the road, see 10 V.S.A. and exceptions are[Read More…]
Governor’s Institutes applications due March 31
VERMONT –Vermont high school students currently in grades 9-11 may apply for a career-focused summer learning experiences held on Vermont college campuses. Applications are due by March 31 for the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (GIV) Summer 2026 residential programs. GIV Institutes run for one to two weeks and allow students to explore[Read More…]
As winters get warmer, maple farmers are learning to adapt
VERMONT – Sugar maples are called “Goldilocks” trees for good reason. Preferring temperatures to be just right, the trees produce more sap over freezing nights and on days that are just warm enough. But warmer winters and midseason thaws are disrupting that balance. Producers are being forced to adapt to protect both[Read More…]
Bundling Up: Soil Microbes in Winter
VERMONT – Like any good animal, we sense the change of seasons through a hundred subtle clues. Leaves change and shed, becoming crispy piles underfoot. Geese cross the bright sky. Other signs of winter are harder to define: the morning chill deepens its bite, the afternoon light becomes pale. Although[Read More…]
School radon testing results mixed
VERMONT – Auditor Douglas R. (Doug) Hoffer released information on February 19, about research his department has done on radon testing in schools. “Vermont schools should be healthy and safe environments in which to learn and work,” he said. The Vermont Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law a[Read More…]
News about the news
MONTPELIER – The Vermont Journalism Coalition, a new advocacy organization advancing the interests of local news outlets, gathered in the Cedar Creek Room Wednesday, celebrating the winners of the Vermont Community Foundation’s local civic journalism awards. The award was administered by the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office. Sixteen news organizations[Read More…]
Vermont is overhauling Act 250. It’s getting complicated.
VERMONT – Since its passage in 1970, Act 250 has worked more or less the same way. Broadly speaking, projects triggered review under the law based on how big they were, rather than where they were located, whether that was in the middle of town or on a country road.[Read More…]
More than a dozen athletes with Vermont ties named to US Olympic team
VERMONT – Ask Julia Kern about her upcoming trip to Italy and she’ll talk up the appetizers and savory scenery. Then comes the main course, the one where she’ll compete alongside more than a dozen other athletes with Vermont ties at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Like a majority of the[Read More…]
