Kevin Trevellyan

Home builders are trying to take advantage of eased restrictions to Act 250, Vermont’s land use law. Plus, a legislative committee recommends agricultural workers receive the state minimum wage, a new study shows Vermont has become a popular place for people to move to since the pandemic, researchers are studying spider brains to gain a better understanding of how Alzheimer’s disease develops in humans, Woodstock residents approve bonds tied to the purchase of a local water system, and we grade the first big off-season move by the Boston Red Sox to get back to playoff contention in our weekly sports report.

Law enforcement and mental health officials grapple with a recent spate of homicides involving young men in mental distress, and what they suggest about the gap between those two systems. Plus, Bernie Sanders says his next term in the Senate will likely be his last, state officials are downgrading flood risks to Vermont communities, a new bridge running between Vermont and New Hampshire has opened, a cannabis retailer in Middlebury sues the state over its weed-related advertising rules, and advocates for Lake Champlain call on lawmakers to limit the use of road salt on private land.

How one Vermont museum is keeping the memory of former independent ski hills alive. Plus, a flood watch is on for most of the state today, the Scott administration calls on Congress to immediately pass disaster relief for Vermont farmers, why Vermont’s largest substance use disorder treatment facility will no longer accept new patients using methadone, the state’s Human Rights Commission asks for a near doubling of its annual budget, and Burlington’s Fletcher Free Library tracks the year’s most checked-out books.

Vermont Law and Graduate School has welcomed four fellows focused on animal issues, under a new advanced degree program. Plus, the race to become Vermont’s next speaker of the House remains unsettled in the lead up to the legislative session, state officials are scrambling to set up procedures to test raw milk for bird flu, Sen. Peter Welch is raising concerns about President-elect Trump’s law enforcement nominees, and the UVM men’s soccer team has advanced to their first ever NCAA College Cup.

A project that grows and distributes free veggies among Burlington New American communities is expanding. Plus, UVM Medical Center health care workers and community members protest proposed cuts, a new retirement program from the state treasurer’s office is open for enrollment, northern Vermont business owners push for longer hours at the border crossing stations with Canada, Montpelier officials think a flood-damaged building for sale presents potential housing opportunities and Bernie gets his own look-alike contest in Burlington on Saturday.

What President-elect Donald Trump’s record on environmental protections could mean for Vermont during his second presidency. Plus, Gov. Phil Scott wants to keep property taxes flat next year, Green Mountain Transit cut services on nine bus routes this week due to a budget gap, GlobalFoundries will use a $1.5 billion federal grant to expand manufacturing, rural dialysis patients are wondering about the future of their care and Upper Valley researchers are using a 3D printer to create objects out of ice.

After a rough Election Day showing for Vermont Democrats, new state Senate majority leader Kesha Ram Hinsdale shares how her party will approach the upcoming legislative session. Plus, a Putney affordable housing development is moving forward, Vermont’s attorney general will not prosecute a state trooper who fatally shot a man in Orange this summer, Gov. Phil Scott will ask Democratic lawmakers to dial back statutory emissions-reduction mandates, a new program in Williston will offer mental health support through peer respite, and people have until Dec. 7th to adjust their Medicare coverage after three popular plans are no longer available in Vermont.

Police use of aerial drones is on the rise in Vermont, despite some privacy concerns. Plus, local advocacy groups are holding events for the Transgender Day of Remembrance, Burlington police Chief Jon Murad will not seek reappointment in 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced plans to reduce hours at multiple ports of entry in Vermont, local farms and small businesses are getting federal funding to cut climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions, and the University of Vermont men's soccer team is going to the NCAA tournament for the fourth consecutive time.

Vermont State Police have steeply increased their use of drones since 2019. As more departments across the state acquire the new technology for things like search-and-rescue missions, usage is expected to continue to grow.

How dairy farmworkers in Vermont could be impacted by the re-election of Donald Trump, who has vowed to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Plus, Senate Democrats have a new leader and are pledging property tax reform will be top of the agenda when lawmakers return to Montpelier in January, Burlington's police union says it plans to push back against increased civilian oversight of the department, a 99-room hotel gets the greenlight in Rutland, Vermont’s largest telecommunications company may soon have a new owner and a burn ban for southern Vermont is extended.