City Center in Montpelier on Monday, April 1. The Vermont League of Cities and Towns has sublet some of its space in City Center as more organizations move to the remote working model. Photo by Juan Vega de Soto/VTDigger This story by Phil Dodd was first published by The Montpelier Bridge on April 16. Downtown Montpelier businesses that survived the pandemic and the flood have been facing a continuing aftershock from both catastrophes: a decline in foot traffic that is being attributed to remote work, a closed hotel and post office, and fewer open businesses. “This is a huge concern,” sa ..read more

A student walks by the Zantop Garden, a memorial for the late Dartmouth professors Half and Susanne Zantop who were murdered in their home in 2001, next to Rollins Chapel at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., on Thursday. Photo by Alex Driehaus/Valley News This story by John Lippman was first published by the Valley News on April 18.  HANOVER — One of Susanne and Half Zantop’s two daughters said Thursday that she tries to “compartmentalize” her personal grief over the loss of her parents from her attitude about the fate of James Parker, who was paroled on Thursday after servin ..read more

Dear reader, If you’ve been waiting to join our spring member drive, today is the day! End the week on a high note by helping us close the gap and reach our goal. We urgently need your support this election year. And today all gifts are being matched by three generous donors.  Saturday, April 20 is the last day to make your 2x contribution and send a children’s book to a Vermont child at the same time. Double your gift & send a book When you give to VTDigger today, you will: Support our fearless and rigorous statewide news Send a brand-new book to a child via Vermont’s Children’s L ..read more

Rep Ann-Donahue, R-Northfield, third from left, speaks during a meeting at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Thursday, January 25. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger For years, the state of Vermont has been out of compliance with federal rules around home and community-based services. The state’s system for caring for older Vermonters, Vermonters with physical and developmental disabilities, and Vermonters with traumatic brain injuries is operating in violation of federal regulations governing conflicts of interest.  Currently, those services — such as therapy, medication and home care, among ..read more

The damaged door at Sen. Bernie Sanders’ office in Burlington. Photo via police affidavit BURLINGTON — A former California man accused of setting a fire at the Burlington office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders was indicted Thursday on a federal charge and ordered held in custody while the case against him remains pending.  A federal grand jury returned the indictment against 35-year-old Shant Michael Soghomonian roughly five minutes prior to a scheduled hearing to determine if he would continue to be held behind bars, as he has been since his April 7 arrest in connection with the fire.  ..read more

Gov. Phil Scott speaks during his weekly press conference at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public. A key Senate committee has advanced a major bill that includes updates to Act 250 and a range of policies intended to encourage more housing development in Vermont. But hours before the vote, Gov. Phil Scott argued that the legislation does not go far enough to promote housing growth and signaled a potential veto ..read more

Afghan refugee Musa Muslim Yar, second from right, recounts how he and his wife were separated for two years from their two older sons, Mustafa, second from left, and Naweedullah, right, at their home in in Bennington on Friday, April 12. Younger brother Shahidullah is at the far left. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger To many in Vermont, Feb. 26 was just another Monday, the first day of another week at school or at work. To Musa Muslim Yar and his wife, Zakia, it was a day they’d been dreaming of for two and a half years, when they’d again be able to put their arms around the two sons who could ..read more

This commentary is by Rep. Monique Priestley, D-Bradford. She serves on the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development. Of the 20 largest economies in the world, the U.S. is the only country that lacks a comprehensive framework establishing rights and protections for the collection, use and sharing of data. In a time when everyone owns a computer, carries a smartphone, drives a connected car, and owns a variety of smart devices, every beat of your heart, movement you make and conversation you have are valuable. Battles to protect your data are taking place at the state and federal ..read more

This commentary is by Marvin Malek, MD MPH. He is an internist from Berlin. He is an active member of the Vermont Medical Society and Vermont Physicians for a National Health Program. The Legislature should pass H.766, the bill now being considered by the Vermont Senate that takes some first steps reining in the insurance company practice of “prior authorization.”  Here’s how prior authorization works: Let’s say that you’ve been dutifully paying your health insurance premiums each month and have had no medical issues. Finally, you develop a problem, have an office visit with your doctor ..read more

Dear reader, There are only 3 days left in our critical spring member drive and right now, all gifts will be matched by three generous donors. Your gift in any amount will have double the impact and you’ll also send a brand-new book to a Vermont child.  Now is the time to show your support and make it go twice as far! Will you join us? Double your impact & send a book As a digital-first organization dedicated to original reporting, VTDigger doesn’t have high printing costs or pay high fees to reuse materials produced elsewhere. That means that your donation directly supports our fron ..read more