News – Politics – Opinion – Podcasts
Michael Bielawski 
BARRE – Turning Point USA is trying to survive in deep blue Vermont largely on the backs of two resilient teenagers. TPUSA had a booth at the Barre Heritage Festival during the last week of July. They got lots of love and engagement, as well as the occasional middle finger from those who disapprove of … Read more
The new highly anticipated education reform bill H. 955 is now at the governor’s desk to be signed or vetoed. On Friday the bill passed out of the House chamber via a 125-10 affirmative vote. Highlights include a foundation funding formula that targets reducing the cost per student by about half the current price. One … Read more
A fraud detection expert and web software developer claim that at least 13,000 voted ballots from the 2024 Vermont election were from addresses deemed “undeliverable,” and they call for further investigation. This is among several concerns in their new report titled the Vermont Voter Roll Integrity Analysis, prompting a response from the Secretary of State’s Office, … Read more
The suspect in Thursday’s exploding Cyber Truck incident in Las Vegas had obtained an online degree at Vermont’s Norwich University. The deceased suspect, Matthew Livelsberger, age 37, attended the Northfield-based school before becoming a U.S. Army Green Beret. The school sent the following statement to VDC. “Above all, our hearts go out to those impacted,” wrote … Read more
A new report by the state’s Department of Health indicates that for young Vermonters age 25 and under non-fatal overdose visits to emergency departments have generally risen over recent years. Teenagers may be seeing the most concerning rate of increase. The 9-page report can be read here. Key findings include, “Between 2018 and 2022, unintentional nonfatal overdose … Read more
In 2024, the Green Mountain State saw education costs, aka property taxes, rise more than 13%. All while academic performance continued to decline. The 13% rise could have been higher had the tax rate not been bought down with one-time funds. The low staff/student ratio, increased compensation costs, the Legislature’s incentivizing local school spending, and … Read more
While it’s recently been announced that Vermont will have to pay the highest premiums in the nation for health insurance for 2025, much of the tab for those struggling to pay will be picked up by taxpayers. “This year, many Vermonters will be eligible for better coverage plans at lower premium costs due to increased … Read more
An Instagram page has taken the initiative to publicize some concerning imagery and videos of the Queen City’s homeless and drug epidemics. The page is crudely titled “burlington_looks_like_shxt”, it has at least 36,300 followers and more than 300 posts. There are numerous public comments. Generally, folks are upset but not surprised. Some are ready to take this … Read more
The Public Utilities Commission is tasked with setting up the Clean Heat Standard, a tax on heating fuel from regional providers to subsidize experimental electric heating technologies. After one year on the task, they appear to be waving a white flag on a complex carbon credit trading scheme, but they are still recommending a simple … Read more
On Sept. 11 the Vermont Coalition for Palestinian Liberation put out an article doubling down on their support for the state’s LGBTQ+ community. Their article titled “For Queer, Palestinian, & Collective Liberation: Statement in Support of The Pride Center of Vermont” also accuses Israel of crimes against humanity. It states, “Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. … Read more
An organization created by the State of Vermont has begun a course that industry professionals are encouraged to take to help themselves and colleagues manage “climate anxiety.” The course is called “From Climate Anxiety to Climate Resilience”. Its description reads, “Are you a coach, educator, health or mental health provider, social worker, healer, or in … Read more