Vermont

Senator Bernie Sanders is attempting to burnish his legacy by anointing new progressive leaders, including Graham Platner of Maine. Platner’s rise and fall has revived questions about 'Bernie Bros' and women.

Benjamin 'Ben' Huffman, 88, died July 8, 2026, in Montpelier, Vermont, from polycystic kidney failure. He had a three-decade career in Vermont public policy, working with state leaders and contributing to legislative responses. Ben was married to Kristin Glaser for 50 years and had a career spanning roles in state planning, legislative counsel, and environmental policy studies.

Six states, including Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Tennessee, Mississippi, and New Jersey, have enacted laws this year to address chronic absenteeism by implementing measures such as attendance monitoring, public data reporting, and penalties for parents. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more school days, with specific laws varying by state to include truancy notices, fines, and task forces.

Content creator 'Planet Hank' sued Vermont's attorney general over a law requiring disclaimers on AI-generated political media. The lawsuit argues the law violates the First Amendment, citing a satirical video of Rep. Becca Balint and her challenger that lacked a disclaimer. The attorney general investigated the video's compliance with the law, which mandates disclosures for AI media harming political candidates within 90 days of an election.

Teresa Youngblut faces federal murder charges for the killing of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland during a traffic stop on Interstate 91 in Vermont. Her attorney claims evidence shows the stop was conducted under false pretenses, disputing federal authorities' account of the incident.

Six states, including Utah, Oregon, Vermont, Tennessee, Mississippi, and New Jersey, enacted new laws this year to combat chronic absenteeism by implementing measures such as attendance monitoring, public data reporting, parental penalties, and task forces. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more school days, with specific state laws addressing truancy, community service limits, and attendance officer funding.

A University of New Hampshire poll found that 63% of Vermonters aged 18-34 plan to leave the state within five years due to affordability concerns and seeking adventure. Overall, 86% of Vermonters find the state unaffordable, with housing costs and taxes cited as primary issues. The outmigration of young people could worsen Vermont's workforce shortages.

Governor Phil Scott issued an executive order allowing age-based health insurance premiums to lower costs, alongside measures for small businesses and tobacco use adjustments. The order aims to expand affordable choices and reduce regulations, following Scott’s veto of a legislative healthcare cost bill.

Vermont will receive $1.3 million from a multistate settlement with Cash App's parent company Block over allegations the platform failed to protect users from fraud and misled them about security. The $45 million total settlement across 46 states follows a federal $175 million agreement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over similar claims.

Graham Platner's Senate campaign faces a sexual assault allegation, while Bernie Sanders' movement, using entryism to influence the Democratic Party, remains resilient. Establishment Democrats struggle to counter Sanders' grassroots energy and influence, despite Platner's issues.

Six states, including Utah, Oregon, Vermont, Tennessee, Mississippi, and New Jersey, enacted laws this year to combat chronic absenteeism by implementing measures such as monitoring absences, public data reporting, parental penalties, and task forces. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more school days, with truancy laws and increased accountability for parents in several states.

At least six states, including Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Tennessee, Mississippi, and New Jersey, enacted laws this year to address chronic absenteeism by implementing measures such as attendance monitoring, public data reporting, and penalties for parents. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more school days, and new policies include truancy notifications, fines, and task forces to develop solutions.

Six states, including Utah, Oregon, Vermont, Tennessee, Mississippi, and New Jersey, have enacted new laws this year to combat chronic absenteeism by implementing measures such as mandatory attendance monitoring, public data reporting, and penalties for parents. These laws aim to address missed school days by requiring interventions, tracking unexcused absences, and increasing accountability for guardians of chronically absent students.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont called on Graham Platner to withdraw from the Maine Senate race following a rape allegation. Sanders had previously defended Platner despite earlier scandals.

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians and Syrians, affecting over 350,000 people nationwide and leaving dozens of Haitians in Vermont without work or clear immigration options. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark opposed the decision, arguing it disregards unsafe conditions in Haiti and disrupts economic contributions by TPS recipients.

WalletHub's survey ranks Virginia as the most patriotic state due to high military engagement, veterans per capita, and voter turnout. Montana follows as the second-most patriotic state with strong civic participation. The least patriotic states include Arkansas, New York, Louisiana, and Alabama, with blue states voting for Kamala Harris in 2024 averaging higher patriotism than red states.

The Police Benevolent Association (PBA) is using a video of Mayor Zohran Mamdani discussing policing with Sen. Bernie Sanders to pressure him over a stalled NYPD contract. The PBA, which has been out of contract since August 2025, seeks salary increases to align NYPD officers' pay with New York State Troopers and has filed a Declaration of Impasse with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board.

North Carolina's governor declined to sponsor a booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., citing budget constraints, while Rep. Chuck Edwards accused him of prioritizing partisanship over patriotism. Other Democratic-led states also opted out of the Trump-backed event, and the North Carolina booth faced controversy over Confederate flag displays before their removal.

The article discusses the 'double-decker sandwich' caregiving challenge where couples care for both sets of parents, along with heat risks for older adults, non-smoking lung cancer causes like radon, and a Vermont woman's global teddy bear initiative for traumatized children.

Nina Meyerhof, an 83-year-old Vermont resident, has distributed thousands of teddy bears to children in trauma zones across over 120 countries for decades. Her efforts began after witnessing the 9/11 attacks at the United Nations and have included trips to conflict areas like Ukraine. Meyerhof's work is inspired by her parents, who survived the Holocaust.

Nina Meyerhof, an 83-year-old Vermont woman, has spent decades distributing thousands of teddy bears to children in trauma zones worldwide, starting after 9/11 and including recent efforts in Ukraine. She founded the organization Children of the Earth and is motivated by her parents' Holocaust survival history.

A Vermont high school student founded Her Education Required in 2025 to advocate for integrating women's history into U.S. social studies curricula. Vermont schools currently lack state requirements to teach women's suffrage, despite the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The organization has expanded to schools nationwide and internationally.

Bennington EMS in Vermont has started using body cameras for paramedics on calls to enhance safety and accountability. The Bennington Rescue Squad is the first EMS agency in Vermont to implement this measure.

Vermont ceded ownership of the Connecticut River to New Hampshire in 1782 to join the Union, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in 1933. The border between the states runs along Vermont’s low-water mark, with New Hampshire responsible for river maintenance.

Vermont is experiencing safety concerns due to high-powered, unregulated e-motos, which are distinct from e-bikes. These devices, often mislabeled as e-bikes and marketed to teenagers, operate on sidewalks and paths despite existing regulations. Vermont state law classifies e-motos as motor vehicles requiring licenses and insurance, but enforcement and sales oversight are lacking.

Vermont, historically having the third-lowest air conditioner ownership in the U.S., is experiencing increased demand for cooling due to rising temperatures. The National Weather Service has issued extreme heat warnings, with heat index values reaching 105°F, as climate change contributes to longer and hotter summers. Vermont's central air conditioning adoption remains low at 7%, compared to 89% nationally.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld New York's All-Electric Building Act, confirming state authority to restrict fossil fuel appliances in new buildings and setting a legal precedent for New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

Vermont spends nearly $4 million annually to keep seven petroleum-based power plants on standby, which operate about 10 hours yearly during peak demand. The state relies heavily on imported hydropower from Quebec but uses these fossil fuel plants as a backup during extreme weather. Ratepayer funds cover 10-20% of utility bills to maintain the plants, despite Vermont having the lowest energy-related CO2 emissions in the U.S.

Vermont is experiencing population decline, housing shortages, and economic challenges due to aging population, rising taxes, and insufficient job creation. The state must add 13,500 workers annually and build 7,500 homes yearly to maintain stability but currently permits only 2,500 homes.

Vermont is using a state program to deliver superefficient, all-electric manufactured homes equipped with heat pumps, which cut energy use by over half compared to conventional homes, lowering energy bills for residents.

26 states, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont, sued the federal government to block Medicaid work requirements, arguing they create an unfair bureaucratic maze and threaten healthcare access for vulnerable residents. The lawsuit challenges guidelines expected to cost hundreds of thousands in Massachusetts their health insurance, with Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell criticizing the 'burdensome requirements' imposed by the Trump Administration.

Music helps people with dementia retain memories despite cognitive decline. Vermont's Memory Cafes offer supportive communities for dementia patients and their caregivers.

Small towns are struggling to afford fireworks displays for America's 250th birthday due to rising costs and limited availability of crews and equipment. Some municipalities, like Hinesburg, Vermont, have canceled shows after budget overruns, while others are rescheduling or crowdsourcing funds. Fireworks companies prioritize larger cities with bigger budgets, leaving smaller communities unable to compete.

Vermont lawmakers passed a law restricting automatic license plate tracking, but police circumvented it by using out-of-state surveillance systems. The loophole allows tracking of vehicles when they travel outside Vermont, raising privacy concerns and highlighting the use of a national network of cameras not addressed in the state law.

Beta Technologies' expansion in Vermont has led to significant talent competition, causing staffing declines at smaller aviation businesses like Green Mountain Avionics and J&M Avionics. Companies such as Beta offer high employee benefits, drawing skilled technicians away from local firms, which struggle with rising costs and limited workforce pools.

The author compared Amtrak's coach and business class on the Ethan Allen Express from New York to Vermont, finding the business class upgrade (which cost an extra $80) underwhelming due to minimal perks like a non-alcoholic drink and slightly better seating, and concluded it wasn't worth the price.

Texas Democrats welcomed Bernie Sanders, who spoke at the Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi. The event occurred on June 27, 2026.

Beta Technologies plans to expand its South Burlington campus to 100 acres over the next decade, replacing its previous 40-acre master plan. The new 'adaptive campus master planning' approach aims to streamline development and bring more supply chain operations in-house, including manufacturing aircraft structures, motors, and batteries.

Vermont's high-end destination wedding industry has experienced significant growth post-pandemic, with luxury weddings contributing over $31 million in 2025. Out-of-state couples, particularly from Boston, New York, and California, drive demand for extravagant events exceeding $100,000, boosting Vermont's economy through tourism and local vendors.

Minnesota lawmakers considered a climate superfund proposal to hold energy companies accountable for climate change costs, with 40% of funds allocated to disadvantaged communities. The bill, which stalled in the 2026 legislative session, faces concerns over legal challenges and potential increased energy costs for families.