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Vermonters working in construction have a suicide death rate that's four times higher than the general population, according to the Vermont Department of Health.
Mental health struggles and high suicide rates in the construction industry
In Vermont, data shows that 26% of deaths by suicide between 2019 and 2020 were people in the construction industry.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 9:08 PM
A 28-year-old woman held at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility died over the weekend after being transferred to the hospital, according to the Department of Corrections.
28-year-old woman held at Chittenden County Regional Correctional Facility dies
A 28-year-old woman held at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility died over the weekend after being transferred to the hospital, according to the Department of Corrections.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 8:50 PM
The U.S Department of Justice sued Vermont in December after Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas refused to share voter registration information, including personally identifiable details, with the federal government.
Vermont asks court to dismiss Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking voter data
The Vermont attorney general’s office asked a federal judge last week to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that seeks to force the state to turn over voter data.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 8:48 PM
Republican Gov. Phil Scott presented lawmakers Tuesday with a $9.4 billion state budget that would wean the state off pandemic-era spending by tamping down on new government expenditures.
Gov. Phil Scott proposes $9.4B budget that seeks to wean Vermont off pandemic-era spending
Republican Gov. Phil Scott presented lawmakers Tuesday with a $9.4 billion state budget that would wean the state off pandemic-era spending by tamping down on new government expenditures.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 6:53 PM
Happening now ⤵️
Gov. Phil Scott is scheduled to deliver his 2026 budget address at 1 p.m. this afternoon.

Vermont Public will carry the speech live on YouTube, our radio livestream and your local frequency.
WATCH LIVE: Gov. Phil Scott's 2026 budget address
Gov. Phil Scott is scheduled to deliver his 2026 budget address at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20. Watch or listen live here.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 6:08 PM
At a certain point, Burlington resident Trudy Richmond determined that she had too little money to pay for a comfortable retirement, and too much to qualify for services that might make her retirement more comfortable.
When Trudy Richmond realized she'd never get to the top, she shot for the bottom
Trudy Richmond worked all her life, then realized she'd never save enough money for a comfortable, private retirement. In this latest episode of What class are you?, Trudy talks about how she planned ...
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Late last month, 71-year-old Bennington resident Jeanette Voss performed her daily review of her meager bank account balance.

This time, a seven-figure sum appeared.
Cyber scam victim who lost nearly $1M gets her money back — and then some
A sophisticated scam ring took a 71-year-old Bennington woman’s entire life savings. More than four years later, the feds clawed it back.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Gov. Phil Scott is scheduled to deliver his 2026 budget address at 1 p.m. this afternoon.

Vermont Public will carry the speech live on YouTube, our radio livestream and your local frequency.
WATCH LIVE: Gov. Phil Scott's 2026 budget address
Gov. Phil Scott is scheduled to deliver his 2026 budget address at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20. Watch or listen live here.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 2:29 PM
This last show was recorded nearly a year ago with producer Erica Heilman. T.O. had just gotten out of prison after a six-and-a-half year bid.
What's peace if you can't make it last? T.O.'s final reentry from prison
T.O. has been in and out of jail his whole adult life and before that, he was in Spofford, a juvenile detention center in the Bronx.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 2:25 PM
With certain planting techniques, you can create a garden that produces different vegetables, fruits and herbs to harvest throughout the entire season, with no gaps.
Create a perpetual garden that produces veggies and fruits all season long
You know that lull that comes after a glut of fresh produce from your home garden? With certain planting techniques, you can create a garden that produces different vegetables, fruits and herbs to har...
www.vermontpublic.org
January 20, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Vermont Public
“I feel like I am somewhere where rules are not working,” said ICE detainee Dmitrii Georgiev in a call from Plymouth. “Maybe in Russia or in Belarus — but I'm not in America.”
A Bulgarian in Canada got too close to the U.S. border. He ended up in ICE custody for nearly 3 months
Dmitrii Georgiev was on vacation when he said his GPS led him to a U.S. port of entry in Vermont. By the time he realized that, it was too late. He'd spend months in a black hole of ICE custody and fe...
www.wbur.org
January 20, 2026 at 12:16 PM
The state's largest health insurer is urging Vermonters to avoid its largest hospital, and instead shop around for more affordable treatment.

Plus, a new plan to help unhoused Vermonters and end the use of motel rooms.
In review: Shopping for cheaper health care, plan to ramp down motel program, Supreme Court nominees
Vermont's top journalists join moderator Mitch Wertlieb to delve into the most important news stories of the week.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 16, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Vermont’s latest state revenue update doesn’t include the downgrade that elected officials feared, but Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic lawmakers are still bracing for their tightest budget year since the beginning of the pandemic.
Capitol Recap: Elected officials in Montpelier brace for toughest budget in years
Lawmakers and the governor will experience a sobering comedown from the fastest period of revenue growth in Vermont’s history.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 16, 2026 at 9:48 PM
With federal funds dwindling for a key housing assistance program, Vermont lawmakers are looking at using state money to slow the loss of vouchers that help thousands of Vermonters cover rent.
Lawmakers take up stopgap funding for Section 8 housing vouchers
The $5 million proposal would staunch the loss of housing vouchers this year, but is much less than housing authorities had requested.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 16, 2026 at 9:38 PM
Vermont Public’s PLUS TV subchannel will return to the WORLD channel on February 1, 2026. This change will affect programming on the PLUS channel between 5 p.m. and midnight.
Vermont Public’s PLUS TV subchannel changing to WORLD on February 1
Vermont Public’s PLUS TV subchannel will return to the WORLD channel on February 1, 2026. This change will affect programming on the PLUS channel between 5 p.m. and midnight.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 16, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Swanton is known for the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, its ancient history of human settlement, its close proximity to the Canadian border, its historic railroad station and much more.
Town by Town: Swanton
The next stop on our monthly series takes us to this Franklin County town.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 16, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Under this proposal, all Vermont Lottery games, including Megabucks, Powerball and even instant scratch-off tickets, would be available on a person’s phone.
Scott administration wants to bring lottery games to your phone
Under the Scott administration's proposal, all of the state lottery’s games, including Megabucks, Powerball and even instant scratch-off tickets, would be available on a person’s phone.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 16, 2026 at 1:59 PM
State lawmakers and the family of a man fatally shot by Vermont State Police laid out a series of reforms on Thursday they say could help address a longstanding pattern of police shooting people in the midst of a mental health crisis.
New bill aims to prevent police shootings of people in mental health crisis
State lawmakers and the family of a man fatally shot by Vermont State Police laid out a set of reforms they say could help prevent police shootings of people in crisis.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 15, 2026 at 9:47 PM
The Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities Transportation Program has nearly blown through its $455,000 annual budget in a matter of months, prompting a scramble by local and state officials to find more cash and control costs.
Chittenden County shuttle service for older, disabled residents faces cuts
Amid an increase in ridership, the service has nearly blown through its annual budget in a matter of months, prompting a scramble by officials to find more cash and control costs.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 15, 2026 at 8:41 PM
The U.S. Department of Education opened investigations into 18 schools and colleges in nine states over allowing transgender athletes to compete in sports that align with their gender identity.
Trump administration will investigate Champlain Valley high school over trans athlete policies
The U.S. Department of Education opened investigations into 18 schools and colleges in nine states over allowing transgender athletes to compete in sports that align with their gender identity.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 15, 2026 at 5:01 PM
The bill would dramatically wind down Vermont’s use of motel rooms as emergency shelter over the next two years, while ramping up funding for shelters, transitional housing and related services.
New plan for Vermont homelessness would largely end the use of motel rooms
The bipartisan bill would also cover travel for people experiencing homelessness to leave Vermont if they have ties to another state.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 15, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Animal welfare advocates say legislation is “urgently needed” to resolve statutory failings that have swamped shelters and discouraged police from investigating allegations of abuse.
https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-01-15/shelters-costs-animal-cruelty-lawmakers
Shelters crushed by costs of animal cruelty, advocates tell Vermont lawmakers
Animal welfare advocates say legislation is “urgently needed” to resolve statutory failings that have swamped shelters and discouraged police from investigating allegations of abuse.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 15, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Vermont State Police conducted eight internal investigations during the first half of 2025 and found evidence of misconduct in all but one of the incidents.
Vermont State Police releases summaries of 8 internal investigations
Vermont State Police conducted eight internal investigations during the first half of 2025 and found evidence of misconduct in all but one of the incidents.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 14, 2026 at 9:29 PM
A pair of bills in each chamber would re-introduce the idea of paying for primary care based on the number of patients served — not each individual visit or procedure.
Lawmakers hope payment reform can shore up primary care in Vermont
Top Democrats in the House and Senate say strengthening Vermont’s primary care system is top of mind this year — and they hope partly reviving an old payment reform idea could improve access.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 14, 2026 at 6:30 PM
A funding shortfall that jeopardizes more than $150 million in road and bridge projects has catapulted transportation to the top of the agenda for Vermont lawmakers.
Funding shortfall pushes Vermont's transportation system to 'a breaking point'
Vermont stands to lose out on more than $150 million in federal funding if it can't find the revenues needed to fill a hole in the state's transportation budget.
www.vermontpublic.org
January 14, 2026 at 2:20 PM