Vermont Public

Fire departments across Vermont are low on volunteers. Not in Norwich Sixteen volunteer firefighters have joined the Norwich department since 2020. At the firehouse, Vermont’s issues with declining volunteerism and its aging population seem far away.

At the Norwich firehouse, Vermont’s issues with declining volunteerism and an aging population seem far away — 16 volunteer firefighters have joined the department since 2020.

Brave Little State visited the firehouse to find out why.

10 new books in March offer mental vacations March is always a big one for books – this year is no different. We call out a handful of upcoming titles for readers to put on their radars — offering a good alternative to doomscrolling.

March is always a big one for books — this year is no different. NPR calls out a handful of upcoming titles for readers to put on their radars — offering a good alternative to doomscrolling.

Waterbury considers building new housing on the edge of 100-year flood zone Aerial imagery from flooding in 2023 shows water covering part of the proposed building site. A neighbor says adding homes there could “do more harm than good.”

Following years of repeat floods, town officials are courting a developer to build a major housing project tucked into this flood-prone neighborhood.

Vermont voters approve 82% of school budgets, despite property tax implications Most of the school budget defeats on Tuesday came in lower-income districts, and education officials are worried about a widening economic gap "between the haves and the have nots."

The prospect of yet another double-digit hike in property tax bills didn’t stop most Vermont voters from approving their local school budget proposals Tuesday.

Christopher Wren, a veteran foreign correspondent who landed in Vermont, dies at 89 Christopher Wren, a veteran foreign correspondent for the New York Times and author, died last month at his home in Thetford. He was 89.

Christopher Wren, a veteran foreign correspondent for the New York Times and author, died last month at his home in Thetford. He was 89.

Voters in Chittenden, Plymouth, Worcester, Waitsfield and Waterbury voted on Town Meeting Day to set aside town money for responding to natural disasters.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Voters in the Mountain Views Supervisory Union have approved a $112 million bond for a new middle and high school in Woodstock, according to the Mountain Times.

The proposal is a reworked version of a bond that voters rejected two years ago.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

About 50 students are enrolled in Marlboro’s pre-K-8 school and 37 are enrolled in Readsboro's pre-K-6 school.

Those numbers were projected to drop even further over the next few years.

Residents in Marlboro and Readsboro voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to close their schools at the end of the school year.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

For 65 years, Brattleboro has delegated traditional Town Meeting powers to 150 representatives elected by their fellow residents.

But voters on Tuesday chose to eliminate their so-called "representative town meeting," according to the Brattleboro Reformer.

www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

All eyes this Town Meeting season were once again on school budgets.

Voters in many large districts, including Colchester, Winooski, Burlington, South Burlington, and Champlain Valley all approved their budgets this year.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Tom Donahue wins Rutland's write-in mayoral race Tom Donahue will be Rutland’s next mayor. He won the most votes in an unusual write-in campaign that was set in motion when former Mayor Michael Doenges resigned midway through his two-year term.

Tom Donahue won the most votes in an unusual write-in campaign that was set in motion when former Mayor Michael Doenges resigned midway through his two-year term.
https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-03-03/tom-donahue-wins-rutlands-write-in-mayoral-race

Waterbury voters have approved a $4.3 million project to excavate a field next to the Winooski River. Town leaders have called the project “the only meaningful option” to mitigate future floods.
www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

At least 18 municipalities considered some version of a 1% local option tax on top of statewide sales, rooms, meals, or alcoholic beverage taxes. Results on Tuesday were mixed, with some resounding rejections.
www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Coventry residents on Town Meeting Day voted in favor of creating a "Long-Term Tax Stabilization Fund" with revenues from the state's only landfill, according to the Newport Daily Express.
www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Royalton voters approved a five-year moratorium on the construction of artificial intelligence and crypto data centers in town.

In Washington, D.C., Sen. Bernie Sanders has called for a national moratorium on the construction of new data centers.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Live updates: Vermonters vote local on Town Meeting Day 2026 Voters are considering school budgets, infrastructure bonds and local elections. Here you'll find results, stories and photos from around the state.

Voters in Dorset approved two Town Meeting Day questions that require the select board to hold public votes before they move ahead with a controversial housing project on town-owned land.

Voters in Greensboro decided not to create a new emergency reserve fund at town meeting. The select board had proposed creating the special fund to save for natural disasters and make money more readily available when they strike.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Putney voters on Town Meeting Day backed resolutions supporting private election data and public health care.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Tracy St. Louis came to vote Tuesday in Greensboro with his dog Susie.

"Just seems to be a lot of gray hair in the room," he said. "What I find is a lot of younger people still have to go to work. They don't shut things down for the town meeting."

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Roxbury voters kept warm at town meeting with “RBJ’s Famous Chili Con Carne” — and heated debate over a 1% local option tax on short-term rentals.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Local option taxes are on the ballot in about 20 communities across Vermont.

Castleton has three separate articles asking voters to approve a 1% tax. One for sales, one for meals and alcoholic beverages, and another for rooms.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Tariffs or no tariffs? Vermont businesses react to Supreme Court ruling Local business owners explain how ever-changing tariff rates and a recent Supreme Court ruling affect their bottom lines.

Local business owners joined Vermont Edition today to explain how ever-changing tariff rates and a recent Supreme Court ruling affect their bottom lines.

Vermont lawmakers remain divided over future of education reform Legislative leaders hope new projections for property tax growth over the next three years will breathe life into foundering education reform negotiations.

Legislative leaders hope new projections for property tax growth — more than $600 million over the next three years — will breathe life into foundering education reform negotiations.

Judge considers competency of man accused of shooting three Palestinian college students in Burlington A Chittenden County judge heard conflicting testimony on Monday about whether a man accused of shooting three Palestinian college students in Burlington is competent to stand trial. The day-long heari...

A Chittenden County judge heard conflicting testimony on Monday about whether a man accused of shooting three Palestinian college students in Burlington is competent to stand trial.

"Hopefully I spelled the person's name right ... I would have liked to have seen a list of the people running," voter Scott McVeigh said.

Live updates: Vermonters vote local on Town Meeting Day 2026 Voters are considering school budgets, infrastructure bonds and local elections. Here you'll find results, stories and photos from around the state.

Rutland voters are electing a new mayor today — but because of the timing of the outgoing mayor's announcement, no candidates are listed on the ballot.

Despite receiving a petition with over 200 signatures, the Bristol select board declined to put an anti-apartheid pledge denouncing Israel before voters this year.

But the pledge was revived in an amendment from the floor Monday evening.

Read more: www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...

Vermont's new education reform law faces legal challenge over reduced school choice A national group that advocates for school choice filed a civil suit against the state of Vermont that takes aim at what it calls “drastic and unprecedented new restrictions that cut off access to doz...

Vermont parents whose children will no longer be able to attend a private Catholic school on the taxpayers’ dime are asking a court to strike down the 2025 law that limited their access to state-funded tuition.

In several towns, citizens have petitioned to add items to the Town Meeting Day agenda that oppose actions of President Donald Trump's administration.
www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates...