VPR News

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger has presided over a challenging year for Vermont's Queen City. Major downtown redevelopment projects have stalled. The city has seen lawsuits over police officers' alleged use of excessive force. And just this week, a police department scandal ended in the chief's resignation . That's on top of ongoing challenges, from affordability to housing to homelessness .

Officials in 12 states, including Vermont, have unveiled a proposal that would reduce carbon emissions from cars and trucks by reshaping the market for fossil fuels in the Northeast. But while supporters of the Transportation and Climate Initiative say it offers a surefire way to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, critics say the plan will drive up the cost of gasoline and diesel.

A VPR and Seven Days investigation has uncovered instances of inadequate care, neglect and five untimely deaths at Vermont’s assisted living and residential care homes. Behind that joint reporting is a database of inspection reports and citations that took months to build.

This past October, some members of the Burlington girls' high school soccer team welcomed the yellow cards they got when they scored a go-ahead goal and celebrated by removing their playing field jerseys to reveal T-shirts underneath printed with the words "#EqualPay." The moment caught people's attention across the country. The team got mentions in Sports Illustrated and nods from soccer stars like Brandi Chastain , who 20 years ago took off her shirt quite famously as she celebrated a goal.

Amid holiday celebrations and conversations with loved ones that emphasize joy and togetherness, this time of year can be difficult for some who don't associate the holidays with happy times. It's especially hard for people struggling with loss or grief.

A Barre bakery that was once at the center of a strong labor movement in the early 1900s is back in business.

Updated 8 p.m. Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo has resigned, and Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger has announced the city will hire an outside investigator to review the department's social media practices. At a press conference Monday, the mayor told reporters the chief submitted a letter of resignation Sunday night. This development comes after reports surfaced last week that del Pozo had used an anonymous Twitter account to heckle a civilian.

The Federal Communications Commission has scrapped a grant program aimed at boosting cell coverage in underserved areas. The news is disappointing for Vermont officials, who spent months last year proving that the carriers' claims of coverage were false.

Each week, VPR touches base with a local newspaper reporter about a top story from their community. This time, we hear from Gregory Lamoureux, who writes for The County Courier in Franklin County.

Dec. 20 marks the 20th anniversary of the Vermont Supreme Court decision known as Baker v. Vermont. The court's ruling ultimately found that couples of the same gender must be afforded the same legal rights as opposite-gender couples. How that would happen would be the work of a contentious legislative session, which ultimately led to same-sex civil unions, and both celebration and anger throughout Vermont. We're talking about the Baker anniversary and its impact today.

A vacant lot in downtown Morrisville could soon be the site of a 24-unit affordable housing project

Organizers of the Marlboro Music Festival say the festival will remain on the Marlboro College campus even if the school closes at the end of this academic year.

In a move that could recast the partisan political debate over paid family and medical leave in Vermont, the Scott administration has inked a two-year contract with the state workers union that will create an unprecedented paid leave benefit for 8,500 state employees.

One of the first things students embarking on a college search learn is just how expensive college tuition can be. The sticker price for a single year's tuition at private colleges and universities can top $50,000, not including costs such as books and on-campus room and board. But what students also quickly learn is that, between grants, scholarships and need-based financial aid, many students don't pay the sticker price. In fact, there are some schools where almost no students pay the

A group of Vermont lawmakers plan to push forward significant legislation in the next session aimed at reducing Vermont's carbon emissions. The so-called "climate solutions caucus" has been holding public forums around the state in recent weeks to speak with Vermonters about how they want to see climate change addressed at the Statehouse.