AGP Executive Report

Local Government & Taxes: Bennington’s select board is taking public comments ahead of a Nov. 3 vote on joining Vermont’s Local Option Tax program, including how any potential revenue could be allocated. Public Health: HCRS has been approved for $3.6 million to build a 24/7 Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Brattleboro, with services planned to start in January 2027. Food Insecurity: Vermont’s legal community raised $20,033 in its Hunger and Diaper Drive, supplying more than $192,316 in food plus thousands of diapers to local partners. Energy & Economy: UVM’s Rubenstein School will host a free Vermont Summit Sept. 29 linking energy, health, and the economy, featuring keynote speaker Nate Hagens. State Policy & Courts: Vermont Supreme Court decisions continue to shape remote-work rules for state employees, with the latest ruling upholding Scott’s back-to-work order. Community & Culture: Shelburne Museum hosted a Norman Rockwell model reunion, highlighting Rockwell’s Vermont ties and the people who appeared in his work. Sports: UVM men’s soccer opened conference play with a 4-0 win over Bryant, while Vermont-area teams posted volleyball and field hockey results.

Mental Health Access: HCRS won $3.6 million from the Vermont Department of Mental Health to build a 24/7 Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Brattleboro, with services starting January 2027 and short-term residential beds for youth. Local Government: Bennington City Council approved Neumeyer Farm Phase 2, a 1.4% drop in the property tax levy, zoning changes for a micro-distillery, and a proposed Downtown Improvement District. Public Safety: Vermont State Police reopened Route 113 in West Fairlee after a morning closure tied to a death investigation/law enforcement incident near the elementary school; officials say nothing suspicious was found. Community & Food Security: Vermont’s legal community raised $20,033 in its Hunger Food and Diaper Drive, supplying more than $192,316 in food plus thousands of diapers to local shelves through the Vermont Foodbank. Energy & Weather: A nor’easter is battering New England with damaging wind, heavy rain, and waves; Vermont is expected to see about 1–2 inches of rain through Tuesday morning. Business & Workforce: BDCC’s Brattleboro Regional Manufacturing event is set for Oct. 8, with tours and a panel on workforce needs and the sector’s economic impact.

Mental Health Access: HCRS won $3.6 million from Vermont’s Department of Mental Health to build a 24/7 Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Brattleboro, with services starting January 2027 and added residential stabilization beds for youth. Public Health & Community Support: Vermont’s legal community raised $20,033 in its Hunger and Diaper Drive, supplying more than $192,316 in food plus thousands of diapers to local shelves statewide. Local Government & Immigration Prep: Montpelier is preparing for Election Day by planning to deputize city councilors and others to help handle concerns about federal immigration agents showing up at City Hall. Environment & Safety: Hartford Memorial Middle School crews removed low-concentration PCBs found in paint during a chimney replacement tied to the district’s $21 million facilities bond. Housing Reality Check: A new op-ed argues Vermont’s core problem is housing production, not population trends—pointing to a decade-long shortfall in homes built. Arts & Culture: Studio Place Arts hosted an “Art Social” in Barre to connect residents with new exhibits and local music, including a long-running “Rock Solid” granite-trade show. Weekend Picks: Fall events spotlighted include fairs, festivals, and family-friendly activities across the state.

Education & Phones: Vermont’s statewide phone-free school policy is drawing pushback from students, who say the rules clash with practical needs like finding classrooms and staying on time. Courts & Work: The Vermont Supreme Court sided with Gov. Phil Scott on requiring more in-person work for state employees, reversing a labor board ruling; the VSEA says it will keep fighting. Health Care: A new mental health urgent care center in Brattleboro is set to open with 24/7 walk-in services in January 2027, funded by a $3.6 million state grant. Public Safety: A Rutland woman faces child abuse charges after allegations that she grabbed a child’s throat and left injuries described in court filings. Elections & Accountability: Two candidates—Tim Ashe and Ivar Kronick—are running for Vermont State Auditor as Doug Hoffer steps aside. Community & Culture: The Vermont legal community’s Hunger Action Month drive raised $20,033 in two weeks, supplying food and diapers statewide. Sports & Community: Team Rising Tide is planning a 3,000-mile Atlantic rowing challenge.

AI oversight push: Washington AG Nick Brown is leading a coalition of 25 state attorneys general, including Vermont’s, urging Congress to set federal rules for “unchecked” frontier AI—calling for safety testing standards, incident response, and enforcement. Vermont politics & affordability: Vermont gubernatorial candidates Phil Scott and Amanda Janoo are both centering affordability, with Scott pointing to tighter budgets and tax relief while Janoo argues for taxing the wealthy to fund priorities. Education reform debate: A new critique of Vermont’s school consolidation push says Act 170 lacks proof it will cut property taxes or improve equity, and warns merger study committees may be forced to move without key funding details. Energy & local control: PowerTransitions says it won’t build a data center on the former Vermont Yankee site in Vernon, instead pitching a large battery storage project and asking for town buy-in. Community calendar: Tri-Valley Transit marks its 50th anniversary with food drives across its service area, including a Montpelier collection Oct. 3 for the Montpelier Food Pantry. Sports: Dartmouth upset No. 18 Vermont men’s soccer 3-1, handing the Catamounts their first regular-season loss in 693 days.

Education & Local Governance: Barre school officials are eyeing a late-October revote on a budget plan, but clerks say the tight timeline is creating headaches as election logistics and warnings remain unresolved. Public Safety & Courts: Vermont’s attorney general has charged 12 protesters with trespassing after a July sit-in at an ICE surveillance facility in Williston, with defendants pleading not guilty and the case now moving forward. State Politics: In the Chittenden-20 House race, Colchester incumbents Doug Bishop and Gayle Pezzo face Republicans Doug Wood and Bill Bezio, with affordability, housing, healthcare, and trust in leadership driving the forum. Health & Research: UVM announced a $19 million NSF grant to build a national neuroscience observatory, aiming to scale up connectomics research. Environment & Community: A presentation to planners detailed steady progress on the Pownal Town Forest, including outreach, mapping, and upcoming trail and access improvements. Fall & Tourism: Vermont’s foliage tracker says moderate color is spreading from the high peaks downward, with cold nights accelerating color in higher elevations. Business & Transit: Tri-Valley Transit is marking 50 years with community food drives tied to local food shelves, including a Montpelier collection during the Fall Festival.

Trade & Jobs: Vermont businesses are bracing for fallout from a U.S.-Canada trade war after new tariffs disrupted cross-border supply chains, with lawmakers warning border states could be hit hard. Housing & Community: Addison Housing Works held a Vergennes block party to raise $50,000 for affordable housing and push back on stigma around mixed-income development. Politics & Youth: At a Town Hall Theater forum in Middlebury, state leaders focused on what midterm issues mean for young people, from housing to mental health. Energy Costs: A new Vermont energy affordability report says fuel oil and gasoline prices are soaring, with fossil fuel costs driving most of the hit to household bills. Civic Liberties: The ACLU of Vermont released a poll showing strong cross-partisan support for protecting civil liberties, with voters prioritizing healthcare, housing, and wealth inequality. Wildlife & Science: Vermont researchers are using solar-powered backpacks to track monarch butterflies in real time, aiming to better protect the insects during migration. Public Safety: Elmore and Spruce Mountain fire towers are set for safety maintenance this fall, including temporary trail and parking closures. Health & Data Privacy: Vermont is also seeing fallout from reported data breaches involving medical and financial information, with class-action investigations underway.

Education & Local Control: Vermont’s education reform fight keeps circling back to Act 73 and school consolidation, with lawmakers divided over whether bigger districts will save money and improve equity—or erase local voice. Health Access & Pharmacy Closures: North Star Health is opening three new pharmacies in Springfield, Londonderry, and Charlestown, aiming to keep drug access steady as independent pharmacies shut down. Labor & Health Benefits: St. Albans Creamery workers face a health insurance cliff next week; their union is asking a court to intervene as the plant remains closed. Public Safety & Guns: GunSense Vermont urges secure gun storage during Suicide Prevention Month, pointing to high rates of firearm access among teens. Elections & Rights: Vermonters will vote in November on Proposition 4, which would enshrine equal protection in the state constitution, alongside Proposition 3 on workers’ right to organize. AI Policy: Sen. Peter Welch and Sen. Michael Bennet back a proposal to regulate frontier AI models, while Bernie Sanders pushes a bill to pause advanced AI and ban “artificial superintelligence.” Justice in Burlington: A jury convicted Jason Eaton of attempted murder for the 2023 shooting of three Palestinian students, and survivor Hisham Awartani says the verdict brought “some justice.”

Medicare Help Expanded: Vermont says more low-income seniors are now eligible for help paying Medicare costs after state qualification rules changed, removing a “benefits cliff” tied to turning 65 and boosting monthly savings for people on Social Security. Offshore Wind Legal Fight: Vermont is part of a Northeast coalition suing the Trump administration to block offshore wind lease buyback deals, arguing the payouts illegally redirect renewable energy money to fossil fuel projects. Historic Bridge Plan: VTrans is seeking a new owner for the century-old Burlington–Winooski Bridge ahead of replacement, including a chance for someone to relocate and preserve it. Public Safety & Roads: A multi-vehicle crash has closed lanes on I-89 south near Exit 14 in South Burlington, with delays expected. Community & Culture: Tri-Valley Transit marks 50 years with regional food drives, and the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center’s LEGO Contest returns Oct. 8–12. Fall in Vermont: Foliage updates and seasonal guides highlight early color and fall events across the state.

Education Shake-Up: Vermont’s Act 170 merger planning is moving from talk to surveys, with Milton voters asked to choose preferred merger partners as the state sets up required study committees. Healthcare Access: NOTCH is renovating the former St. Albans DMV building to consolidate primary care and pharmacy services, targeting completion by fall 2027. Public Transit Funding: A new Ride Public campaign urges state leaders to find steady money to keep bus routes running as pandemic-era support fades and service cuts grow. Courts & Public Safety: A Vermont jury found Richford man Keegan Lagasse guilty of attempted murder for the 2023 shooting of three Palestinian American students; prosecutors say he acted after online threats. Local Government: Castleton is adjusting job descriptions to move away from part-time roles as it struggles to attract applicants who want full-time pay and benefits. Community & Culture: Essex Junction’s “Meet Me on Main” block party returns with street-closed neighbor time, food, and events through early October. Business & Jobs: Workforce In Motion’s Chittenden County career fair opens to the public Sept. 29 at the Champlain Valley Exposition.

Court & Public Safety: A Vermont jury convicted Jason Eaton of attempted murder for the Nov. 2023 shooting of three Palestinian college students near UVM, rejecting his insanity defense and claims he was acting on orders from U.S. and Israeli intelligence; he faces up to life in prison. Health Access: Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom (VARF) is partnering with Maitri Healthcare in South Burlington to expand abortion care by funding clinic equipment and supplies and providing patient financial assistance. Legal Privacy: Michigan AG Dana Nessel won a federal court order blocking the Trump administration from demanding a database of CDL drivers’ personal information and threatening funding cuts tied to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Local Roads: Vermont Route 9 is closed after a tractor-trailer crash and hazmat spill near Bennington, with officials warning of extended delays and urging drivers to use alternate routes. Community & Workforce: Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) launched a six-month Nurse Residency program to train new home health registered nurses, funded through a federal rural health transformation grant. Education & Research: Vermont State University students are getting hands-on tick-borne disease research experience, including a CRISPR-based detection effort tied to the state’s Lyme problem. Arts: Old Crow Medicine Show returned to Shelburne’s Green and debuted a Phish nod during its encore, including “The Wedge” and “Tweezer” teases.

Court Verdict: A Burlington jury convicted Jason Eaton of attempted murder for the 2023 shooting of three Palestinian college students, rejecting his insanity defense; one victim, Hisham Awartani, remains paralyzed after being shot. Public Safety & Health: Vermont’s Veterans Affairs funding topped $18 million, supporting local groups that help house and serve unhoused veterans. Community Support: Vermont’s Professionals of Color Network launched Equity Exchange, a new online portal matching BIPOC Vermonters with white allies offering free professional services. Local Government: Shaftsbury is considering relocating its State Police barracks, with an RFP process expected as the state searches for a new site. Environment & Energy: Decommissioning at the former Vermont Yankee site is nearly complete, with only a small amount of work left. Business & Access: Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom is partnering with Maitri Healthcare in South Burlington to expand abortion access through equipment funding and patient assistance. Transportation Disruption: Technical problems at an FAA facility caused widespread flight delays affecting Vermont and nearby states.

Reproductive Rights: Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom (VARF) is partnering with Maitri Healthcare in South Burlington to expand abortion care, funding clinic equipment and supplies and offering patient financial help. Healthcare Workforce: Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) is launching a six-month Nurse Residency for new grads and experienced nurses, funded through a Vermont Rural Health Transformation Program grant. Local Economy: A new Vermont Business Magazine profile says Addison County’s economy still centers on Middlebury College, with the school’s outsized role in jobs and spending. Election Access: Disability Rights Vermont is pushing to close voting gaps for people with disabilities, hosting a voter drive in Montpelier ahead of ballots mailing statewide. Housing & Health Politics: Two candidates for Hinesburg’s Chittenden-4 House seat—Kelsey Pasteris and John Kingston—are focusing on affordability, especially housing and healthcare. Community & Outdoors: Hinesburg Town Forest was named Tree Farmer of the Year by the Vermont Woodlands Association, celebrating its education and recreation work across 1,125 acres. Sports: UVM women’s soccer opened America East with a 3-1 win over UMBC. Arts & Culture: Norwich University players joined Vermont’s adaptive sled hockey team for an inclusive scrimmage in Montpelier.

Reproductive Rights: Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom (VARF) is partnering with Maitri Healthcare in South Burlington to expand abortion access, funding clinic equipment and supplies and offering patient financial help. Healthcare Workforce: Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) is launching a six-month Nurse Residency for new grads and experienced nurses, funded through a federal rural health transformation grant. Education & Food Systems: Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture is offering $200,000 in Farm to School and Early Childhood grants ($10,000–$30,000) to help schools and early care programs build farm-to-school efforts. Community & Youth Mentoring: MENTOR Vermont’s Mentoring Mindset initiative is training coaches, camp counselors, and librarians to become trusted adults for youth who say they’re missing that support. Energy Assistance: Sen. Peter Welch joined a bipartisan push urging HHS to release LIHEAP funds quickly to help low-income households with heating and winter energy bills. Public Safety: Vermont State Police issued recent releases on negligent operation and DUI-drugs/arrest-on-warrant cases in Bolton, Rockingham, and Hyde Park. Local Culture: Noah Kahan’s Busyhead Project continues with Folk and Fairways in Stowe, pairing big-name music with mental health support.

Reproductive Rights & Health Care: Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom (VARF) is partnering with Maitri Healthcare in South Burlington to expand abortion access, funding medical supplies and patient assistance. Workforce & Rural Health: Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) is launching a six-month Nurse Residency for new grads, funded through a federal rural health transformation grant. Housing & Community Support: Cornerstone Housing Partners held its first housing expo in Rutland County, offering help on repairs, financing, and finding affordable options. Education & Youth Recognition: Oxbow High senior Aneta “Nettie” Morse won the national GEAR UP Student Leader of the Year award. Public Safety: A 32-year-old woman died in a Route 7 crash in New Haven; two passengers were seriously injured. Local Culture & Events: Chester drew thousands for two fall festivals, and the Vermont Giant Pumpkin Growers Association crowned Wilbur Horton’s 1,730.5-pound pumpkin. Sports: UVM women’s hockey beat Concordia 3-1 in an exhibition; Vermont men’s soccer fell to Dartmouth 3-1.

Reproductive Health Access: Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom (VARF) is partnering with Maitri Healthcare in South Burlington to expand abortion care, funding clinic equipment and supplies and offering patient financial help. Workforce & Rural Care: Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) is launching a six-month Nurse Residency for new grads and experienced nurses, funded through a Vermont Rural Health Transformation Program grant. Housing & Development: A new Vermont Business Magazine look at the state’s housing crunch points to permit reforms, clearer wetland development rules, and workforce investments as key levers, while noting Vermont still needs about 28,000 more homes by 2030. Civic Leadership: The Vermont Community Leadership Summit returns Oct. 6 at Vermont State University Castleton, with a revised action guide and workshops on housing, mental health, climate resilience, and community projects. Local Business/Infrastructure: St. Albans City Council approved buying the historic 2 Federal Street Central Vermont Railroad headquarters for $1.125 million, with plans likely for mixed-use commercial and residential space. AI Policy Debate: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is among lawmakers pushing new AI bills, including proposals to pause advanced AI development until safety rules and oversight are in place. Sports: Vermont men’s soccer and field hockey are in action this weekend, including Vermont traveling to Fairfield for a Sunday field hockey matchup.