Vermont
Phish raises millions of dollars to benefit Vermont-based addiction-recovery organization
The Burlington-born jam-rock group Phish raised more than $4 million last weekend at a trio of concerts to benefit the Vermont-based addiction-recovery organization founded by the band’s guitarist, Trey Anastasio.
The Oct. 25-27 concerts at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York raised money to kick off a $10 million fundraising campaign for the Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program in Ludlow. The money will help pay for capital improvements, property acquisition, staffing increases and a scholarship fund. Anastasio, who has been frank about his own experience with addiction, opened Divided Sky last year with co-founder Melanie Gulde.
“It’s hard to put into words how grateful we are to Phish and their fans for this generosity,” Gulde, who serves as Divided Sky’s program director, said in a news release announcing the fundraising result. “But this isn’t about words – it’s about action. And because of these concerts, we will be able to help many more people take charge of their lives and to recover from addictions.”
Money was raised at the concerts through ticket and merchandise sales and a pay-per-view livestream. According to the news release, 100% of net proceeds will support the Divided Sky Foundation.
The Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program focuses on helping people build life tools to maintain sobriety while staying active and involved in the outdoors and pursuing their personal passions, according to the news release. Nearly a dozen alumni who have completed the 30-day program were at the Albany concerts. More than 300 tickets were given to people who work in recovery or a related mental-health field.
This is the second straight year that the band that started at the University of Vermont in 1983 has raised money to benefit the state where Phish began. Last year, Phish played two benefit concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in New York that raised more than $3.5 million for flood-recovery efforts in Vermont and upstate New York, according to the news release.
Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com.
This year’s legislative session will help decide what the future of Vermont’s schools will look like under Act 73 and how the state plans to navigate federal funding cuts. Lawmakers will also be weighing housing, climate, health care and other issues that affect daily life across the state.
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This week at the Statehouse
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- 1/6 – the Legislature kicks off
- 1/7 – Gov. Phil Scott expected to deliver State of the State address
- 1/9 – First week in the books
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What we’re watching in 2026
Charting the future of Vermont’s public schools and responding to the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration could define the 2026 legislative session.
Education reform and Act 73
Vermont’s new education reform law, Act 73, sets in motion a multi-year effort to restructure how the state funds and governs its public schools.
Why it matters: Changes to school funding and governance could affect your tax bill, the future of small schools and the services available to students in your community.
Catch up on the latest:
Federal funding cuts and Vermont’s budget
Almost every day, decisions out of Washington D.C. impact programs here in Vermont. Our job is to sort through the noise.
Why it matters: As a small state, Vermont relies disproportionately on federal funding. Social services like food, heating and rental assistance rely on money from Washington. This year, lawmakers will need to make tough choices on what the state can afford to pay for and can’t afford to lose.
Catch up on the latest:
Bill tracker
Track this year’s key policy themes as they move through the Legislature. Each category highlights a small set of bills our newsroom is watching closely. You can browse the bills below using the arrow buttons or search by name or topic. This tool will be regularly updated throughout the session.
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Most recent legislative coverage
“We’re coming back to the basic hierarchy of needs here,” said Rep. Theresa Wood, who chairs the House Committee on Human Services.
The online educational materials for students in grades 3-12 were created by members of the four groups recognized as Abenaki by Vermont’s state government.
Zoie Saunders, in an interview with VTDigger, said that it was “really of paramount importance that we stay the course” with lawmakers due to address a critical part of reform envisioned in Act 73 this upcoming session.
Lawmakers’ ethics and financial disclosures
This tool includes state legislators’ disclosures as they were submitted to the Legislature at the beginning of the 2025-2026 legislative session. Each is a snapshot of what occupations, volunteer roles and other involvements legislators hold outside of the Legislature. VTDigger plans to update this tool with updated information as it becomes available.
Use the search bar below to look for a particular legislator or browse through the pages with the arrow key. The table contains pdf links to each legislators’ disclosure forms, along with a link to their profile page on the legislative website to learn more about the individual.
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Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.
Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.
Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule. Here’s a look at Jan. 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Lucky For Life VT numbers from Jan. 4 drawing
03-08-13-38-47, Lucky Ball: 02
Check Lucky For Life VT payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing
Day: 5-2-1
Evening: 0-7-7
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing
Day: 7-8-2-2
Evening: 0-2-9-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.
For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.
All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.
Vermont Lottery Headquarters
1311 US Route 302, Suite 100
Barre, VT
05641
When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
- Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
- Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
- Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?
Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Vermont
Vermont’s congressional delegation condemns attack on Venezuela and capture of Maduro – VTDigger
Vermont’s congressional delegation condemned the U.S. military’s attack on Venezuela over the weekend that led to the capture of the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, and Vermont Democrats U.S. Sen. Peter Welch and U.S. Rep Becca Balint, all labeled Maduro a brutal authoritarian but said President Donald Trump’s attacks on the South American country exceeded his constitutional authority.
“Trump’s attack on Venezuela will make the United States and the world less safe. This brazen violation of international law gives a green light to any nation on earth that may wish to attack another country to seize their resources or change their governments,” Sanders said in a statement.
U.S. forces entered the Venezuelan capital of Caracas overnight Friday into Saturday, and more than 100 U.S. aircraft helped neutralize the country’s air defenses, the New York Times reported. More than 40 people were killed, according to Venezuelan authorities, though Trump said there were no Americans killed in the attack.
American troops captured both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, later transporting them out of the country, according to news reports. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro would face charges in the U.S. of narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy, among other charges.
Trump said Saturday that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela while a transfer of power took place. The details of that plan were not immediately clear, though many of Trump’s comments focused on growing the Venezuelan oil industry.
Vermont’s top federal lawmakers wasted little time in condemning the military escalation. They had similarly criticized the staging of Vermont Air National Guard members in the Caribbean to support the military buildup against Venezuela.
“President Trump’s hunger for a regime change war makes it clear he doesn’t care about how this unauthorized and illegal action could cause further chaos and suffering in Venezuela. Has he learned nothing from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya?” Welch said in a statement Saturday. “This could lead us into another forever war, risking the lives of U.S. service members and hurting the economy.”
Balint, in her own statement, said the U.S. had made “these horrible mistakes before.”
“Americans do not want another war,” she said.
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