Vermont

Businesses damaged by summer floods plead for help from Vt. lawmakers

Published

2 years ago

February 23, 2024

Businesses damaged by summer floods plead for help from Vt. lawmakers

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – A plea for help from flooded businesses. Seven months in, businesses hit hard by the summer floods say they need state lawmakers to cough up more relief aid.

Nearly 800 businesses took on damage from the flooding, each suffering an average of $150,000 in damage.

Property taxes have taken center stage this session, and state lawmakers have been working on all kinds of proposals from dam safety to flood mitigation to housing and more. Now, some worry that direct cash relief for flooded businesses could be left behind.

The summer flooding clobbered downtowns, destroying inventory and equipment, and closing businesses, leading to revenue loss.

“Rebuilding takes time, it takes resources, it takes grit and heart. And when you have this kind of overnight loss, you need all of that including your community,” business owner Sarah DeFelice said.

Friday in Montpelier, business owners from flood-stricken communities urged lawmakers to continue investing in flood relief.

“This is too great a burden for businesses to bear on their own,” business owner Katie Trautz said.

A $20 million emergency grant fund to help businesses bounce back has long dried up. So, businesses and some lawmakers are calling for a new $40 million business relief program.

They say recovery is slow, and some are still waiting on their low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration.

The Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce says many are still paying off loans from the coronavirus and they can’t take on more debt.

“Just like any organization or your own personal financial situation, there’s only so much you can take. We have heard of businesses beginning to opt out and close,” said Kevin Eschelbach, the president of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce.

The ask from the business community comes in a year where inflation is driving up costs and pandemic cash has run dry.

“We’re back to reality now that Vermont doesn’t have that kind of money. We have to be strategic on how we spend money now,” said Rep. Michael Marcotte, R-Coventry.

Including making investments in long-term flood mitigation projects.

“Addressing the current need and planning for the future– it has to be both,” said Rep. Jonathan Williams, D-Barre.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are also searching for new revenues to tamp down a looming property tax problem.

State Rep. Conor Casey says the inflection point on flood recovery raises the question about the role of government.

“The philanthropy has been great but state government has to do its job,” said Casey, D-Montpelier.

We’re approaching a key deadline in the coming weeks– Crossover Day at the Statehouse– where legislation sinks or swims. Lawmakers and businesses hope the proposal can make it across the finish line before then.

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Related Topics:businesses Featured flooded flooding floods july lawmakers Legislature Montpelier news Politics Summer vermont WCAX

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Vermont

Vermont’s oldest museum opened almost 150 years ago. How to visit

Published

6 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Vermont’s oldest museum opened almost 150 years ago. How to visit

Colorblind museum helps visitors see color for first time

A North Carolina museum is offering special glasses so that colorblind visitors can see art in full color.

Fox – Seattle

Looking for a new museum to visit this winter?

As a historic state with European settlements going all the way back to the 1600s, Vermont is home to many historical museums dedicated to preserving the state’s foundational role in United States history.

In fact, the state’s oldest museum dates all the way back to 1884, making it almost 150 years old. Originally founded from a personal collection, Henry Sheldon Museum is not only the oldest museum in Vermont, but also the oldest community-based museum in the whole country.

Here’s a brief history of the oldest museum in Vermont, as well as how to visit.

History of Henry Sheldon Museum

According to the museum’s website, Henry Sheldon Museum was founded by its namesake, Henry Sheldon. A local businessman and avid collector, Sheldon turned his personal collection of furniture, paintings, documents, household objects and artifacts into a museum, which opened to the public in July of 1884, says the Vermont Historical Society.

The museum’s collection has expanded greatly since then and still continues to grow. Today, the Sheldon aims to help community members gain a deeper appreciation of Vermont’s local art and history through engaging art and history exhibits, programs, events and an extensive archival collection at the museum’s research center.

This spring’s upcoming feature exhibit will focus on the idea of time, displaying the museum’s collection of timepieces like clocks, watches, calendars, journals, time capsules and more.

How to visit Vermont’s oldest museum

Want to explore Vermont history and art at the oldest museum in the state? Henry Sheldon Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday throguh Saturday.

Admission costs $10 for adults or $5 for seniors, with free admission for members, students and children ages 18 and under. Appointments to visit the museum’s research center must be made by emailing archives@henrysheldonmuseum.org.

Henry Sheldon Museum is located at 1 Park St. in Middlebury.

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Vermont

Spaulding wrestling dethrones Mount Anthony, ends 36-year title reign

Published

18 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Spaulding wrestling dethrones Mount Anthony, ends 36-year title reign

Editor’s note: For the full championship story and photos, visit HERE.

HINESBURG — For the first time since 1988, there is a new Vermont high school wrestling state champion.

Spaulding dethroned Mount Anthony, ending the Patriots’ 36-year reign with an impressive team performance at the state championship at Champlain Valley Union High School on Feb, 28, 2026.

The Crimson Tide scored grapplers in 12 out of 14 weight classes and had seven of them competing in final matches.

Spaulding, which locked up the title before final matches commenced, finished with 236.5 points to MAU’s 195.

This is Spaulding’s first title since 1984. MAU’s unchallenged championship run was a national record for wrestling. It ranks sixth all-time for consecutive state titles among all high school sports in the country.

Check back later for an updated story and photo gallery at burlingtonfreepress.com.

Team scores (final)

1. Spaulding 236; 2. Mount Anthony 195; 3. Middlebury 134.5; 4. Vergennes 123; 5. Otter Valley 121; 6. Colchester 96; 7. Essex 86; 8. Mount Abraham 85.5; 9. Harwood 67; 10. Springfield 54; 11. Fair Haven 52; 12. Mount Mansfield 44; 13. Burr and Burton 43; 14. North Country 38.5; 15. Mill River 38; 16. St. Johnsbury 37.5; 17. Champlain Valley 36; 18. Lyndon 33; 19. South Burlington 29; 20. Randolph 28; 21. Rutland 26; 22. U-32 12; 23. Lamoille 11; 24. Lake Region 6; T25. BFA-Fairfax, Rice 3.

106-pound final: Wesley Churchill (Spa) def. Fernando Oyola (MAU) for 14-3 win (major decision)

Winner: Churchill caps the evening of finals with with a state title as the No. 3 seed, beating the top-ranked grappler in this division. Churchill was fifth a year ago at 106.

Other place finishers: 3. Tolkein Lawlor (MMU); 4. Brady Babcock (OV); 5. Mason Douglass (U-32); 6. Sam Dyer (Rut).

113-pound final: Sylas Race (MAU) def. Lucas Colby (Spa) for 8-7 win

Winner: In the first match of the finals, Race builds a 7-0 lead before Colby storms back in the final period. But Race holds on for the 8-7 victory. The match was stopped three times for what appeared to be a bloody nose.

Other place finishers: 3. Caleb Woodward (OV); 4. Addie Smith (Verg); 5. Colton Jones (MR); 6. Liem Moller (CVU).

120-pound final: Brayden Buchanan (Essex) def. Mason Sheltra (Col) for 16-1 win (tech fall)

Winner: The sophomore Buchanan polishes off his second straight title, securing a tech fall (margin of 15 or more points) in the final seconds of the match. Buchanan celebrates with a back flip. Sheltra was going for a third state title.

Other place finishers: 3. Miles Goetz (Midd); 4. Duncan Klinck (Har); 5. Vincent Deysenroth (MAU); 6. Darien Haselton (CVU).

126-pound final: Cahota LaFond (Col) def. Eion Comes (NC) for 17-0 win (tech fall)

Winner: LaFond completes a fourth straight state title with a tech fall in the final seconds of the first period. The senior, who surpassed 200 career wins last month, celebrates with a take down to the mat of his coach, Scott McPhearson.

Other place finishers: 3. Jackson Brown (MMU); 4. Adrien Provencher (Verg); 5. Grady Thurston (Spa); 6. Eric Whitten (Har).

132-pound final: Stephen Kittredge (Verg) def. Anthony Szabo (FH) for 7-4 overtime win

Winner: In the early moments of a 1-minute overtime period, Kittredge uncorks impressive takedown for the three points and state title, his first after finishing runner-up at 126 in 2025.

Other place finishers: 3. Dylan Jacobs (Col); 4. Landon Wilcox (OV); 5. Nate Sackett (Har); 6. Cole Brown (Lyn).

138-pound final: Asa Reis (MAU) def. Karter Morey (Lyn) for 17-4 win (major decision)

Winner: Reis seizes his second title in three years, taking early lead and cruising to the major decision. A year ago, Reis was runner-up in this weight class.

Other place finishers: 3. Colby Belden (FH); 4. Mo Hussein (SB); 5. Camden Ayer (CVU); 6. Gavin Winnie (Spa).

144-pound final: Duncan Harrington (MAU) def. Michael Grasso (Spa) for 10-3 win

Winner: Harrington gets his third straight state crown. Harrington scored a pair of takedowns in the first period to take control.

Other place finishers: 3. Jackson Scribner (Verg); 4. Anthony Abetti (BBA); 5. Carter Jones (Essex); 6. Wyatt Tarbell (MR).

150-pound final: Isayah Isham (MTA) pins Tyler Monick (MAU)

Winner: With 17 seconds left in the second period, Isham pins Monick for his state title. Isham, who took third a year ago, was up 10-1 prior to his pin.

Other place finishers: 3. James Marcellus (Spa); 4. Jackson Ladd (SJ); 5. Micah Perez (Rut); 6. Chase Tefts-Young (Col).

157-pound final: Nicky Service (Har) def. Mason Atkins (MTA) for 9-7 win

Winner: Service is the first Harwood wrestler to win a state title since Kyle Streeter in 2013.

Other place finishers: 3. Logan Slater (Spa); 4. Connor Decker (SJ); 5. Jason Sperry (Midd); 6. Jeremy Glodgett (NC).

165-pound final: Noah Dunster (Spa) def. Blake Allen (OV) for 4-3 win

Winner: Dunster scored all of his points (escape, takedown) in the first period, hanging on to beat the top seed for his first state title.

Other place finishers: 3. Dimitri Jasinski (Spring); 4. Lincoln Painter (MTA); 5. Quinn Veth-McGovern (BBA); 6. Henry Dodge (SB).

175-pound final: Payton Lavoie (Verg) pins Caleb Hoar (Spa)

Winner: Lavoie earns his second straight crown with a first-period pin with 22 seconds left. Last year, Lavoie won the 190-pound class.

Other place finishers: 3. Ethan Patch (MR); 4. Parker Carl (Midd); 5. Jonathan Lake (Spring); 6. Max Potter (OV).

190-pound final: Maxwell LaPerle (Spa) def. Wyatt Kennett (Midd) for 20-2 win (tech fall)

Winner: After a scoreless first period, LaPerle led 5-1 through two periods before piling up two near falls and two takedowns for the tech fall victory.

Other place finishers: 3. Zane Cooper (Rand); 4. Keegan Reid (OV); 5. Abraham Kreuger (Lam); 6. Jacob Jamieson (FH).

215-pound final: Tucker Wright (Midd) pins Charlie Berry (Spa) (5:49)

Winner: Wright separates with an eight-point second period and then secures second consecutive state title with a late third-period pin.

Other place finishers: 3. Drake Felkl (OV); 4. Ian Denue (MAU); 5. Rowan Danaher (Essex); 6. Dallas Sulton’El (Col).

285-pound final: Ryan Marsden (MAU) pins Steven Lackard (Midd) (4:37)

Winner: Marsden claims his third straight 285-pound championship with a third-period pin.

Other place finishers: 3. Joe Gershon (Essex); 4. Izaak Wolniewicz (Verg); 5. Tyler Scott (MMU); 6. Alex Poczobut (Spa).

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.

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Vermont

Ugandan torture survivor and UVM Health Network nurse faces uncertain future in Vermont

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Ugandan torture survivor and UVM Health Network nurse faces uncertain future in Vermont

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – We’re digging deeper into the story of Steven Tendo, an asylum seeker living in Vermont who was detained by ICE, but has been released. We spoke with his lawyer about his plan to stay in the states amidst the national immigration crackdown.

Stephen Tendo was a political activist in Uganda. He fled after he was tortured, shot in the leg, and lost two of his fingers. He sought asylum at a port of entry in Brownsville, Texas, in 2018.

In 2019, the Department of Homeland Security denied his application, and Tendo was detained for two and a half years.

The Department of Homeland Security says they denied his application for asylum because of inconsistencies.

“They had to do with his wife’s date of birth, as well as his prior visa application, which asked for all the countries that he traveled through,” said Christopher Worth, Tendo’s lawyer.

A non-profit research group found 69% of asylum applications were denied in 2019 during Trump’s first term. Tendo was released on an order of supervision in 2021, which means he could live and work in the U.S. while awaiting potential removal. Since then, he’s been a pastor and a nursing assistant in Vermont.

“Steven filed three applications for stays of removal, all of which were granted. He was scheduled for a check-in on Friday, February 6th. ICE had been notified that that’s when the stay application was being filed, but yet they took that day as the opportunity to arrest him two days before his check-in,” said Worth.

Tendo spoke with Senator Peter Welch about the conditions of the Dover detention center.

“The circumstances he described in Dover were really — very, very bad,” said Senator Welch.

A New Hampshire judge found ICE violated Tendo’s due process because the federal agency did not provide the required notice for revoking his supervised release. Tendo, who has no criminal record, walked free on February 20th.

“The pattern that we’re seeing is that ICE seems to have a quota for arrests. I’ve heard that they have to make 3,000 arrests every day, and that’s very hard to do. And so, ICE seems to be arresting everyone they possibly can, whether or not that person may be removed or not,” said Worth.

Tendo is expected to check in with ICE on March 20th at their St. Albans office. While his attorneys are hard at work trying to delay his potential removal, it’s unclear if he will be detained again before then.

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