Vermont
Former Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello helps coach youth camp in Burlington
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – On Tuesday, University of Vermont athletic director Jeff Schulman announced he had fired men’s hockey head coach Todd Woodcroft. On Wednesday, Schulman spoke further on his decision.
“I saw the final AAEO report on Monday of this week,” Schulman said. “Obviously took some time to review it, discussed it with other senior leaders in the athletic department, and then made the determination that it was no longer appropriate for him to be coaching the men’s ice hockey team.”
AAEO is UVM’s Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity. Schulman said following the conclusion of the men’s hockey season, a student initially reported to the athletic department that Todd Woodcroft had sent “inappropriate text messages.” The athletic department then forwarded the accusations to the AAEO on March 16th, and that office initiated a formal investigation soon after, but Schulman couldn’t give the exact date.
“You can look at something at face value without context and it’s just something we all want to be cautious about to make sure that we’re being thorough. These are serious matters that have impact on people’s lives, and I think all of us at UVM have a ton of respect for our office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity that does this,” Schulman said. “They’re the professionals. As I mentioned, they operate independent of athletics. We’re not best positioned to be investigating these types of situations. And it’s one of the reasons that I have the confidence I do that once I do receive a final report that lays out what the findings are, I’m confident that that’s accurate and feel comfortable acting on those findings.”
Schulman said after receiving the report on Monday, he informed Woodcroft of his termination on Tuesday. During the four months that investigation was ongoing, Woodcroft was never placed on administrative leave, instead being told to work from home and to not contact the student who received the texts, or any other students who might be involved with the case.
“The university has a process to determine whether the conduct constituted a violation of the university policy. And part of taking these issues seriously is making sure that everybody involved is treated fairly, both the complainant and the respondent.”
Woodcroft’s lawyer Andrew Miltenberg told WCAX: “We vehemently disagree with the process and the findings of a proceeding that lacked fundamental fairness and due process. We strongly believe the university’s decision was contrary to the facts and the law. We intend to pursue justice for Mr. Woodcroft, who has been an outstanding coach and community advocate for over two decades.”
But Schulman says the details in the final report convinced him quickly that firing Woodcroft was the right decision.
“I read his attorneys comments. Again, I feel very confident in the university’s process. That it was thorough, that it was fair, that Todd was afforded due process throughout. And again, when the final report came to me, I was comfortable that the findings were substantiated and I was able to act on that information.”
Schulman emphasized the decision to fire Woodcroft was based soley on the text messages, and that there were no allegations or indications of any actions beyond the texts. When asked about the content of the texts or how Woodcroft knew the student, Schulman declined to provide any more detail citing privacy issues.
Vermont
Police: Vt. woman wanted after not returning car loaned to her
BERLIN, Vt. (WCAX) – Berlin Police say a Vermont woman is accused of stealing car that was loaned to her.
Officers say Suzette Santiago, 45 of Berlin was loaned a 2005 gold Subaru Outback on New Year’s Eve, and was expected to return it on New Year’s Day. But police say, that never happened.
Berlin Police say the vehicle was last seen by law enforcement cameras in Wareham, Massachusetts Friday morning. Police say Santiago has ties to Massachusetts.
The car has Vermont plates with registration KSS 140.
If you know where Santiago or the car are located, Berlin Police want to hear from you.
Copyright 2025 WCAX. All rights reserved.
Vermont
US Chamber of Commerce, oil group sue Vermont over law requiring companies to pay for climate change damage
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a top oil and gas industry trade group have filed a lawsuit against Vermont over its new law requiring that fossil fuel companies pay for damage the state attributes to climate change.
The federal lawsuit, which was filed Monday, urges a state court to block the state from enforcing the law, which was passed by lawmakers last year, according to The Associated Press. The state said it is working to estimate the cost of climate change dating back to 1995.
Vermont became the first state in the country to enact a law of its kind after it suffered catastrophic summer flooding and damage from other extreme weather, the outlet noted.
The Chamber and the American Petroleum Institute argue in the lawsuit that the U.S. Constitution precludes the act and that the state law is preempted by the federal Clean Air Act, The Associated Press reported. The lawsuit also says that the law violates domestic and foreign commerce clauses by discriminating against the “important interest of other states by targeting large energy companies located outside of Vermont.”
APPLE TO PAY $95 MILLION IN SIRI SPYING LAWSUIT
The plaintiffs say that the federal government is already addressing climate change, according to the report. The plaintiffs add that since greenhouse gases come from billions of individual sources, it is impossible to measure “accurately and fairly” the impact of emissions from a particular entity in a particular location over multiple decades.
“Vermont wants to impose massive retroactive penalties going back 30 years for lawful, out-of-state conduct that was regulated by Congress under the Clean Air Act,” Tara Morrissey, senior vice president and deputy chief counsel of the Chamber’s litigation center, said, according to the report. “That is unlawful and violates the structure of the U.S. Constitution — one state can’t try to regulate a global issue best left to the federal government. Vermont’s penalties will ultimately raise costs for consumers in Vermont and across the country.”
The law requires the Vermont state treasurer, in consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources, to issue a report by Jan. 15, 2026, on the total cost to the state and its residents from the emission of greenhouse gases from Jan. 1, 1995, to Dec. 31, 2024. The review would examine the effects of greenhouse gasses on various areas, including public health, natural resources, agriculture, economic development and housing.
The state would use federal data to determine whether the amount of covered greenhouse gas emissions can be traced to a fossil fuel company.
The share of funds collected from the companies could be used by the state for things like improving stormwater drainage systems, upgrading roads and bridges, elevating or retrofitting sewage treatment plants and making energy-efficient weatherization upgrades to public and private buildings.
SUPREME COURT TO TAKE UP CHALLENGE TO TIKTOK BAN
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
The law in Vermont captured interest from other states, including New York, where a similar bill was signed into law last month.
The New York law requires companies responsible for substantial greenhouse gas emissions to pay into a state fund for infrastructure projects to repair or prevent future damage from climate change, and the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases between 2000 and 2018 would face fines.
Vermont
Vermont state police seek help locating 60-year-old Enosburg man – Newport Dispatch
ENOSBURG — Vermont State Police are seeking assistance in locating John Reynolds, 60, who has not been seen since Nov. 13.
Reynolds is believed to be in the Enosburg/Berkshire area.
While there are no signs that he is in immediate danger or that his absence is under suspicious circumstances, concerns have been raised regarding his welfare.
Authorities are urging anyone who might have information about Reynolds’ whereabouts to reach out to the VSP St. Albans at (802) 524-5993.
-
Health1 week ago
New Year life lessons from country star: 'Never forget where you came from'
-
Technology1 week ago
Meta’s ‘software update issue’ has been breaking Quest headsets for weeks
-
Business4 days ago
These are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Politics1 week ago
'Politics is bad for business.' Why Disney's Bob Iger is trying to avoid hot buttons
-
Culture4 days ago
The 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports4 days ago
The top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics2 days ago
New Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics2 days ago
Carter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country