Vermont
Funeral services held for fallen Vermont police officer
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CASTLETON, Vt. (WCAX) – A funeral was held on Tuesday morning for a young Vermont police officer who was killed in the line of duty.
Services for Rutland City Police Ofc. Jessica Ebbighausen took place at Vermont State University’s Castleton campus.
Ebbighausen died earlier this month when her cruiser was hit head-on by a man police say was trying to flee after breaking into a home. Ebbighausen was killed in the crash. She was just 19 and working to become a full-time member of the police department. She was slated to begin training at the Vermont Police Academy next month.
Monday, hundreds of first responders and Vermonters honored Ebbighausen at a walk-through at the Rutland Recreation and Community Center.
Anya Coons attended Ebbighausen’s day care and said she was a role model and inspiration.
“She was always really good with the younger kids, including myself and she would always include us in a lot of things. She was just amazing. She was great,” Coons said.
Ebbighausen’s burial will be private.
Tate Rheaume, 20, has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges in the crash that killed Ebbighausen.
Related Stories:
Vermonters pay respects to fallen Rutland City Police officer
Rutland community has vigil for fallen officer
Driver charged in crash that killed young Vermont police officer
20-year-old facing multiple charges in police officer death
A Vermont police officer, aged 19, died in a crash with a burglary suspect she was chasing
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Vermont
Vt. education officials weigh in on Trump’s trans student-athlete ban
![Vt. education officials weigh in on Trump’s trans student-athlete ban Vt. education officials weigh in on Trump’s trans student-athlete ban](https://gray-wcax-prod.gtv-cdn.com/resizer/v2/4A5ZXFF7WBEKBDBF5Z2LQQJ7B4.png?auth=539f8d5d8a6742a1c24600b7746a967749cfcb55f3029ec9574d2d87c59f47fe&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont education officials are assessing what President Trump’s executive order banning transgender student-athletes means for local schools and federal funding.
The Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports executive order allows federal agencies to withhold funding to schools that allow transgender athletes to compete in sports. And like other executive orders, it’s pitting federal rules directly against Vermont law.
Gregory Thayer formed the group Vermonters for Vermont to push back on what he sees as problems in public education, including programs promoting diversity and transgender athletes competing in sports. He supports the president’s order, saying that biological males competing in women’s sports is unfair.
“We’ve seen a lot of people unhappy for being disenfranchised in their respective sports and the physicality to some of these women around the country,” Thayer said.
But others say the order erases transgender people from public life. Amanda Rhodenberg with the LGBTQ advocacy group Outright Vermont says trans youth participating in sports can foster self-esteem and a sense of belonging. She describes the new executive order as a slippery slope to broader discrimination.
“Doubling down on those exclusionary practices is creating schools where not all young people have the same rights to participate and exist as they are,” Rhodenberg said.
Vermont law bars schools from discriminating against students based on race, sex, or other identity. The Agency of Education has interpreted that law as meaning transgender students must be allowed to participate in sex-segregated activities like sports in a way that matches their gender identity. Asked whether Vermont will change its policy in the face of the president’s order, the AOE released a statement saying: “The agency will continue to protect all students and their ability to access the full educational experience, including sports participation.”
Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark says she will fight to protect trans athletes’ ability to participate. “I want to reassure them that I have their back and I will put the full force of my office to protect them and take action if necessary,” she said.
It remains to be seen whether the Department of Education will withhold funding from Vermont schools over this issue.
Copyright 2025 WCAX. All rights reserved.
Vermont
The 7 Best Vermont Events This Week: February 12-19, 2025 | Seven Days
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Illuminated Manuscripts
Saturday 15
Winterdeep, Treewild’s family-friendly sound, light and art installation at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne, enhances the outdoors with projections of seasonal poetry. As folks of all ages saunter down the meandering trail, ambient music, illustrations and larger-than-life paper lanterns adorn the landscape — all generated by Vermont artists and musicians.
Funny Girls
Thursday 13-Sunday 16
Richard Curtis’ 2003 rom-com Love Actually begins with a simple plea — open your eyes to love. Homegrown all-female comedy group Stealing From Work leans deeper into that request with Love … Well, Actually at Off Center for the Dramatic Arts in Burlington. The offbeat, irreverent sketch show asks viewers to confront the deluge of messy and weird that love brings with it.
Sensory Special
Friday 14
Epicurious valentines revel in Dining in the Dark, Gold Restaurant’s unique culinary experience in Burlington. The multisensory adventure affords foodies the rare opportunity to abandon sight (via low lighting or blackout mask) in pursuit of heightened gastronomic enjoyment. Partial proceeds benefit the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Waiting in the Wings
Friday 14-Sunday 16
Northern Stage’s New Works Now festival in White River Junction and Hanover, N.H., reinforces the org’s mission of developing, nurturing and mounting works by up-and-coming American playwrights. This year’s staged readings include taut drama Intimate Surveillance by Catherine Stewart and farcical madcap comedy Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret by Talene Monahon.
Sowing Seeds
Saturday 15
Vermont educator and “horticulture therapist” Maggie Herskovits launches her first book, An Urban Field Guide to the Plants, Trees and Herbs in Your Path, at the Hive on Pine in Burlington. The guide introduces readers to more than 50 plants found within the confines of concrete jungles — and inspires folks to consider with wonder how life still teems in unexpected places.
Oh, Sappy Days!
Opens Saturday 15
Prepare your taste buds for late winter’s gooey gift, ’cause it’s that time of year again. During the weeklong Magic of Maple event at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock, guests learn about our region’s maple traditions and history, witness sap flowing straight from the source, and delight in sugar on snow demos.
Cold Play
Through February 23
The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center showcases the annual “Artful Ice Shanties” outdoor exhibit at Retreat Farm, a place-based honoring of New England’s ice fishing history, coupled with innovative artistic talent. From dawn to dusk, visitors drop in to admire the expressive structures. February 22 brings a lighthearted awards ceremony for more notably inventive efforts.
Vermont
Vermont Varsity Insider: High school boys basketball power rankings (Feb. 10)
Burlington and Montpelier continue to motor along, making their claims atop the Varsity Insider high school boys basketball power rankings undisputable.
But how did the rest of the top 10 shake out? Read on below.
Enjoy!
The rankings (through 2/10):
1. Burlington High School
Record: 15-1
Feb. 3 ranking: 1
▶ Burlington’s two wins last week included a season-high 95 points in its rout at BFA-St. Albans.
2. Montpelier High School
Record: 16-1
Feb. 3 ranking: 2
▶ Last week, Carson Cody, on this week’s athlete of the week ballot, became the program’s all-time leading scorer and, in the same game, Carter Bruzzese reached 1,000 career points. The good times keep rolling for the Solons, winners of 15 in a row.
3. Rice Memorial High School
Record: 12-3
Feb. 3 ranking: 3
▶ Rice lost at Albany Academy (N.Y.) on Saturday, but that defeat won’t hurt its position in the top 10. Rice hosts Champlain Valley on Tuesday.
4. South Burlington High School
Record: 10-6
Feb. 3 ranking: 4
▶ South Burlington has not played since the Feb. 3 power rankings. The Wolves continue a three-game road trip this week (at Essex and St. Johnsbury).
5. St. Johnsbury Academy
Record: 11-4
Feb. 3 ranking: 5
▶ Like South Burlington, St. Johnsbury also has not resumed action since last week’s rankings. But the Hilltoppers have a big week upcoming: vs. South Burlington and Rice.
6. Hartford High School
Record: 13-3
Feb. 3 ranking: 6
▶ Riding a five-game winning streak, Hartford is ready for one of its biggest challenges of the season: A home game vs. Fair Haven on Tuesday (see Games to Watch below).
7. Fair Haven Union High School
Record: 11-4
Feb. 3 ranking: 10
▶ Power forward Phil Bean, on this week’s boys athlete of the week ballot, has helped the Slaters build a five-game winning streak, highlighted by last week’s 56-50 home decision over Rutland.
8. Rutland High School
Record: 11-5
Feb. 3 ranking: 7
▶ Rutland rebounded from the Fair Haven defeat with a resounding, 62-37 win over Burr and Burton on Monday night.
9. Mount Mansfield Union High School
Record: 9-6
Feb. 3 ranking: 8
▶ The Cougars were another team affected by Thursday’s postponements due to weather and will resume their slate Tuesday vs. St. Johnsbury.
10. White River Valley High School
Record: 16-0
Feb. 3 ranking: 9
▶ The Wildcats torched Twin Valley for a season-high 105 points and also toppled Woodstock 59-41.
On the bubble
Harwood, Hazen, Otter Valley, West Rutland.
Games to watch
St. Johnsbury at Mount Mansfield, 7 p.m. Tuesday: St. Johnsbury won the first matchup 68-51.
Fair Haven at Hartford, 7 p.m. Tuesday: A heavyweight showdown between two Division II title contenders.
South Burlington at St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. Thursday: The Wolves took Round 1 vs SJA, a 59-48 win last month.
West Rutland at White River Valley, 2:30 p.m. Saturday: West Rutland will likely bring a nine-game winning streak into town vs undefeated White River Valley.
Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.
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