Vermont

Vermont mixologists serve up ways to make avoiding alcohol more fun, attainable

Published

2 years ago

January 13, 2024

Vermont mixologists serve up ways to make avoiding alcohol more fun, attainable

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – New year, new resolutions, and for some – that means going on a health and wellness journey.

Some people are taking the initiative to cut alcohol out of their lives. Mixologist with alcohol-free bar Tonique Lisa Danforth tries to help make it easier for people to meet those goals.

“Interestingly when covid hit and I was by myself — I started playing around with a bunch of things,” Danforth said.

“And I just started playing with syrups and shrubs just to entertain myself and really got into it, it was super exciting there were so many different things that you can make and have just been exploring ever since and a friend of mine,” she said.

And she says with Dry January underway, it’s exciting to see people learn more about these alcohol-free drinks.

“It’s been great, especially with Dry January, the holidays were a lot of fun,” Danforth said.

“One of my favorite parts is just watching people come in helping them shift their perspective,” Danforth said.

Her goal is to bring awareness to drinks like these and have them be more readily accessible throughout the Green Mountain State.

“There is no alcohol-free bottle shop in Vermont so to be able to bring this around — I do want to start bringing it around the state to make it more an accessible to people,” she said.

She hosts pop-ups to bring her creations to more people.

And as people are working on their mental health – she finds cutting alcohol becoming more common.

“But today there’s so much available and I see people get excited and grabbing a couple of things to bring home so they can have that ritual,” Danforth said.

And for some – making these choices can be scary. But Danforth is working on making a safe environment for those who want to limit their alcohol consumption or cut it out completely.

“Creating a more inclusive community where people feel comfortable to make choices that are in alignment with their goals and what they want to do,” Danforth said.

Lindsey Carter helped create Guinep which is a non-alcoholic cocktail made with 70 deep ocean minerals instead of alcohol and flavored with the essence of the Caribbean Guinep fruit. The drink has no sugar, calories, and nothing artificial.

“Looking for a cocktail that had no alcohol but a lot of flavor and really healthy ingredients so than rather than going to a bar and asking for a soda or a juice something high calorie wanted something that’s like really craveable and really taste worthy and had a functional ingredient, so we began developing last year Guinep,” Carter said.

The next pop up will be on Saturday, January 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the soda plant.

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Vermont

Unemployment claims in Vermont increased last week

Published

11 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Unemployment claims in Vermont increased last week

Staff reports
| USA TODAY Network

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Vermont rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 375 in the week ending February 21, up from 357 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 212,000 last week, up 4,000 claims from 208,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 132.0%. Michigan, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 49.9%.

USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.

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Vermont

Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Thursday, Feb. 26

Published

23 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Thursday, Feb. 26

The 2025-2026 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.

TO REPORT SCORES

Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.

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

▶ Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.

THURSDAY’S H.S. GAMES (REGULAR SEASON)

Boys basketball

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Peoples at North Country, 6:30 p.m.

Northfield at Stowe

Hazen at U-32

Oxbow at BFA-Fairfax

Winooski at Middlebury

Watch Vermont high school games on NFHS Network

Mount Mansfield at South Burlington

Essex at St. Johnsbury

BFA-St. Albans at Colchester

Lamoille at Spaulding

Lyndon at Harwood

Williamstown at Twinfield/Cabot

Rice at Champlain Valley

Randolph at Montpelier

Lake Region at Thetford

(Subject to change)

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Vermont

Vermont seasonal snowfall ranks high despite missing out on the Blizzard of 2026

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Vermont seasonal snowfall ranks high despite missing out on the Blizzard of 2026

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The historic ‘Blizzard of 2026′ brought a winter’s worth of snowfall to Southern New England, especially Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts area. Both states including New Jersey had snowfall totals that surpassed each respective state’s 24-hour snowfall record. Vermont on the other hand, too far north of the storm only received a fraction of the amount of snow.

HIGHEST SNOWFALL REPORTS BY STATE FROM BLIZZARD 2026:

RHODE ISLAND 37.9″ (Warwick)
MASSACHUSETTS 37.0″ (Bliss Corner)
NEW YORK 31.0″ (Central Islip)
CONNECTICUT 30.8″ (North Stonington)
NEW JERSEY 30.7″ (Lyndhurst)
PENNSYLVANIA 22.1″ (Langhorne)
DELAWARE 21″ (Long Neck)
MARYLAND 16″ (Bishopville)
VIRGINIA 15″ (Wintergreen)
MAINE 12″ (Trescott)
NEW HAMPSHIRE 9.8″ (Barrington)
VERMONT 6.8″ (Readsboro)

In northern Vermont, Burlington only received a few flakes from this historic nor’easter. Despite that, Burlington’s seasonal snowfall to date still ranks in the top ten across the eastern United States.

Current seasonal snowfall total rankings in the Eastern United States as of February 24th, 2026: