Two Vermont youth athletes were named to the National Brotherhood of Snowsports 2026 team roster, according to a community announcement from the organization.

Bronson Culver, a ski racer from South Londonderry who attends Burke Mountain Academy, and Chelsea Charles, a ski racer from Winhall who attends Stratton Mountain School, were selected for the roster.

Youth athletes on the team will be recognized at the organization’s 53rd summit Feb. 28 to March 8 at Keystone Resort in Colorado, according to the announcement.

The National Brotherhood of Snowsports is a national nonprofit representing the largest network of Black and Brown snowsports athletes in the U.S. across more than 60 ski and snowboard clubs.

The team serves as the organization’s national development team, providing athletes with financial support, coaching access, structured competitive tiers and a long-term pathway designed to help underrepresented competitors advance through regional, national and international levels of the sport, according to the announcement.

The team is primarily backed by a scholarship fund started in the late 1970s, which provides need-based assistance for training, travel, competition and equipment.

The fund remains one of the nation’s longest-running support systems for underrepresented athletes pursuing elite competition, according to the group. The org has supported more than 45 athletes who have gone on to compete across regional, collegiate, national, Paralympic and Olympic levels, according to the

• 74% of residents support the extension of the ACA subsidies, while 19% oppose.
• Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said that resurrecting the Affordable Care Act subsidies could depend on President Donald Trump in an interview with NPR Jan. 1.
• 92%, including majorities of all parties, disapprove of Congress’s handling of healthcare.

Most Vermont residents support extending the recently expired Obamacare subsidies, which were at the center of the government shutdown fight last year and continue to cause tension on Capitol Hill, according to a new poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

Democrats in Congress had refused to support a government funding bill that didn’t extend COVID-era subsidies for lower income Americans under the Affordable Care Act, leading to longest-ever government shutdown in October and November as GOP lawmakers would not extend the subsidies, citing reports of fraud and criticisms of Obamacare more broadly. The two sides ultimately came to a deal to reopen the government, and the subsidies expired at the end of 2025.

While the House voted to extend the subsidies in early January, the legislation is less likely to pass the Senate, which has previously voted against it. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said that resurrecting the Affordable Care Act subsidies could depend on President Donald Trump in an interview with NPR Jan. 1.

In Vermont, 74% of residents support the extension of the subsidies, while 19% oppose. This is divided along party lines, with 99% of Democrats in support and 62% of Republicans in opposition.

When asked about Obamacare in general, 55% of Vermont residents said they wanted to expand the law, including 79% of Democrats. 21% want to repeal the law entirely, including 72% of Republicans.

73% disapprove of how President Donald Trump has handled healthcare, but more disapprove of how Congress has handled the issue. 92%, including majorities of all parties, disapprove of Congress’s handling of healthcare.

The Green Mountain State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by UNH Survey Center and released Jan. 26, surveyed 765 Vermont residents online from Jan. 15 – 19. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.5%.

Do Vermonters support a “single-payer” health care plan?

A plurality (70%) of Vermont residents would support a national single-payer health care plan, the poll revealed.

A single-payer system is where all Americans would get insurance from a single government plan. It’s often championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who calls his plan “Medicare for all.”

Support for the plan is divided by party: 92% of Democrats support, while 61% of Republicans oppose. Those with a higher household income are also more likely to support the idea.

How healthy are Vermonters?

In the poll, most Vermonters said they were in either good (50%) or very good (34%) health.

However, nearly half (47%) of Vermont residents say that it is difficult to pay for their overall medical care expenses, and 67% said that overall medical costs have gone up in the past 12 months. Just 1% said they have declined.

Vermont high schoolers can use their creativity to promote safe driving through a video contest, according to a community announcement.

The announcement, from the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance, describes how this year’s contest challenges teens to create public service announcements that discourage distracted driving. The theme is “Focus Drives Your Future.”

The contest is open to students in grades 9-12, either individually or in teams of two. More than $2,500 in cash prizes will be awarded, and winning videos will be shared statewide through media and educational outreach, according to the announcement.

“Distracted driving continues to be one of the most dangerous behaviors on our roads, especially for young drivers,” said Diana Gugliotta, executive director of the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance. “This contest empowers teens to speak directly to their peers, using their own voices and creativity to influence real change and help prevent crashes, injuries and deaths.”

Students are encouraged to address distractions such as using phones to text, check social media or adjust music or GPS maps, along with distractions from passengers, eating or drinking, grooming, pets or heightened emotions.

The videos must be 30, 45 or 60 seconds long and comply with Vermont traffic laws. Videos may not depict distracted driving, include brand logos or use copyrighted material without permission. Participants must reside in Vermont or be enrolled in a Vermont public or private high school, homeschool program or eligible New Hampshire cross-border school.

Thanks to sponsorship from AAA Northern New England, Co-operative Insurance Companies, the Vermont Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association, Yankee Driving School, Westside Driving and the Vermont Construction Association, prizes include: