Vermont

VTDigger joins forces with FRONTLINE to investigate the aftermath of Vermont’s severe flooding – VTDigger

Published

5 months ago

November 13, 2025

VTDigger joins forces with FRONTLINE to investigate the aftermath of Vermont’s severe flooding – VTDigger

A crew from Colchester Technical Rescue takes a boat down flooded Main Street in Montpelier on July 11, 2023. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

FRONTLINE, PBS’s investigative documentary series produced at GBH in Boston, has selected VTDigger for a yearlong reporting partnership to examine the aftermath of Vermont’s severe flooding and the federal government’s shifting response to natural disasters.

Emma Cotton, who has served as VTDigger’s environmental reporter before becoming a senior editor, will lead the project’s reporting. Her work, as part of FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative, will investigate how this extreme weather has affected our residents, housing situation, farms, businesses and landscape.

“Our goal will be to investigate why some Vermont communities are struggling to recover from the floods and how they could be better supported in getting back on their feet,” said Geeta Anand, VTDigger’s editor-in-chief. “We will do this in conversation with people in these communities so that our reporting is deeply informed by those most affected by the floods.”

VTDigger is one of seven newsrooms selected for FRONTLINE’s Journalism Initiative. Digger will team up with Blue Ridge Public Radio and The Texas Newsroom (the collaboration among NPR stations in the state), providing in-depth coverage of the impact and recovery efforts as we grapple with worsening weather and increased destruction.

“I’m so grateful to have FRONTLINE’s support, which enables us to dedicate a new level of resources to one of the most important stories in the state,” Cotton said. “I look forward to giving this story my complete attention over the next year, and I’m eager to connect with Vermonters across the state to understand how flooding has affected them and their communities.”

Vermont, long cast as a climate haven, is struggling to recover from back-to-back major flooding events, never mind prepare for the next ones. For each of the past three years, extreme flooding has taken place on the same day, July 10.

Small, rural towns, like those in southern Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom, have tiny, sometimes volunteer governments with limited capacity to plan for floods. Some of these towns are currently grappling with millions of dollars in debt — doubling their annual budgets in some instances.

“So many of us were personally affected by these floods — my road washed out two years in a row, and my former Montpelier business was destroyed in 2023,” said Sky Barsch, VTDigger’s CEO. “I know firsthand how vital it is to have deep, sustained reporting on what recovery entails. Under Geeta Anand’s leadership and with Emma Cotton’s excellent reporting, VTDigger is proud to partner with FRONTLINE to bring these stories to light.”

If flooding touched your home, business or town, please share your story (anonymous is OK) to help guide our reporting.

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Vermont

Wrong-way driver stopped on I-89, charged with DUI

Published

34 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Wrong-way driver stopped on I-89, charged with DUI

BOLTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A wrong-way driver was safely stopped on Interstate 89 overnight Sunday.

Vermont State Police say just before 12:30 a.m., they stopped the car near marker 77, near Bolton.

The driver, Denise Lear, 60, of Revere, was charged with driving under the influence and gross negligent operation.

Lear is expected in court Monday.

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Vermont

Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes

Published

13 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes

Score: UAlbany 4, Vermont 14

Location: Virtue Field | Burlington, Vt.

Records: UAlbany (10-5, 5-1 America East) | Vermont (8-6, 4-1 America East)

Short Story: UAlbany women’s lacrosse fell to the Vermont Catamounts on Saturday afternoon.

Key Stats

Grace Cincebox recorded a total of 14 saves with 13 goals allowed for a .565 save percentage.

Ravan Marsell led the Great Danes with two points on one goal and one assist.

Four different UAlbany players scored in the contest.

Reggie Williams was the team’s leader with three ground balls.

Delilah Mile caused a team high three turnovers.

How It Happened

The Catamounts came out of the gates hard and heavy, scoring all three goals between both sides in the first quarter.

Vermont would take an 8-0 lead in the second quarter before Amanda Williamson found the back of the net on a women-down goal to put the Great Danes on the board and make it 8-1.

The Great Danes would allow one more goal in the first half to trail 9-1 after 30-minutes of play.

Grace Cincebox would enter the half with 10 saves.

Riley Forthofer started the Great Danes off in the second half to make it a 9-2 game, before Vermont put up three more goals to take a 12-2 lead entering the final quarter of play.

Mya Carroll and Ravan Marsell both scored on back-to-back free-position goals to make it a 12-4 game.

The Catamounts finished the game with two more goals to take the win 14-4.

Up Next
The Great Danes will next have a bye week and wait to see the outcome of next week’s Vermont vs UMass Lowell game to see who will host the America East Tournament.

Social Central: Stay up to date with UAlbany women’s lacrosse by following the team on Instagram (@UAlbanyWLax), Facebook (UAlbany Women’s Lacrosse), and X (@UAlbanyWLax) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.

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Vermont

Vermont lands two cities in America’s top 15 happiest list

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Vermont lands two cities in America’s top 15 happiest list

Is creativity the missing key to better health?

Research suggests creative activities like art, music and crafts may benefit mental health as much as other key health habits.

Here’s another reason Vermont is the best New England state: It’s home to one of the top 5 happiest cities in the United States.

Plus, it has another within the top 15.

Massachusetts, on the other hand, doesn’t even break the top 50. Nor, does Connecticut or Rhode Island.

The personal finance website analyzed 182 of the largest cities in the country, and ranked Boston 63rd overall. Although the city is home to some of the nation’s top universities, high-ranking hospitals, and well-regarded companies, it didn’t break the top 50.

To get the rankings, WalletHub compared the cities using 29 metrics, including life-satisfaction index, depression rate, poverty rate, job security, and acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, and cities were assigned an overall happiness score.

Here’s a look at how the cities ranked.

South Burlington is No. 4 happiest city, Burlington is No. 11

South Burlington came on top for Vermont in WalletHub’s list of the happiest cities in the United States, ranking at No. 4. In scored very high for emotional and physical well-being coming in at the No. 4 spot, which made up for coming in No. 48 for community and environment. It was No. 9 for income and employment ranking. That gave it a total happiness of score of 70.15

Burlington wasn’t far behind at all, taking the No. 11 spot on the list and a happiness score of 67.54. It’s highest score was for income and employment ranking where it came second. It ranked No. 13 for community and environment and No. 21 for emotional and physical well-being.