Vermont

White House’s mixed messages on federal funding spark more uncertainty for Vermont officials – VTDigger

Published

4 months ago

January 29, 2025

White House’s mixed messages on federal funding spark more uncertainty for Vermont officials – VTDigger

Mike Pieciak and Charity Clark. Photos by Natalie Williams/VTDigger

President Donald Trump’s administration sent conflicting signals Wednesday over whether, or to what extent, the president’s plans to freeze vast swaths of federal funding were still in effect.

Meanwhile, in Vermont, uncertainty over the impacts of those plans was on full display at a meeting of a task force co-chaired by state Treasurer Mike Pieciak, which Pieciak set up earlier this month to assess the downstream impacts of Trump’s sweeping policy changes.

And Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark, who joined her counterparts in 22 other states in a lawsuit challenging Trump’s plans, said in a statement Wednesday that a second federal judge was leaning toward issuing a decision in that case to block the proposal in the coming days.

News broke that the Trump administration had rescinded an order freezing federal funding — which set off a wave of chaos in state governments and other organizations on Tuesday — just hours before Wednesday’s task force meeting in Vermont focused on the same topic.

But Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, posted on X later on Wednesday that even with the order rescinded, a “federal funding freeze” would still “be rigorously implemented.”

The initial order, from the federal Office of Management and Budget, directed agencies to “temporarily pause” all financial assistance “and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by (Trump’s) executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.”

It was set to take effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday, but a decision — in a case separate to Vermont and the other states’ — by Judge Loren AliKhan of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is set to delay implementation until at least Feb. 3.

In Clark’s case, which was filed in federal court in Rhode Island, a judge said Wednesday that he was “inclined” to grant the states’ request to block Trump’s order, at least temporarily, and seemed “receptive” to their arguments, Clark said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Clark said the judge has asked the states to prepare a proposed order, “which is common practice,” after which the federal government will have 24 hours to review that order.

“We should know more in the coming days,” Clark said in an email. “I want to reassure Vermonters we will not stop fighting until federal funding is restored.”

Several members of the Vermont task force said they’d heard widespread anxiety this week from leaders of nonprofits and other organizations in the state about the potential impacts of losing some, if not all, of their federal funding. Exactly what areas and which grant programs the spending pause would apply to has been unclear.

On Tuesday afternoon, Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the pause would not extend to “Social Security benefits, Medicare benefits, food stamps, welfare benefits, assistance that is going directly to individuals.” It also would not apply to student loans or Pell grants, according to The New York Times.

“I’ve received calls, texts, emails of panic from direct service providers, from legislators — from all kinds,” said Sue Minter, who co-chairs the task force with Pieciak, at Wednesday’s meeting. The last two days, the treasurer noted, have been “very chaotic.”

Pieciak said that the possibility of a federal funding freeze — combined with Trump’s recent suggestion that he could do away with the Federal Emergency Management Agency — has also prompted his office to consider creating a new state reserve fund to support natural disaster recovery.

The state already has seven reserve funds that support government operations in its general fund, transportation fund and education fund. The new reserve fund could be created without the Legislature’s input, Pieciak said, though he’s also considering including the proposal in an omnibus treasury bill to be introduced this year.

The task force on Trump’s administration is set to workshop the proposal further, members said Wednesday.

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Vermont

The 7 Best Vermont Events This Week: June 11-18, 2025 | Seven Days

Published

13 hours ago

June 10, 2025

Press Room

The 7 Best Vermont Events This Week: June 11-18, 2025 | Seven Days

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Courtesy of Emmett Francois
Strawberry Festival

We’re Jammin’

Sunday 15

The annual Strawberry Festival at Middletown Springs Historical Society continues a half-century of sweet summer tradition. Fruit lovers revel in a craft fair of local artisans’ wares, acoustic tunes, kids’ activities and a quilt exhibit. Berries by the quart and decadent shortcake made with fresh fruit,homemade biscuits, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream make a lip-smacking grand finale.

Get Out and Play

Saturday 14 & Sunday 15

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The Island Farm Nature Trail at Burton Island State Park - FILE: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

File: Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
The Island Farm Nature Trail at Burton Island State Park

Vermont Days welcomes residents and tourists of all ages for a weekend of free access to state parks, historical sites and museums across the Green Mountain State. Early summer vibes reach new heights with lakeside lounging in beach chairs or a pastoral mid-hike picnic at the peak. If angling is more your speed, Saturday’s glorious Free Fishing Day makes waves with lifted license requirements.

Swamp Things

Friday 13

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Wilson Savoy of Pine Leaf Boys - COURTESY OF CARL ABERNATHY

Courtesy of Carl Abernathy
Wilson Savoy of Pine Leaf Boys

Friday the 13th generally bodes superstition, but there’s nothing to fear when the bayou comes to Burlington for a High Country Boil at Hotel Vermont. Southern spice meets Northern attitude at this twisty take on a traditional Cajun meal, accompanied by two-step dance lessons, local brews and live music by Louisiana’s Pine Leaf Boys — bringing a unique blend of zydeco, swamp-pop and soul to Yankee ears.

If It Ain’t Brogue

Saturday 14

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Vermont Highland Games - © RYAN STEVENSON | DREAMSTIME

© Ryan Stevenson | Dreamstime
Vermont Highland Games

The Vermont Institute of Celtic Arts invites clans clad in flannel and tartans to Greensboro for the Vermont Highland Games at Highland Center for the Arts. Folks explore their heritage — or learn about others’ — with myriad music performances, cultural demos and seminars throughout the day. Gleeful guests try everything from Gaelic to step dancing and show their strength in a rousing tug-of-war.

Free to Be You and Me

Ongoing

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"6.34 AM Primavera" by Christina Lucia Giuffrida - COURTESY

Courtesy
“6.34 AM Primavera” by Christina Lucia Giuffrida

Hexum Gallery exhibits resplendent works by 21 LGBTQ+ artists from across the country at the “Family Jewels” group show in Montpelier. Connoting a bit more than just jewelry, the cheeky title alludes to the gallery’s playful-yet-elegant curation of paintings, drawings and mixed media, where unabashed queer joy, imagination and the importance of chosen family permeate the space.

Field of Dreams

Sunday 15

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Father's Day "Base Ball" - COURTESY

Courtesy
Father’s Day “Base Ball”

Batter up! Families hit it out of the park when they cheer Dad on at Billings Farm & Museum’s Father’s Day “Base Ball” in Woodstock. A friendly, historic game — adhering to the sport’s 1860 rules — awaits players (not just dads), replete with wood-shaving baselines, straw-filled canvas bases, and metal home and pitcher plates. Ash bat reproductions and bare-handed fielders complete the theme.

Tea’s Company

Sunday 15

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Afternoon Tea & Tea Etiquette Talk - © RUTH BLACK | DREAMSTIME

© Ruth Black | Dreamstime
Afternoon Tea & Tea Etiquette Talk

Patrons enjoy a proper partea at the Afternoon Tea & Tea Etiquette Talk at the Governor’s House in Hyde Park. The elegant inn affords an ideal backdrop as fancy folks lift pinkies and dig into a full English spread, while questions about quaffing quandaries — milk first or last? — are answered. Now, go forth and host that formal steep sesh you’ve always dreamed of!

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Vermont

Help VTDigger investigate Vermont’s affordability crisis – VTDigger

Published

1 day ago

June 10, 2025

Press Room

Help VTDigger investigate Vermont’s affordability crisis – VTDigger

Dear Reader,

Vermonters are facing a growing affordability crisis. From housing and health care to child care and groceries, many people are struggling to keep up.

These pressures affect communities in every corner of the state.

That’s why VTDigger is launching a new reporting beat focused on wealth, poverty and economic opportunity in Vermont. This beat will dig into the root causes of economic hardship, examine the systems meant to offer support and elevate the stories of Vermonters navigating these challenges every day.

Thanks to our partnership with Report for America, we have secured partial funding for the role. Now, we’re asking our readers to help us close the gap and bring this position to life.

In order to launch this beat, we need to raise $50,000. A generous Vermont donor will match all gifts made before Saturday, June 14. Will you be one of the readers who makes this new beat possible?

Why this work matters now

Vermont has long depended on imported wealth to sustain its economy, but is this model still working?

This new reporter will explore the challenges and opportunities facing different communities. From rural poverty and housing insecurity to the impacts of demographic shifts sparked by the pandemic, this beat will cover a broad range of topics including:

Root causes of Vermont’s affordability crisis
The experiences of Vermonters most affected by economic challenges
Regional disparities and areas for change
Gaps in state services and nonprofit safety nets
How economic policy affects Vermonters differently depending on geography, age and background

This beat will help ensure that policy conversations are grounded in reality, informed by evidence and inclusive of the full range of Vermonters’ experiences.

Backed by Report for America and readers like you

VTDigger is honored to be selected as a host newsroom by Report for America, a nonprofit journalism service program that places talented reporters in local newsrooms to cover underreported topics. The program covers a portion of the reporter’s salary, but requires that the remainder come from community support.

Unlike some chain-owned commercial media, VTDigger is a nonprofit news organization that does not charge subscriptions to read our work — so readers from all economic backgrounds have access to the information they need. But, we can only hire and sustain our team with our readers’ support. We don’t receive federal funding, and every dollar we raise, we put into fulfilling our mission.

You can help us close the gap and launch this vital work. If you value fact-based reporting that explains complex issues, amplifies unheard voices and holds power to account, please consider making a donation.

Your support — whether $15 or $500 — will be doubled and help us launch this beat with care, accuracy and a community mandate.

Thank you for your readership and support.

Sincerely,