All articles tagged with #vermont
A 24-year-old Winooski man, Hassan Haji, surrendered to police and faces a second-degree murder charge in the downtown Burlington stabbing that killed 24-year-old Deng Dau. Investigators tied Haji to the scene using surveillance video and blood evidence; he pled not guilty and is held without bail ahead of a weight-of-evidence hearing set for Aug. 27.
Police say 24-year-old Hassan Haji surrendered to police and faces a second-degree murder charge after a deadly downtown Burlington stabbing that killed Deng Dau, 24. Investigators say the trio—Haji, Dau, and Shuaib Mohamud, 22—were involved in a fight behind Courthouse Plaza on Main Street; Haji stabbed Dau once in the groin, and Dau died at the hospital. Haji is held without bail awaiting a weight-of-evidence hearing on Aug. 27.
Amanda Janoo, a 38-year-old economist and former UN analyst, won Vermont's Democratic gubernatorial primary, defeating Aly Richards by about 2.7 percentage points with 97% of votes tallied. A political outsider with a progressive reform agenda—including universal primary care funded by a high-earner surcharge and higher taxes on second homes and short-term rentals—Janoo now faces incumbent Republican Phil Scott in the general election.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun vaccinating wildlife along Vermont’s northern border to combat a spike in rabies cases, driven by expanding raccoon populations. About one million vaccine baits are being air-dropped from the border to just south of Burlington, with different methods for rural versus urban areas, in a bid to contain the outbreak while residents are advised on bait safety and pet protection.
A solar-powered home on 52.6 acres in Tunbridge, Vermont, designed for energy efficiency and privacy, is on the market for $595,000. The property features elm kitchen countertops, a wide glass slider with mountain views, a primary bedroom with a barn-door wardrobe, a vintage clawfoot tub in the bath, and an on-site studio that mirrors the home’s design near the historic Cilley Covered Bridge.
Ben & Jerry’s Foundation will shut down at year’s end after its corporate parent Magnum/Unilever cut funding and evicted staff following an independent audit flagging governance and conflicts-of-interest concerns. The foundation, which yearly grants about $600,000 to Vermont groups and has supported social‑justice causes for 40 years, is part of an ongoing SDNY lawsuit over whether the parent had authority to reshape governance and withhold funding. Magnum alleges the trustees ignored audit findings, while advocates say the move jeopardizes the foundation’s mission and the communities it serves, with no endowment and reliance on annual funding complicating the path forward.
Vermont is seeing a rising Lyme disease risk as ticks expand northward and stay active longer, influenced by climate change and increased outdoor recreation. State surveillance has collected about 25,000 ticks over a decade, with 51% of tested deer ticks positive for Lyme from 2020–2024; in 2025 Vermont reported 2,246 Lyme cases, the second-highest rate in the U.S. Prevention tips include permethrin-treated clothing, checking and showering after outdoor time, and consulting a clinician about antibiotics after a bite. Vermonters can mail ticks for free identification, and Alpha-gal syndrome is rare in the state.
UVM Health Network cut 142 positions across its Vermont and New York hospitals and hospice system, largely administrative; 76 roles were eliminated and 66 reclassified as new or updated positions, in a move that officials say will save about $9.5 million annually as the system faces budget pressures and seeks cost reductions. Some unionized roles, including lab technicians and patient-support staff, were affected, with leadership indicating clinical changes will be phased to minimize disruption while streamlining administration.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced he is running for a sixth two-year term, maintaining strong popularity (roughly 74% approval) and filing his candidacy at the Secretary of State’s Office. He’s unlikely to face a competitive Republican primary, while Democrats Aly Richards and Amanda Janoo have announced challengers for the general election. Scott emphasizes affordability, economic growth, and education reform, and continues disputes with the state employees union, all while framing himself as independent from national party politics.
Vermont becomes the first U.S. state to ban the herbicide paraquat, citing NIH-linked research that exposure raises Parkinson’s disease risk; the law takes effect on November 1 but allows state regulators to issue special permits through December 31, 2030 for use on certain fruit crops. It requires annual reporting of paraquat use and funds a state study on alternatives. While some lawmakers worry about farmers’ competitiveness, supporters say the health risks justify action, and other states are weighing similar bans amid ongoing lawsuits against the chemical.
A Massachusetts acupuncturist, Janette MacAusland, 49, is charged with two counts of murder after allegedly killing her two young children during a custody dispute amid a messy divorce. She reportedly told police at her aunt’s Vermont home that she strangled Kai (7) and Ella (6) and had attempted to kill herself; authorities then found the children dead inside their Wellesley home. MacAusland fled to Vermont and faces a fugitive-from-justice charge as extradition proceedings begin. The couple had been engaged in a custody battle since last October, with a guardian appointed days before the slayings; neighbors and the babysitter described the children as well cared for."
THR’s track-by-track dive into Noah Kahan’s fourth album The Great Divide traces how fame reshapes his relationships and his Vermont home, pairing expansive tracks (End of August, The Great Divide, All Them Horses) with extended editions, and showing growth beyond Stick Season while keeping his folk-pop sensibility. Produced with Aaron Dessner and Gabe Simon, the collection explores longing, nostalgia, and the toll of touring across 17-plus tracks.
A 43-year-old Cory Hartman of Hampton, NH died after a fall on Stein's Run at Sugarbush Resort in Vermont; police say the incident was not suspicious. A fundraiser has raised over $115,000 for his wife and three daughters, with visiting hours planned in Hampton.
Federal immigration agents executed an arrest at a Dorset Street home in South Burlington after a day-long standoff with hundreds of protesters; three people were removed from inside the residence as demonstrators linked arms, blocked entrances, and clashes with police occurred. Tear gas and flash bangs were used to disperse the crowd. The target, Deyvi Daniel Corona-Sanchez, a Mexican national who had been removed in 2022 and reentered, was not in the house when agents entered, officials later said. Vermont State Police and local officers assisted; activists criticized the action as terrorizing a family, while authorities emphasized safety and noted the operation was conducted by federal agents.
Federal ICE agents attempted to arrest Deyvi Daniel Corona-Sanchez in South Burlington, but the man was not in the home and was not arrested; three others were detained on unrelated charges after a daylong standoff that drew protesters, and a 3-year-old child was removed earlier. Authorities say faulty surveillance led to misidentification and detentions of bystanders; Corona-Sanchez remains at large. Vermont police criticized how the operation was handled.