It was in June 2024 that representatives from the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s Community Visit Program met with the select board to discuss a potential community visit. They said then they were in the process of selecting the next group of towns they planned to work with in the coming years. Towns invite the VRCD for the visits. Ultimately, Brandon decided to invite the group.

Essentially, a “community visit” is where VCRD facilitates a number of forums and meetings led by and for people in town to determine what projects or initiatives they want to undertake. VCRD will then help Brandon’s people create a plan to make those things happen and connect them with the resources they will need to see it through.

Since 2005, 40% of all U.S. newspapers have vanished, according to a report by Northwestern University. Like the Reporter, most have fallen victim to dwindling readership, less advertising revenue and rising printing costs.

In Brandon, however, the community decided it was not ready to give up their local news. Last September, Carey Bunker was one of around 60 people who attended a public meeting to save the Reporter. She said a small group continued meeting and they’re now responsible for publishing the Current online.

Ellen in East Calais: Never give a knife, scissors or any other blades as a gift because it can cut the relationship. It is alright to “sell” the item, so first you ask the recipient to give you a penny. Then you can exchange the knife for the coin.
When seeing someone off on a trip, It’s fine to wave them off, but never watch them disappear. Turn away before the bike, car, train, airplane, etc. would go out of sight.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is pleased to announce the Vermont winners of the 2025 Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest in partnership with Wildlife Forever.

The department received submissions from Vermont students in grades K-12. Participants selected a fish species found in Vermont waters and submitted an illustration and one-page creative essay on the species.

Though those pesky copper-colored coins remain in circulation, some businesses, both in Vermont and nationwide, have begun experiencing penny shortages.

Enter H.837. The bill outlines a plan that could allow retailers to phase out the penny by rounding up or down cash transactions to the nearest nickel.

Other states, including Arizona and Indiana, have passed rounding legislation, and a handful of others are considering it. As written, Vermont’s bill wouldn’t require rounding, a similar approach favored in other jurisdictions.