Recent statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Protection have raised alarms regarding a decline in Canadian tourism in Vermont and northern New York during the summer. The data indicates that the number of passenger vehicles crossing land borders in Vermont decreased by over 35% year-on-year in July 2025. Businesses and hotels have reported cancellations from Canadian tour groups, with the autumn tourism season approaching. Gov. Phil Scott remains optimistic about the revenue that fall foliage will generate for Vermont. On Wednesday, Scott noted that state parks still experienced high attendance, despite the decline in Canadian visitors. “In some respects, it’s been tough because of the Canadian market,” Scott remarked. “Seeing the numbers at the state parks has given me hope.” He mentioned that visitation at Vermont State Parks this past summer surpassed last year’s figures, likely due to increased domestic travel. He said “I believe we will attract some new visitors throughout the region, particularly in the Northeast,”. Vermont continues to value its relationship with Canada. The state’s commerce secretary has announced plans to host a delegation next month in the Northeast Kingdom to mend ties with Quebec neighbors. Scott expressed hope that businesses will experience a consistent turnout.
U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s unlawful attempt to dismiss Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook: “President Trump’s illegal effort to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook constitutes an assault on the autonomy of our central bank. The Federal Reserve Board is intentionally shielded from political influences; the president’s meddling represents a clear and unlawful overreach of power, and the judiciary must intervene. Undermining the independence of our central bank threatens the very foundation of our economic system. This action will further escalate expenses for working families, complicate the process of purchasing a home or launching a small business, and jeopardize the retirement savings of millions of Americans.
On the first day of school, bus drivers and monitors persistently urged the transportation company to “return to the negotiating table.” On Wednesday, they gathered outside Brattleboro Union High School, holding signs that conveyed this message. Windham Southeast Superintendent Mark Speno stated that he communicated with the school community on Tuesday morning, “recognizing the concerns and the anxiety that individuals are experiencing due to the lack of a negotiated agreement between our bus drivers and the bus company at this time.” “Additionally, I can inform you that negotiations are currently in progress,” Speno remarked to the Windham Southeast School District Board on Tuesday. “They are not at a standstill …” In the absence of an agreement, Speno indicated that “replacement drivers” would be operating the bus routes without incurring extra costs for the district. “They traversed the roads yesterday afternoon,” he mentioned during the board meeting on Tuesday. “I have reservations about replacement drivers, but I am pleased that they are available.”
On Saturday, August 23rd, around 7:00 p.m., NH Fish and Game received a report of an ATV accident in Fitzwilliam. Conservation Officers, along with Fitzwilliam Fire, Fitzwilliam Police, Troy Fire, Richmond Fire, Cheshire County Ambulance, and UMass Life Flight, responded to the incident. The operator, Daniel Pratt, 57, from Fitzwilliam, was riding an ATV with one adult male passenger. While on a dirt driveway, the passenger fell from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries. He was taken by Fitzwilliam ambulance to a UMass Life Flight helicopter and subsequently flown to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, for treatment. Pratt faces charges of Aggravated DWI and is scheduled for arraignment at Jaffrey District Court on September 3. The investigation into the crash’s cause is ongoing, with alcohol and unsafe riding practices suspected as contributing factors. No additional information is available at this time.
Authorities are conducting an investigation following the receipt of threatening letters by multiple synagogues in Vermont. According to the Vermont State Police, there is no credible threat at this time. Various Jewish organizations across the United States have also received similar letters, the contents of which remain unclear. Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak described the letters as an act of hate and profoundly troubling. Governor Phil Scott supported this sentiment, asserting that such behavior must not be tolerated. “We should not accept any form of anti-Semitism. We are increasingly concerned about this issue on a national level,” the governor remarked. The exact number of letters sent and their origins are still unknown. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has acknowledged the situation and is actively investigating the matter.
WTSA SPORTS FOR FRIDAY AUGUST 29th 2025
REDSOX TOOK 4 GAMES FROM THE ORIOLES DEFEATING BALTIMORE LAST NIGHT 3 – 2. REDSOX ARE BACK AT FENWAY TONIGHT TO START A 3 GAME SERIES WITH THE PIRATES, FIRST PITCH AT 7:10PM
YANKEES DEFEATED THE WHITE SOX LAST NIGHT 10 – 4 GAME 2 OF THEIR 4 GAME SET IS TONIGHT AT 7:40PM.
NASCAR CUP SERIES THIS SUNDAY ITS THE COOKOUT SOUTHERN 500 AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, RACE TIME SUNDAY AT 6PM ON USA NETWORK
WEEK 1 OF THE NFL STARTS UP ON THURSDAY SEPT 4TH WITH THE COWBOYS AND EAGLES.