The governor signed a bill on Thursday that will reduce medical debt for thousands of low-income Vermonters, utilizing one-time funding of one million dollars to eliminate 100 million dollars in debt for approximately 600,000 individuals. However, he expressed concerns in a letter to lawmakers regarding future funding and the potential disincentive for repayments.
The University of Vermont is preparing for graduation weekend, with 2,992 students set to receive their bachelor’s degrees. The undergraduate commencement will occur on Sunday from 9 to 11 a.m. on the University Green, featuring speaker James Betts, a pediatric surgeon and former Olympic Team Physician. Additional ceremonies for graduate students and other colleges will also be held throughout the weekend, including events at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction for the first time.
A Massachusetts immigration judge has ordered the release of Diblaim Maximo Sargento-Morales, a migrant worker detained at a Vermont farm last month, on a $1,500 bond. Migrant Justice reports he is expected to return to Vermont soon. He was among nine farmworkers encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Pleasant Valley Farm on April 21 while investigating suspicious activity near the border. The farm’s owners maintain that the workers were hired in compliance with state and federal regulations.
The Trump administration has terminated funding for digital access support in our region. The $5.3 million Digital Equity Capacity Grant, which assists older, disabled, low-income, rural, veteran, minority, and incarcerated Vermonters in accessing the internet, was canceled last Friday by the Vermont Community Broadband Board. This decision could affect over 95 percent of Vermonters, as the federal letter cited the program’s unconstitutionality due to ‘racial preferences.’ The VCBB is currently exploring next steps.
The Bennington Battle Monument, the first of six Vermont state historic sites, opens for the season on Friday, with additional sites including Chimney Point, Hartsborough Battlefield, Mount Independence, and the Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site opening next Friday, and the President Chester Arthur State Historic Site opening on Saturday, May 24. These sites offer a variety of family-friendly events, including re-enactments and hiking.
WTSA SPORTS FORÂ SATURDAY MAY 17th 2025
THE KNICKS ELIMINATED THE CELTICS LAST NIGHT 119 – 81 NY WINS 4 GAMES TO 2
THE BRAVES BEAT THE REDSOX YESTERDAY 4 – 2. GAME 2 OF THEIR 3 GAME SERIES IS TONIGHT AT FENWAY AT 7:10PM FIRST PITCH
THE YANKEES BEAT THE METS YESTERDAY 6 -2. GAME 2 OF THEIR 3 GAME SERIES IS THIS AFTERNOON AT 1:05PM
NASCAR CUP SERIES THIS SUNDAY, ITS THE NASCAR ALL-STAR OPEN IN NORTH CAROLINA, 100 LAPS, RACE TIME AT 5:30PM
THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP RUNS THIS WEEKEND AT THE QUAIL HOLLOW GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB IN NORTH CAROLINA