Burlington Free Press
RARE SIGHTS AND BOUNTIFUL BIRDS
Follow Burlington’s bike path far enough north, and you’ll find a bridge arcing over where the Winooski River pours into Lake Champlain. From up there on the planks and through the trusses, you can spy a sandy beach ahead, crisscrossed with bleached...
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BEST OF THE NORTHEAST
Looking for a location for your next quiet getaway? You don’t have to leave the Green Mountain state. Vermont has two of the best small towns in the Northeast, according to a recent ranking from USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards. The...
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U.S.-Iran ceasefire on tenuous ground
President Donald Trump’s ceasefire with Iran was on tenuous ground on April 9 after Israel launched its deadliest day of strikes on Lebanon yet and Tehran vowed not to desert its allies. A day after announcing the Iran war ceasefire, Trump took to...
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The high cost of U.S. health care
In announcing its “Great Healthcare Plan” in January, the Trump administration became the latest in a long history of efforts by the U.S. government to rein in the soaring cost of health care. h As a physician and professor studying the intersection of...
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Dentists in Vermont on the rise with new clinic
A Detroit dental school is slated to open a clinic and educational program in Colchester early next year, with the promise that its students will serve thousands of Vermonters annually for about half the cost of a private practice dentist. The clinic...
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Cases of deadly disease raise alarm with doctors
A handful of children have been hospitalized for a potentially deadly bacterial infection, alarming some doctors about the possible return of a oncefeared contagious disease that vaccines tamed. Serious cases of Haemophilus influenzae type B, or Hib,...
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Public defender shortage ripples across legal system
The Oregon Supreme Court on Feb. 5 issued a ruling that will have a wide impact. More than 1,400 criminal cases had to be dismissed, the justices ruled, due to lack of adequate counsel available for defendants. Like other states, Oregon must provide...
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New vendors coming to Church Street Marketplace
Peruvian food, African crafts and wearable watercolor art — all cooked, crafted or created by Vermonters — will soon appear on Church Street. Three new cart vendors were approved by Church Street Marketplace officials for the promenade’s May 2026June...
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New graduates finding challenging job market
In 2025, new college graduates wanted remote, high-paying jobs that aligned with their values. In 2026, they just want a job. With 89% worrying artificial intelligence could replace entry-level roles – up from 64% last year – 67% of graduates now say...
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April arts events feature Nick Offerman, ‘Our Town’
April is the first full month of spring (yay!) and the month taxes are due (boo!). It’s also a bountiful month for the arts scene in Vermont. Picking the top 30 arts-and-entertainment events is kind of like picking the 30 prettiest daffodils blooming...
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Culinary top prize
A Burlington chef with a vegetableforward cuisine and a Brooklyn bartender who grew up in Vermont are advancing to the final round of the James Beard Awards, the top prize in the American restaurant scene. Vermont had a half-dozen semifinalists based...
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FBI: Synagogue attacker had ties to Hezbollah
The man who crashed an explosiveladen truck into a Michigan synagogue where scores of children were at day care acted as an operative of Hezbollah, the foreign terrorist organization based in Lebanon, federal officials said March 30. Ayman Mohamad...
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‘She is so talented’
Ivy Mix knew only small-town life growing up in Vermont. In 2003, she decided that needed to change. “I realized the world was a very big place,” she said recently. “I thought I might want to go someplace and see something.” She left for Guatemala to...
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BITES OF DELIGHTS
MANCHESTER — While other kids played outside during family gatherings, Tiara Adorno stayed indoors with grandma, helping her roll pasteles. She had a passion for food, and she’d pursue it years later in culinary school, then in the dining hubs of San...
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ICE raid triggers wave of complaints
The FBI is investigating “assaults perpetrated against” officers during the immigration raid that drew hundreds to a South Burlington street this month and has spurred sharp debate about local law enforcement, according to Burlington’s police...
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Trump delays strikes on Iran power plants
The Pentagon is weighing sending an additional 10,000 troops to the Middle East as the war with Iran rages, multiple news outlets reported. It remained unclear when a decision will be made on whether to send the additional combat soldiers, according...
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‘ Trump slump’ hit U.S. tourism in 2025
With an upcoming FIFA World Cup being staged across the nation, 2026 was supposed to be a bumper year for tourism to the United States, driven in part by hordes of arriving soccer fans. And yet, the U.S. tourism industry is worried. While the rest of...
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Treasures of Vermont’s music history in storage
Lauren Posklensky arrived in Burlington as a self-described sheltered teen from New Jersey who wanted to ease into the city’s music scene. “It was a little scary, honestly,” she said, especially for a shy and slight youth wary of strangers in...
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Mullin to lead DHS amid partial shutdown
WASHINGTON – With immigration hard-liner Markwayne Mullin scheduled to be sworn in as the head of the Department of Homeland Security on March 24, the pugilistic Oklahoma Republican senator is tasked with leading a critical federal agency that has been...
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‘WHERE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER’
Outstanding Restaurateur is to the James Beard Awards what Best Picture is to the Oscars, top of the crop. It’s devoted to people who run their establishments with integrity, creativity and building community in mind. Leslie McCrorey Wells is one of...
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Movement fights mental health crisis
Jayla Cole never experienced the carefree teenage years. She could not get a driver’s license because of epilepsy and frequent seizures. She didn’t want to take photos or selfies because Bell’s palsy left her with facial paralysis – a twisted smile...
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Chef Vogel gets James Beard nod
MONTPELIER — Max Vogel’s fascination with food stems from his inability to eat a whole lot of it as a kid. Growing up outside Baltimore with an array of allergies, he became intrigued by food in part because it was the forbidden fruit — literally, in...
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Troops deployed to Middle East region
Despite President Donald Trump’s promises of the war with Iran ending soon and broad domestic disapproval of further involvement, the United States is sending more troops to the region, a defense official said. The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit,...
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‘Theater really was a lifeline for me’
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — North- ern Stage’s upcoming production, “The Children,” tells the story of two retired scientists living in the aftermath of nuclear disaster. They are visited by an old friend, who arrives with a suggestion that stirs tumult in...
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Group hopes to reach more fans with new album
Nicole Nelson wasn’t seeking fame or fortune when she sang on “The Voice” in 2012. She appeared so her parents and grandparents could sit in the comfort of their homes and watch her perform — not to become, as another music-competition show puts it, an...
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U.S. intelligence official quits over war
The head of the National Counterterrorism Center resigned in protest over the Iran war as Israel said on March 17 it had killed Iran’s top intelligence official. Joe Kent, a conservative politician and decorated former Army Ranger and CIA...
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NASA sets launch date for mission around moon
After issues with the SLS rocket have been resolved, NASA teams have concluded they are “go” for the launch of the Artemis II mission and will send the crew of four astronauts around the moon in the coming weeks. The SLS rocket will roll out of the...
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The drive for better
ST. ALBANS — By his own admission, Adam Monette didn’t make a huge impression while growing up in Vermont. “I was just a terrible student in high school,” said Monette, whose family lived in Underhill, Winooski, Burlington and eventually Johnson, near...
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GLORIOUS VIEWS
If you’ve trekked between New York’s North Country and Vermont, you’ve likely passed Sand Bar State Park on your way through the Lake Champlain islands. h For a while I never knew its name, but the park always piqued my curiosity. Crossing from Milton...
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6 U.S. service members killed in plane crash
Six more U.S. service members were killed when their refueling aircraft crashed after a midair collision over western Iraq, officials said March 13, as the joint U.S.-Israeli war on Iran reached the two-week mark with few signs of slowing down. The...
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‘Not how we would do things’
South Burlington Police and Vermont State Police explained their presence at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest on Wednesday. “We understand we have neighbors who are very, very concerned and rightfully so,” said South Burlington Police...
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Burlington bartender up for a James Beard award
As a high-schooler, Kate Wise doled out soft drinks to spring-breakers at the Rusty Nail in Stowe, the liquor put away and a soda gun in hand. “I got to pour soda, and I loved it,” she said. She found fun in talking to strangers, too — “especially,”...
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Killington thriving under new ownership
Killington is still the Beast of the East. But the sprawling kingdom of snow in Central Vermont, with 1,509 skiable acres spread across six mountain peaks and 155 trails, is now firmly in local hands after the historic sale of the East’s biggest ski...
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View limited edition snowboard and guitars in Burlington
Burton Snowboards and Circle Strings are collaborating on a new project that combines music and snow sports. According to a community announcement, the two companies have released a set that includes an orchestra model-style acoustic guitar, a...
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New book shows journey to fastest-growing city in VT
What comes to mind when you think of South Burlington? For many Vermonters, it’s just “burger joints and hotels” on Shelburne and Williston roads, local author and amateur historian Bob Blanchard told the Burlington Free Press. “There’s a perception...
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READY FOR THE GAMES
The 2026 Winter Paralympics are almost here, and athletes from all over New England are getting ready to compete in Milano-Cortina. Team USA recently announced the official 2026 U.S. Paralympic Team, and 10 of the 72 chosen athletes are from New...
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Results from Chittenden County
Town Meeting Day on Tuesday was busy as always, as voters in Vermont decided on local and school budgets, among other issues. Here’s what happened: Huntington elects Selectboard members Voters in Huntington approved next year’s budget and elected a...
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VT’s oldest museum opened 150 years ago
Looking for a new museum to visit this winter? As a historic state with European settlements going all the way back to the 1600s, Vermont is home to many historical museums dedicated to preserving the state’s foundational role in United States...
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Love and lyrics
Caitlin Canty was giving her son a bath at her home in East Nashville when she started singing a song she was writing in her head. It had been eight years since she moved from Vermont, but the lyrics were very much rooted in the Green Mountains. She...
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Iranian Americans split over U.S. attacks
Military strikes in Iran have highlighted deep chasms between Iranian Americans seeking to overthrow the country’s government and others who wanted a peaceful resolution through negotiations. The United States and Israel launched military strikes and...
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Iran air strikes mark Trump’s biggest gamble
WASHINGTON – With his largescale attack on Iran, President Donald Trump has seized a legacy-defining moment to demonstrate his readiness to exercise raw U.S. military power. But in doing so, he is also taking the biggest foreign policy gamble of his...
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MARCH ARTS EVENTS
The first couple of months of the new year represent the leanest time for arts-and-entertainment events. Following the hectic holidays, the list of things to go to whittles down to maybe one a week or so that might really pique your interest. That...
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WINTER FUN
Looking for ways to enjoy the rest of the cold New England winter? While staying indoors often seems better than facing the cold, the region has lots of outdoor activities that brighten the winter season, including skiing, snow tubing and, of course,...
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‘We are a place for everybody’
Jitters Café is a trailblazer of sorts. When the restaurant and bar opened Dec. 23, it was one of the first businesses in the long-in-the-works Burlington Square development on Bank Street, joining the AC Hotel Burlington by Marriott. The start of...
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City Council unsure whether to accept statue
Burlington city councilors have pressed pause on accepting a statue donation from the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi after hearing concerns about the authenticity of Vermont’s four staterecognized tribes. City Council was set to vote on accepting the...
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Ex-ICE lawyer testifies to Congress
ICE supervisors are teaching “new cadets to violate the Constitution” amid President Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations, a former agency lawyer testified to members of Congress. “The ICE academy is deficient, defective, and broken,” former...
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Poll: 60% of Americans disapprove of Trump
Ahead of President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term, a new poll shows a majority of Americans disapprove of the president’s job performance, especially on inflation, tariffs and foreign policy. In a Washington...
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SAVING JERICHO
JERICHO — Residents here face a dilemma straight of a Hallmark movie: Their quaint, 200-year-old library needs hundreds of thousands of dollars in structural repairs within the next few years to stay open. The Jericho Town Library — a white and cozy...
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Chef went from a food truck to James Beard nod
Paul Trombly doesn’t cook to win awards. He cooks to share food with the neighborhood — specifically, the Old North End where his restaurant, Fancy’s, stands. Still, Trombly was floored to hear he’s a semifinalist for the best chef in the Northeast...
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Alleged trade leaks led to Andrew’s arrest
WASHINGTON – It wasn’t Jeffrey Epstein’s illicit past that led to the stunning arrest of Andrew MountbattenWindsor on Feb. 19. It was the alleged leak of confidential information from the former prince to the convicted sex offender while Andrew acted...
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STUDY: PLANET IS IN WATER BANKRUPTCY
The world is now using so much fresh water amid the consequences of climate change that it has entered an era of water bankruptcy, with many regions no longer able to bounce back from frequent water shortages. h About 4 billion people – nearly half...
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Students left class to protest ICE
Scores of South Burlington High School students walked out of their classes last Friday to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s ramped-up national operations, including in Vermont. Hundreds of teens took part in the Feb. 13 walkout in...
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Cozy family fun
Looking for a way to entertain the kids over February vacation? While most children look forward to the annual week-long break from school, finding things for them to do at home while the harsh New England winter rages on outside can be difficult....
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For most of the country, bitter cold likely ending
Folks in the central and eastern United States who’ve endured weeks of bitter cold and snow are wondering: Is winter over? Will the polar vortex come back? Are we safe from the worst of winter’s wrath? Experts have some good news. “The most intense...
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‘Vermont Firsts’ begins year of 250th fanfare
The Vermont Historical Society is kicking off a year of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States with an exhibit called “The Vermont Firsts Collection.” The display picks up where the last major American birthday bash, the...
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Eatery aims ‘to make lots of families happy’
WILLISTON — Spaghet, the new Italian-American eatery opened by Vermont restaurant mogul Jed Davis, was inspired in part by family lore. As the story goes, Davis’ parents spent one of their first dates in the late 1950s or early 1960s at a restaurant...
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Report: U.S. inflation ticked down in January
Inflation cooled a bit more than forecasters expected in January, with prices rising 2.4% from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Feb. 13. The report, which was delayed two days because of a brief government shutdown, revealed that inflation...
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Homan says Minnesota ICE operation will end
The Trump administration said it is ending the controversial immigration operation in Minnesota that sparked nationwide protests after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in January. White House border czar Tom Homan on Feb. 12 said he...
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Student informants spur academic freedom debate
Texas A&M University told philosophy professor Martin Peterson in early January that he could not teach some of Greek philosopher Plato’s writings that touch on “race and gender ideology.” The university’s local chapter of the American Association of...
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Fall in love with these arts events for Valentine’s Day
Romantic dinners out on the town for Valentine’s Day can be wonderful, of course, but they’re not the only option for appreciating your sweetie on the holiday of love. Why not indulge in another love, like, say, your love of the arts? Some of these...
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Education Dept. receives more funds
WASHINGTON – Over the past year, congressional Republicans have cheered on President Donald Trump’s quest to dismantle the Education Department. Yet those same lawmakers just reached a deal with Democrats to give what’s left of the agency more money –...
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Defying the curtain call
A Vermont theater company is bucking trends and expanding. Northern Stage has acquired a former Veterans of Foreign Wars post in White River Junction and plans to turn it into a facility for theater education and extra performances beyond its main...
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Restaurant perseveres through major setbacks
MILTON — Andrew Gonyon was in church when he looked down at his phone, opened a text from one of his employees and saw the photo: A black SUV had smashed through the front window of his Humble Revelry restaurant. That was back in December. Humble...
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MAGA vs. Bad Bunny splits Super Bowl
Sen. Tommy Tuberville was thrilled to attend the Super Bowl in 2025 when he hitched a ride on Air Force One, joining President Donald Trump and several other Republican lawmakers for the big game. “Happy Super Bowl Sunday,” the Republican senator for...
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Pedestrian deaths by trains persisting
In 2018, high-speed passenger trains branded as Brightline started running along the formerly freight-only Florida East Coast Railway. Initial service from Miami to West Palm Beach was extended to Orlando in 2023. h Unfortunately, the southern end of...
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Second Groundhog Fest has challenges
It’s a cruel twist of fate that mere hours after the final note sounded on Burlington’s second-annual Groundhog Fest, the nation’s most famous burrowing rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow, which for whatever reason portends six more weeks of...
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Meet the Vermont athletes competing in 2026 Olympics
As the 2026 Winter Olympics grow closer, athletes from all over New England are getting ready to compete in Milano-Cortina. Team USA recently announced the official 2026 U.S. Olympic Team, and 26 of the 232 chosen athletes are from New England, four...
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In primitive state
SOUTH BURLINGTON — Half the city’s fire prevention team struggles to stay warm during office hours. Three people of the six-member team operate out of a small temporary trailer that sits parallel to the comparably vast fire station on Dorset Street....
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‘It’s so meaningful’
Dan Chiasson came of age in 1980s Burlington, just as Bernie Sanders’ political career began dominating the Vermont landscape. As a result, Chiasson became something of a messenger from a foreign land when he left for undergraduate studies at Amherst...
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February art picks
This winter has been a bit of a stinker so far. h It’s been good to skiers — a foot or more of fresh powder is heaven for downhillers and cross-country skiers alike — but the cold temperatures and constant brushing off of the car get tedious after a...
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Shutdown still possible despite DHS deal
Lawmakers appeared to be closing in on a deal endorsed by President Donald Trump to avoid an extended government shutdown, but a key player said a brief government closure may be inevitable as there still was work to be done Jan. 30 as funding was set...
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Robber Robber to play at City Hall on Jan. 31
The new album by Burlington indierockers Robber Robber was born from chaos. The group’s founders, Nina Cates and Zack James, were living above Radio Bean in May 2024 when fire broke out in the building. Almost every apartment was gutted. Theirs...
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Consumer-driven future seen for GLP-1 drugs
LONDON – Ask executives in the health care industry about the future market for weight-loss drugs and the analogies are telling: monthly GLP-1 medicine subscriptions like a streaming video membership; dose decisions managed on a smartphone app; access...
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GOP ready to move on from Greenland
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says a lot of things that make life harder for congressional Republicans. For many of them, his recent fixation with acquiring Greenland was in a class of its own. The unease on Capitol Hill was palpable after the...
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Scientists racing to save climate data
RICHMOND, VA – President Donald Trump has gone beyond policy overhauls to fundamentally alter the way the government talks about climate change and the environment, limiting or outright deleting countervailing language and evidence during the first...
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‘Difficult decision’
A longtime bar in downtown Burlington has had its last call. “We have made the difficult decision to close Drink Bar effective immediately,” the St. Paul Street bar’s owners wrote in a Jan. 22 Instagram post. “Thank you to all our former and current...
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