Articles by Lisa Rathke

Vermont Lags in Risk Management for Natural Disasters Including Flooding

Vermont has failed to complete many actions in its five-year hazard mitigation plan aimed at reducing the risk from natural disasters such as flooding, according to a new report from the state auditor’s office. The plan is developed by Vermont …

Medical Marijuana User Fired After Drug Test Loses Unemployment Benefits Appeal

A Vermont man who was fired from his job after he said a random drug test showed he used medical marijuana while off duty for chronic pain has lost his appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court over unemployment benefits. Ivo …

Judge Allows Vermont Suit Alleging Police Bias, Excessive Force Against Black Teen

A Vermont judge has denied the city of Burlington’s request to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that police used excessive force and discriminated against a Black teenager whose mother had called law enforcement to teach him a lesson about stealing. When …

Governor Calls on Flood-Weary Vermonters to ‘Stick Together’

Vermont’s governor said Wednesday that the latest storms to hit the state have undone much of the cleanup and recovery work from its last major bout of flooding only weeks ago, and he called on residents to “stick together” amid …

Vermont Farmers Take Stock After Losing Crops to Flooding Two Years in a Row

Exactly one year to the date of last year’s severe flooding in Vermont, Joe’s Brook Farm was flooded again by the remnants of Hurricane Beryl. This time it was worse. Workers were able to harvest some of the produce before …

Vermonters Urged to Report Flood Damage From Beryl to State for FEMA Determination

Vermont’s governor on Tuesday urged residents to report any damage from last week’s flooding to the state, even if they plan to do repairs themselves, so that counties can meet the threshold for individual federal assistance. The flooding from the …

Vermonters Assess Beryl Damage, Begin Cleanup One Year After Major Flooding

PLAINFIELD, Vt. — Volunteers, some with heavy equipment, shoveled river silt and mud from roads, homes, yards and driveways and removed flood-ravaged items from homes Friday in one of the Vermont communities hardest hit by flooding from the remnants of …

Vermont Under Flood Watch on Anniversary of Last Year’s Severe Inundations

A flood watch was declared for much of Vermont on Wednesday — the anniversary of last summer’s severe flooding — and also Thursday, with heavy rains in the forecast. As Gov. Phil Scott and other officials discussed the recovery from …

Vermont Governor Vetoes Data Privacy Bill As Too Hostile to Business, Nonprofits

Vermont’s governor has vetoed a broad data privacy bill that would have been one of the strongest in the country to crack down on companies’ use of online personal data by letting consumers file civil lawsuits against companies that break …

Medical Cannabis User Fired After Failing Drug Test Appeals Denial of Job Benefits

A Vermont man who lost his job after he said a random drug test showed he had used medical marijuana off duty for chronic pain has appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court saying he should not have been denied a …