AGP Executive Report

Opioid Harm Reduction: Central Vermont’s first “Save a Life Day” is set for Sept. 24 in Barre, with free naloxone (Narcan), overdose-prevention info, and Into Light portraits of Vermonters lost to addiction. Arts & Craft: Southern Vermont Arts Center opens “Active Objects: Art, Craft, and Design,” blurring the line between art, craft, and design through furniture, textiles, and installations that change how objects are read. Climate & Community Culture: UVM researchers explain how fall color chemistry and weather timing shape Vermont’s leaf-peeping season—and why extreme conditions can shift the show. Work & Family Policy: A new federal bill would move the U.S. toward a 32-hour workweek by changing overtime rules, with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders among the sponsors. Education & Equity: A Vermont student argues UVM’s financial aid process leaves families with real debts and costs undercounted, making college affordability harder. Local History: Bennington is seeking to rebuild a long-missing meeting house monument tied to a 1964 crash, aiming for completion by the 2027 anniversary. Sports & Aging: “Still Kickin’” senior women’s soccer keeps older players active and connected, competing in national veterans tournaments. Wildlife Watch: An endangered timber rattlesnake turns up in northern Vermont near Lake Champlain, raising questions about migration versus human movement. Civic Life: Vermonters vote Nov. 3 on adding an Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution, with advocates urging support for equal treatment protections.

Public Health & Harm Reduction: Central Vermont’s first “Save a Life Day” is set for Sept. 24 in Barre, with free naloxone (Narcan), overdose-prevention info, and Into Light portrait displays from Vermonters lost to overdose. Education & Equity: Vermont students posted statewide gains on the VT-CAP assessment, but older-student results are mixed and gaps for marginalized students are widening. Rural Healthcare: Vermont is receiving $11.7 million in federal support to train more healthcare workers and expand capacity at three rural nursing homes. Community Arts: Rutland High students unveiled a new collaborative mural, and a French sea-creature puppet show brought outdoor theater to Rutland schools despite rain. Local Governance: Southwest Vermont’s school merger study group is moving forward after SVUESD selected a representative and adjusted meeting schedules under Act 170. Outdoors & Tradition: Vermont bear hunting season is underway, with reminders on tags, reporting, and tooth submission. Legal/Policy Watch: Vermont’s AG coalition settlement protects AmeriCorps funding after federal attempts to dismantle the program.

Public Health & Harm Reduction: Vermont’s first “Save a Life Day” lands in Barre on Sept. 24 with free naloxone (Narcan), overdose-prevention info, and Into Light Project portraits of Vermonters lost to overdose. Education & Community: UVM’s Vermont Youth Leaders in Aging is pairing high-schoolers with Homestead Senior Living residents in St. Albans for intergenerational activities like noodle hockey and shared meals. Workforce & Health Access: Vermont Department of Health and VSAC are rolling out a $9 million Rural Health Transformation tuition benefit to grow the rural healthcare workforce, with service commitments after graduation. Schools & Budgets: Barre Unified Union School District is heading to a third budget vote (Sept. 15) after two failures, with the stakes including potential debt and added interest if no plan passes. Arts & Culture: InterFaith Council’s “Breaking Bread” Heritage Festival returns Oct. 10 in Manchester with food tastings, storytelling, music, and kid-friendly activities. Local Business & Family Fun: Kinney Drugs expands its “Find Flemy” flu mascot scavenger hunt across stores, offering stickers and prizes for families. Policy & Rights: Vermont is among states facing pressure over “drive-only” licenses for people without lawful status, as lawmakers argue the practice endangers public safety.

Health & Community: Kinney Drugs is rolling out a kid-friendly “Find Flemy” flu scavenger hunt across Vermont stores, with stickers and gift-card prizes—no purchase or appointment needed. Climate & Culture: UVM researchers break down how fall foliage works and what extreme weather could mean for this year’s leaf-peeping season. Local Food Security: Vermont Week of Gleaning (Sept. 21–25) spotlights how volunteers recover surplus farm food to help families facing hunger. Education & Governance: Act 170 school merger work is accelerating as facilitators are named and districts prepare merger-study representatives, with “good faith” participation now a key question. Public Safety & Care: A new Vermont National Guard Family Readiness and Support Center at Camp Johnson aims to consolidate legal, financial, and suicide-prevention help for service members and families. Environment & Law: A coalition of state attorneys general sues to block Trump-era rollbacks to Endangered Species Act protections. Arts & Community Loss: Burlington’s Radio Bean closes after 26 years, citing financial strain. Tech & Policy: A former Anthropic researcher resigns over AI safety fears, sparking fresh calls for regulation.

Local Education & Health: Vermonters are bracing for fewer local birth centers as Copley Hospital’s board voted to close its birthing center, adding to a growing pattern of maternity care pulling back across the state. Community & Culture: Radio Bean in Burlington is closing after 26 years, a loss for the city’s creative scene that ranged from musicians to puppeteers. Civic Life: Morristown residents moved to block data centers, and the town approved a two-year prohibition—another sign the “server farms” debate is turning into a defining midterms issue. Food & Families: SNAP cuts could ripple into school meal programs, putting free breakfast and lunch at risk even for kids not enrolled in SNAP. Arts & Mental Health: Bennington’s “Mind Magic” fundraiser for NAMI Vermont brings a laughter-and-astonishment show to the mental health conversation. Environment & Policy: Vermont’s AG joins a coalition challenging federal Endangered Species Act rule changes that would weaken habitat protections. Business & Growth: UVM announced a new Regional Tuition Break for eligible New England students starting fall 2027, cutting tuition by more than 35% in select majors.

School Meals Under Threat: Federal SNAP cuts could ripple into Vermont classrooms nationwide, putting free breakfast and lunch at risk for millions of children who rely on automatic eligibility and school funding tied to SNAP participation. Local Education & Community Planning: Central Vermont Career Center officials are gearing up for a new bond pitch after last year’s failed vote, arguing the updated plan is a better fit and a better price. Statehouse Watch: Montpelier Rep. Kate McCann is signaling she may run for House Speaker, framing the role as a “fighter at the podium” focused on patients and everyday Vermonters. Health Care Rights: Washington and other states are suing to block new Title X conditions that would force providers to discourage contraception, push marriage/childbearing, and exclude transgender patients. Culture & Family Fun: Whoopie Pie Fest returns to downtown Rutland this weekend with bakers, kids’ maker activities, and live entertainment. Arts & Healing: Sandglass Theater launches its Puppets in the Green Mountains festival in Brattleboro and Putney, with performances and workshops exploring “endings, beginnings” and what it means to be human. Community Spotlight: Montpelier’s Feast Farm is back in full swing after the 2023 flood, growing thousands of pounds of produce for local food programs.

Mental Health Access: UVM Health opened the Asha Clinic in Burlington, a specialized outpatient program focused exclusively on suicide care, led by suicide-care researcher Dr. Craig Bryan, expanding effective treatment options for Vermont and Northern New York. Food & Health: Bennington County’s UVM Extension Master Gardener program and NRCS will offer free soil lead screening at Norman’s Attic Fall Festival (Sept. 19), with walk-up tests and guidance for reducing exposure in older homes and yards. Immigration & Local Farms: Kingdom Creamery says immigration enforcement detained three migrant workers in late July, forcing it to cut production and leaving its farm and creamery short-staffed. Education & Opportunity: Bradford senior Nettie Morse was named NCCEP GEAR UP Student Leader of the Year, recognizing her leadership in VSAC’s GEAR UP program serving 2,200 students statewide. Community Culture: South Londonderry Free Library celebrates International Dot Day (Sept. 19) with a polka-dot, Yayoi Kusama–themed art event for all ages. Local Business Spotlight: Newport’s Pick & Shovel keeps growing while staying community-first, mixing hardware, garden supplies, and everyday oddities into a true local destination. Sports & Hometown Pride: BFA-Fairfax runner Gage Magnuson led UMass Lowell in his hometown race, while Brian Calabrese cruised to victory in the Fabian Earth Moving Vermont 200.

Suicide care in Burlington: UVM Health Network and the Four Pines Fund opened the Asha Clinic, a specialized outpatient program focused only on suicide care, led by suicide-prevention researcher Dr. Craig Bryan, aiming to expand access to proven therapies. Childcare crunch in New Mexico: A year after “free childcare for all” launched, families still can’t find slots, with demand far outpacing centers—an affordability and access warning Vermont readers will recognize. Rural maternity access: A new analysis says rural hospital obstetrics closures could mean hour-plus drives for Medicaid patients, as staffing, reimbursement, and policy changes squeeze services. Vermont labor & farmworker solidarity: Health care workers at UVM Medical Center are pushing for Milk with Dignity standards in solidarity with farmworkers. Culture as civic glue: A Vermont arts editorial argues the arts aren’t a distraction from public life—they’re where community understanding happens. Local spotlight: The Green Mountain Stage Race ends with the Burlington Criterium, marking its 25th year. Community calendar: A free Constitution Day celebration in Middlebury highlights student poetry and art on what freedom means.

Suicide care in Burlington: UVM Health Network opened the Asha Clinic, a specialized outpatient program focused only on suicide care, led by suicide researcher Dr. Craig Bryan and backed by the Four Pines Fund—aimed at proven therapies that reduce attempts and improve quality of life. Education & community: Gov. Phil Scott urged Vermont school leaders to “do not slow down” on district mergers, arguing delay hurts students and costs families more, as districts juggle staffing, repairs, and looming pressures. Labor rights vote: Vermonters will decide in November on a constitutional amendment protecting workers’ right to organize and collectively bargain, with Proposal 3 on the ballot alongside equal protections language. PFAS research boost: A $7.9M NSF grant will fund a PFAS Environmental Research Network led by Bennington College, with Landmark College students collecting field data alongside UVM and other partners. Arts & culture: Jazz returns to Chester Town Hall Sept. 26 with Eugene Uman’s “Family Band,” and the Upstairs at Town Hall series offers free admission. Local life: St. Johnsbury officials say a small group’s downtown “bad behavior” is driving frequent police calls and urgent calls for help.

Suicide Care in Burlington: The Asha Clinic opened at 1 South Prospect St., offering specialized outpatient treatment led by suicide care researcher Dr. Craig Bryan, with Four Pines Fund support. PFAS Research Push: Landmark College and partners won a $7.9M NSF grant to build a PFAS “forever chemicals” research network, with student water-sampling and data work across Vermont colleges and state agencies. Homelessness Hotline Changes: Vermont 211 will stop handling emergency housing intake for the new VHRC after 4:30 p.m. weekdays and on weekends/holidays, shifting access to state Economic Services Division hours. Elections in the Courts: Nevada AG Aaron Ford won a preliminary injunction blocking USPS mail-voting rule changes while the case proceeds. Community & Culture: 14th Star Brewery’s Afterglow Ale returns, supporting suicide prevention conversations; VMBA Days brought inclusive downhill biking to Bolton Valley. Local Safety: Police seek help identifying women tied to Craftsbury farm stand theft caught on camera. Sports: Castleton women’s soccer fell to Norwich 2-0; Vermont women’s soccer is set to host Boston College.

Mental Health Care: UVM Health Network opened the Asha Clinic in Burlington, a specialized outpatient program focused exclusively on suicide care, led by suicide researcher Dr. Craig Bryan and designed to connect patients to proven therapies. Environment & Public Health: The NSF awarded $7.9 million to create the PFAS Environmental Research Network, led by Bennington College with Landmark, Middlebury, UVM, and state partners, to track “forever chemicals” in Vermont groundwater and soil. Local Politics & Community: Phoebe Tucker won the Democratic primary for Rutland-Windsor state representative, pledging focus on healthcare, housing, education, and land stewardship. Faith & Immigration: Seven Vermont clergy were arrested in Williston while protesting ICE targeting, blockading a building tied to ICE operations and reading names of people killed or who died in detention. Culture & Outdoors: VMBA Days brought downhill mountain biking to Bolton Valley, with guided rides and clinics aimed at lowering barriers for riders of all abilities. Arts & Learning: Vermont’s storm-chasing program at Vermont State University—Lyndon sent students to observe supercells firsthand, turning classroom lessons into real-world forecasting.

Mental Health Care: UVM Health Network opens the Asha Clinic in Burlington, a specialized outpatient program focused on suicide care and led by suicide researcher Dr. Craig Bryan, expanding access to therapies proven to reduce attempts. Community & Culture: Capital City Concerts hands off leadership to Jillian Reed and Tyler Emerson while keeping mentorship at the center as it launches its 2026–27 season. Local Politics: Phoebe Tucker wins the Democratic primary for state representative in the Rutland-Windsor district, pledging focus on healthcare, housing, education, and land stewardship. Outdoors & Access: VMBA Days brought downhill mountain biking to Bolton Valley with clinics and guided rides aimed at lowering barriers for riders of all abilities. Environment & Research: Landmark College helps lead a $7.9M NSF-funded PFAS Environmental Research Network to study “forever chemicals” across Vermont. Civic Planning: Wardsboro kicks off “Wardsboro Turns Up,” a town-led process starting Sept. 17 with community dinner and priority-setting. Sports: BBA starts fast with a 49–0 win over Middlebury; Vermont-area college rosters continue to highlight local athletes.

Suicide Care in Burlington: UVM Health opened the Asha Clinic, a specialized outpatient program led by suicide-care researcher Dr. Craig Bryan, expanding access to evidence-based treatment and training for Vermonters facing suicidality. PFAS Research Funding: The National Science Foundation awarded $7.9 million to build a PFAS Environmental Research Network led by Landmark College and partners including Bennington, Middlebury, and UVM to track “forever chemicals” in Vermont’s soil and groundwater. Local Health Policy Fight: Maryland AG Anthony Brown joined a 22-state lawsuit challenging a Trump administration move to block Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care for low-income transgender youth. Immigration Crackdown: USCIS said its Vermont office denied and revoked multiple H-1B petitions after finding a major IT consulting firm classified skilled tech jobs at wage levels below what the work required. School Safety & Equity: Hartford educators say PCB cleanup funding is running out, leaving classrooms and programs in limbo as contaminated spaces restrict learning. Voting Rights Reminder: Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas urged voters to make a plan for universal vote-by-mail options ahead of November. Community & Culture: Capital City Concerts begins a new season with leadership passing to Jillian Reed and Tyler Emerson, keeping mentorship at the center.

Suicide care in Burlington: UVM Health opened the Asha Clinic, a specialized outpatient program led by suicide-care researcher Dr. Craig Bryan, expanding local access to therapies aimed at reducing suicide attempts and improving quality of life. PFAS research funding: Landmark College helped secure a $7.9 million NSF grant to build a PFAS Environmental Research Network, with students collecting data alongside Vermont colleges and state partners. Health policy fight: Vermont is among 21 states suing the Trump administration over a rule that would block federal Medicaid funds for gender-affirming care for transgender youth, with the change set to take effect Oct. 13. School safety uncertainty: PCB remediation funding is running out, leaving contaminated schools facing unclear next steps for keeping students and staff safe. Local democracy: Vermont voters will decide in November on a constitutional amendment guaranteeing union rights to organize and collectively bargain. Immigration enforcement tensions: ICE arrested three workers at a Morristown job site, while a separate Williston protest led to clergy arrests after blocking an ICE office. Education and contracts: Teachers in Blue Mountain Union School District start the year without a contract as negotiations escalate into a labor complaint. Culture & community: “Throughlines” opens at the Kent in Calais, showcasing 20 Vermont artists with talks and demonstrations running Sept. 11–Oct. 11. Outdoor access: New accessible trails in the Upper Valley expand recreation options for people with mobility challenges.

School Merger Talks: Vermont Learning Collaborative named seven regional facilitators to lead Act 170 merger study conversations, with first committee meetings set for next month and committees forming by Sept. 15. Protest & Public Safety: Vermont State Police arrested seven people for trespassing after protesters refused to leave a Williston office park housing federal ICE operations; all were cited to appear in court Oct. 20. Cannabis Debate in Royalton: Royalton selectboard approved placing cannabis retail on the November ballot, but residents raised concerns about “normalizing drug use” during a public safety committee discussion. Community & Opportunity: Registration opened for Sen. Peter Welch’s Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference on Sept. 19 at Vermont State University in Randolph, featuring entrepreneur Marguerite Dibble as keynote. Local Internet Milestone: NEK Broadband hit its 2,500th customer in Victory, underscoring how rural towns are building reliable fiber access through grants and subscriber support. Culture & Family Life: Mount Independence marks its 250th anniversary with a Soldiers Atop the Mount living history weekend Sept. 5-6 in Orwell.

Public Safety & Accountability: A Burlington editorial argues “interrupting conditions” isn’t enough, calling drug sales a violent crime that must be removed while expanding treatment options. Education Reform in Motion: Gov. Phil Scott is urging Vermont’s school merger study committees to focus on what students can gain, as facilitators begin 20 merger discussions statewide. Local Governance & School Logistics: Washington Central’s interim superintendent search is extended after both consultant-recommended finalists withdrew, leaving the district scrambling for leadership. Mental Health & Community Care: Brattleboro will host the Windham County Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide prevention and survivor support on Sept. 20. Environment & Research: Bennington College and partners win a $7.9M NSF grant to build a PFAS Environmental Research Network. Culture & History: Shelburne Museum opens “Norman Rockwell: At Home in Vermont,” exploring the artist’s years in Arlington. Lifestyle & Community: Free Mentored Fishing Weekend runs Sept. 5–7, pairing new anglers with experienced mentors. Arts & Family Fun: Mount Independence in Orwell hosts “Soldiers Atop the Mount” living history Sept. 5–6. Sports: The American-Canadian Tour returns for Thunder Road’s 48th Labor Day Classic 200.