AGP Executive Report

Vermont Courts & Public Safety: A Hartland man, Nicholas Tessier, was arrested after a reported domestic assault and cruelty to a child in Royalton, with a Windsor County court date set for Aug. 28. In Ferrisburgh, a Vergennes woman faces DUI with death resulting after a fatal crash on Route 7 involving a motorcycle rider. Sentencing: A Johnson man, Joshua Burbank, was sentenced to 100 months for possessing child sexual abuse materials. State Politics: Republican Rep. Gina Galfetti announced her bid for Vermont House speaker, setting up a fight in a chamber expected to stay Democratic-heavy. Education Planning: Harwood school leaders are exploring whether Cabot Creamery’s Waitsfield headquarters could be converted into an elementary school as they consider consolidating from seven schools to three. Healthcare Labor: Hundreds of UVM Medical Center outpatient workers rallied across three sites amid stalled contract talks with AFT Vermont. Federal Watch: DOJ sued four more states over in-state tuition for undocumented students, and Vermont joined a lawsuit challenging USPS mail-in ballot rules. Environment & Science: UVM researchers helped publish new Nature findings on how bat genes may drive longevity and cancer resistance.

Big Tech & Kids Online: Vermont is set to benefit from a landmark $17.1B multistate Meta settlement that requires sweeping child-safety changes for Instagram and Facebook, with Vermont receiving $92.7 million and new protections aimed at reducing harms to teens. Public Health & Rights: Washington and other states are suing to block new Title X funding conditions that would force providers to drop nondiscrimination protections and adopt politically driven rules. Vermont Economy & Education: UVM expands its tuition-free “UVM Promise” program for Vermonters, raising the household income cutoff to $125,000 for fall 2027. Workforce Development: Rowan Hawthorne was named interim director of Vermont’s Office of Workforce Strategy and Development. Local Crime & Safety: A Burlington artist accused in a fatal e-bike crash pleaded not guilty, and a separate report argues Burlington’s violence needs broader public-safety fixes beyond gun-law debates. Weather & Travel: Storms are raising flash-flood risk across the Northeast, including near the Vermont border. Everyday Costs: Vermont gas averages $4.16 a gallon, with Burlington at about $4.20.

Meta Settlement for Vermont: Vermont is set to receive at least $92.7 million from Meta’s teen social media child-safety settlement, with the state potentially topping $127 million depending on other platforms’ deals; the agreement also brings new restrictions and safety tools for Facebook and Instagram. Mail-in Voting Fight: Vermont’s AG is among officials challenging USPS changes to mail-ballot rules, arguing the Postal Service is overstepping and could disrupt voting access. Private Equity Oversight: A new report says private equity healthcare deals are cooling as states—including Vermont—tighten oversight of transactions, with physician practice management and provider deals lagging. Local Public Safety: Vermont State Police reported a DUI refusal arrest in Ferrisburgh, with a court date set for Sept. 14. Community & Health: Registration is open for the 2026 Walk to Defeat ALS Vermont in Burlington on Sept. 26, and Vermont’s “Kid Governor” program is continuing in the 2026-27 school year. Traffic Alert: Route 7 in Ferrisburgh is obstructed due to a crash, with delays expected. Agriculture & Grants: Vermont is taking applications for Working Lands Enterprise Initiative grants, with multiple funding tracks and deadlines starting in October.

Meta Settlement for Vermont Teens: Vermont is set to receive $92.7 million from a landmark $17 billion multistate deal with Meta over claims Instagram and Facebook were designed to be addictive to kids, with new limits including a two-hour daily cap, nighttime blocking, and stronger age checks; the agreement also requires product changes and is still subject to court approval. USPS Mail-Voting Fight: A coalition of Democratic states, including Vermont’s attorney general, is suing USPS over a final rule that would require states to overhaul vote-by-mail procedures on a tight timeline, arguing it risks confusion and disenfranchising voters. Vermont Courts & Mental Health: Vermont’s Supreme Court created a Commission on Mental Health and the Courts, and named Chief Justice Paul Reiber to lead a national task force aimed at improving how state courts respond to people with serious mental illness. Weather Watch: Burlington and the North Country are bracing for possible strong storms Thursday afternoon into evening, with damaging wind gusts and hail the main threats. Local Public Safety: An Essex woman accused in a fatal dog attack pleaded not guilty to an amended involuntary manslaughter charge. Community Calendar: The Champlain Valley Fair returns Aug. 28–Sept. 6 in Essex Junction with rides, music, exhibits, and multiple discount days. Agriculture & Food: Hannaford is backing regenerative farming through a regional fund led by Wolfe’s Neck Center, with support for suppliers across Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Arts & Culture: AVA Gallery hosted Austrian artist Johannes Grenzfurthner, known for “context hacking,” as part of a U.S. and Canada tour.

Vermont Medicaid: Vermont Health Connect and Medicaid will roll out federally required eligibility changes starting Oct. 1, including tighter Medicaid eligibility for some immigrants, with additional changes like work requirements and more frequent eligibility reviews beginning Jan. 1; the state launched StayCoveredVT.com to explain what’s changing. Rutland permitting: Rutland City is making its first push for a new Tier 1A status that would shift Act 250 permitting to local control, with the Vermont Land Use Review Board holding a hearing on the city’s pre-application. Public safety: The Windham County Sheriff’s Office plans a sobriety checkpoint throughout September, citing 31 fatal crashes and 34 fatalities so far this year. Local sports: Rutland High School hired Joel Leichtnam as its next girls basketball coach. Community events: Shelburne Museum will host Norman Rockwell Day on Sept. 26, and Bennington’s Garlic Town USA returns Sept. 5 with expanded chef demos and family programming. Culture: A piece on the “Bennington Triangle” traces the folklore back to disappearances along the Long Trail in the 1940s.

Education & Pay: A new Economic Policy Institute/CEPR report says Vermont teachers are part of a national trend: the “teacher pay penalty” is still about 25% in 2025, with real teacher wages down while other college grads’ pay rose. School Governance: Vermont’s Act 170 school consolidation work is moving into CESA organization and merger-study mechanics, but key facilitator selections still aren’t publicly named with the Sept. 1 deadline looming. Health Care Access: Dartmouth Health says it will close two telehealth services (Tele-ED and Tele-ICU) that support rural Vermont hospitals, calling the costs “unsustainable” without outside help. Local Arts & Community: The Current in Stowe announced Rachel Moore will step down as executive director at year’s end. Arts & Events: Shelburne Museum plans a Norman Rockwell Day on Sept. 26 with curator-led tours, artmaking, and a lecture on Rockwell’s photography. Public Safety/Policy: Sen. Bernie Sanders urged major AI companies to pause development, warning about systems “breaking outside of human control.”

Homelessness & Public Safety: Burlington City Council unanimously approved a 10-point resolution urging Gov. Phil Scott to help expand shelter capacity in Chittenden County, extend the state’s hotel housing program, reverse planned mental health cuts, and provide more law enforcement support. Local Public Safety: Colchester man Nubian Mohammed, 33, pleaded not guilty to felony kidnapping and unlawful restraint charges after police say he held his family captive and was later found with guns and body armor; a weight-of-the-evidence hearing is set for Aug. 26. Courts & Crime: Vermont State Police reported a Saint Albans-area case involving cocaine possession and drug-impaired driving, with court dates scheduled in late September. Animal Control: Waitsfield Select Board discussed next steps for “Shadow the Husky” after the dog killed three goats, with officials citing growing concerns about dog attacks. Community Health & Support: Winooski volunteers are raising $60,000 for the Children’s Organ Transplant Association to help cover transplant-related costs for a local infant needing a life-saving liver transplant. Vermont Business & Community: Sunset Lake Cannabis in South Hero donated $2,500 to the Vermont Foodbank to provide about $24,000 in groceries. Navy Week: Burlington kicked off its first-ever Navy Week with sailors welcoming the public aboard a patrol boat and events planned across the region. Arts & Culture: Shelburne Museum announced a Norman Rockwell Day on Sept. 26 with curator-led tours, artmaking, and a lecture preview on Sept. 25.

Local Governance: Pittsford is still collecting information on a possible 1% local option sales tax, with the town manager tasked to gather details and explain how to keep the revenue tied to Pittsford. Education & Staffing: Mill River School District says some school-sponsored transportation routes will be canceled at the start of the year due to a shortage of bus drivers and a state testing backlog. Public Safety & Courts: A Vermont church elder, Andrew Buzzell of West Rutland, is under 24-hour home incarceration after federal prosecutors accused him of distributing child sexual abuse material and arranging a sexual encounter involving a purported 9-year-old. Health Policy: A federal judge in Massachusetts criticized the Trump administration for creating confusion around USPS mail ballot rules, even as the Postal Service moves ahead with a court battle. Community & Culture: Southern Vermont Ballet is launching its fall season with new classes and Nutcracker auditions, while Shelburne Museum plans a Norman Rockwell Day featuring curator-led tours and artmaking. Energy & Costs: Gas prices in Vermont are up slightly week over week, with Burlington averaging $4.20 a gallon.

US-Canada Trade: Vermont’s congressional delegation is watching the fallout as U.S.-Canada talks collapse and 50% tariffs hit Canadian goods, with legal fights and shifting tariff moves leaving prices and policy in flux. Postal Service: Sanders, Welch and Balint urged USPS to fix Vermont’s delivery shortfalls, citing thousands of constituent complaints and weeks with one or zero deliveries in some areas. Public Safety: Vermont State Police are investigating a Derby man dropped off at a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds, and a Fairlee motorcycle crash where speed and alcohol were factors. Local Government & Schools: A report from Mountain Views Supervisory District says delays in state approval for a planned school rebuild could raise costs for taxpayers as rules for construction aid drag on. Community & Culture: Burlington’s Navy Week event Aug. 26 will connect Vermont small businesses with Navy and Marine Corps contracting opportunities. Arts & Outdoors: The Vermont Museum of Natural History named Julia Menges its new executive director, and a Salisbury turtle-trapping event gave kids hands-on wildlife lessons. Sports: Vermont Senior Games pickleball hit a record 210 players.

Vermont Politics & Elections: The Vermont Secretary of State is urging voters to update their addresses before ballots are mailed after Sept. 1, so election mail goes to the right place. Public Safety: Vermont State Police arrested a Pownal man on a stalking charge, alleging he installed a GPS tracking device on a vehicle. Public Safety: Police are investigating a Derby shooting where a 59-year-old man was dropped off at North Country Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds; he was airlifted to UVM Medical Center and is stable. Community & Culture: The Vermont Museum of Natural History at the Pool Nature Center named Julia Menges its new executive director, starting Sept. 1. Local Events: Burlington’s inaugural Navy Week kicks off Monday, with ship demos, tours, and events across the region. Business & Federal Contracting: A Navy Week workshop Aug. 26 in Burlington will connect New England small businesses with Navy procurement programs. National Policy Impact: US-Canada trade talks collapsed, and 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods took effect, raising concerns for northern border states including Vermont. Arts & Community: Bennington’s Vermont Veterans Home honor rolls were vandalized overnight with painted messages; residents and volunteers organized a cleanup.

Local Public Safety: Vermont State Police cited two men after a June 17 shooting in Swanton left an 84-year-old woman injured; investigators say target shooting near her home sent a round into the residence. Local Public Safety: In Berlin, troopers cited two people for impeding officers and enabling underage drinking after an underage party in East Montpelier. Traffic & Construction: US Route 5 S in Fairlee is shut down after a crash, and multiple road projects are set to cause lane closures and delays across the region this week. Community & Culture: One Hive Foundation helped paint a new New Haven mural on a silo to raise awareness about honey bees, and Isle La Motte marked Vermont’s 250th anniversary with a new state marker honoring Revolutionary War soldiers. Vermont Veterans: Monuments at the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington were vandalized overnight with red and white spray paint and slurs; police are investigating. Civic Life: Veerio launched a Chittenden County pilot to help residents find local events in one place. Business & Policy: U.S. lawmakers warned that new 50% tariffs on Canadian products could raise prices and disrupt border businesses, with Vermont’s northern trade ties in the spotlight. Sports: Mount Mansfield’s Aly Dorman says her early commitment to UVM is a “dream come true,” as she prepares to join the Catamounts in 2027-28.

Local Public Safety: Vermont State Police responded to a suspicious package at the Northfield Post Office; the Bomb Squad checked it and found it safe, with no threat to the public. Road & Infrastructure Updates: Multiple road closures and lane reductions are planned this week across the region, including Beech St., Hillside St., Jefferson Ave., Main St. bridge work, Margaret Ln., and North Bennington culvert replacement, with bridge washing and mowing also underway. Community & Events Tech: Veerio launched a Chittenden County pilot to make it easier to find local events in one place, aiming to cut through scattered flyers and outdated calendars. Health Alert: FDA warned of a voluntary recall of Optimal Balance Pharmacy’s compounded Glutathione Injection due to elevated endotoxin levels, with distribution reported in 14 states including Vermont. Local Business/Nonprofit: A Navy Week small-business workshop is set for Aug. 26 in Burlington, and a nonprofit finance workshop runs Sept. 23 in Wardsboro. Nature & Conservation: The Nature Conservancy awarded nearly $400,000 to help keep Vermont habitats connected for species shifting north as the climate warms.

Privacy & Public Safety: A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from getting a database with sensitive personal data on more than 17 million commercial drivers, after a multistate coalition challenged the demand and related funding threats. Immigration & Human Costs: The U.S. began mass deportations to devastated Haiti, with critics calling the forced returns deadly amid gang violence and displacement. Vermont Health Care Access: Dartmouth Health is ending telehealth emergency and ICU support for rural hospitals, a move local leaders say could mean more transfers for critical patients. Climate & Wildlife: The Nature Conservancy awarded nearly $400,000 to help keep Vermont habitats connected for species moving north as warming accelerates range shifts. Local Government & Services: Vermont launched a website to explain upcoming Medicaid changes, including new eligibility limits for some immigrants starting Oct. 1 and work-related requirements and renewals beginning Jan. 1. Community & Culture: Grace Potter returned to Burlington to celebrate her new album, including a stop at Burlington Records.

Traffic & Parks: Burlington says 9th Street is set to reopen to traffic the week of Aug. 31, ahead of KU’s Sept. 4 football game, and the city also plans to reconstruct the basketball court at Watson Park after it was torn out. Mail Service: Vermont’s congressional delegation says it has received more than 2,000 complaints about USPS delivery problems and pressed Postmaster General David Steiner for answers by Sept. 1. Public Safety & Health: The FDA lists recent food recalls, including jalapeños/guacamole/salsas tied to a salmonella outbreak and other items with “best if used by” dates that may still be in fridges. Community & Culture: Shelburne Museum will host Norman Rockwell Day on Sept. 26 with curator-led tours, artmaking, and a Sept. 25 lecture; and Garlic Town USA returns Sept. 5 in Bennington with expanded chef demos and family programming. Local Business/Jobs: A Navy Week workshop in Burlington on Aug. 26 will help small businesses learn how to compete for Navy and Marine Corps contracts.

St. Albans Creamery Court Fight: A federal judge lifted a temporary restraining order, clearing the way for DFA to move ahead with plans to largely shut down its milk processing plant, while workers and Teamsters argue it’s retaliation tied to a recent strike. Border Policing Debate: Gov. Phil Scott says Vermont should stay in the federal Operation Stonegarden program despite allegations a Chittenden County deputy improperly handed off a migrant to immigration officials, with findings headed to the state Criminal Justice Council. Substance-Use Recovery: Turning Point Center of Central Vermont announced a Sept. 15 grand opening for a new recovery center in Barre, expanding peer recovery support for people and families. Local Business & Federal Contracts: Vermont APEX Accelerator will host Navy Week: Doing Business with the Navy and Marine Corps Small Business Workshop Aug. 26 in Burlington. Public Safety Grants: State Farm’s Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program will send $10,000 grants to four Vermont volunteer departments for responder safety equipment. Community & Culture: A Vermont author’s playful memoir-novel about a fictional “Republic of West Delphi” is out, and a local literary love story, “The Good Parts,” is drawing attention. Public Notices/Briefs: Vermont State Police reported a Berlin-area case involving possession of a controlled substance after a crash.

Health Insurance Costs: The Green Mountain Care Board set 2027 premium increases for Vermont Health Connect plans, with BlueCross BlueShield up 2.2% (individual) and 1.2% (small group), and MVP up 3.9% (individual) and 6.2% (small group). Local Economy & Community: The Burlington Business Association is closing after nearly 50 years, with the Lake Champlain Chamber planning a new Downtown Business Alliance division to keep downtown advocacy going. Workplace & Housing: A federal judge temporarily blocked the planned closure of the Dairy Farmers of America plant in St. Albans after a union alleged illegal retaliation, including claims tied to “union decertification.” Public Safety & Services: State Farm grants will send $10,000 each to four Vermont volunteer fire departments—Barnet, Barre Town, Fair Haven, and Sutton—to help buy safety equipment. Environment & Land: Vermont’s Snake Mountain Wildlife Management Area will expand by 256 acres in Addison and Weybridge, adding habitat for peregrine falcons and endangered bats. Arts & Culture: The Stone Church in Brattleboro sued StubHub in federal court, alleging misleading ticket availability ads and trademark issues. Civic Life: Montpelier appointed Paul Costello to fill a District 1 council seat through March 2027.