2019 deer hunt numbers near record high
Vermont’s deer hunting season this year was the fourth highest since 2000, with 16,479 deer taken during the fall deer hunting seasons, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. This is below the 19,011 killed in 2018 but above the average of about 15,000 during the last two decades.
Fire safety violations lead to rental safety concerns
Health safety violations related to smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors accounted for more than one-third of the violations according to a recent health safety report based on town health officer reporting on the state’s rental units compiled by the Vermont Department of Health.
Alzheimer’s Disease rising
Over 13,000 Vermonters age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s Disease. By 2025 this number is estimated to increase by 30.8% to 17,000, according to a recent report by The Governor’s Commission on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders.
State leads in species richness
Vermont has the highest average species richness in New England, according to the recently released New England Wildlife Survey. Notably, central regions of Vermont had some of the highest occurrences of Black Bears, and northwestern Vermont had the highest occurrences of Red Foxes. Additionally, raccoons are found throughout the state, but are less frequent in the north and mountainous regions.
Social Security scams common
Vermonters filed 5,447 scam reports with the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program in 2019, with the most common scam being Social Security number phishing. Identity theft in Vermont, however, remains relatively low, with Vermont ranking 49th in the nation, according to a 2019 report by the Federal Trade Commission.
Fentanyl top opiod killer
A majority of opioid-related deaths in Vermont in 2019 involved Fentanyl, according to the Vermont Department of Health. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. When sold illegally, it is frequently mixed into other drugs without the users’ knowledge, increasing the chance of accidental overdose.
Higher elevation trees & climate change
Trees across Vermont were the subject of a recent study examining the effects of climate change and atmospheric pollution on forests of different elevations. Trees in higher elevation areas were more affected by these abiotic interactions (climate and pollution) than trees in lower elevation areas, which were more affected by competition caused by antagonistic plant species.
Economy expands
Vermont’s economy is expanding, according to Public Asset’s State of Working Vermont 2019, however, it still lags behind the U.S. economy, growing at about one-third of the national rate between 2010 and 2018. More than one in 10 Vermont children lived in poverty in 2018, the lowest level in 15 years. The report also examined President Trump’s tax policies, which disproportionately benefited the wealthiest Vermonters — providing a tax cut for the top 20% of Vermonters –totaling more than $350 million in 2018.
Local barley demand grows
Vermont’s craft beer industry has a growing demand for high-quality local barley. Beer quality is largely linked to high-quality barley and so there is increasing interest in craft-specific malting barley cultivars in Vermont. A recent study looks to identify barley cultivars that are best adapted to specific regions in the northeastern United States. The research aims to detect the impact of different environmental factors on the barley genotype to meet rapidly growing demand.
85 cents to the dollar
Vermont women made 85 cents to a man’s dollar in 2018, according to Public Asset’s State of Working Vermont 2019. Women faced the income gap whether or not they had children. The median income for a female-headed household with children in the state was $29,215 in 2018, a little more than 60 percent of what single fathers brought home.
Vermont has less security cameras
Vermont schools have fewer security cameras than schools in Arizona, Connecticut, and South Carolina, according to a recent study on school safety measures. The report found that security camera policies were in place in 50% of Vermont school-districts, as opposed to 100% in other states. The study found that more security cameras correlated with a lower prevalence of students carrying weapons.
State data access strong but can improve
Vermont excels in data access but could improve, according to a study that examines the effectiveness of open government data in less densely populated areas. The study, which focused on the data portals of Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire, found that the establishment of a state portal alone does not guarantee that the portal will support greater access to data.
Farmers willing to pay for individual services
As Vermont’s agricultural industry continues to face significant challenges, Vermont farmers are more willing to pay for enhanced individual services despite having paid little or no fee for such programs in the past, according to a recent survey. The survey was designed and conducted by staff at the University of Vermont Extension’s Farm Viability program and demonstrated a need for creating affordable educational programs for farmers.
Strategic disinvestment in road infrastructure can help vulnerable populations
Vermont’s roadway infrastructure was examined in a recent case study examining accessibility and mobility issues related to socially vulnerable populations. The study argues for strategic divestment as a tool for improving Vermont’s infrastructure and provides a framework for achieving this in a way that does not negatively impact socially vulnerable populations.
As the Vermont Legislature considers expanding the role of Efficiency Vermont, we talk with one of the organization’s founders about the creation of the first state-wide electric efficiency utility in the country. Listen to our conversation with Beth Robinson and Scudder Parker in the most recent episode of our podcast, Mudseason.
- Vermont author and activist Bill McKibben will be speaking at 6:30 p.m. at Brattleboro’s Centre Congregational Church on Jan. 15
- Vermont scholar Mary Louise Kete will be giving a talk on Lucy Terry Prince at the Vermont Historical Society Museum on Jan. 16
- Learn about Green Mountain Firepower 1777 vs 1861 with the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum on Jan. 19
- Vermont author and storyteller Dave Quesnel will discuss the history and heritage of the Green Mountain State and the man-made features that have helped to define it on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 11 a.m. at Manchester Community Library
- 1920’s Style of Vermont’s Mill Girls: a Costumed Presentation at the Heritage Winooski Mill Museum on Jan. 26
- Winooski & The Buffalo Soldiers: Celebrating Black History Month at the Winooski United Methodist Church on Feb. 2
Listen to this recent episode of our podcast, Mudseason, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of Baker v. Vermont. We talk with Vermont Representative Bill Lippert who was in the Vermont legislature on the house judiciary committee and played a role in crafting the Civil Unions legislation. This episode was also featured on Vermont Public Radio on Sunday, December 22nd.
A discussion with Dan Casey, Director of the Barre Opera House.
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The Vermont Research News is a bi-monthly curated collection of Vermont research — focused on research in the Vermont “laboratory” — research that provides original knowledge to the world and research that adds to an understanding of the state’s social, economic, cultural and physical environment.
Send your news items to Newsletter Editors Eliza Giles or Richard Watts.
In a collaboration with VT Digger, the newsletter is now published online. CRVT is responsible for the content. The newsletter is published on the 1st and 15th of each month.