Ethan Weinstein

Stories of mistaken identity and missing lawyers raise questions about the state judiciary’s increased reliance on videoconferencing for court hearings.

Are they ready to take on this obscure and expensive side of state government?

The governor’s package of proposed changes would address the detention of repeat offenders and would repeal the remaining stage of Raise the Age.

One lawmaker briefed on the proposal called it “probably the biggest proposal that this Legislature has seen in 50 years.” More complete details will be presented Wednesday.

From from his office in Chelsea, Vt., Judge Thomas Zonay speaks about bail conditions for Scott A. Irish, upper right, during a remote arraignment on July 27, 2021. At middle right is Irish's attorney William Cobb and below him is Orange County State's Attorney Dickson Corbett. Irish is charged with violating the conditions of his release by moving from a wooded area in Washington, Vt., to a friend’s house in Topsham, Vt., without informing the Orange Superior Court clerks office. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to [email protected]. Valley News file — Geoff Hansen

“We know that the work that we’re describing here is going to be really challenging,” Zoie Saunders, Vermont’s secretary of education, told lawmakers. “I ask you to join us so we can be bold together.”

State officials unveiled the broad strokes of Gov. Phil Scott’s education proposal on Wednesday, Jan. 22, a plan that includes sweeping changes like consolidating Vermont’s dozens of school districts to just five and adopting a foundation formula.

MONTPELIER— State officials unveiled the broad strokes of Gov. Phil Scott’s education proposal Wednesday, a plan that includes sweeping changes like consolidating Vermont’s dozens of school districts to just five and adopting a foundation formula for funding.

MONTPELIER— State officials unveiled the broad strokes of Gov. Phil Scott’s education proposal Wednesday, a plan that includes sweeping changes like consolidating Vermont’s dozens of school districts to just five and adopting a foundation formula.

Matt Valerio, Vermont’s defender general, told lawmakers the state is losing its public defense contractor in Orleans County, a particularly worrisome vacancy.