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State / Region

Olivia Toohey, 10, of Montpelier, perches in the top branches of a crab apple on the Vermont Statehouse lawn recently. (Valley News - James M. Patterson)

Spring Tree

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Olivia Toohey, 10, of Montpelier, perches in the top branches of a crab apple on the Vermont Statehouse lawn on Saturday. Valley News — James M. Patterson …

Shumlin Signs Aid-in-Dying Bill Into Law in Vt.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Montpelier — After years of debate, Vermont became the fourth state in the country yesterday to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medicine to terminally ill patients seeking to end their lives. Gov. Peter Shumlin signed the bill into law at a Statehouse ceremony even as opponents vowed to push for its …

Firefighters Get Behind Casino Bill

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Concord — Nashua firefighters union chief Jimmy Kirk led peers across the state urging the House of Representatives to “look, listen and feel” by passing the hotly debated casino bill tomorrow. Kirk refuted claims that a single high-end casino would bring increased crime, poverty and other social impacts. “I am here to tell you those problems already exist,” Kirk said. Berlin firefighter Roland …

N.H. Centers Get Money to Help Uninsured

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Concord (ap) — New Hampshire’s 10 community health centers will get nearly $770,000 to help uninsured people sign up for coverage under the federal health care overhaul law. The money, announced by the Obama administration yesterday, addresses concerns from Congress and advocacy groups that many consumers will have …

Data Reveal Hospital Charges Vary Widely for Same Procedure

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Washington — For the first time, the government is publicly revealing how much hospitals charge, and the differences are astounding: Some bill tens of thousands of dollars more than others for the same treatment, even within the same …

End-of-Life Bill Passes Vt. Senate

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Montpelier — The Vermont Senate yesterday passed a hybrid aid-in-dying bill under which stiff safeguards would be in place for terminally ill patients seeking lethal medication for the first three years, after which regulations would be lessened significantly. Sen. Claire Ayer, explaining her compromise amendment to the Judiciary …

NRA Sponsors TV Ads to Support Ayotte’s Vote Against Gun Checks

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Washington — The Senate rejected an effort yesterday to expand the use of firearms on some of the nation’s most frequently visited federal lands, handing gun control advocates a modest success. The measure, backed by the National Rifle …

Hassan Asks Conn. to Reject Hydro

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Citing unresolved concerns about Northern Pass, Gov. Maggie Hassan yesterday urged Connecticut’s governor to oppose a pending rewrite of that state’s renewable energy plan that would reclassify large-scale Canadian hydropower for that state’s renewable energy goals. The proposed Northern Pass, which would bring hydropower from Canada to the …

Vt. Cuts in Half $5M Grant to VTel

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Montpelier — A state agency has cut a $5 million telecommunications grant to Vermont Telephone Co. in half. This is the third time the Vermont Telecommunications Authority has pulled VTel grant money in recent months. On March 29, it revoked two broadband grants to VTel worth $3.4 million. …

N.H. House Rebukes Comments About Bombing

Thursday, May 9, 2013

The New Hampshire House yesterday voted unanimously to disavow “unfounded speculation” about last month’s Boston Marathon bombings, in a clear rebuke to Rep. Stella Tremblay of Auburn. The Republican, who didn’t attend yesterday’s session, has suggested in recent weeks that the U.S. government may have orchestrated the April …

Vt. Given OK  To Raze Offices

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Montpelier (ap) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has given Vermont verbal approval to start demolition of the state office complex in Waterbury that was flooded by Tropical Storm Irene, and the work should begin this summer, Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding announced yesterday. The state expects to get …

Loss of Legs Can’t Stop Marathon Victim Jeff Bauman 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Concord — If it were up to Jeff Bauman, he would have spent Sunday night out in Lowell, Mass., at a benefit concert in his honor put on by some friends. “I could easily go to it, but …

Shumlin, Lawmak ers Reach Budget Deal

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Montpelier — Gov. Peter Shumlin and legislative leaders announced yesterday they’d reached a deal on a budget and taxes for the coming fiscal year that they say won’t require any additional tax increases, beyond one already in place on gasoline and diesel and another still under review on …