Vermonters enjoyed carnival rides, comfort food favorites, farm animal displays, live music and more at the Tunbridge World’s Fair on Thursday. The annual event, which has been held since 1867, is taking place until Sunday in the Orange County town it’s named after. Scroll down for more photos of the festivities.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: The Tunbridge World’s Fair kicks off in central Vermont.

It might not be Memorial Day yet, but that didn’t stop people from gathering Sunday afternoon for Orwell’s 50th annual Memorial Day parade. The route looped around the Addison County town of 1,200, with people participating on foot, in cars, atop floats and even on tractors. Scroll to see all of VTDigger’s photos from the event.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Vermonters gather for Orwell’s 50th annual Memorial Day parade.

Town Meeting Day is here. That means VTDigger photographer Glenn Russell is stationed around the state, capturing the scenes in Vermont municipalities — from Fairfield to Lincoln.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Vermont Town Meeting Day 2025.

As 2024 comes to a close, we decided to look back on the year and the many Vermonters we captured in VTDigger’s photography. Whether it was summer flooding, the total solar eclipse or a major election, our photographers and freelancers were there to capture it all. 

Staff photographer Glenn Russell and Senior Editor Natalie Williams reflected on 20 of their favorite images and what makes them stand out.

I was walking up to where downed power lines had closed a road during a windstorm when a driver passed by me and headed directly to where trees were hanging on the wires. Only after much high-volume remonstration, gesticulation and recrimination by the deputy sheriff was the driver convinced to turn around. I could see the driver articulating his displeasure as he drove by me the other way.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 70-200mm zoom at 200mm in aperture priority at f4.5 at 1/500th of a second at auto-ISO 2000 and under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop. Big enlargement from the original frame. My cameras capture files at about 6000 pixels across on the long side. After toning and editing, I file jpegs that are 2500 pixels. This allows me quite a bit of lossless cropping.)

— Glenn Russell

This is one of those photos I didn’t expect to take but ended up loving. I was covering the vote on the next sergeant-at-arms for Vermont. There was an interesting moment when the Legislature broke for a quick recess due to the close vote, and around 20 people swarmed the podium at the front of the chamber to discuss the results before quickly disbanding. The rush of people reminded me of something out of a Renaissance painting. Although I can’t credit myself with creating something that beautiful, I did get a kick out of it.  

— Natalie Williams

When the man accused of shooting three Palestinian students appeared in court for the first time, his lawyer asked the judge to have his manacles removed during the proceeding. This is not the lead photo (for one thing you can’t see his face), but it adds a layer of texture to the coverage.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed in manual at 1/250th of a second at f/2.8 using a 70-200mm zoom at 116mm and under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop with an auto-ISO of 1250. State court proceedings are open to the media, but are generally limited to one still photographer and one videographer. These pool photographers must share their work in the courtroom with other media outlets.)

— Glenn Russell

There were lots of photos produced during the total solar eclipse in April, but I think this moment that freelance photographer Jeb Wallace-Brodeur captured is so special. It features a glimpse of the immense crowds that visited the state for this rare celestial event and really places you beside all these people gathered on the Statehouse lawn, looking up at the sky as the sun peeks over a state office building. 

— Natalie Williams

When VTDigger editors told brand-new intern Juan Vega de Soto that on a rainy spring night, some residents head outside with their spatulas to go rescue salamanders, he thought we were messing with him. Before he knew it, he was out in the field learning that amphibian counts are, in fact, a real thing. I was lucky enough to join this adventure and see this rare spring salamander that filled our North Branch Nature Center guide with delight.

— Natalie Williams

News photographers work at the intersection of information and aesthetics. With preparation and luck, the two converge. This image is just one in an ongoing body of coverage that hopefully helps to illustrate a complex issue.

(Photographed in aperture priority with a 20mm at f/7.1 at 1/800 of a second using an auto-ISO of 100 under-exposed by a stop. Shooting wide from down low is a tried-and-true technique to keep the background clean with a dramatic foreground.)

— Glenn Russell   

The media is no longer allowed on the perimeter of the floor of the House of Representatives chamber, in a break with long-standing precedent. So we have to make pictures where we can, in this case from the public gallery during a break in debate.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 70-200mm at 135mm, 250th of a second at f2.8 in manual and auto-ISO of 125, under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop. Exposed for the highlight of the subject in the window. Exposed and color-balanced towards daylight (more blue, exterior light) for the subject while letting the chamber go tungsten-colored (more yellow, interior light) and darker.)

— Glenn Russell

This farmer played a secondary role in a story I was covering but he had such character I had to photograph him. He was a real old-timer, with a thick French accent, and he was dressed in Dickies top and bottom.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed in aperture-priority at f2.8 at 1/2000th of a second using an auto-ISO of 100 and under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop using a 70-200mm zoom at 200. Using auto-ISO ensures the highest quality (lowest-ISO) file. Under-exposing at ISO 100 makes it easy to retain the most detail in the highlights while being able to get detail in the shadows.)

— Glenn Russell

I photographed Nancy Morin at her flood-ravaged home that she has had to abandon. It’s a weird gig I have. I interject myself into people’s lives at their most sensitive moments. I get close quickly, I make that connection, I take pictures and I leave.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 50mm at f/2.8 at 1/500th of a second in aperture priority at auto-ISO 250 under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop.)

— Glenn Russell

Josh Kuckens, one of our freelance photographers, is based in the Northeast Kingdom. With so much of the 2024 flooding focused in Caledonia County towns like Hardwick, Kuckens captured many images of the high waters and damage in the area. This one stands out to me since it has so many layers to it — the people, the cars, the homes, the high water, the mud, the Hardwick Farmers Market banner, etc. Your eye has so many things to look at, and the photo illustrates just how significant and harrowing these floods have been for Vermonters.

— Natalie Williams

The devastating floods of July 2024 washed away much of Plainfield. I walked down to where the now-quiet waterway had destroyed a building the night before. The person in red was doing the same thing and turned to leave as I raised my camera.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed in aperture-priority at f/5.6 and 1/500th of a second, under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop at auto-ISO 220 with a 24-120mm zoom at 24mm. The human element, out of focus in the foreground, adds a compositional and emotional element to the photo of the damage across the river.)

— Glenn Russell

Another scary flood moment, this time captured by freelance photographer Jeb Wallace-Brodeur, shows a red car caught up in flood debris. The high waters can be so powerful, and this really depicts a single instance of just how floods can tear through trees, power lines and cars, among many other things. From the amount of debris to the downward angle of the car, I found this moment to be so striking. 

— Natalie Williams

This is the photo that’s not the photo. By that I mean that this picture of a congressional visit to a flood-ravaged farm doesn’t show the farm, the farmer, the senator or the storm damage. It shows someone struggling with an umbrella as rain begins to fall. The photo is intended as a metaphor, not a literal representation of loss.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 20mm at f5.6 at one 500th of a second, under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop at auto-ISO 1400.)

— Glenn Russell

These ladies initially took notice, but quickly forgot about me as they got down to business. Whether knitting or gossiping, relationships demonstrated by gazes and gestures is what I was looking for.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Shot in manual with a 50mm at f1.8 and 125th of a second at auto-ISO 1600 and under-exposed by 1/3 of a stop. This is just one frame from a take where I used the 20mm, the 50mm and 70-200mm. The 20 and 50 are very fast (very light-sensitive) f1.8 maximum aperture prime (meaning fixed focal length lenses) and the 70-200 zoom lens is a fast 2.8 (albeit one and one third of a stop slower – less sensitive to light – than the f1.8 lenses I use).)

— Glenn Russell

We met Terri and her granddaughter Sariyah at a neutral spot where they told us about their experience of being unhoused. I have to build trust quickly and to try to get people to be themselves during often fraught moments. Sariyah forgot about me for a moment while Terri spoke, and that’s when I took this picture.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Photographed with a 20mm lens in aperture priority at f/5.6 and 1/125th of a second, under-exposed by 1/3 of at stop at auto-ISO 100.)

— Glenn Russell

It got pretty somber pretty quick at the election night viewing party hosted by the Democrats in South Burlington. By the end, there were only a few stragglers straggling. This is the last photo I shot that night, Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg.

(Shot loose to show the emptiness with a 20mm f1.8 at 125th of a second in manual at auto-ISO 1400 and under-exposed by 2/3 of a stop. I could have burned down (darkened) the TV screen a bit and I’m not pleased with the person’s arm in the background coming out of the woman’s face, but otherwise OK.)

— Glenn Russell

This is a moment of personal loss in public, which is always a dicey situation. The caucus takes place in a small room full of senators and onlookers. I was able to discreetly move to be where I needed to be so I could get Sen. Clarkson’s reaction in the foreground. I only wish Senator Baruth on the right was also looking at her when she bowed her head. But maybe him looking away is part of the story.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Shot in manual with a 20mm at f2.8 and 250th of a second at auto-ISO 2500 and under-exposed by 2/3 of a stop. The room is window-lit from two sides. Your exposure has to change as you move around the room.)

— Glenn Russell

Lia Menard spoke eloquently about her brother’s life and the circumstances around his death and the death of his wife as an unhoused couple living in a tent. It’s never easy to photograph people in distress, but it has to be done in an honest and respectful way. I just try to be quiet and look and listen.

(Shot in RAW and converted to jpeg. Shot in manual with a 50mm at f1.8 and 125th of a second at auto-ISO 2000 and under-exposed by a stop. I photograph with two mirrorless cameras which are much quieter than DLSRs. There’s no sound from the mirror flapping up and down with each frame taken.)

— Glenn Russell

I am always a fan of photos that can take you behind the scenes of an event — in this case I got to see drag queen Lavender Homicide getting ready for a photoshoot. As she puts on her lashes and a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” poster looks on, it sets the scene of her aesthetic and the performance that is to come. 

— Natalie Williams 

This is one of a series of frames I shot just as the winning goal in overtime was about to be scored. The moment is all about anticipation. The next frame that shows the crowd’s reaction (which is bonkers) after the goal was scored is cool but this picture is the one.

(Shot in RAW and converted to a jpeg with a 50mm f1.8 at 125th of a second in manual, under-exposed by one stop using auto-ISO 7200. I almost always under-expose my digital files — paradoxically, the darker it gets, the more I under-expose.)

— Glenn Russell

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger photographers look back on their 20 favorite images of 2024.

About 50 people braved snow and plunging temperatures to attend the annual Longest Night Vigil in front of the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier on Friday, Dec. 20, to remember people who lost their lives while experiencing  homelessness. People spoke and people sang and people held candles and each other in the darkness and the cold.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: At the Longest Night Vigil, Vermonters commemorate their houseless neighbors.

Staff members at the Feeding Champlain Valley food shelf were busy Tuesday, giving out turkeys and other fixings fit for a holiday meal. Located on North Winooski Avenue in Burlington, the food shelf is closed on Thanksgiving but has plenty of turkeys to give to those in need this season. It is open for groceries during the week from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Vermont food shelf provides Thanksgiving ingredients to those in need.

Throughout the state on Tuesday night, Vermonters waited as the results of the 2024 election trickled in — whether huddled around the TV at election watch parties or glued to their phones for updates. Photographers Glenn Russell and Josh Kuckens followed candidates and voters as the results were called.

Need to catch up on all things related to Vermont’s 2024 election? You can find all of our coverage from Tuesday here.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Winners, losers and election night watchers.

Election Day has arrived, and Vermonters have been taking to the polls. Photographers Glenn Russell Josh Kuckens and Caleb Kenna traveled across the state — from Cornwall to Plainfield to Hardwick — to capture the action.

Updated at 4:45 p.m.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Voters cast their ballots throughout Vermont.

MONTPELIER — There were no traffic jams this time around, and just a smattering of pink pussy hats in the crowd. All the same, the Vermont Women’s Rally that drew hundreds of people to the Statehouse lawn on Saturday morning shared the same themes and motivations as the 2017 event that drew a record crowd  — estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 — to the same venue.

“We’re not going back” was the oft-repeated line in both speeches and handmade signs. But it was not lost on the crowd that in the nearly eight years since that previous rally, the movement had faced a major setback with the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.

The 90-minute event was billed as one to demonstrate the power of women to fight discrimination and support women’s rights, but the main catalyst for the gathering, as in 2017, was unquestionably former President Donald Trump — although his name was rarely invoked.

With the clock ticking down on Tuesday’s election, the rally drew generations of Vermonters, ranging from toddlers to elder women’s rights activists. Among them was 91-year-old Madeleine Kunin, who kicked off the speeches nearly 40 years to the day after she was elected to be Vermont’s first — and only — female governor.

“It’s women who are going to decide the outcome of this election,” Kunin said to loud applause, “and we’re going to be out in force all over the country.” As with other speakers, Kunin characterized it as “the most important election” in a lifetime.

Musicians, a poet and a college student also took turns at the podium, along with U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., a representative for U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt and former state Rep. Kiah Morris. But it was the surprise late arrival of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, that brought the loudest cheering, again reminiscent of the 2017 rally (including the surprise late arrival). Sanders did not hesitate to call out Trump by name, repeatedly, as he drew from the stump speech he has delivered around the country in recent weeks on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris to close out the rally’s speeches.

Saturday’s event was scheduled to coincide with the national Women’s March in Washington, D.C.  and other state women’s rallies across the country.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Statehouse women’s rally draws memories of 2017.

The Great Bristol Outhouse Race brought crowds to Main Street in Bristol to witness the 45th annual running of the toilets on Thursday, July 4th 2024. Four heats of commode competition had racers sprint for a block with their decorated loos. Each mobile lavatory team had to include one member who squatted on a facsimile potty as their teammates propelled them. The eventual winners, a team from LaRose Surveys, were pooped after the race.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Running of the bowls — spectators flock to Bristol’s annual outhouse race.

The Vergennes Memorial Day Parade brought crowds to the Addison County town on Monday. Held since 1946, the parade featured everything from marching bands to tractors rolling down the street. The 1.5-mile route began at Vergennes Union High School before weaving through downtown. Scroll down to see scenes from the day.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Spectators gather for the Vergennes Memorial Day Parade.

Updated at 6:15 p.m.

As visitors poured into Vermont to view Monday’s total solar eclipse, towns and roads throughout the state were packed with pedestrians and vehicles. Our photographers and reporters were stationed throughout Vermont — from St. Albans to Middlebury and Burlington to Montpelier — to capture all the action.

This photo gallery will be updated.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Scenes from the total solar eclipse in Vermont.

There’s a new Vermont spelling bee champion.

With the word “utilitarian,” Riverside School student Phoenix Newell, 12, of Kirby, clinched the first place win at the Vermont State Scripps Spelling Bee at Middlebury College on Thursday afternoon. Tatum Raphael, 13, of Vergennes, came in second.

Newell placed third in last year’s competition, having been defeated by two-time champion Elise Cournoyer from Camels Hump Middle School.

Now, Newell heads to the national spelling bee in May in Washington, D.C. 

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Northeast Kingdom student wins Vermont spelling bee with ‘utilitarian’.

VTDigger photographer Glenn Russell and the newsroom’s reporters fanned out on Town Meeting Day to capture some of the action in cities and towns across the state.

Solveig Overby’s name was misspelled in an earlier version this of story.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Vermont Town Meeting Day 2024.

The year was not only marked by record-breaking weather, including the summer’s devastating floods, but it also included a historic Town Meeting Day, countless protests and much more. VTDigger photographers and editors look at some of the top moments captured in 2023.

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger looks back at the top photos of the year.

BURLINGTON — More than 200 people attended a rally in City Hall Park on Saturday afternoon to express their support for Palestinians on the eve of an expected Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

The event came nearly a week after Hamas militants crossed the Israeli border to conduct a brutal attack, killing more than 1,300 Israelis and taking more than 150 hostage.

Many attendees of the Free Palestine rally held signs as they listened to a series of speakers, including Wafic Faour, a Palestinian and spokesperson for Vermonters for Justice in Palestine.

Dima, a Palestinian who recently graduated from the University of Vermont, spoke about her alienating experience as a student there.

The demonstration was sponsored by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and a host of other local organizations.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Vermonters rally for Palestinians in Burlington.

The Deeper Dig is a biweekly podcast from the VTDigger newsroom, hosted and produced by Sam Gale Rosen. Listen below, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Early this month, heavy rains led to historic flooding in many parts of Vermont, causing massive — as yet uncounted — damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure. At the time of this recording, the state has confirmed that one person was killed by the floods.

Like in Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, many towns were under feet of water, and some were transformed into islands, with routes in and out cut off by floodwaters and damaged roads.

Against this backdrop, reporters and photographers from VTDigger fanned out, reporting from as many of the affected areas as they could reach. Today, we’ll hear from a few of them about what they found.

Below is a partial transcript, edited for length and clarity.

Sam Gale Rosen: First, let’s hear from Erin Petenko.

Erin Petenko: I’m Erin, I am a reporter at VTDigger. I usually cover data reporting. I make charts and graphics for the website. But I also happen to live in Montpelier. So I was very involved with the Montpelier coverage during the recent flood.

Sam: I asked Erin about her experience of the floods. You’ll hear a few time references — this conversation took place on July 18, about a week after the height of the flooding.

Erin: This is quite a tale. I think I first learned about the floods when I received a notification from our beloved editor-in-chief Paul Heintz on Sunday saying, hey, there’s going to be a lot of flooding.

And I was actually in Massachusetts at the time. So I was like: OK, well, maybe I’ll just drive home a little bit earlier. I think I knew intellectually that it was going to be bad. But you know how sometimes there’s a divide between knowing something as a fact and knowing something emotionally, like processing how bad it’s going to be. By Monday — I think the first time it really sunk in was, I decided to walk to Shaw’s just to grab a spare gallon of water, just in case, you know, in case the water goes out for a day. And I got out of the grocery store, and I looked over at the Winooski River, which is right next to the Shaw’s, and it was like nothing I had ever seen before at that river or anywhere else. It was roaring. It was boiling almost with all of the strength of the waves and the water. And it was a really, really ugly brownish color. You know, it was nothing like the Winooski River that I knew and loved. And I was like, wow, OK, maybe this really is going to be bad.

The first time I saw the floodwaters start to pass into, you know, places where it’s not supposed to be is probably around 7 p.m. on Monday. I looked over and I saw that Elm Street had actually started to have floodwaters. And I also looked over and realized there were firefighters at the little intersection of Elm (Street) and School Street, just kind of standing there figuring out what to do. I mean, there were a lot of people who were still trying to get home frantically.  You know, it wasn’t too bad at that point. But it was still raining, right? Eventually, you know, I turned in for the night.

When I woke up, School Street Bridge was underwater. Elm Street was underwater. You couldn’t walk like 2 feet into it. And, when I walked by the State Capitol, you know, you could see the waters not just flooding State Street, but also running down State Street like it had become part of the river. Like that was the Winooski River at that point. It was just flowing down State Street. It was this very light brownish color, not like any color that water is supposed to be in Vermont. It smelled like gasoline. It was bubbling up in really weird ways and really weird places, probably because of the storm drains and how it was flowing around storm drains, and all the other things that were probably hidden under the waters because I couldn’t see into them at all. They were completely opaque. And then, you know, occasionally you would look over and you’d say like, is that a car poking out of the top of the floodwaters?

And, you know, people were just congregating at the edge where the floodwaters were heightened and kind of just staring. I think people were kind of in shock at that point. I was in shock at that point. Just kind of going, what is this? Like, your brain cannot process that this is your hometown and that it’s just completely covered in floodwaters.

And, you know, I was just standing there thinking, Oh my God, Bear Pond Books is underwater. Oh my God, Wilaiwans’s in Montpelier — best Thai restaurant in the state — is underwater. Like just all these places that I go to on a regular basis and just like realizing that all of them are going to be destroyed. 

And then, of course, you know, around the same time, we were starting to hear reports that the Wrightsville Dam was potentially going to spill over. There were some reports it was going to breach — but that’s not actually true. That dam was never in danger of actually collapsing or losing structural integrity. The question was whether the level of the reservoir would go over the top of the auxiliary spillway. And because it’s just so much water in that reservoir, it would have increased the level of flooding in downtown. Ultimately, it came within a foot.

From what I understand, they had someone standing at the top of the dam and just watching it, you know, ready to alert the town if it was to go over the top of the spillway. Of course. I was constantly getting messages and phone calls telling me like: I heard it’s going to spill over. I think that a lot of people were just really, really nervous. You know, things were flying around.

I did get in touch with the fire chief and he was like: It’s OK. It’s not going over. It’s not going over. I talked to the dam guy like 20 minutes ago. And indeed, you know, 20 minutes later, when the waters would have reached Montpelier, it was the same as it was. So it was really touch and go for a while, but, you know, obviously a relief to see that it didn’t eventually happen. And then sometime around 3 p.m., there was a noticeable change in the water levels, like you can see the edge of where they had reached because it left this big muddy footprint where it actually was at that point.

And people were kind of slowly starting to try to get towards their businesses to check on how their businesses were doing. I think I actually passed one woman in particular who was trying to wade through the floodwaters. And she was like, I can get a little bit further this time! And then she turned around and was like: I can’t go all the way, but, you know, of course wait a couple more hours.

And then, you know, you wake up the next day, and the floodwaters have kind of receded. But it definitely does not look normal downtown. There’s just muck, like a layer of muck over the entire city. And, you know, that’s when people started to kind of jump in and start to do basic, like: What does my business look like? What does my property look like?

You know, people were starting to coordinate volunteer efforts. I think it really got going the next day. Volunteers have just arrived in Montpelier in droves in recent days to help businesses basically just clear out all the stuff that got damaged in the flood. I mean, you walk down Montpelier right now on Main or State (streets), and there’s piles of debris that are bigger than my head, just full of every single bit of equipment that businesses have. I saw pieces of furniture, I saw random spots of inventory, like shoes or books or bookcases, the entire bookcases had to be thrown out with the books. And, you know, pieces of drywall, pieces of the actual composition of the rooms themselves had to be thrown away as well. So those are still kind of piling the streets. I think that trash pickup is ongoing.

Montpelier has started a fundraising effort through the Montpelier Strong Recovery Fund to try to help businesses and possibly some other organizations that were damaged during the storm. We don’t know yet the full extent of how many businesses were damaged. As of yesterday morning, Monday (July 17) morning, there were a handful of businesses open on Main (Street), like the Skinny Pancake, Buddy’s is open. Shaw’s is open somehow. I mean, it’s right by the river. I don’t know how that works. But pretty much every business that I walk by is closed right now. So I would guess that it’s a pretty pretty high percentage of Montpelier businesses. Right now, the fund has raised about $250,000. They are hoping to raise far more because some businesses reported losses of over $1 million in inventory, is what the fundraisers are saying.

There are programs like the Small Business Administration loans that businesses can apply for. But like I said, it’s a loan. So it’s not necessarily as advantageous for businesses that are already struggling, as you would get if you were just getting a grant. And, you know, the other aspect of that is just the immediacy of it. A lot of businesses really want money right now, you know, the owners need to pay their business expenses, and they also need to pay their own bills. Maybe they need to pay rent on their own apartments, for example. So they are really hoping to do that sooner rather than later.

Sam: In addition to her reporting, Erin took care of VTDigger political reporter Lola Duffort’s cat.

Erin: Yes, yes. So during this experience, one of my coworkers, Lola, had to evacuate her apartment, mostly to avoid that spillway that threatened to run over. And she found someone to take her in that couldn’t take in her cat, Djuna, because they had two cats already. This is actually my other coworker, Sarah. So Djuna came and stayed with me and my husband and my cat. They did not get along, of course, but they looked at each other through the door and hissed at each other. And that was the extent of the fighting. Djuna wasn’t happy to be stuck in my husband’s office. But my husband did keep her lots of company. And you know, I kept coming to check out her and give her some extra pets and love. And she was happy about that. So she’s all right. She got returned to her human after two nights. And last time I saw her she was doing just fine.

Sam: I also spoke to Ethan Weinstein, VTDigger’s southeastern Vermont reporter. He covered some of the areas that were hit by the storm’s highest total rainfalls, including Ludlow, which was cut off by the closing of Route 103, the main artery in and out of town.

Ethan Weinstein: I think that for the first couple days, I was definitely fueled by adrenaline. It was an experience unlike any I’d had where essentially stories were just everywhere. I would drive until something prevented me, whether that was a river over a road or a broken bridge or, you know, a swelling stream that looked a little too scary to cross. And then I would just start talking to people and snapping photos. And yeah, it was like there were stories everywhere because there seemed to be scary things going on everywhere.

Sam: And how did you actually end up getting to Ludlow?

Ethan: So I didn’t get to Ludlow until Tuesday. So on Tuesday, I headed down Route 103, around Proctorsville, Cavendish, and headed as far as I could get into Ludlow, eventually there was a pothole that seemed to have been exacerbated by the flooding and was quite deep and although I saw some trucks going through it, in my sedan I didn’t quite feel comfortable. So I left my car and started walking into town.

Sam: And what did you see as you went in?

Ethan: I mean, the damage was everywhere. There were porches that had been knocked off of businesses there. One of the businesses that had flooded was a company that sells hot tubs and jacuzzis. And so, along the river, there were hot tubs that had been washed downstream. And some of them had been brought back to the business and were sitting there partially destroyed. Roads were covered in mud where the rivers had flown over them. You know, people were pumping water out of basements and out of first floors. In some places, asphalt had just erupted seemingly. And there were a lot of impassable roads. Th ere were cars that were sort of surrounded by rocks that had been pushed by the river. Eventually, as I was walking towards the center of town, I got to the Black River Mobile Home Court, a mobile home park in Ludlow that was particularly damaged by the flooding.

Sam: What kind of damage did you see there? 

Ethan: ​​Well, on Tuesday morning, there was still water pooled all throughout the park. The Black River flows right behind the mobile homes, and so it didn’t have very far to go. In some places, there were cars that had been left in the park and were no longer usable. There were propane tanks that had been pushed around by the flooding, lawn furniture, porches ripped off. I mean, it was a real mess. And the most significant damage I saw there was a mobile home that had been pushed about 100 yards downstream and wound up getting wedged sort of askew into some trees downstream.

Sam: And did you see any of the people who lived there and how they were dealing with all this at the time?

Ethan: Yeah, I got to chat with a few of the folks who live in the park. And was honestly sort of surprised by their positivity. I think they were still in shock. As was, you know, everyone around there and so they were really able to find silver linings. One guy and his wife that I chatted with there, they’d lived in the park during Irene, and Irene had completely destroyed their home. And so this guy, he was a builder, and he said that after Irene he completely redid the trailer. He raised it 16 inches to try to prevent future flooding, and so he poured thousands of dollars into the home. And ultimately, despite his efforts, the home did flood on Monday, but it only flooded about an inch, and he thought that he’d have to redo the floors, but everything else was salvageable. And he actually moved his cars to higher ground. So he didn’t he didn’t lose that, and he was feeling quite good about the day’s events. He’d slept at a shelter across the street and was grateful for the volunteers that had food and beds and all of that. And he had quite a positive outlook.

I spoke to another woman who had only recently moved to the park and had put in a lot of renovations in her trailer. I think she said $30,000 worth. And much of the outside of her trailer had been destroyed by the flooding. Thankfully, very little water had entered her home. And so you know, she would need to redo part of the outside but because of where it was situated within the park, it wasn’t a total loss. But the whole park was evacuated, and she’d been carried out by a firefighter as water was rushing through the park. And at that point, obviously, you know, she had very little time to think about what she was going to bring with her. And she didn’t take her car, and so she thought her car was totaled. It was still sitting there in the park on Tuesday.

Sam: And you saw some examples of people who live there helping others too, right?

Ethan: Yeah, so as I walked further into town, I ran into a few girls, they were 10, 12, and they had actually been staying at a family camp, either on the western edge of Ludlow or just outside of Ludlow. And as water started to rise, they had to flee the camp and they wound up staying with an aunt who was living in Ludlow. And so on Tuesday, when I ran into them, they’d set up a lemonade stand. They were giving out free lemonade to people that were helping out to clean up, and they were also accepting donations that they were hoping to share with their neighbors.

Another example of this that I ran into, there’s a restaurant and arcade called Gamebird, right on Main Street in Ludlow. Amazing fried chicken, can’t recommend it enough. And their business had been pretty much spared. Water hadn’t really gotten inside. Their kitchen was working. Their power was on, and so the team there had been cooking hot meals for free for anyone who wanted them. They’d also partnered with nearby brewery Outer Limits, which had seen a lot of flooding there over in Cavendish. And so the folks from Outer Limits had brought beer, and they brought perishables, and they’d set up a little makeshift free grocery inside Gamebird. And so folks from the community were coming in there to grab a soda, eat some fried chicken and just take a breath really.

Sam: Just from what you saw, do you have a sense of what the road to recovery and repair looks like for Ludlow?

Ethan: I think it’s going to take a lot of time to get to the state things were in before the flood. Driving around southern Vermont last week, I saw a lot of flood damage, you know, roads partially washed out and yards undercut by streams and bridges that were down and, you know, extreme damage.

But in Ludlow, what was so remarkable was that based on where mud had been pushed from the flooding, the biggest roads in town had been completely underwater. And these were roads that were some distance from the river. They weren’t businesses that were sitting next to streams. They were a couple blocks away, and so there was really, really significant damage there. I guess what I do know is that because Ludlow is a mountain town, a ski town, it does have that source of economic activity. And so, you know, folks are going to keep coming to town, and there’ll be that stream of income. But because it is a recreation-based town and, like I said, there are those slow seasons, folks really rely on the summertime to make a big portion of their year’s profit, and so missing out on these few weeks or months in July and August and September are going to be really tough.

Sam: Finally, I talked to VTDigger’s staff photographer, Glenn Russell, who covered a remarkable amount of ground during the storm and the flooding: Rochester, Ludlow, Rutland, Montpelier, Berlin, Barre and more. Glenn also covered Tropical Storm Irene back in 2011. I asked him what he brought when he went out to photograph in these kinds of conditions.

Glenn Russell: Well, the important thing is to stay clean. So I bought a bunch of sanitizing gel. I brought a change of clothes. I brought a change of shoes. I brought some power bars. I brought water and rain gear. I mean, as a photographer, my main concern is my gear. So I can get wet. The gear is better sealed than it was back in the day, but still, when you’re talking torrential rains and electronics, that’s a bad mix. I have my now-deceased father’s great, big, huge Cabella rain jacket. It covers me and my cameras and my gear. It looks weird as hell, but it really worked. It really kept my stuff dry. I put my key fob in a Ziploc bag. I put my phone in a Ziploc bag. I just wanted to really keep the electronics clean, and also wanted to keep me clean. You know, whenever I got out of water, I would give myself a sanitizing bath. I would rub sanitizer all over my feet, legs, nether regions, everything and anything that got exposed to floodwater, I would rub down with disinfectant.

Sam: How did the water that you were going through look and smell at these places?

Glenn: Monday, when I was down in southern Vermont, the water was turbulent and muddy. But it didn’t smell bad, didn’t smell fouled. Tuesday in Montpelier, the water stank because, you know, it was much more static. It was in an urban area rather than a rural area. You could see the sheens of whatever toxic gunk was in the water. So in terms of toxicity, I think the Tuesday water in Montpelier was a lot more dangerous than the Monday water that was just running off the mountain. And then of course, when I went to Barre on Wednesday, you know, things had started to dry out and things started to stink. And that mud was super viscous. And not anyone’s idea of a good time.

Sam: And were there any conversations you had with people in the course of this work that stick out to you?

Glenn: What stuck out to me, what sticks out to me, and this was the same thing during Irene, was how gracious people were to have me there and take their picture at one of the worst moments in their lives. No one said no. Some people were actually happy to see me and happy to have their stories told. But I think there was a sense that we’re all in this together. And yeah, come on in man, take a photo.

Read the story on VTDigger here: The Deeper Dig: ‘I was in shock’: Reporters on the impact of Vermont’s catastrophic flooding.

RANDOLPH – Several hundred young chess devotees gathered Saturday at Vermont Technical College for the first Youth Chess Day, a celebration of the cerebral board game arranged by Sen. Bernie Sanders,  I-Vt.

The day-long event began with “Learn to Play” sessions for elementary- and middle-school age students followed by a recreational tournament that included high school students.

Garth Kurts and Asher Goodwin, both 12 of Middlesex, played an impromptu game as one of the day’s programs wound down and another was about to start. The Rumney Memorial School classmates have been playing chess for a year or two.

“What I like about it is the strategy,” Garth said. “A good way to beat your opponent is to limit their ability to move.”

Read the story on VTDigger here: Photos: Bernie Sanders arranges Vermont’s 1st chess day for youth.

As Vermonters gathered with neighbors for the first in-person Town Meeting Day in years, VTDigger photographer Glenn Russell was there to capture the action. Take a look at the scenes in Bakersfield, Milton, Richmond and South Burlington.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Take a look at Vermont’s Town Meeting Day 2023.

As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to look back at some of the moments that shaped the year. From historic elections to the changing Covid-19 climate to everyday experiences of Vermonters, VTDigger’s photographers were there to capture the many perspectives of the year. Glenn Russell, Riley Robinson and Natalie Williams picked some of their favorite images — and moments.

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger photographers look back at their top images of the year.

The season’s first major snowstorm created a whiteout across Vermont, caused schools to close Friday, felled trees and power lines leading to widespread outages, and created a winter wonderland a week before Christmas.

Click the photos below to scroll through the photo gallery.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: The season’s first major snowstorm created a whiteout in Vermont.

MONTPELIER — A bright blue star and thousands of tiny, brilliant multicolored lights adorn a 40-foot balsam as it beckons passersby to the Statehouse steps.

Cheers filled the chilly air Monday evening as children of all ages helped Gov. Phil Scott light the Statehouse Christmas tree.

The tree was donated by Richard Cowart and Anne Winchester of the Northlight Tree Farm in Calais, one of Vermont’s oldest Christmas tree farms, dating back to the 1920s, according to a press release.

The U-32 High School chorus nearly upstaged the moment with their joyous carols and Vermonters scrambled for the free cookies and hot cider served alongside the annual spectacle.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Carols, cookies and cider warm hearts at the Statehouse tree-lighting ceremony.

The 13th annual River of Light parade was held in Waterbury on Saturday. This year’s theme was “Marvelous Magic.”

The event involves circus arts, music and colorful lanterns displayed in a community procession.  This year’s parade started at 5 p.m. from the Brookside Primary School
to Stowe Street and Dac Rowe Park.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: A River of Light spreads in Waterbury.

BURLINGTON — Dozens of people, including outgoing U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., gathered at a ceremony in Burlington’s Battery Park on Friday to commemorate Veterans Day that included the national anthem, speeches and a benediction, as well as a chance for veterans to catch up with each other.

Several attendees wore faux poppies pinned to their clothes, part of a fundraiser for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Click a photo below to scroll through the gallery.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Dozens gather in Burlington to commemorate Veterans Day.

The Hispanic and Latino Heritage Celebration, sponsored by the Vermont Office of Racial Equity and the state Human Rights Commission, drew people to the lawn of the Statehouse in Montpelier to listen, learn, dance and eat on Saturday.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Hispanic and Latino Heritage Celebration draws Vermonters to Statehouse.

Burlington – Vermont’s Pride week wrapped up Sunday with an annual festival and parade in a burst of rainbow flags and costumes celebrating and supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

Since 1983, Vermonters have marched to expand LGBTQ+ visibility, highlight the continued fight for equal rights and celebrate love.

This year’s theme – ‘Metamorphosis’ – connected artists, activities, events and featured a new parade route and venue. The parade kicked off at 12:30 p.m. at the south end of Church Street and ended at the Waterfront Park with a daylong festival showcasing vendors, art, music and performances.

A colorful event featuring LGBTQ+ community and allies, the event drew people of all ages and backgrounds and educated the community on the traditions and challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Annual Pride parade and festival celebrates love and community in Burlington.

South Burlington – Crowds packed the Vermont Air National Guard’s annual open house on Sept. 11.

Free and open to the public, the event showcased various military displays, demonstrations, performances as well as a job fair at the South Burlington base.

A U.S. Air Force flight simulator and Beta Technologies’ electric aircraft Alia-250 were popular draws on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Adults and children jostled for close views of F-35s, a CAP glider, a Blackhawk, a Humvee, machine guns and enjoyed an inflatable obstacle course, a climbing wall and face painting.

Events included a working dog demo, a ‘Jaws of Life’ extraction, Army band concerts and a 9/11 remembrance ceremony.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Vermont Air National Guard open house showcases choppers, guns, planes on 9/11.

The Caledonia County Fair in Lyndonville opened on Wednesday, with events ranging from a demolition derby to youth cattle judging. Billed as “Vermont’s oldest fair,” the lineup continues through Sunday evening. Click the photos below to scroll through the photo gallery.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Vermont’s ‘oldest fair’ draws cows, cars and crowds.

The Essex Memorial Day ceremony and parade brought the crowds out to line the sidewalks in Essex Junction on Saturday.

Two trumpeters from the Essex High School band played “Taps” as wreaths were laid during ceremonies at Veterans Memorial Park before the parade began.

The parade started and ended on the grounds of the Champlain Valley Expo and passed through the Five Corners intersection.

Dark skies and the threat of rain did little to diminish enthusiasm among the children for candy nor among people cheering on firefighters, marching bands, Shriners on motorbikes, jugglers and antique tractors. A passel of politicians brought up the rear of the parade, zig-zagging across the road they raced to shake as many hands as possible.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Essex Memorial Day parade draws a crowd.

About thirty people gathered in downtown Barre Thursday evening for a vigil to pray for those killed in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. Signs arrayed in an arc with the names of the 19 schoolchildren and two teachers killed were displayed with children’s shoes and a rose arranged in front of each sign. The Rev. Leigh McCaffrey and the Rev. Earl Kooperkamp took turns reading the names of the victims, with a long pause between each name. They also read the names of those killed in the recent supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York. Before and after the recitation, people sang “Dona Nobis Pacem,” which means “Grant Us Peace” in Latin.

Read the story on VTDigger here: PHOTOS: Barre prays for school shooting victims.