Vermont
Evolving overdose crisis shakes previously effective treatments
BURLINGTON, Vt. – “You can’t inject a horse tranquilizer and think nothing bad is gonna happen” to you, said Ty Sears, 33, a longtime drug user now in recovery. Sears was referring to xylazine, a sedative used for animal surgeries that has infiltrated the illicit drug supply across the country, contributing to a steady climb […]
Older adults want to ‘age in place,’ but their options are limited in most states
Read more Stateline coverage of how communities across the country are trying to create more affordable housing. As older adults begin to outnumber young people in the United States in the coming decade, advocacy groups are challenging states to shift away from single-family zoning in favor of housing solutions that allow older adults to “age […]
Democratic lieutenant governors, advocates, discuss solutions to prevent gun violence
WASHINGTON — Six lieutenant governors from across the country joined gun violence prevention advocates to share their stories and offer solutions at a policy discussion event Tuesday. The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association hosted the gun violence prevention policy summit, which was the first event of its kind. The DLGA partnered with the gun violence prevention […]
States that send a mail ballot to every voter really do increase turnout, scholars find
Lately, a rough consensus has emerged among people who study the impact of voting policies: Though they often spark fierce partisan fighting, most changes to voting laws do little to affect overall turnout, much less election results. But one fast-growing reform appears to stand out as an exception. When every registered voter gets sent a […]
A ‘she-cession’ no more: After COVID dip, women’s employment hits all-time high
After fears of a “she-cession” during the pandemic, women have returned to the workforce at unprecedented rates. Much of the gain reflects a boom in jobs traditionally held by women, including nursing and teaching. Many good-paying jobs in fields such as construction and tech management are still dominated by men, a continuing challenge for states […]
Rhode Island gets off the list of ‘invalid’ driver’s licenses recognized by Florida
Earlier this month the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles listed out-of-state driver licenses issued to undocumented immigrants that would no longer be recognized by law enforcement in Florida — a provision of the sweeping anti-immigration bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that went into effect on July 1. But shortly after that announcement, the agency […]
White House rolls out strategy to battle deadly drug mixture of fentanyl and xylazine
WASHINGTON — The White House is unveiling a plan to combat the growing threat of drug overdose deaths involving the combination of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and the powerful sedative xylazine, approved only for veterinary use. The plan comes ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’s meeting with state attorneys general next week to discuss the staggering […]
With flood damage to property ‘unavoidable,’ Vt. officials focus on saving lives
Standing at a podium Monday morning in Vermont’s Emergency Operations Center in Waterbury, Gov. Phil Scott appeared solemn as the day’s catastrophic flooding brought back memories of Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Except this storm, he said, could be even worse. Heavy rain inundates Vermont, causing flash floods and requiring rescues “What’s different for me […]
Heavy rain inundates Vermont, causing flash floods and requiring rescues
More than 4 inches of rain fell overnight in parts of southern and central Vermont, according to the National Weather Service, as a major flooding event unfolded throughout the state. Gov. Phil Scott declared a state of emergency Sunday afternoon and was expected to deliver an update at a press conference scheduled for 11 a.m. […]
We’re older than we used to be, especially in these states
The median age rose in almost every state last year, census estimates show, continuing a long-term trend that is pushing states to prepare for aging populations. Seventeen states had median ages over 40 in 2022, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates of the age at which half of residents are older and half are […]
Births decline in most states, continuing a long-term trend
Fast-growing Texas and Florida had the biggest increases in the number of births last year, while a dozen other states — half of them in the South — continued to rebound from pandemic lows. In the United States as a whole, however, the number of births has plateaued after a modest increase following the worst […]