Vermont Gas Systems is inching forward with its plan to expand natural gas service to Addison County and points south, with the support of town officials.

Energizer expects a decrease in the demand for its batteries, so the company plans to shutter its St. Albans plant in September. The drop in demand may be a good sign for the environment, but it's been a shock for a community that has come to rely on those jobs.

Last week's election energized supporters of marijuana legalization, with Colorado and Washington voters legalizing the drug in their states. In Burlington, voters passed a non-binding­ referendum with 70 percent of the vote in favor of legalizing, taxing and regulating cannabis and hemp.

Vermont hired two consulting firms shortly after Tropical Storm Irene to navigate FEMA's bureaucratic maze. The state is set to pay up to $4 million under a pair of consulting contracts with the disaster management specialists.

The Brattleboro Retreat psychiatric hospital is cutting 31 jobs. The move comes two days after unionized workers held an informational picket over what the union has called deteriorating contract talks.

A legal challenge may delay plans to open a secure residential facility for people with mental illness displaced by Tropical Storm Irene.

Vermont dodged the ravages of Hurricane Sandy two weeks ago, but up and down the Eastern Seaboard many people are still suffering - and still worried about heat and survival.

St. Albans took a big blow yesterday afternoon, with the announcement that the Energizer plant will be closing by next September.

The news comes as a shock to the four displaced Water Street homeowners, who've been waiting more than a year for the program to come through.

Cities and towns in Vermont say Washington needs to deal with the coming fiscal cliff quickly because it could hurt their budgets and lead to another recession.

Voters in Burlington have overwhelmingly approved a $9 million fiscal stability bond. Mayor Miro Weinberger sees Tuesday's vote as a green light to fix the city's money woes by re-financing its debt.

In Castleton, a controversial vote on whether or not to renovate the historic town office building took an interesting twist.  

A propane leak in Barre has forced the evacuation of the city's polling place at the Barre Auditorium, and city officials have moved the location to the Old Labor Hall on Granite Street.

Newscast: Monday, November 5, 2012, 5:50 p.m.

Voters in Vermont's largest city will decide on Tuesday whether to support a $9 million fiscal stability bond. Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger has proposed the ballot item to essentially refinance the city's debt, but the new mayor is seeing some new opposition from a conservative super PAC.

Nearly 100 people gathered in Rutland early Saturday morning to celebrate the opening of a new multi-use bike path in the city. It was the culmination of a 7 year-long community wide effort launched during the city's Creative Economy Initiative.

There's just one day to go before voters in Vermont head to the polls, but we may not know the outcome of some very close races the day after the election. That's because Vermont has extended the deadline for military and overseas voters to return their absentee ballots.

"Creative Placemaking" is a new strategy to revitalize towns and communities through the arts. 

For years Castleton's town offices were located in a historic building in the heart of the village. But mold and other safety concerns forced a move into temporary quarters last year. Local residents remain split over whether to build a new town office or restore the old one and next Tuesday they'll vote on the issue.

A call to police around 8 o'clock last night reported a naked man standing near exit three on Interstate 91, in Brattleboro.

Congressman Peter Welch appears to be cruising to re-election. He's running for a fourth term in Washington, and he says he wants Vermonters to know he remains committed to promoting their interests.

Help is on the way to rebuild a 140-year-old building damaged by fire in Brattleboro.

In St. Johnsbury, the firing of Town Manager Ralph Nelson continues to prompt questions from residents who are growing increasingly agitated about why. They've also been wondering why no replacement has been appointed.

Defense attorney David Sleigh wants charges against 20 of his Orleans County clients dropped because he claims the state's attorney was improperly appointed. Sleigh has sparked a legal battle that may seem arcane, but he insists his clients' rights to due process are at stake.

The Burlington group BTV Green is hoping voters will approve a city referendum on the legalization and regulation of marijuana and hemp.