A big increase in gasoline prices over the past month could force legislative leaders to scale back their plan to raise the state gas tax to help repair roads and bridges.

This week, volunteers marked Martin Luther King Day by doing community service, the state said detecting future leaks at Vermont Yankee may be compromised, committees looked into high gasoline prices, Legislators were introduced to the Health care Exchange software and Vermonters hit the ice for some pond hockey.

We’ll look at causes for the recent rise in gas and heating oil prices and how some are dealing with it; also we hear about causes for the possible loss of funding at the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington.

With the price of gasoline on the rise, Vermont authorities are reporting several incidents of gas theft.

We talk to Sanders about gas prices, which have been notably higher in northwestern Vermont, Citizens United, FEMA Irene reimbursements, the recently passed Transportation Bill, which provides about $464 million to Vermont, and gun control, in the wake of the shooting in Aurora, Colorado.  

Some Vermont communities expect the cost of fuel to spike, so they're trying to control their energy bills by locking in propane and diesel prices.

With gas prices climbing, more people are taking the train. Nationwide, the number of people riding Amtrak has gone up nearly 4 percent. And that's good news for Vermont rail lines as well. 

Congressman Peter Welch says gas prices could continue to decline in the coming weeks because President Obama has authorized the withdrawal of millions of barrels of oil from the nation's strategic petroleum reserve. Earlier: Prices Impact Driving Habits 

Concerned about rising gas prices, Congressman Peter Welch has proposed short-term and long-term solutions, including ending tax breaks for oil companies.

Gas prices rose, Vermont Yankee leaked, the Democrats offered an olive branch and Vermont was found to be safe and green. These were some of the voices in the news this week.