Opponents of the 'two vote' school budget law that passed at the end of last year’s session are launching a final campaign to repeal the policy; Federal regulators question Vermont Yankee’s intention to use decommissioning money to handle spent fuel; Workers are still trying to repair a gate on a Connecticut River hydroelectric dam; and commentator Cheryl Hanna contemplates a French law banning the promotion of extreme thinness.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:

Legislative leaders and the Douglas Administration agree on a number of steps to stimulate the Vermont economy. But lawmakers did not support a tax credit for businesses and a weekend tax holiday that the governor proposed. The Vermont has given its approval to legislation that bans the sale of baby toys that contain a group of chemicals known as  phthalates. 

The Vermont has given its approval to legislation that bans the sale of baby toys that contain a group of chemicals known as phthalates. These chemicals are often used to make teething products and other toys for toddlers more flexible and durable.

New Hampshire Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu have joined their colleagues in writing to President Bush to request that the Energy Department temporarily stop deposits of domestic crude oil into the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves to ease record-high gas prices.

The Senate has rolled back a law it passed just last year that called for accelerated clean-up of Lake Champlain.

The new bill satisfies the concerns of the Douglas Administration and the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. They worried that last year's law would require towns to make expensive improvements to sewage treatment plants.

It looks likely that Governor Jim Douglas will veto a bill relating to the decommissioning of Vermont Yankee.  The bill says that if Vermont Yankee is transferred to a new limited liability company, the new company has to prove it can cover the full cost of dismantling the plant.

Governor Jim Douglas is giving a cool reception to a bill that would make Vermont part of a coalition of states trying to get around the electoral college and elect the president and vice president by popular vote.

Police will be searching along the side of Interstate 89 in Vermont for the remains of a Burlington woman whose disappearance 32 years ago remained a mystery until her killer confessed last week.

After a decade of trying to come up with a constitutional school aid system, New Hampshire House budget writers want more time.

The House has advanced a proposed amendment to the Vermont Constitution that would allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if their 18th birthday will occur before the general election.

This fall, the University of Vermont will pay tuition and fees for some low-income Vermont students.

A gate on a Connecticut River dam has malfunctioned and won't close. Engineers from Vermont and New Hampshire are monitoring the hydroelectric plant in Bellows Falls.

Legislative leaders and the Douglas Administration work on stimulating the Vermont economy; The Vermont House has approved legislation that prohibits the formal posting of Vermont court records on the Internet; The Senate has rolled back a law it passed last year that called for accelerated clean-up of Lake Champlain; A gate on a Connecticut River Dam has malfunctioned; UVM will be paying tuition and fees for some low-income students; and commentator David Moats on what brought him to the Green Mountains.

Democrats in the Legislature are eager to finish their work and adjourn by this weekend.

Governor Jim Douglas is determined to win passage of a package that will stimulate the state's economy.

He says with a little more effort, lawmakers can come up with a plan that he and they can support.

The Senate has rolled back a law it passed just last year that called for accelerated clean-up of Lake Champlain.

It's up to Governor Jim Douglas now whether to sign into law a bill that would designate Vermont's underground aquifers a public trust like its lakes and rivers and require a state permit for large withdrawals of groundwater.

Christine Sullivan lives in Cambridge, Vermont, and is the author of "44 Days Out of Kandahar", a book that details her desperate and improbable efforts to find a home for a dog who touched the hearts of American soldiers in a land thousands of miles away.

Sullivan speaks with VPR's Mitch Wertlieb.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:

More than a third of Vermont's schools failed to make progress in the past year toward increasing their students' test scores. Officials say that may be because the standards got tougher.

As VPR's Ross Sneyd reports, some school administrators still question the value of the assessments.

The Vermont House has given its approval to legislation that's designed to increase access to mammograms for women over 40.

The bill mandates that all health insurance companies provide mammography benefits in their policies, and that the cost to consumers not exceed $25.

Vermont is now the seventh state in the nation to declare itself ``sweatshop-free.''

Governor Jim Douglas signed a bill in Brattleboro yesterday that governs state purchases of clothes and other products.

Vermont and nine other states get F's in a report examining how forthcoming state governments are in releasing information about their roles in cases of severe child abuse.

The report, "State Secrecy and Child Deaths in the U.S.,'' says most states don't release adequate information about fatal and life-threatening child abuse cases because of policies that put confidentiality above child welfare.

New Hampshire Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen says U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq as quickly as possible.

The former Democratic governor didn't give a timetable. She is hoping for a rematch with Republican incumbent John Sununu in November.

Police in Burlington have arrested a 33-year-old Massachusetts man in connection with a fire that destroyed a 130-year-old barn at the Intervale Center.

Police charged Edward T. Westley with setting the fire, which is estimated to have caused more than $100,000 worth of damage.

Aiming to green up its snowmaking operations, Mount Snow ski resort plans to install more than 150 more energy-efficient fan guns.

The guns, which run on electricity and use on-board compressors, will be installed this summer along well-trafficked trails.

Congressman Peter Welch is continuing his call for President Bush to suspend shipments of oil to the government's Strategic Petroleum Reserve -- but so far with not much as a result.

The Vermont Senate has passed legislation designed to make it easier for developers to build housing projects near downtowns and villages; Policymakers in Montpelier will decide this week whether to adopt a bill to help stimulate the state’s economy; The Vermont House has approved legislation that makes all library records confidential, unless a judge issues a warrant for the information; A new report says 38 percent of Vermont’s schools failed to achieve what’s known as “adequate yearly progress” on student performance; Ed Feidner, whose theater career spanned 35 years at UVM, died last week at the age of 77. 

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:

Governor Jim Douglas's economic proposal is aimed at boosting construction and making it easier for people to buy homes. But as lawmakers study the plan before the end of the legislative session, there are questions about how much economic growth will actually result.  Fire officials in Burlington say a suspicious fire has destroyed a 130-year-old barn at the Intervale Center...

Governor Jim Douglas's economic proposal is aimed at boosting construction and making it easier for people to buy homes. But as lawmakers study the plan before the end of the legislative session, there are questions about how much economic growth will actually result.

VPR's John Dillon has more:

Vermont will soon have a new hall of fame, and it's for dogs.

On Friday, 14 police dogs and their handlers will be inducted into the Vermont Police Canine Association Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Pittsford.

Fire officials in Burlington say a suspicious fire has destroyed a 130-year-old barn at the Intervale Center.

Vermont Yankee's owners want to use money from its decommissioning fund to pay for spent fuel storage instead, and that plans is drawing criticism from lawmakers.

New Hampshire biologists and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests are working to conserve riverbanks and other areas critical to the survival of Atlantic salmon.

Vermont lawmakers shift into high gear this week, hoping to act on a number of items in time to adjourn their 2007-2008 session Friday or Saturday.

Still awaiting their attention is a $214 million economic stimulus package proposed by Governor Jim Douglas.

New Hampshire housing advocates say they've noticed a troubling trend, the mortgage crisis is spreading to prime borrowers.

Most of the foreclosures in New Hampshire stem from subprime mortgages made to borrowers who don't qualify for traditional loans, usually because of bad credit or low income.

Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean says the key to Democrats winning the White House lies is unity, whichever candidate ends up winning the nomination.

House Speaker Gaye Symington got a rousing reception from Vermont Democrats at a party dinner over the weekend, with former Governor Madeleine Kunin and others urging her to run against Governor Jim Douglas.

Pinched at the pump? Pump owners feel your pain.

Skyrocketing gas prices are spelling hard times for Vermont gas station and convenience store owners, who say they're suffering, too.

Nearly five years after the Old Man of the Mountain's demise, it's tough to get a clear picture of how the collapse has affected tourism in New Hampshire or to predict the success of a planned memorial for the site.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, which still faces two dozen lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct by priests, will see the next one come to trial May 5th.

A Vermont student convicted in a cheating scandal in Hanover, New Hampshire has filed an appeal with the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

Jason Hadley of Norwich, Vermont, was convicted last month of being an accomplice to the theft of final exams that were stolen from the school last June. Another student, Paul Formella, was found guilty of being an accomplice in November and appealed his conviction the next month.

Forget what the calendar says. In these parts, spring doesn't arrive until the cinder block falls through the ice on Joe's Pond.

Drunk driving, campaign finance reform, road repairs, gay marriage and the governor's economic stimulus plan were all topics of discussion at the Statehouse in recent days. We also learned that foreclosures in Vermont are on the rise, as well as gas prices. We listen back to some of the voices in the news this week.

The first member of the Kenyan Parliament to visit the United States after a controversial election in that country will be in Vermont tonight.

The Honorable Joseph Lekuton will be visiting a Vermont non-profit that does work in his region of Kenya.

Ann McKinstry Micou says she spent two years reading more than 400 books by some 200 plus authors to create the comprehensive new "Guide to Fiction Set in Vermont for Children and Young Adults", published by the Vermont Humanities Council -- and she says the meticulous research had to be done.

She speaks with VPR's Mitch Wertlieb.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:

Inspired by a Swanton teenager's death last year, the Vermont House has approved a much tougher approach to drunken driving; The House has approved legislation that supporters say strengthens Vermont's mental health parity law; Douglas plans to pick up trash along Interstate 89 today as part of State Employee Green-Up Day...

Inspired by a Swanton teenager's death last year, the Vermont House has approved a much tougher approach to drunken driving. The owner of a car could be held responsible if he let an impaired driver use it.

VPR's Bob Kinzel reports.

The House has approved legislation that supporters say strengthens Vermont's mental health parity law.

The state's original parity law passed ten years ago. It requires health insurance companies to provide comparable coverage for physical and mental health conditions.

Governor Jim Douglas is getting down and dirty.

Douglas plans to pick up trash along Interstate 89 today as part of State Employee Green-Up Day.

Emergency regulations on baitfish that were designed to stop the spread of a deadly fish disease will be replaced today with permanent rules.

Senator Bernie Sanders says he hopes the prospect of $4-a-gallon gasoline is enough to get the attention of Washington.

Sanders wants Congress to take action that would drive down prices for gas and home heating oil.

The organization that oversees New England's power grid says electricity supplies appear to be adequate to meet spiking demand this summer.

An annual update from Holyoke-based ISO New England Inc. says grid operators should have enough flexibility to handle sharply higher electricity use, even in a prolonged heat wave.

First, murder suspect Brian Rooney wanted to fire his attorney. Then he tried to have the judge removed.

Now, three weeks before his trial is to begin, Rooney's lawyer wants off the case, saying Rooney apparently is trying to represent himself.

Natalie Garza hasn't given up hope for her son , or for the authorities who have searched for him.

Here are tonight's top stories:

The weekly press conference has been a fixture in every governor's schedule since Thomas Salmon took office in the early 1970s.

Over the years it's gone through many changes - reflecting the personality of each governor who has held them.

Today, VPR's Steve Zind gives us a bird's eye view of the ritual.

A quick-fix road repair program that Governor Jim Douglas called "Operation Smooth Ride" has run into some bumps in the Legislature. Leaders in the House want to use the bulk of the $3 million for town road projects. But the Senate Transportation Committee wants to spend more of the money on state highways.

VPR's John Dillon has more.

Governor Jim Douglas says Vermonters could pay higher electric rates because of a bill that requires Vermont Yankee to show it has enough money to decommission the plant.

The decommissioning bill won final approval on Thursday in the House. It will soon head to the governor for his signature - or his veto.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:

The House today overcame objections from the business community and approved a bill targeted at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant; At least three Vermonters are among U.S. service members stranded in Kuwait even though they're supposed to be headed back from Iraq and Afghanistan.

At least three Vermonters are among U.S. service members stranded in Kuwait even though they're supposed to be headed back from Iraq and Afghanistan.

As VPR's Ross Sneyd reports, the same delays that have fouled commercial airline schedules are now affecting the military.

Plans for a shake up of Vermont's prison system are hitting a snag in Montpelier, where lawmakers are at odds about how to continue.

The head of the Vermont State Police says the two troopers who shot and killed a man who pointed a gun at them was doing what they were trained to do.

The victim has been identified as 41-year-old Darren Tufts.

Congressman Peter Welch's effort to crack down on what he describes as abuses by overseas contractors has passed the U.S. House.

Congressman Peter Welch and New Hampshire's Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes have voted with the majority in the House to pass legislation delaying the implementation of regulations affecting Medicaid programs.

Governor Jim Douglas made an unusual appearance before a legislative committee yesterday He asked lawmakers to quickly approve his economic stimulus proposal.

He stood before a large easel and outlined the 15 points of his proposal. The ideas range from additional borrowing for transportation projects, to investing state retirement money in a housing finance program.

A new law calls on health insurers to treat prosthetic limbs at par with other types of illness and injury.

The Vermont Senate has given its approval to the state budget for next year; The Vermont House approves a bill targeted at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant; Vermont State Police have released more details about a shooting yesterday in Bradford; The head of the Vermont Ski Areas Association says it was a banner year for the state’s ski resorts; and commentator Rachel Johnson looks at the science of helping cure insomnia.

Governor Jim Douglas' plan to invest state pension funds in the Vermont Housing Finance Authority is running into opposition.

Vermont State Police say troopers fatally shot a man in Bradford who pointed a gun at them.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:

The Vermont Senate has voted to override Governor Douglas's veto of campaign finance reform legislation. Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain College have joined forces on a unique project that uses hybrid cars and trucks to teach kids about energy consumption and its impact on the planet.

Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain College want to get kids more interested in science and conservation. The college and utility have joined forces on a unique project that uses hybrid cars and trucks to teach kids about energy consumption and its impact on the planet.

VPR's Nina Keck has more.

In New Hampshire, sponsors of a plan to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana are working on changes in hopes of winning the governor's support.

The head of the Vermont Ski Areas Association says it was a banner year for the state's ski resorts.

Parker Riehle says he expects that skier visits during the winter of 2007-2008 will surpass 4.1 million.

A year-and-a-half ago, Congress designated another 40,000 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest as wilderness.

Now, officials with the U.S. Forest Service have to draw up management plans for the wilderness.

Three days after Gov. Jim Douglas unveiled an economic stimulus package, the Legislature has set up a committee to review it and its and explore ways to strengthen Vermont's economy.

The New Hampshire House is scheduled to consider a bill today that would allow 17-year-olds vote in primary elections, as long as they turn 18 in time for the general election.

Hannaford Bros. Co. says it's taking steps to enhance the security of its data network following a massive breach that compromised up to 4.2 million credit and debit card numbers.

The Vermont Senate has voted to override Governor Douglas’s veto of campaign finance reform legislation; The Senate president accused a prominent lobbyist for IBM of lying about a Vermont Yankee decommissioning bill;  Hannaford Brothers is taking steps to enhance the security of its data network; and commentator Charlie Nardozzi with advice for growing roses.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:

Earth Day is being observed throughout Vermont today with a variety of activities. In Chittenden County, an effort is being launched to reduce homeowners' carbon emissions. And in southern Vermont, a beer company is about to invest in cleaner energy.

VPR's Ross Sneyd has more.

The Maclure Library in Pittsford is using a novel about heroin addiction and its impact on teens to jumpstart a public dialog on drug abuse.

VPR's Nina Keck has more.

Dairy cooperatives and the state's top agriculture official are urging the Legislature to repeal or delay a law that would require milk companies to pay to transport milk, rather than farmers.

Opponents of a plan to build a 150,000-square-foot Wal-Mart store in St. Albans are challenging a state permit granted for the project.

The School Board in Springfield is asking veteran teachers to consider taking an early retirement package.

A former senior official with the Public Service Board has been barred from appearing before that panel on behalf of her new employer, a power transmission company. In its decision the board cited an ethics policy designed to prevent conflicts of interest.

Vermont’s economy is likely to be a major issue in this year’s gubernatorial race; A legislative commission has stopped short of recommending that Vermont legalize gay marriage; A novel about heroin addiction is being used to jumpstart a public dialog on drug abuse; A Vermonter attends the women’s U.S. Olympic team trials; and commentator Deborah Luskin on not watching television.

Monday's Boston marathon is one of the most prestigious road races in the country, but on Sunday Boston hosted another elite group of runners: the women's U.S. Olympic team trials.

Folks with property along the shores of Lake Champlain are keeping a close eye on water levels this spring.

The lake was about a half foot above the flood stage this weekend, and there's more snow in the mountains waiting to melt and make its way downhill.

A Vermont Supreme Court disciplinary counsel is recommending a two-month license suspension for a Windsor lawyer whose marijuana arrest put her at the center of a public debate about drug laws.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:

Every farm has crops that it either can't harvest or can't sell, and the food then goes to waste. But a Lamoille County woman found a way to save the fresh food and distribute it to local food shelves.

Now, as VPR's Amy Noyes reports, the Vermont Foodbank plans to take the idea statewide.

It looks like moderate-income Vermonters on the state-backed Catamount Health program may be facing higher monthly premium payments.

The Vermont House had already passed a budget plan calling for an additional $2.5 million to be raised through higher premiums.

A special legislative commission studying possible legalization of same-sex marriage in Vermont is due to release its report today.

Bernie Sanders says he's not known for his sense of humor, but promises to try not to make too big a fool of himself when he appears on the "Colbert Report'' tonight.

A fledgling high-speed Internet network comprised of 25-towns has been rejected for funding by the Vermont Telecommunications Authority.

Gov. Jim Douglas' proposal for $80 million in new bonding for road and bridge repairs over five years marks a switch for the governor.

Douglas had been cool to earlier proposals to raise borrowed money through issuance of bonds to address Vermont's infrastructure woes, saying he didn't want to harm Vermont's good credit rating.

Vermont lawmakers appear skeptical about Gov. Jim Douglas' economic stimulus package -- doubtful about its details and doubtful they can enact his ideas in the last couple of weeks of the legislative session.

Many of the Democratic superdelegates who are still undecided say the most important factor in their decision is simple, they just want a winner in November.

A year-old Vermont law to put the state on a common, statewide school calendar is not being implemented and is being criticized as too rigid, but efforts to fix it appear to have stalled.

One result of the current system is that as spring vacation ends for students today in Bennington, Newport and some other parts of the state, it will be just getting under way in Chittenden County.

The Legislature is moving ahead on a bill that requires the owners of Vermont Yankee to set aside more money to dismantle the plant; The process to cut next year’s budget by 25 million dollars is back on track at the Statehouse; The body of a missing kayaker has been found; and commentator Deborah Doyle-Schectman says one proposed budget-cutting measure doesn’t add up.

The state budget and the ec