AGP Executive Report

Vermont Arts & Culture: The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival returns for its 43rd run, June 3–7, with mostly free shows curated by Jason Moran, including opening-night dance and jazz tributes and a major closing event at The Flynn. Local Film: The Shires 1-Minute Film Fest is back this fall, inviting regional filmmakers (including students and first-timers) to create a 60-second film on “Growth,” plus a Prop & Dialogue challenge featuring a mirror and the line “Trust me” and/or “It’s done.” Comics & Storytelling: Vermont’s new cartoonist laureate, Stephen R. Bissette, is recognized for decades of genre-bending comics from “Swamp Thing” to prehistoric and intergalactic worlds. Community Events: Enosburg Falls’ Vermont Dairy Festival marks its 70th year, June 4–7, with a parade, milking contests, music, and the Dairy Scholarship Pageant. Arts in Motion: Melissa D’s “Songbird” draws inspiration from a Norman Rockwell kids’ book and the wood thrush’s call, turning a personal story into a healing, joy-forward new track. Sports & Entertainment: Castleton is rejoining the MASCAC in 2027–28, bringing football back to the league and reshaping travel and competition for VTSU athletes.

Vermont Arts & Culture: Stephen R. Bissette is Vermont’s new cartoonist laureate, passing the torch from Tillie Walden and celebrating a career that spans Swamp Thing, TMNT work, and prehistoric-to-intergalactic comics. Community Media: The Shires 1-Minute Film Fest returns this fall, with submissions (up to 60 seconds) inspired by “Growth,” plus a Prop & Dialogue challenge featuring a mirror and the line “Trust me” and/or “It’s done,” screening Oct. 17 at the Bennington Theater. Music & Storytelling: Melissa D finds inspiration for her song “Songbird” in a Norman Rockwell kids’ book about a wood thrush—turning the bird’s message into “radical joy.” Local Events: The Vermont Dairy Festival marks 70 years June 4–7 in Enosburg Falls, with a “Milk is White Gold” theme, pageant, parade, and live entertainment. Outdoor Economy: Brattleboro hosts “Elevating the Outdoor Economy in Southern Vermont” June 10, bringing together outdoor businesses and trail leaders to build regional partnerships. Sports & Schools: Southwest Vermont Technical Center culinary students earned a Top 10 finish at the ProStart National Invitational after a uniform scoring review. Pride: Essex Pride kicks off its 4th annual festival this weekend with drag, food trucks, and a movie night.

Student Jazz Takeover: Nearly 1,000 Vermont students will fill Burlington’s Church Street with free performances for the 2026 Discover Jazz Festival (44 ensembles from 36 schools). Summer Reading Kickoff: Kellogg-Hubbard Library launches “dinosaurs and discovery,” with an 8-book challenge, prizes, and a summer lineup including Dinoman and a dino-themed movie series. Film for Everyone: The Shires 1-Minute Film Fest returns this fall, inviting phone-friendly, 60-second stories in categories like “Growth” plus a Prop & Dialogue challenge (“Trust me” / “It’s done”). Bennington Theater Night: Vermont Arts Exchange brings “Belonging and Othering” to the Bennington Theater May 30, mixing dance, poetry, and filmed lived stories around social justice themes. Youth Music Voting: Beats for Good opens voting for a high school competition tied to the Do Good Fest concert lineup; the winner opens for major headliners and funds their school’s music program. Local Sports Spotlight: Montpelier boys Ultimate stays unbeaten with a 14-8 win over Milton, while Montpelier’s Duncan Schrader posts five goals in lacrosse. Legal/Community Note: A Rutland jury acquitted Daniel Banyai of felony assault on a police officer after a one-day trial.

Bennington Theater: Vermont Arts Exchange and BeHeard.world bring “Belonging and Othering” (dance, poetry, filmed stories) to Bennington on Saturday, May 30 at 8 p.m., with a pre-show banner unveiling local answers to “social justice” questions. Community Film: The Shires 1-Minute Film Fest returns this fall, inviting regional filmmakers (including students and first-timers) to submit a 60-second original film in categories “Growth” and a Prop & Dialogue challenge using a mirror plus “Trust me” and/or “It’s done.” Mental Health Spotlight: United Counseling Service in Bennington highlights Outpatient Clinician Paul Perrault, offering in-person individual/group therapy and Same Day Access. Youth Baking for Kindness: “Bake for Good” connects 22 Vermont youth via Zoom to bake and share loaves, with King Arthur and Vermont 4-H. Local Sports: North Country baseball/softball wrap road wins; Falcons’ 10-run-rule game and more Vermont H.S. scores land in the daily sports roundup. Outdoor/Family Fun: United Church of Ludlow’s “Ring Out Love” celebrates a restored 1,200-pound bell on June 7 with live music, games, and bell-ringing. Public Health Policy: Vermont’s first-in-the-nation paraquat ban gets a spotlight, with the Michael J. Fox Foundation calling it a public health milestone.

Ticketing Reform: Vermont’s new ticket resale law is now signed, capping secondary-market prices at 110% of the original ticket for smaller venues and requiring clearer pricing and “issuer vs. reseller” notices—an effort aimed at cooling down scalpers ahead of the summer concert rush. Court Watch: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Meta’s appeal in Vermont’s social media addiction case, clearing the way for the lawsuit to move forward. Music & Community: The Shires 1-Minute Film Fest returns this fall in Bennington, inviting phone-made shorts (60 seconds or less) in a “Growth” theme plus a Prop & Dialogue challenge. Local Arts Spotlight: North Bennington Outdoor Sculpture Show (NBOSS) named its 2026 artists, with installations across multiple sites and a bigger, more ambitious exhibiting model. Weekend Picks: Bucharest Design Festival and KineDok are on the calendar for documentary and design lovers, plus local music events like Jatoba at Valley Craft Ales. Nature & Wildlife: VINS released a rare American bittern back into the wild after rehab from injuries.

Local Music: Brattleboro groovegrass trio Jatoba brings its high-energy sound to Valley Craft Ales’ Spillway Stage Saturday, with one-man opener Arthur Buezo. Arts & Community Media: North Bennington’s NBOSS outdoor sculpture show has announced its 2026 artist selections, with installations across multiple sites and a big applicant pool. Film Fest: Shires 1-Minute Film Fest returns this fall, inviting regional creators to make 60-second films (theme: “Growth”) for a public screening Oct. 17 at the Bennington Theater. Live Performances: Mettawee Community School’s spring concert spotlights student music growth, from ukuleles and recorders to band and chorus. Sports on TV: Vermont Lake Monsters baseball expands its partnership with WYCI, with 26 games televised this summer. Ticketing Law: Vermont’s Noah Kahan-backed bill caps resale ticket prices at 110% of face value, aiming to curb scalpers. Supreme Court: The U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear Meta’s challenge to Vermont’s Instagram addiction lawsuit, clearing the way for the case to proceed. Public Safety Tech: 20/20 Biolabs’ multi-cancer blood test was selected for a statewide firefighter screening initiative in Vermont. Outdoor & Culture Events: Voting opens for high school music competition “Beats for Good,” with a chance to open Do Good Fest.

Supreme Court vs. Meta: The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Meta’s bid to stop Vermont’s lawsuit over claims Instagram was designed to be addictive for teens—so the case can keep moving in Vermont courts. Online Kids Protections: Vermont AG Nick Brown and other attorneys general are also pushing back hard on the federal KIDS Act, arguing it would weaken state power to address online harms while letting Big Tech dodge accountability. AI in Healthcare: Vermont lawmakers advanced final approval on limits for AI in mental health care, aiming to keep licensed clinicians in charge of therapy decisions while allowing AI for admin tasks. Local Business & Community: The Governor’s Inn in Ludlow welcomed new owners Craig Weber and Dan Buryj, and Bellows Falls is gearing up for Pride Month with film events and a Pride Whistlestop Tour. Summer Culture: A big Vermont-friendly summer reading roundup (75 books) leans into New England settings, genre-bending stories, and beach-ready picks.

Supreme Court: The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Meta’s bid to stop Vermont’s lawsuit claiming Instagram was engineered to be addictive and harm teens’ mental health—clearing the way for the case to move forward. AI in Health Care: Vermont lawmakers advanced the first state limits on AI in mental health treatment, aiming to keep AI from making therapeutic decisions while still allowing admin uses. Local Government: White River Junction’s DMV hours shrink to Wednesdays only starting June 1 for nine months as the state restructures staffing. Tech vs. Kids: Connecticut opened an investigation into Roblox after reports of child exploitation, joining a broader push for stronger online protections. Data Centers: A national fight over data centers and electricity demand is now hitting Congress, with bills, lobbying, and grassroots opposition escalating. Community & Culture: Milton held its Memorial Day ceremony with music and tributes; and Girls on the Run Vermont is gearing up for a June 6 Manchester 5K benefiting its Every Girl Fund.

Essex Concert Drama: Double E Music and Events had to postpone its May 30 opener after a raven nest moved into the stage—protected birds mean the venue had to wait for the family to relocate. Memorial Day in Vermont: Despite rain, communities still gathered for ceremonies honoring veterans, with Newport moving inside and local groups raising funds for veterans’ needs. Progressive Politics on the Move: Bernie Sanders brought his “Fighting Oligarchy” message back to Maine, rallying with Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner and Troy Jackson. Digital Life Meets Courtrooms: A Vermont public defender says online arrest videos can derail people trying to rebuild—an argument now playing out in a high-profile case. Local Sports & Community Energy: SVL A-Division track crowned Mount Anthony and Burr & Burton; Bennington’s MayFest kept the summer kickoff spirit alive. Fuel Watch: Diesel hit $5.59 in Lamoille County (week ending May 16), with prices still tied to broader supply pressures.

Norwich Fallout: A Norwich Selectboard member, Mary Layton, 72, is set to be arraigned Tuesday on a felony financial-exploitation charge tied to a vulnerable adult, after police say she met Upper Valley lawyer Bill Clauson through an online dating site and later cared for him as his savings reportedly dwindled. Sports Spotlight: At the SVL A-Division Championships, Mount Anthony dominated the boys and Burr and Burton owned the girls, with standout scoring from Logan Baker and Robin Tashjian. Community & Culture: Bennington’s 39th MayFest drew thousands downtown, while Sheldon’s Grace Church hosts the 24th Farewell Union concert Friday to support children’s cancer care. Arts & Entertainment: Noah Kahan keeps climbing with “The Great Divide,” and this week’s Vermont summer-movie guide is packed from May through August. Big Policy Watch: Data-center battles are now hitting Congress, and Bernie Sanders is warning AI/robotics could replace workers and worsen kids’ loneliness. Local Life: Vermont State University celebrated 1,531 graduates across four campuses.

Phish Shockwave: Trey Anastasio’s 2004 “we’re done” announcement is being revisited today—22 years after Phish officially called it quits, with Vermont fans still treating Coventry as a home-state finale. Memorial Day Mood: Rain is still hanging around for the holiday morning, then it dries out later with a warmer Tuesday—perfect timing for the weekend’s outdoor plans. Local Leadership Spotlight: The Vermont Natural Resources Council opened nominations for the 2026 Arthur Gibb Award and a new Local Leadership Award, with entries due July 3. School Field Decision Watch: The Champlain Valley School District is studying runoff and water-supply concerns tied to CVU’s athletic Field B, with a report expected mid-June. Community & Culture: Vermont’s new Inspiration Guide is out to spotlight local businesses and offbeat experiences, while Girls on the Run Vermont is gearing up for its June 6 Manchester 5K to fund access for every girl. Politics & Tech Anxiety: Bernie Sanders warned in Maine that AI could replace workers and worsen loneliness—especially if billionaires steer it.

Paraquat showdown: Vermont is poised to become the first state to ban paraquat after lawmakers passed H.739 on May 13; the bill now waits on Gov. Phil Scott’s decision by May 26, as a family’s Parkinson’s battle puts the herbicide’s risks in the spotlight and other states move to follow. Memorial Day on the ground: Cool, rainy conditions are sticking around for Sunday, with drier weather expected by Monday afternoon—plus local service hits hard, from Girls on the Run placing flags on veterans’ graves in Hartford to community Memorial Day plans. Education and data fights: AG Kwame Raoul is leading a 19-state push against the U.S. Department of Education’s plan to scale back racial disparity reporting in special education and discipline, warning it would hide trends that states and families need. Sports & culture: Vermont Green’s women opened at home with a 2-1 win, while Open Studio Weekend keeps hundreds of artists and studios buzzing through Sunday.

Vermont Green women’s soccer: The Green opened their home season in style, beating Hudson Valley Crusaders 2-1 at a sold-out Virtue Field—Georgina Clarke scored early, then Violet Rademacher answered with the go-ahead diving header. Local sports momentum: U-32’s softball lineup kept rolling too—Grace and Elena Noyes powered a 17-5 win over Spaulding, with Elena going 5-for-5 and driving in eight. Community arts weekend: Vermont Crafts Council Open Studio Weekend has hundreds of pieces on display across 100+ locations, with artists teaching and demonstrating through Sunday. Weekend plans, made easy: If you’re looking for something to do, the Lawrence Public Library’s summer reading kicks off with “Dinosoccer!”—books plus World Cup energy and dinosaur-sized fun. Weather watch: Chilly rain is expected Sunday, with conditions unsettled into next week. Quick note: Gas prices vary by county, with Windham’s regular hitting a low of $4.29 in the latest GasBuddy reports.

Community Run for Girls: Girls on the Run Vermont is kicking off its spring finale with two big Essex and Manchester 5Ks—Essex Junction on May 30 and Manchester on June 6—bringing hundreds of girls, coaches, and “running buddies” together, with proceeds supporting the Every Girl Fund. Local Heritage: Colchester is set to dedicate a historic marker on June 13 honoring Italian immigrant farming families who cleared hundreds of acres in Malletts Bay. Prediction Markets, Sports Buzz: Kalshi is promoting a $10 trading bonus for Stanley Cup Playoffs trades, keeping the sports-and-tech chatter hot. Data Center Backlash: A new Gallup poll finds Americans broadly oppose data centers, with women expressing stronger concern—fueling Vermont’s ongoing debate over growth vs. impacts. Roadless Rule Fight: Conservation groups are pushing back against a federal move to roll back New England’s roadless protections, including land in Vermont’s national forests. Memorial Day Mood: A Memorial Day weekend memory piece spotlights the quiet work behind remembrance—like digging graves at Long Island National Cemetery—plus local observances and weekend plans.

Local Sports Spotlight: East Montpelier’s U-32 Raiders rolled past Spaulding 17-5, with sisters Grace and Elena Noyes driving the offense—Elena went 5-for-5 with a homer and eight RBIs. Memorial Day History: At Old Fort Myers Cemetery, Union drummer boy Christian “Dad” Funck—who enlisted at 13—was honored as part of a ceremony that also spotlighted how young soldiers shaped Civil War battles. Public Safety & Social Media: Morristown Police’s “Wanted Wednesdays” used prize bait to solicit arrest tips, and critics say the approach dehumanizes people even as the tactic helped lead a suspect to turn herself in. Arts & Culture: Ruth Moody returns as a solo star at Barre Opera House, while a new exhibit at The Left Bank Gallery features student art in “Look: The Show that Watches You Back!” Music & Vermont Vibes: The Vermont Green men’s soccer home opener sold out, with fans packing in for a repeat-championship push. Community Giving: Girls on the Run Vermont is gearing up for its Manchester 5K on June 6, with proceeds supporting the Every Girl Fund.

Education Deal Watch: Vermont lawmakers and Gov. Phil Scott are “substantially” narrowing differences on an education reform compromise, with a key Statehouse vote possible as early as Tuesday after a week of behind-the-scenes talks. Equal Protection Amendment: Vermont voters will weigh in this fall on PR.4, a constitutional equal protection update that explicitly lists groups protected from discrimination. ICE Protest Fallout: A Vermont prosecutor refused to charge people arrested during ICE protests, and police are furious—raising the prospect of cases being rerouted. Data Center Politics: The national fight over data centers is heating up in Congress, with Vermont’s own debate echoing broader concerns about power, water, and local control. Outdoor Season Kickoff: The Green Mountain Club says hiking season officially starts today, with trails mostly in good shape after mud season. Community & Arts: Girls on the Run Vermont is gearing up for a statewide 5K fundraiser in June, while Open Studio Weekend returns May 23–24 for a tour of local artists.