Pat Bradley

Campaign finance reports by Vermont candidates were due Wednesday. While the incumbent Governor is easily outpacing his challenger, the current Attorney General is falling behind his primary challenger.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Peter Shumlin has raised nearly $840,000 so far his campaign, with about $769,000 cash in the bank.  His challenger, Republican state Senator Randy Brock reported about $585,000 in contributions so far, including $300,000 from himself, with about $234,000 cash on hand. Middlebury College Professor Emeritus of Political Science Eric Davis.

The AARP is holding a series of forums across the region to collect voter input on federal policies affecting Social Security and Medicare.

The AARP has started its “You’ve Earned A Say” campaign, holding forums, town halls, webcasts and meetings to get people to discuss Social Security and Medicare. Launched in March, the AARP will soon hold a series of meetings in New York and Vermont. AARP Senior Vice President for Campaigns John Hishta.

The AARP is holding a series of “You’ve Earned A Say” forums across the region to collect voter input on federal policies affecting Social Security and Medicare.

The AARP has started its “You’ve Earned A Say” campaign, holding forums, town halls, webcasts and meetings to get people to discuss Social Security and Medicare. Launched in March, the AARP will soon hold a series of meetings in New York and Vermont. New York State AARP Executive Council and National Policy Council member Neil Lane says non-partisan voter information will be provided at the forums.

Police in the Vermont town of Barton say burglars didn't steal any books when they broke into the town library, but they rearranged the furniture.

Vermont State Police say the furniture was stacked in the center of the library floor in a pyramid about 20 feet high. Other furniture was stacked on top of bookshelves sometime between Monday night and Tuesday midmorning.

The only thing missing was a date stamp used to check out books.

Police say nothing appeared to have been broken or vandalized and there was no sign of a forced entry.

Six hundred cyclists are heading to New Hampshire to compete in the annual Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb.

Saturday's race is a grueling 7.6 mile climb up the highest mountain in the northeastern United States. The men's record stands at 49 minutes, 24 seconds. The women's is 58 minutes, 14 seconds.

The race is so popular with hardcore cyclists that registration was filled within four days of opening in February. Riders pay a $350 entry fee and raise donations for the Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, N.H.

Vermont general fund state revenues for July came in at a more than 6 percent better clip this year than in July of 2011, but fell slightly short of the forecast.

The general fund took in more than $92 million for the month, which lagged behind the forecast issued by two economists working for the state by a bit less than 1 percent.

A lawyer for a group that promotes the rights of gays and lesbians says a pastor's conviction in Vermont reinforces the rights of same-sex parents.

Kenneth Miller, a Virginia pastor, was convicted Tuesday for helping a woman flee the country with her daughter in 2009 so she wouldn't have to share custody with her ex-partner, who lives in Vermont.

Gregory Nevins of Lambda Legal says an acquittal could have been a "green light" for people fighting same-sex custody battles to move to states that would support their positions.

A northeastern songbird may be headed to endangered species status.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says a rare songbird that breeds atop mountains in the Adirondacks and northern New England may need protection as an endangered species.

The Bicknell's Thrush, which overwinters in the Caribbean, has one of the most limited breeding and wintering ranges of any bird in North America. It nests at high elevations in New York, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

The Center for Biological Diversity in Richmond, Vt. launched the endangered petition.  Northeast Conservation Advocate Mollie Matteson.

Governor Peter Shumlin plans over four days to visit 22 Vermont communities impacted by Tropical Storm Irene to mark the anniversary of the storm.

Shumlin on Tuesday announced events that will be held to celebrate Vermont's recovery from the flooding on Aug. 28, 2011, and to acknowledge that more work needs to be done.

A free statewide event will be held on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, with music, storm videos, artwork and photography.