New England News

The Vermont man who lost the state's Republican primary to run for the U.S. Senate is asking a court to strike President Barack Obama's name from the state's November election ballot.

The lawsuit by H. Brooke Paige, of the town of Washington, claims Obama is "not a natural born citizen" because both of his parents were not born in the United States.

Obama was born in Hawaii and he is a United States citizen.

A Toronto-based airline is expanding its seasonal service to Vermont during the ski season this winter.

Porter Airlines will offer four round trip flights weekly between Toronto and Burlington starting on Dec. 15, up from two weekly flights last season.

Governor Peter Shumlin and state officials announced the renewed partnership on Tuesday at the Burlington International Airport.

The flights will be offered on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Massachusetts utility NStar is proposing lowering natural gas rates to their lowest level in a decade. WAMC’s Lucas Willard has more…

NStar Gas announced Tuesday that it has submitted a new supply rate proposal that if approved by state regulators would lower the average heating customer's bill by more than $15 a month compared to last year.

The proposed new rate would bill customers 57.32 cents per therm, down 18 percent from last year's price of about 70 cents.

A convicted murderer in Massachusetts says a judge's decision to grant her request for sex-change surgery is "the right thing to do." WAMC’s Lucas Willard has more….

U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf ruled this month that sex-reassignment surgery is the only adequate treatment for Michelle Kosilek's gender-identity disorder, which he found was a "serious medical need."

Wolf's ruling prompted an outcry among some legislative leaders, who say Kosilek isn't entitled to the taxpayer-funded surgery.

    The latest results of standardized tests taken by Massachusetts students were a mixed bag.  The  2012 MCAS scores were the highest in the 14 year  history of the test.  Education officials say the achievement gap is closing between minorities and whites.  But early childhood education advocates decry the lack of progress in third grade reading, which is a strong predictor of future success in school. WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.