Melissa Cooney
Morning Reporter
Burlington, Vermont
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Melissa Cooney joined WCAX in June 2021 and is our morning reporter. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University, where she received a B.A. in Communication Media Studies and minored in both Journalism and Studio Art.
In her free time, she loves to paint, read, run and ski! She is thrilled to be a part of this amazing team and loves Burlington so much already.
Updated: 10 hours ago
|By Melissa Cooney
School infrastructure improvements are a common conversation in Vermont as buildings age. One Vermont town is looking to have voters approve a bond for improvements but wants to make sure it’s environmentally friendly, too.
Updated: Jan. 26, 2023 at 6:22 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
It’s never too late to learn something new. You could become a dental assistant, get your CDL or even just learn how to make pasta as part of St. Johnsbury Academy’s Adult Education Program.
Updated: Jan. 25, 2023 at 6:24 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Child care is in the spotlight in the Vermont Legislature with discussions surrounding millions of dollars on how to ease the financial burden for both providers and parents.
Updated: Jan. 23, 2023 at 7:26 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Snow is coming down across our region as part of the second of a string of winter storms, and VTrans says its crews are ready.
Updated: Jan. 23, 2023 at 4:40 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
A bill that would allow elected leaders to continue remote meetings without a designated physical location is on Governor Phil Scott’s desk.
Updated: Jan. 20, 2023 at 5:40 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
The flakes are finally flying but as we know, snow has been few and far between this winter, and that’s changed things for VTrans crews.
Updated: Jan. 19, 2023 at 10:04 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Less than half of Vermont’s students meet proficiency levels tested for English, math and science.
Updated: Jan. 18, 2023 at 5:57 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Burlington closed in 1974 and former residents since then have been sharing stories of abuse. Now, an exhibit on display at the Fletcher Free Library chronicles those stories and a new healing garden at the former site is in the works.
Updated: Jan. 17, 2023 at 5:56 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
The Green Mountains are a great place for a hike even in the cold of winter but they’re not always the safest for the unprepared. Melissa Cooney spoke with officials at Stowe Mountain Rescue for some tips to know before you go.
Updated: Jan. 13, 2023 at 6:27 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
A Civil War soldier was a hero in one Vermont town, but a key piece of his history was missing. That’s until a young historian stumbled upon a big find online.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2023 at 6:07 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
FEMA teams have been out assessing damage from the winter storm that left thousands of Vermonters without power Christmas weekend
Updated: Jan. 11, 2023 at 11:19 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney and Hailey Morgan
Planes are flying again following a nationwide FAA computer outage Wednesday morning, but there are still delays at the Burlington airport.
Updated: Jan. 11, 2023 at 5:32 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Retail cannabis is now legal for adults over 21 in Vermont but experts say they’re concerned about kids getting into it.
Updated: Jan. 10, 2023 at 7:39 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
The snow may still be missing but the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers and snowmobiler dealers alike say the numbers don’t lie -- the riders are ready.
Updated: Jan. 9, 2023 at 7:18 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
At what age should children start kindergarten? It can be a tough decision for parents. So, Vermont state leaders were looking at whether to change the current cutoff law.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2023 at 6:24 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Turns out Vermonters tend to drop letters from words, and experts say there’s no rhyme or reason for what goes and what stays.
Updated: Jan. 5, 2023 at 6:14 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Another stretch of Vermont’s Long Trail is protected. That’s as The Green Mountain Club secures a deal to buy another 100-foot stretch, or about 13 acres, in Johnson.
Updated: Jan. 4, 2023 at 5:57 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Covered bridges are an iconic fixture found in nearly every county in Vermont. But time, weather and even cars are taking a toll on some of these historic structures.
Updated: Jan. 3, 2023 at 5:25 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Some say there are more cows than people in Vermont and that makes for a tall task for veterinarians who specialize in how to care for them.
Updated: Jan. 2, 2023 at 6:19 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Construction is wrapping up on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. The final section of the 93-mile trail from Hardwick to Wolcott Village is set to be complete in February.
Updated: Dec. 30, 2022 at 11:48 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Commercials are everywhere and there are strategies to make sure people’s ears and eyes notice. A Vermont marketing expert offered some insight into trends that dominated 2022 and what to expect for 2023.
Updated: Dec. 28, 2022 at 8:15 PM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation says there are about 10 more state parks on their list with signs that could be repaired or replaced.
Updated: Dec. 27, 2022 at 5:11 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
As schools return to a pre-pandemic way of operation, so do everyday issues that existed before COVID. That includes teen vaping and the use of e-cigarettes.
Updated: Dec. 26, 2022 at 6:11 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Vermont winters are long, and knowing how to drive in them is imperative. So it’s important for young drivers to get experience navigating snowy roads.
Updated: Dec. 22, 2022 at 6:33 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
For some people, sports are a family affair. That’s true for mom Wendy Baker and son Dylan Hovey who will co-officiate a high school basketball game Thursday night.
Updated: Dec. 21, 2022 at 6:33 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
School districts across the state have received their individual 2021-2022 SBAC scores, the standardized test in Vermont for grades three through nine.
Updated: Dec. 20, 2022 at 6:08 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Many Vermonters don’t have access to adequate broadband but a recent FCC map rendition claims the state is 98% covered.
Updated: Dec. 19, 2022 at 6:15 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
The Alzheimer’s Association of Vermont says there are 26,000 caregivers who provide 37 million hours of unpaid care, and they don’t get the holidays off. Many of them could use a hand and you could help.
Updated: Dec. 15, 2022 at 6:31 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
The majority of all missing persons cases are minors, and authorities say most of the cases involve a child who chose to run away.
Updated: Dec. 14, 2022 at 6:16 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Town leaders in Fairlee are working to liven up the downtown over a decade after a major fire.
Updated: Dec. 13, 2022 at 7:17 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
It’s 288 pages put together by a sugar-maker, a Christmas tree grower and a forester at a home in Corinth.
Updated: Dec. 12, 2022 at 7:25 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Restraint and seclusion practices are under the microscope at the Harwood Union Unified School District.
Updated: Dec. 9, 2022 at 6:27 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Danville school leaders say their building is deteriorating, but some residents are apprehensive about footing the bill to fix the problems.
Updated: Dec. 8, 2022 at 8:13 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Social and emotional well-being is a priority for Vermont’s teachers as students recover from the pandemic, and students in South Burlington are answering questions about it in a survey.
Updated: Dec. 8, 2022 at 6:36 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
VTrans expects to finish up emergency construction on a flood-prone road in Jericho on Thursday.
Updated: Dec. 7, 2022 at 6:45 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
The Turning Point Center of Central Vermont treats thousands of people every year but in a tight space. Now, thanks to grant money, the recovery group is moving into a new building.
Updated: Dec. 6, 2022 at 5:59 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Holiday shopping is well underway and one Vermont nonprofit is challenging people to support women-owned businesses.
Updated: Dec. 5, 2022 at 7:45 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Remote work is here to stay and people in downtown Rutland have a new space to camp out for their shifts.
Updated: Dec. 1, 2022 at 11:45 PM EST
|By Melissa Cooney and Cam Smith
Vermont State Police say a man was shot and killed at a home in Eden Thursday night and that the suspect remains at large.
Updated: Dec. 1, 2022 at 6:05 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Donations are now being accepted to benefit Spectrum Youth and Family Services, the Burlington shelter that helps youth experiencing homelessness.
Updated: Nov. 30, 2022 at 6:20 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Vermonters can’t get enough outdoor sports, but not all trails in the past were constructed with everyone in mind. Now, Vermont’s first adaptive trail is now open in Bolton.
Updated: Nov. 28, 2022 at 8:25 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
An estimated 166.3 million people were expected to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. And since the pandemic, more and more local businesses have turned to e-commerce options.
Updated: Nov. 25, 2022 at 9:07 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
With the refrigerator bursting with leftover holiday food, the annual search for post-turkey day recipes begins.
Updated: Nov. 24, 2022 at 6:01 PM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Thanksgiving is here and that marks the start of the holidays, and with it, the shopping season.
Updated: Nov. 23, 2022 at 7:52 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year as people try to get home for the holiday.
Updated: Nov. 22, 2022 at 7:58 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
After 18 months, the town of Lincoln is leaving its unified school district and going out on its own.
Updated: Nov. 21, 2022 at 6:06 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
After supply chain issues in recent years, the state and retailers ordered their winter stock early this year. And people in our region are also thinking ahead.
Updated: Nov. 18, 2022 at 8:20 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Now is the time of year when people are asked to donate their time, and volunteers are being recruited to hang out with older Vermonters.
Updated: Nov. 17, 2022 at 3:41 PM EST
|By Melissa Cooney and Cam Smith
Volunteers and members of Feeding Chittenden on Thursday began their annual Thanksgiving food giveaway.
Updated: Nov. 16, 2022 at 8:55 AM EST
|By Melissa Cooney
Snow began falling overnight with some higher elevations expected to get up to six inches.
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