Melissa Cooney
Multimedia Journalist
Burlington, Vermont
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Melissa Cooney joined WCAX in June 2021 as a weeknight and weekend multimedia journalist. She is a recent graduate of Wake Forest University, where she received a B.A. in Communication Media Studies and minored in both Journalism and Studio Art. While this is her first job, she spent a semester interning at WXII in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and a summer interning at "Late Night with Seth Meyers" in New York City.
In her free time, she loves to paint, read, watch TikToks, run and ski! She is thrilled to be a part of this amazing team and loves Burlington so much already.
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Fish and Wildlife officials conducted evaluations at 18 locations throughout the state to gather data on the animals.
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Nearly 2,500 runners participated in this year's modified half marathon.
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Rutland's Promise to host its first family before Thanksgiving.
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Joseph Ferlazzo was charged with the shooting death of his wife in a van in Bolton.
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Police say human remains have been found inside van, believed to be missing woman
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Advocacy groups from around Vermont rallied Tuesday in Burlington’s Battery Park in support of President Biden’s Build Back Better Act.
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Travelers in our area looking for more direct connections to the midwest are in luck. Burlington International Airport officials Tuesday announced new seasonal nonstop flights to Minneapolis starting next June.
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A time to appreciate the land that makes Vermont the Green Mountain State -- that’s what Perennial Harvest Days are all about.
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This event comes days after the City of Burlington notified the encampment residents that they had until Tuesday to move out.
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This year, Chapter Chair Deb Babbie says the Burlington group doubled its goal, bringing in more than $90,000.
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A 200-mile train trek from White River Junction to Newport, but it’s not your average railroad ride.
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There’s a boom in cyanobacteria blooms this fall. Our Melissa Cooney learned what’s behind the uptick in the toxic blue-green algae and how to report it.
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The UVM Health Network Tuesday announced measures it is taking to address long wait times for appointments with specialists, a longstanding problem exacerbated by the pandemic.
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A big solar project broke ground Tuesday on Middlebury College's land. It's part of an effort to have Middlebury operate on 100% renewable energy by 2030.
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The Vermont Department of Labor and the Agency of Agriculture are celebrating a successful barn-painting season and the folks who made it happen. Our Melissa Cooney reports.
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Saturday, Abenaki descendants called on the community to acknowledge past injustices and commit to being better allies.
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Northern Connections is making its wireless internet speed faster and more efficient for hundreds of users in the Northeast Kingdom.
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Future doctors will receive their white coats on Friday from the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. Our Melissa Cooney checked in with first-year students we first met in August to see how they are doing.
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The nonprofit NatureServe helps coordinate Natural Heritage Network programs in Vermont and across the continent in gathering data about imperiled species and to showcase how to “sustain biodiversity through technology, collaborative science, and local expertise.”
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The most wonderful time of year is right around the corner, but COVID-19 is home for the holidays again. Our Melissa Cooney asked Vermonters how they plan to celebrate amid some confusing guidance.
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If you use taxis or ride-sharing services to get around Burlington, be prepared to wait. Pre-pandemic, Burlington had 45 taxi licenses. Now, they're down to 11. Our Melissa Cooney reports.
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The curtains opened on a larger-than-life mural in downtown Montpelier Sunday.
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Folks in Fairlee are giving the town a facelift, digging up and beautifying a more than decade-old eyesore downtown.
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The Planned Parenthood Rally for Reproductive Freedom and the Vermont Right to Life's Life Symposium took place on Saturday.
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Vermont vaccine booster clinics are open and ready to give those who qualify their third shots. Our Melissa Cooney spoke to folks getting the third dose and some health experts.
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Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger's personal car was vandalized Tuesday night but he doesn't think it was retaliation for his politics.
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A move to give noncitizens a say in local government in two Vermont cities is facing a legal challenge from the Republican Party. Our Melissa Cooney investigated the complaints.
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Overdose deaths are up 57% in Vermont since December 2019, the largest increase in the nation. People in the recovery field tell our Melissa Cooney they need more money and people to help their clients in crisis.
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The Champlain Valley Down Syndrome Group has around 80 families participating.
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The state wants to know which policies you think will help achieve its climate goals.
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Richford throws the local Olympic athlete a homecoming parade.
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Folks in Ferrisburgh are one step closer to revamping the town’s Union Meeting Hall.
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With COVID cases surging in rural Orleans County over the past two weeks, a second school, Newport City Elementary, has now switched to remote classes.
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A new federal report that could finally clear the way for the long-planned Champlain Parkway in Burlington is being panned by residents in the South End neighborhood that could be most negatively impacted by the project.
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Vermont Congressman Peter Welch says new vaccine eligibility for younger children could be vital to stopping the spread of COVID, especially as the delta variant surges.
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A new report requested by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says the Pentagon has failed to root out waste and fraud.
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Abortion advocates made their case in Burlington on Monday, pushing for change on the state and federal levels. Our Melissa Cooney spoke with state leaders to learn more about their strategy.
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It takes courage to speak, it takes courage to listen. That’s the motto at the Vets Town Hall, which was hosted in Burlington Sunday afternoon.
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It was an emotional day for hundreds of Vermont families at the Statehouse Sunday, as Vermont Interfaith Action read the names of their lost loved ones.
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This weekend rounds up a week of action across the country calling for healthcare for all. We take you to Vermont’s final event in Barre, the March for Medicaid.
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Bob Purvee encourages his fellow motorcyclists to reach out and speak up.
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Vermont is turning to self-administered test kits to try to get a handle on an uptick in COVID cases. But those tests can be tough to come by, expensive and not always accurate. Our Melissa Cooney reports.
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Vermont is suing some of the country’s top fossil fuel companies, alleging they misled the public about the impact their products have on climate change. Our Melissa Cooney reports.
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When Danielle O'Hallisey had a heart attack in downtown Burlington, a stranger saved her life. Now, she's trying to connect with the mystery woman who gave her CPR and a second chance.
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Beansie’s Bus, a beloved summer food spot in Burlington is closing three weeks early for the season because of impending road construction.
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The annual event felt even more special this year.
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Bring your hazardous waste for proper disposal.
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A remembrance observation for the National Guard and other distinguished guests.
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Waste haulers are banding together to fight proposed changes to garbage collection in Burlington.