Just owning and operating a new car now costs more than $10K on average, for the first time in U.S. history, AAA says.
New car annual costs exceed $10K
Ludlow officer who shot suspect graduated from police academy in July
A Ludlow police rookie and his trainer were involved in the shooting of suspect Michael Mills of Cavendish, who moments earlier had twice rammed their police cruiser with his car.
Man shot in head by Ludlow cop was talking suicide
Both Vermont men shot by police in the last week were talking suicide. Both were hospitalized following the shooting. As of this morning, neither are dead.
Zero-interest loans for BIPOC Vermonters
The Vermont Community Loan Fund hopes its new BIPOC-only fund will shrink the Wealth Gap.
Quad-vaxxed Jill Biden, Gen. Austin, Pfizer CEO all get Covid / Canada working on digital ID / Rosary ‘extremist symbol
Atlantic Magazine writer calls the Catholic Rosary an “extremist symbol.” Sort of like the cross?
Water Cooler: Covid still seen as threat in Montpelier schools
Montpelier school officials aren’t ready to declare victory over Covid-19, the Montpelier Bridge reports.
Free AC on a shaky power grid
President Biden’s plan to give away energy-efficient air conditioners may be a relief during heat waves – unless power grid’s increasingly shaky status requires rolling brownouts or blackouts.
State troopers victims of hate crime
A homeless man was charged with Hate Motivated Crime following a tumultous encounter with state troopers of ethnic origins.
“Uncouth militia” victory over Brits and Hessians at Battle of Bennington led to victory at Saratoga
For some combatants, the fight was personal. Former friends who had grown up together in Vermont found themselves facing off with each other.
Super-abundant bear population bodes well for hunters
Vermont’s bear population is four times as large as it was just 50 years ago. And they will be relatively easy for hunters to find when the season starts in two weeks.
Burlington to vote Nov. 8 on new high school, tech center
The Burlington School Board decided Monday to ask voters for $165 million to build a new high school and tech center. Here’s the school district announcement of that decision.
Family ambassador, anti-hazing coordinator, full-time sub among 153 Burlington school job openings
The Burlington School District is short 153 educators – mostly non-classroom teachers – with August 31, the first day of school, just two weeks away.
Vermont Daily Water Cooler for Tue, Aug 16
Kick out the Franklin County sheriff candidate who kicked a man in the groin, residents say.
Burlington violent crime explosion explained
Studies show no connection between gun laws, gun ownership, and crime, a Williston Ph.D. says.
Redic: Expect integrity, transparency, accountability
In the name of kindness and generosity, government can demand more and more of its citizens’ hard-earned income.
Active shooter threat training in Colchester
Train now to survive an encounter with an active shooter, Vermont law enforcement officials say.
UPDATE: Primary election software snafu should be fixed by Friday, Sec State hopes
The state’s contractor has been unable to resolve an administrative technology issue impacting the office’s ability to generate reports based on the official return of votes submitted by Town and City Clerks.
‘Inflation Reduction Act’ cuts Medicare costs of prescription drugs, insurance premiums, Scott says
Spend less on prescription drugs, spend more spent on other necessities of life – that’s how the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ may affect Vermonters.
Have you seen Sophia Garner?
A 14-year-old girl has been missing since yesterday from her Rutland home.
Second shooting by Vermont police in three days under investigation
For the second time in three days, a Vermont police officer on Monday shot someone in the line of duty.
Bananas: Antifa Changing Name To Protifa After Realizing They Love Fascism
Who wants to be anti-anything? Besides, if it walks like a fascist duck….
Three more Burlington shootings – Smokies patrol downtown Saturday night
Burlington suffered three shootings in three days – one of them by a police officer. State police helped an understaffed BPD patrol downtown Saturday night.
With first day of school just days away, VT schools almost 3000 educators short
Vermont’s schools are short almost 3000 educators, with the first day of school just days away.
Wardsboro murder suspect charged with disorderly conduct, released two days earlier
The alleged murderer of a Guilford mom had been in police custody just two days before the August 9 stabbing death.
Water Cooler: Burlington homeless pods underway / blessed are the cheesemakers
The city of Burlington’s experiment with micro-housing swelling numbers of homeless people is underway.
VT GOP grapples with unexpected House race outcome
The Vermont State GOP Committee went on record Saturday with a statement of non-support for reluctant House nominee and self-described independent Liam Madden of Bellows Falls.
Dame compares Madden to ‘outsider’ Trump; Madden explains acceptance decision to Redic, her backers
“I want to emphasize that I made a mistake in my interpretation of election law, in assuming I could run as an independent if I won a primary and then declined the nomination,” Liam Madden said.
GOP blames Secretary of State candidate for delay of voting results
Election software problems related to redistricting have postponed today’s scheduled certification of Vermont State Senate primary election results.
Wells River school fire just latest flare in simmering dispute between locals, ‘flatlander’
The flames which burned the historic schoolhouse in Wells River on July 18 may be symbolic of a smoldering hostility between the building’s owner and the broader village community.
Learn to train new hunters at Parro’s August 30
Vermont Fish & Wildlife offers hunting instructor training at a Waterbury gun shop.
Motorcycle 107 MPH / truck fire causes severe burns / Fatal crash
42 MPH over the I-89 speed limit gets a Milton driver a hefty fine, points on his license, and a day in court.
McDonald: At 9 months, ‘all systems are go’ for a baby
All the unborn baby needs is one breath of air and it’s off to the races – a new living, breathing member of the human race.
Eshelman: Abracadabra at Mar-a-Lago
Show The People the documents, Mr. Attorney General.
3 Letters: Madden Maddens / ‘Era of Big Government’ NOT over / Open letter to GOP Chair Dame
News flash: the era of big government is over – not.
Masks optional when school opens
The memo leaves the option of masking to parents, unless the child is showing symptoms and is being sent home, at which point the nurse will have discretion to require a mask: “Staff and students should be permitted to exercise their own or their family’s decision-making to wear a mask in school settings.”
VT Watercooler: still no Windham County Senate results
It’s been three days and still no word on the outcome of the Windham County GOP Senate race. As of this writing, the Senate tab on the SOS Election Night Results page is still down. Officials blame a snafu related to redistricting.
Who is Liam Madden? Anti-war activist, solar developer, Idea Sex Lab CEO
Meet GOP House Liam Madden: raised in Vermont’s two extremes of wealth and poverty, the son of a father who struggled with addiction joined the Marines Corps, became a leader in the anti-war movement, solar power entrepreneur, and CEO of the Idea Sex Lab.
McClaughry: Reduce $31 trillion national debt with tax hike, spending cuts, CBO says
The Congressional Budget Office says interest costs will become the fastest-growing category in the federal budget, thanks to growth in both debt base and interest rates.
When Bill Russell came to Bradford
Celtics great Bill Russell was at the peak of his career in 1965 when he spoke to the Lions Club in Bradford.
Dame: Madden victory shows GOP attractive to independent voters
“In every single race that Democrats were given a chance, they chose the candidate furthest to the left and repeatedly rejected their moderate or centrist candidates.”
‘Elevate Vermont’ to help Small Tech get bigger with federal $$
A new program will spend state revenue to help instate Small Tech get big grants from the feds.
Letters: Conservatives must Get Out the Vote / Hold GOP leadership accountable / Article 22 confusing
Letter writers react to primary results (or lack thereof) and the confusing upcoming statewide referendum.
Covey: Recent physical attacks on hunters followed years of propaganda
With terms like sadist, psychopath, and abuser used to describe community members, it is no wonder that such an event has now occurred twice. The surprise, perhaps, is that it took so long.
Baumgartner: As public schools indoctrinate, homeschooling has led to success for generations
Just as parents educated children at home for generations before the modern age, so can parents today. They must exercise confidence and look to themselves and their own knowledge to aid their children.
First responders learn the art of the drone at UVM
With help from FEMA, Vermont’s first responders learned how to use drones for rescue work.
Redistricting cause of Senate page snafu on election website, SOS says
“Our vendor has, so far, been unable to correct an issue with a narrow subset of how Senate races are appearing from Election Night Reporting (ENR), as a result of redistricting,” SOS spokesperson Eric Covey said.
Budd proposes amendment to hire more Border Patrol, ICE agents instead of IRS agents
87,000 more agents sounds like a swell idea – if they’re stopping illegal immigration on the southern border. Auditing American taxpayers, not so much, a Congressman says.
Cannabis entrepreneurs launch cannabis farm tours
The cannabis tour bus – an old school bus – will meet customers at local bars and then bring them to nearby cannabis farms. Legal retail sales in shops begin as soon as October 1.
Green Pork
“But organized green interests want your money; voters want a warm feeling from being told they’re doing something about climate change (as long as it doesn’t involve a carbon tax).” – Holman Jenkins
VT Watercooler: Vandalism suspect to undergo mental health eval
Robbie Mafuta, charged with breaking about three dozen windows Tuesday morning in Burlington, must undergo a mental health evaluation, a judge said.
Brattleboro woman busted for benefiting from prostitution
A 63-year-old Brattleboro woman was arrested yesterday for involvement in human trafficking.
Bananas: This Week in Fake News
Among the elites of Windham County, Vermont, black lives no longer matter as much as Ukrainian lives, fake news Johnny Bananas reports.
Vax freedom advocate poses questions to Bernie, Covid-19 boss
Today at 5PM, Bernie Sanders is hosting a Live Q and A with White House COVID-19 response coordinator, Dr. Jha. Alison Despathy chimes in.
Wheel: what I did at the polls when I discovered my name was already checked off
I grabbed my phone and said to the worker, “I’m going to go potentially save you a lot of trouble” as I walked out the door.
Madden will accept GOP House nomination, Redic announces vigorous Libertarian campaign
“Liam let me tell you – you have messed with the wrong broad,” Redic said. “You have underestimated the will of the Republican Party in Vermont. And it will be to your detriment.”
Water Cooler: Sarah George, Zuckerman, Siegel, Montpelier mayor win Dem nomination
Democratic voters yesterday had a few surprises of their own in what Secretary of State Jim Condos rightly called a “once in a generation primary.”
Malloy, Madden, Benning, Scott win statewide GOP races
A pair of unknown ex-military men walked into the Vermont political arena months ago, and last night walked away with the party nominations for U.S. Senate and Congress.
Secretary of State explains why Dominion vote tabulator memory cards replaced prior to primary election
Vermont election officials explain why they switched memory cards on Dominion vote counting machines before the primary.
Parton: In November, towns should check machine voting results with sample hand count
I am suggesting and encouraging all Town and City Clerks, City Councils, Select Boards and Boards of Civil Authority institute a policy to hand count one sample race after the 2022 General Election vote in November.
Swanton teen dies on highway
A 17-year-old life is over following a Franklin County crash. The victim was not wearing his seat belt.
Guilford woman murdered
A Wardsboro woman repeatedly stabbed a Guilford woman, whose body was found on a logging road in Wardsboro.
Little libraries connect readers to their neighborhoods
During the pandemic especially, Waterbury residents spending more time at home came to appreciate the little lending libraries around town – and even added to their ranks.
Benning: On to the Big Game!
GOP Lt. Gov. nominee Joe Benning: “Yesterday, we sent a message that the Vermont Republican Party is not a party of divisive rhetoric or extremist ideology.”
Thayer: Thank you
Greg Thayer, who lost his bid for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor, writes: “Tammy and I are very humbled by this experience visiting many communities in our beautiful State, meeting many of you and your family, visiting your businesses and listening to your hopes, goals, concerns and fears. I heard you. I will continue to speak out for you in the years to come.”
Understaffed Burlington cops unable to respond to 3 AM vandalism; two hours later perp broke 33 windows
A man broke bus station windows at 3 AM. Undermanned Burlington police had no-one to send. At 5 AM he terrorized two neighborhoods, smashing 33 windows.
Two utilities urge electric car charging conservation – but not Green Mountain Power
No need to not charge your electric car during a heat wave if you’re a GMP customer, the state’s largest utility said.
Water Cooler: Rock Point death likely suicide
Vermont’s bat population is showing signs of recovery from an itching disease that makes them wake up from hibernation too early and then freeze to death.
Northeast Kingdom Amish plan two more fundraiser dinners for grieving family
The Amish community in the Orleans County town of Brownington will hold two more fundraising dinners to help pay the medical bills of a family grieving the death of a two-year-child. The public is invited to attend – just don’t expect to pay with plastic.
Write-in votes today could help turn balance of power in State House
Meet the Vermonters who are asking voters to write in their names on today’s primary election ballot.
Teenage drivers survive mishaps with deer, hydroplaning, speeding
Three teenaged drivers survived scary moments and/or bad judgement this weekend. Lessons learned. We hope.
Primary candidates weigh in on FBI raid
After the story broke last night about the FBI raid on former Pres. Donald Trump’s Mir-A-Lago home in Florida, Vermont Daily Chronicle emailed most participants in statewide races in today’s primary for their comments.
Dead woman found on logging road
An individual has been detained as a ‘person of interest’ in connection with the discovery of a woman’s body last night in the Windham County town of Wardsboro.
FBI raids Trump home
Trump said: “It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024.”
Actor Ezra Miller, DC’s The Flash, busted for booze theft break-in in Bennington County
Ezra Miller, who plays ‘The Flash’ in the DC Comics Justice League movie franchise, was arrested in Stamford Sunday for allegedly stealing booze from a neighbor – just the latest reported incident from one of Hollywood’s bad boys.
Flemming: Great Barrier Reef back after being “dead” from climate change
At the very least, the Great Barrier Reef’s recovery is a symbol of hope for all of life on Earth.
Flurry of GOP write-ins for primary tomorrow
Write-in candidates in four counties and many towns are hoping to get enough support tomorrow to be on the November 8 ballot.
Condos to voters: have a plan tomorrow
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos urges all Vermonters to plan wisely to participate in what he calls a ‘once in a generation’ primary.
Water Cooler: Man falls 80 feet to death into Lake Champlain
A man died after plunging 80 feet from the cliffs of Rock Point, Burlington. Boaters saw it happen.
It’s Sarah George’s turn to feel desperate
Tomorrow, many of the longsuffering, law-abiding residents of Winooski, the wealthy shop owners of Burlington, the suburban soccer moms of the new City of Essex, and frustrated first responders – but not the county’s college students, who are still on summer break – will deliver a referendum on the future of criminal justice in Chittenden County.
GOP Lt. Gov. candidates show off endorsements
The two GOP candidates for lieutenant governor published their list of endorsements.
Wilson: Why are Vermont legislators afraid of the Convention of States?
COS backers say Vermont lawmakers are terrified by an Article V Convention of States to set term limits, stop irresponsible spending, and reduce government overreach.
Primary questionnaire: Anya Tynio, GOP, U.S. House
“I will promote American energy policies to cut fuel prices which will reduce the cost of food, gasoline and home heating.” – Anya Tynio
Primary Questionnaire: Ericka Redic, GOP, U.S. House
I will push for updates to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to allow for the building of safe, “clean”, efficient energy. I will also eliminate all subsidies for EV cars, solar panels and wind turbine technologies.
Primary questionnaire: Myers Mermel, GOP, U.S. Senate
“Now there exist two separate justice systems (one for the law abiding and one for the lawless), no accountability for criminal actions, a revolving door of criminality, and more effort to protect the criminal than protect the public.” – Myers Mermel
Middlesex farmer, engineer declares last-minute write-in campaign for Washington County Senate
A farmer and engineer wants Washington County Republican Primary voters to write in his name on Tuesday’s ballot so that the GOP will have a full slate of candidates in the November general election.
VT Watercooler: fire calls jump in Burlington
The Burlington fire department is busier than usual. And Vermont is now accepting applications for legal marijuana shops. These headlines and others from VT media.
Primary Questionnaire: Christina Nolan, GOP, U.S. Senate
“School choice, particularly for the economically disadvantaged, is an important component of promoting successful education.” – Christina Nolan
Primary questionnaire: Joe Benning, GOP, Lt. Governor
“Knowing all the legislative players, I would become the conduit between those who have the power to make change and those who have the ideas that can bring cost of living reductions into play.” – Joe Benning
Primary questionnaire: Charlie Kimball, Democrat, Lt. Governor
“I believe that we can make it possible for anyone to find a meaningful career in Vermont in work that sustains them and fulfills them.” – Charlie Kimball
Primary questionnaire: Gregory Thayer, GOP, Lt. Governor
“I will work to REPEAL the Global Warming Solutions Act, fix Act 250, stop following the California Fuel Standards, streamline the permitting process and get government out of people’s pocketbooks.” – Greg Thayer
Primary questionnaire: Phil Scott, GOP, Governor
“My priorities have been clear since the beginning: grow the economy, make Vermont more affordable, and protect the most vulnerable. While we’ve made record progress, I know the pandemic set us back and there is much more work to be done.” – Phil Scott
Primary questionnaire: Gerald Malloy, GOP, U.S. Senate
“I do not believe we are in a climate emergency.” – Gerald Malloy
Police investigate multiple bomb threats across the state
Police are investigating a rash of recent bomb threats in Vermont, mimicking similar threats across the country.
IRS bought $725,000 in ammo last year, has 5 million rounds stockpiled
The few. The proud. The IRS.
Scott signs housing $$ bills
Gov. Phil Scott today signed two multi-million dollar housing bills that he and the Legislature hope will help relieve Vermont’s housing shortage crisis.
Life of gun rights activist Evan Hughes to be celebrated Sunday
The life of Second Amendment advocate Evan Hughes will be remembered in Barre this Sunday.
VT Watercooler: Shooting in Bennington
Police investigate a shooting in Bennington. And a community newspaper investigates what’s causing mail delivery delays.
Siegel: if elected guv, I too will be chauffeured in electric vehicle
“The Executive Protection Unit of the Vermont State Police will also be delivered its first all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning, which will serve as the Governor’s official security vehicle,” Gov. Phil Scott’s office said yesterday. His likely Democratic challenger responds.
National conservative speakers coming to Vermont this weekend
Because Vermont’s media often doesn’t cover events that are conservative, most Vermonters never even learn about some of the great national conservative speakers who visit the Green Mountains. So – heads up!
Despathy: no social contract with Big Pharma
To force a Big Pharma product on an individual goes against the entire basis of our country’s existing social contract.
