A Senate bill introduced on March 15 would eliminate at-will termination, and protect employees’ voting rights and free speech.
Video: S.130: The end of at-will termination?
VT Headlines: Flavored tobacco, e-liquids banned in VT
Search underway for missing Middlebury teenager; Vermont State Police conducts recovery operation for missing Waitsfield woman
NY Grand Jury Votes to Indict Trump
A Manhattan grand jury has reportedly voted to indict former President Donald Trump over his alleged role in a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
Vermont could legalize sports betting apps
How does the plan compare to New Hampshire?
Video: VSC library protection bills
Three bills would protect Vermont State College’s physical libraries from being reduced or eliminated.
Thayer: Senate Ed. Committee does not go far enough
The Democratic leadership in the Vermont legislature is not going far enough in protecting our school children.
VT Headlines: Anonymous threat at Lamoille Union Middle School
Extended EBT benefits end; House approves ranked voting for primary elections
Burlington voters will again consider who is allowed to vote on Town Meeting Day
If the provision passes, legal non-citizens would be able to vote in municipal elections.
Roper: Auditor’s Report: Just how bad our lawmakers screwed up the broadband buildout.
Sibilia and her colleagues opted to go with their own complicated plan to install cable to “the last mile” of every dirt road in the state.
VT Headlines: House passes anti-suicide gun control bill H. 230
Senate gives preliminary approval to flavored tobacco ban in Vt.; WHO experts revise COVID-19 vaccine advice, say healthy kids and teens low risk.
Another U.S. chemical train derails
At least eight freight trains have crashed across the country since the beginning of February.
VT Headlines: Brattleboro man dies of exposure in home
Brattleboro man dies of exposure to cold in home; Burlington approves recommendations for police department; zoning changes in Burlington
Bullock: Lest we forget—the electric line workers
When have we ever witnessed an awards celebration for electric line workers?
Warner: Tennessee Shooting: Fear Is the Goal
Let’s think rationally about this situation.
Babesiosis, tick-borne disease now endemic in Vermont
A disease first reported in Nantucket in 1969 is now endemic to Vermont.
Wilson: Dem./Prog. supermajority has established elitist rule
Your future financial wellbeing may not be as bright as you might have hoped for.
Roper: Rep. scolds equity official for showing how S.5 will “force/pressure” low-income Vermonters into spending money they don’t have.
Green’s point remains undeniable that low-income Vermonters cannot afford the upfront costs of taking even the most rudimentary clean heat measures.
This week in committee: March 27-31
Items on the agendas for Vermont Legislature Committees this week.
Vermont Guard soldiers inserted into Arctic on ski-equipped C-130
C-130s are HUGE. Landing them on ice requires a special rig of landing gear, as Vermont soldiers discovered.
VT Headlines: State bill could ban Catholics’ sealed confessions
State legislation could strip Catholic churches’ right to protect members’ sealed confessions.
BREAKING NEWS: Private school tuition House vote postponed until Wednesday, sources say
Do House leaders have enough votes to pass a bill restricting public tuition to private schools? And are they worried about the overburdened camel’s bite?
VT Headlines: Maple Weekend in Vermont
Sugar houses open doors for maple weekend in Vermont.
Mandatory paid family, medical, and safety leave bill gets prelim OK in House
In its first year, the paid family medical and safety leave ‘contribution’ would be .55% of earnings. Every year, it would be adjusted to cover all of the likely claims.
Alliance Defending Freedom fights Virginia transgender sports ruling
When males are allowed to compete in women’s sports, they routinely displace women and girls, robbing them of their constitutionally protected right to equal opportunity and victories they’ve worked so hard for.
Drug suspect dies in police custody
A man arrested on drug charges died in Bennington police custody yesterday afternoon. Also, police report several other deaths and death-related incidents this week.
Vermont needs to trust the voters to choose their sheriffs
You can kill a mosquito with a sledge hammer. But should you?
Kauffman: Sen. Lyons, show us the data for your ‘data-informed’ transgender decisions
Both youth patients and their parents are reporting the lack of informed consent in growing testimonies and lawsuits against “gender-affirming” health care.
Sanders: Silicon Valley bank president shouldn’t continue to serve on Federal Reserve Board
It would come as a shock to most Americans to find out that Gregory Becker, the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, was a director of the same body in charge of regulating his bank: the San Francisco Federal Reserve.
Roper: Lawmaker tells ANR Secretary to ‘lighten up’ on informing citizens about cost of S.5
Somebody needed to do this because nobody else dared. So thank you, Julie Moore!
Majority of terrorist suspects now crossing Northern Border
A Montana lawmaker says that with the Border Patrol overwhelmed on the southern border, terrorists and cartels are focusing on the less-defending northern border.
Evslin: Legislators squandering money
The pandemic is over. Unemployment is near an all-time low. The federal funding ends March 31.
Senate expands cancer coverage for firefighters
Workers comp will cover firefighters for on-duty related forms of cancer under a bill that passed the Senate.
Gone fishin’, back April 3
We’re going fishin’. But you will still be able to read new news and commentary in the Chronicle next week.
Downtown development grants announced
$200K to convert a former high school into a multi-purpose community center, etc..
Thurston: Solar power most expensive carbon reducer
The truth is solar is very expensive. You must pay for it three times over.
Peaceful sidewalk prayer and presence doubles abortion no-show rate, Planned Parenthood admits
In California, the peaceful prayer presence on the sidewalk has resulted in a doubling of no-shows for scheduled abortion appointments, a Planned Parenthood executive fumes.
Pension fund divestment bill rejected by investment board
Climate-minded senators want to expel fossil fuel stocks from the pension fund portfolio. The state’s fund investors say it’s a bad idea.
MA men wanted for Pownal attempted murder
Two Springfield, MA men and a Holyoke MA man are wanted in connection with a shooting over a year ago.
Graphic description by House member of son’s suicide sets tone for gun control vote
Black made an emotionally-charged, first-person appeal to her House colleagues during a lengthy floor speech yesterday afternoon in support of H230, the suicide prevention/gun control bill.
Bradley: Suicide hasn’t risen with gun ownership
Of all the background-check-passing gun store purchases conducted in Vermont in the last 10 years, two have resulted in suicides.
Driver in “hero dog” crash on I-89 guilty of DUI
Driver in ‘hero dog’ crash on I-89 guilty of driving under the influence.
Private school tuition bill goes to House floor tomorrow
Critics of H483 worry it will create hardships – and maybe even close – private schools now receiving public tuition.
Required gun storage in House bill appears at odds with 2008 Supreme Court decision
The Supreme Court specifically prohibits requiring locks on guns stored at home – one of the provisions in a bill on the House floor today.
Putin blasts UK move to send ammo with depleted uranium to Ukraine
Russia has previously warned the use of depleted uranium will be considered an attack by a ‘dirty nuke’
Rutland Legislators Step Up Strong
Physical libraries are protected by proactive legislators.
EAI’s 30th Annual Jefferson Day Event – 2023
Ethan Allen Institute’s 30th Jefferson Day Event will look at slavery and the author of the Declaration of Independence.
‘Affordable Heating Act’ no more, S.5 goes to House Environment and Energy Committee today
The optimistic name is gone, but the controversial contents remain: S.5 is now in the House.
Down in the dumps? Listen to “National Emblem,” proposed as State March
“Anybody who was ever in the military or the Boy Scouts probably has marched to that song,” lead sponsor John Arrison said yesterday.
VT fatal overdose climb continues
Thanks to quick-killing fentanyl, overdoses in Vermont continue to climb – either with greater availability of Narcan.
Off-grid VTer: Affordable Heat Act is deceptive
I am looking at you, climate warriors in the State House sporting Caribbean tans this week.
Sen. Becca White slammed on social media for ‘throwing other women under the bus’
Only men could oppress women for thousands of years, then turn around, put on a dress, and complain they are the most marginalized group in society.
Big septic spill into Missisquoi River went unreported
E coli bacteria could have been entering the river for weeks afterwards.
Roper: VPIRG showcases widespread mental health damages they’ve inflicted on young Vermonters
Some Vermont teens have their Greta game on.
Woman dies after calling dispatcher from inside burning house
Two children and a family dog survived the blaze.
Scott backs private schools – but mum on controversial bill
House Ed bill clamps down on private schools.
Scott: 25-unit housing development exemption from Act 250 a must
It’s not V-for-Veto time yet, but Gov. Scott really, really doesn’t like a senate committee’s removal of Act 250 housing exemption for 25-unit housing developments.
Border Patrol leaving illegal immigrants at St. Johnsbury bus depot
The influx of illegal immigrants into Vermont has overwhelmed authorities’ ability to return or hold all of them. Now some are being left by the Border Patrol at a Northeast Kingdom bus station.
Windsor County senator defends tournament ban of Christian school over transgender forfeit
Discriminating against another person causes long-term outcomes for youth, Sen. Becca White said on a CNN interview. “They’re hearing rhetoric that tells them they are not valuable, that they’re dangerous.”
Bernie the Old Bolshevik fights on
Sanders knows well how the Left dropped the worker. But, as he knows all too well, to spell out how and why would be political suicide.
Ben & Jerry’s founder funds U.S. out of Ukraine group
The “Eisenhower Media Network” is the latest anti-military peace offensive mounted by Ben Cohen, founder of Ben & Jerry’s.
Underage drinking party at lawmaker’s home
Multiple juveniles were engaged at a drinking party at a lawmaker’s home Friday night, state police say.
Bear-proof dumpsters, electric fences, birdfeeder removal advised
Bear incidents have been on the rise over the past several years. 2022 saw high numbers of bear homes break-ins, and two bear attacks.
State police director: “extraordinary betrayal of the public’s trust”
“The charges against former state trooper Giancarlo DiGenova as outlined in court documents represent an extraordinary betrayal of the public’s trust, his oath as a sworn police officer, and his colleagues in law enforcement who serve the state honorably every day,” the head of the Vermont State Police said yesterday.
State trooper charged with stealing Rolex, cellphones, child’s ADHD pills
State Police today reported an arrest of a former state trooper for a lengthy, diverse list of thefts and other abuse-of-position offenses allegedly committed before his resignation last month.
Bananas’ Guide to a Banana Republic
This land is our land, this land was your land.
Statewide rental housing registry, gun control, bottle bill expansion, Art in State Buildings all survive House Crossover
A House bill giving the State of Vermont taking oversight of rental housing away from municipalities has survived crossover. So has the latest gun control bill.
Hides in department store until closing, removes security devices from merchandise
Caught in the men’s room with $500 of stolen merchandise.
Woodchipper thieves busted
When police saw two men carrying brand new woodchippers on a Colchester sidewalk at 4:45, their suspicions were aroused.
Wilson: Bills give unions more control over state employees
There is in Vermont a mounting frustration and anger of the people over taxes, inflation, cost of schools and education, of law and order in our streets and neighborhoods, rising rents and increased home and land accessibility and cost.
Black-masked law school protesters chant: ‘Counter-speech [heckling] is free speech’
Crazy stuff happening with nuclear power plants, CDC buying your phone data, leftist law school students browbeating professors – read it all in CLG.
Roper: Hypocrisy of Clean Heat Standard advocates on display
How’s this for hypocrisy…if you’re burning kerosene in your trailer to keep from freezing in February, you’re part of the problem. But if you need to create just that right ambiance to score with the very special someone you just met in the apres ski bar, fire up that Danforth Pewter oil lamp!
28 months for dealing fentanyl at sober house
A Burlington sober house for women – since closed – was the scene of a fentanyl deal in January, 2021. A day later, two residents were dead of overdoses.
Senate committee OKs childcare bill
A Senate bill passed out of committee goes large on child care funding, and slower on paid family leave – at least slower than a $100 million-plus House bill.
Herbal farmer, former school principal named to open Hyde Park House seat
An herb farmer with a Masters in education will fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Kate Donnally (D-Hyde Park) earlier this year.
Direct action by fuel dealers urged against S.5 sponsors
Fuel dealers could provide a useful educational service to the senators who sponsored S.5, the Affordable Heating Act.
Senate tug-of-war continues over Act 250 housing bill
Key Senate committees are at odds over S100, the Legislature’s signature effort to relieve Vermont’s housing crisis.
Education Secretary French resigns
The chief of Vermont’s Agency of Education will leave the job next month.
Suspect in Waterbury gun theft busted by feds for drug house
The State of Vermont failed to jail a repeat offender even when he carried crack cocaine into the state probation office. A federal judge jailed him this week for using his home as a drug dealer haven.
Senate, House bills would keep state college libraries open, books on shelves
Half of the Senate is signing on to a bill to keep state libraries open and the book collection intact.
Windham County towns still in dark from nor’easter
Once the roads are plowed and the lights come back on, we quickly forget about a crippling snowstorm. But they’re in Day Four of darkness in Windham County.
No parental OK needed for transgender services under bills passed by House, Senate
Two abortion/transgender services bills passed, one passed by the House and the other by the Senate, take parents out of the decision-making process.
Former teacher charged with lewd & lascivious with 10-year-old girl / Rutland killing about drug territory
A former teacher at Founders School in Essex has been charged with years of unlawful sexual contact with a girl who was 10 years old when it began.
Video: Bill prohibits businesses from making contributions in State elections
A Senate bill introduced on March 3 would bar business entities from making contributions in State elections.
First pandemic fraud case sentenced
The owner of a cleaning business significantly overstated lost earnings in order to receive Pandemic Paycheck Protection funding.
Bennington public safety summit Monday
State and local Bennington leaders will gather for a first-of-a-kind public safety and health summit Monday, March 20.
Senate committee reimposes Act 250 housing restrictions
Tuition for religious schools, solutions to the housing shortage, and paid family leave are all up for discussion – and perhaps decisions – by the Legislature this week.
Thurston: The cold truth about heat pumps
It is time to pull the plug on the Un-Affordable Heat Act. This bill should die in the House Energy Committee.
UVM Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for South Burlington Housing Complex
Catamount Run will add more than 550 beds at City Center by Fall 2025.
Paid time off to vote for Town Meeting, other elections
Pros and cons of giving everyone two hours of paid time off on Town Meeting Day and primary and general elections.
Senate prostitution repeal bill introduced
A Senate bill chooses repeal over reform of the state’s prostitution laws.
New York City man charged with killing another NYC’er in Rutland
A teenage Staten Island man was arrested at a Brandon convenience store for the November 7 targeted killing of a Brooklyn man in Rutland.
First-year med students told to call women ‘People With Cervices’
“The entire biomedical profession has been conquered by this aggressive ideology that inculcates a certain worldview,” a professor said.
In Berlin, one of Vermont’s 82 homeless hotels now must pay $70/hour for emergency services
WCAX reports that a Washington County town has negotiated a deal with a homeless hotel that is frequent user of its emergency services.
Roper: Yes, public schools should not be locking children in closets
This is where our system of one-size-fits-all, throw-all-the-kids-into-the-same-building-and-call-it-equitable public education breaks down.
Kaufman: Bernie, the Nazis took our guns, too
As the son of a Jewish mother, have you forgotten how the Nazis contrived to create an impression of public danger to “solve” their self made “crisis”, then confiscated the only functional protection available to and depended upon by German citizens: their firearms.?
Proposed constitutional amendment would ban hard labor
Last year’s constitutional amendment: ban slavery. This year: ban hard labor for convicts.
Heavy, wet snow knocked out power, sent schoolbuses off road
A hardworking, conscientious school bus driver was a little late arriving at the State House for his ‘day job’ as a legislator.
Kauffman: Detransitioning voices ignored by Legislature
I was suicidal, self-harming, and hated myself. The appointment with my gender therapist was only 15 minutes long. When I walked in, my “letter of recommendation” was already typed up on her computer, and she was filling in my name in minutes.”
Opinion: VPA booting Mid-Vermont Christian School ‘reprehensible’
The VPA’s rejection of Mid-Vermont Christian was reprehensible and also predictable, given VPA’s despisal of the “traditional” (i.e. biblical) definition of gender. There are two, in case you’re wondering.
U.S. may have been double-billed for Wuhan projects
Both the Chinese lab and the NIH may have double-billed the U.S. government for their ‘services’ in pathogen research.
