More people aren’t getting the help they need for basic services, which has meant the library is asked to fill that gap.
Vermont librarians face patron drug abuse, homelessness
Timothy Page
Stack: The broken Vermont education system
The real disaster is the lack of awareness by the participants of the unintended consequences that double digit spending increases wreak on current and potential future community members.
New trapping regs take effect January 1
Vermont’s Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules’ objection does not prevent the new trapping regulations from coming into effect.
State prosecutor says system not designed to investigate and prosecute shoplifters in a timely manner
She continued that she wishes both the police and her office could collect, investigate, and prosecute shoplifting in a more timely manner but “that is not how our system is designed to work.”
Athens man pleads guilty to Federal and State charges in deer poaching investigation
Ryan Goodrich, 38, of Athens, Vermont was sentenced to five years in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release
VT Headlines: Frustration mounts over ongoing Vt. unemployment claim dysfunction
Vermont’s wastewater treatment plants strained under December flooding; Senior housing in Hinesburg underway amid statewide push; Stakeholders discuss law to prevent catalytic converter thefts
Eshelman: FPF, legislative cartel spin 18% school tax increase
More from the Front Porch Forum/VT Legislative Cartel – this time on the Education charade.
U.S. service academy nominees announced
The five military academies are: U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and Merchant Marine Academy.
MacDonald: NH border stores should stock up on fluorescent light bulbs
The old standard is not illegal to own or use. You simply cannot sell them in Vermont or transport them into the state for sale after the first of the year.
LaMarche: Silent specter: Who is Hannah King?
King represents a class of political actors who make progress impossible.
Colchester names new police chief
Hull worked his way up from patrol officer and earned a college degree in 2020 because it was required for Colchester’s next Chief of Police.
Bossange: Burlington Progressive ‘help’ actually harms homeless
If Progressives keep getting elected, then the bed Burlingtonians are laying in now will be their bed of the future, and the most important City in Vermont will continue to erode.
A festive fiasco unveiled
In the wake of holiday havoc, experts left clutching their stockings in bewilderment
VT Headlines: Fire spreads to multiple buildings in Greensboro
Spike in fraud prevents some from using Vt. unemployment site; Water service restored in South Burlington; St. Albans officials aim to work with businesses to reduce retail theft
Carbon tax on big Burlington buildings begins Jan.1
This occurs while online pundits note that the Green Mountain State seems to be following closely California’s costly green energy policies.
Eshelman: Front Porch Forum – Vermont wolves in sheep’s clothing
VDC readers are confirming the totalitarian nature of Front Porch Forum (FPF), couched in the guise of a so-called Public Benefit Corporation.
VT Headlines: With flood recovery bills coming due, state lawmakers brace for a tight budget
South Burlington experiences water outages, low water pressure on Christmas; Chittenden County nonprofit hosts Christmas dinner for those in recovery; Bag Balm celebrates 125 years
Page: Young black man opposes defunding police
As a young black Vermont man who holds conservative views, I do not feel oppressed.
Man with mental health issues threatens Chittenden County prosecutor
Burlington police reported they released him after he was screened by two mental health workers.
State college profs, staff, students claim mismanagement, seek lawmakers’ review
Lack of accountability, program changes and staff eliminations continue despite the Legislature’s $200 million cash infusion.
Medwid: The Iron Triangle
Vermont’s governance of the wild amidst changing values
Roper: The Democrats are playing chess…
What’s really going on with the Colorado Ballot Ruling.
Evslin: Gaza peace depends on Hamas
Antony Blinken explained that well at a press conference which got almost no coverage.
Sanders’ minimum wage law would cost 700,000 jobs
The report also notes that anytime wages are raised, the cost of the goods or services will rise accordingly.
VT Headlines: Vigils across the region remember Vermonters who lost their lives due to homelessness
‘Credible threat’ prompts evacuation of Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office; New Colchester police chief sworn in; Regulators adjust OneCare budget, look toward new strategy
Keelan: A little boy’s wish
Originally published on Christmas Eve, 2005, and published every Christmas Eve since. It was awarded 3rd Place in the 2021 New England Better Newspaper Competition, sponsored by NENPA
Gervais: Is Vermont ready for a Presidential Caucus?
Vermont Republicans are currently earning an F for our participation in government with over half the municipalities having no representation. But it is not too late.
Secretary of State: Barring a court order, Trump stays on Vermont ballot
Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas’ statement on the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision disqualifying Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential primary ballot
Klar: Saudi water battle in Arizona
A prelude to future resource conflicts?
VT Headlines: Why FEMA changed plan to put flood trailers in Montpelier
GMT bus fare collection to resume in March; Barre City hopes to replace old parking lots with new housing; New program offers Vt. inmates free classes to prepare for life after prison
Reported NYC Gang member busted in Vermont in drug case
A suspected member of the violent street gang known as The Bloods, has been arrested on federal charges of selling cocaine and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in Chittenden County
State awards $5.13 million for nursing workforce development
Governor Scott and AHS allocated $5.13 million aiming to reduce shortages and assist healthcare workers.
Buffet orders shareholder arrested after comments about Gates and Epstein
Someone cut off his microphone after Flaherty said, “We know how much Bill Gates cares about children. He met and traveled with Jeffrey Epstein many times after Epstein was convicted of sex crimes.”
VT Headlines: Burlington man to be sentenced in 2017 cleaver murder
State leaders provide updates on how Vermont fared from Monday’s flooding; Latest system glitch impacted roughly half of all Vermonters seeking unemployment assistance
From pandemic ennui, local parkour crew finds kin on ledges and rooftops
Parkour offers an out-of-the-ordinary outlet that costs nothing.
Man sentenced to 9 years for pulling gun on Federal agent in North Troy
Ivan Carmona, 32, of Springfield, Massachusetts, also known as “Flacco,” was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Roper: VT Climate Council can’t decide which gas/diesel tax it likes best
71 percent of Vermonters oppose any carbon tax/fee/surcharge on gasoline and diesel, 59 percent strongly oppose it. So, lawmakers, how about you listen to your constituents for a change?
Poll reveals that one out of every three Vermonters feels unsafe
The last installment of poll results from CFV show that Vermonters side with the Governor in recent disagreements and nearly one in three feel unsafe in their community.
McClaughry: China’s nuclear leadership
China is now building 22 of the 58 reactors under construction around the world, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The country currently operates 55 reactors.
CLG: Trump blocked from appearing on primary ballot by Colorado Supreme Court, but appeal possible
Ukrainian trial demonstrates 2014 Maidan massacre was false flag; Ukrainians tell MP they would give up citizenship to avoid conscription
McClaughry: Vermont’s continuing battle to defeat the menace of climate change
The legislative majority in Montpelier seems to think that Vermonters will rejoice at their enactment of a radical agenda, even though it will have no detectable effect on the Earth’s future climate.
VT Headlines: Winooski River approaches crest while others recede
Gov. Phil Scott holds emergency update on flooding in Vermont; Montpelier group site project no longer needed, says FEMA; Pandemic-era high schoolers in VT less likely to pursue higher ed.
Fernandez: Do Israeli and Palestinian schools teach hate?
Palestinian authority textbooks contain incendiary statements about Jews and Israel.
Dame: A new direction for natural disasters
The Democrats holding the supermajority have given Vermonters the wrong prescription for how to deal with the problems we face with these kinds of major weather events.
Fish and Wildlife bucks lawmakers’ demands on trapping/coyote hunting rules
Lawsuit threatened as Fish and Wildlife professionals stood their ground against unreasonable legislative demands.
Despathy: Thank you VDC, Vermont needs you!
In a world riddled with propaganda and censorship, access to raw, honest news is rare, precious and must be nurtured for the sake of humanity.
VT Headlines: Reindeer spread holiday cheer in Waterbury
In Vermont schools, conservative legal groups have become a potent force; Manure spreading ban in effect for winter; Moretown works on housing: more rental units, more wastewater capacity
Miro, UVM reach new student housing agreement
The new MOU would commit UVM to providing 1.5 beds per undergraduate student enrolled above fall 2023 level; City to up-zone three campus parcels at Trinity, East Ave, and the Waterman block
Breaking: Car smashes into Presidential motorcade
The crash appeared to come out of the blue and saw the Secret Service hurriedly bundle Biden into his own armored vehicle.
Welch: DeJoy is failing rural communities
Welch calling on Biden to swiftly nominate candidates to fill upcoming vacancies on the USPS Board of Governors who will fight for our rural communities and hold Postmaster Louis DeJoy accountable.
LaMarche: The trouble with the “Truth”
I suspect some want this to be a hate crime to fit prevailing divisive narratives, but the investigation will continue on.
Stahler: Why should we bail out Burlington?
I don’t get it about the self-proclaimed “richest town in Vermont” needing to be bailed out by the mostly-not-so-rich other towns in Vermont.
State will match crowdfunding for Middlebury theater
$20,000 goal to receive a 2:1 matching grant through DHCD’s Better Places program.
Covey: Hunters and trappers critical to wildlife protection
Why do those opposed to hunting and trapping ignore this reality? The answer is simple really. They don’t actually care about wildlife, they just care about removing human influence from wildlife.
Warner: Knowing the Christ of Christmas
He is more than a song and a set of legendary stories. He is the God who made you and wants to know you, and you to know Him, at Christmas and every day unto eternity.
Town rebuffs wind turbine developer
Residents of the Bennington County town of Stamford fought back against an aggressive, well funded-wind tower proposal and won on December 7, when the developer announced it had dropped the project.
VT Headlines: Burlington Public Safety community forum
Local folks work to rescue immobile loon last week; Operation Fire Cuffs collects gifts for Vt. Children’s Hospital; Sticker shock! Understanding the Dec. 1 property tax letter
Staffing challenges persist for Sheriff’s Departments after pay cut by lawmakers
The Vermont Sheriffs’ Association held a press conference on Monday at the State House to call for the resignation of Franklin County Sherriff John Grismore regarding a use-of-force incident.
Roper: Shock poll (NOT)! Vermonters don’t want to pay ANYTHING for Democrats’ climate agenda
Presenting a cost/benefit proposal is really the only accurate way to gauge genuine support or opposition to a policy. Almost anybody will support almost anything if they think it’s free.
Sanders: Ban junk food sales to children
Sanders also promotes prescription price controls reducing prescription prices over 50 percent.
New reg would stop cops from sharing immigration info with feds
Support from migrant rights activists is competing with concerns about the legality of the proposed policy change and, from law enforcement, wariness about restrictions on their jobs.
Federal funds to spur community housing renovation and repair
Gov. Phil Scott and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) today announced recipients of $4,591,000 in federal community development block grants.
Vermont Attorney General signs letter calling crisis pregnancy centers “deceptive and unethical”
This flies in the face of public sentiment, but a deeper truth remains: To Planned Parenthood, CPCs are unwanted competition.
SPEAKVT urges feds to oppose anti-semitism in public schools
A coalition of 36 parent organizations, including SPEAKVT, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona expressing concerns with anti-semitism in K-12 schools.
VT Headlines: Castleton community raises $25K reward for capture of Honoree Fleming’s killer
Colchester welcomes new chief of police; 500 Vermont unemployment recipients hit by ongoing computer glitch; Ice cream producers unionize at Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury plant
Bananas: Shake-up at the North Pole
Santa Claus has come under fire thanks to a small band of elves who were recently hired per the North Pole’s new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy.
VSP special patrols in Burlington end Dec. 30
The extra police patrols by Vermont state troopers in the city of Burlington to try to reduce ongoing shootings and improve public safety will end Dec. 30, according to city and state officials.
Evslin: Free Speech should still be protected
But the protection can’t be selective.
Klar: Liberty Food Fest reminder
A Great Line-up in Bellows Falls this weekend! Joel Salatin is speaking here in Vermont!
Trump trial set for day before Super Tuesday March 5
That trial is set to start the day before Super Tuesday on March 5, 2024, when 15 Republican primaries and caucuses are scheduled to take place.
Republican impeachment inquiry to be voted on this week
This vote is not to impeach the president, but to formalize the inquiry itself, which was initially kicked off earlier this year by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif..
VT Headlines: Vermont Christmas tree farms grapple with a tight supply this year
State agency recommends requiring Vermont sheriffs to hold top police certification; Welch calls for more flood recovery funding; Lead pipe testing program gets underway in Vt. homes
‘Appalling’: Abortion advocacy groups received nearly $2B in taxpayer money
The Government Accountability Office, a federal agency, conducted the report at lawmakers’ request, showing that Planned Parenthood received the lion’s share, taking in $1.78 billion in 2019-2021.
State Police name two new top leaders
The two new VSP leaders are Ron LaFond Jr. as director of the Vermont Intelligence Center, and Christian Pedoty as emergency communications director.
As high court debates ‘expressive car honking’, Vermont already has law on the books
The US Supreme Court may consider whether someone honking their horn for a non-traffic-related reason is illegal.
Vermont already has a law on its books concerning the trend. It’s just not enforced.
Old concrete sewer pipe fails, creates gaping sinkhole in Burlington’s Main Street
When the old, concrete pipe failed, its contents washed away roadbed materials, leaving a void that took city workers 12 hours to repair.
VT Headlines: VSP investigating threats made against Franklin County Sheriff’s Department
Judge Moves Vermont Family’s Wrongful Death Lawsuit to Religious Proceeding; Federal grant funds rail expansion between Vermont and Quebec; FEMA offers resources for Vermonters’ mental health
Montpelier Art Walk celebrates renewal in face of floods
Rain-soaked streets came alive this past Friday as community members joined Art Walk to turn the city into a tapestry of renewal.
Proposed changes to BTV airport cabs are in progress
As Burlington International Airport braces for the holidays, officials with the city’s vehicle-for-hire licensing board want to see more action on a slew of proposals.
Harris: Hunting with dogs keeps bears out of the kitchen
Everybody loves to see bears. These amazing creatures are fun to watch in the wild. But no one wants to see a bear in their kitchen, and that is what is at stake here.
Orleans County defendant now faces federal gun charge
Cody M. Myott, 30, is now facing a federal charge of illegal possession of 3 loaded firearms while being a convicted felon, after a state judge released despite pleas that he needed psychiatric help.
Roper: Former Democrat Speaker of the House named president of state’s most prominent news outlet
VTDigger no longer bothering to hide the bias! Gaye Symington is made the new president of the organization.
Bananas: GOP IV – The Phantom Menace
Both contestants and moderators brought their A games, but in a country with the educational standards of a Mad-lib an A just isn’t what it used to be.
Bossange: State must help Burlington police, house its homeless
We are doing the homeless and mentally ill no favors by letting them suffer in public, unsupervised spaces.
Kinsley: Vermonters concerned about housing, public safety, cost of living
In the second batch of poll results released by CFV, we discover that Vermonters identify housing, cost of living, and public safety as the top issues.
In offshoot of out-of-state gang member murder case, woman pleads to 5 felonies
Misti-Lynn Morin, 43, of Swanton admitted to 5 felony charges that were filed as an offshoot of a criminal investigation into an out-of-state gang member killed at a Swanton home in February 2022.
VT Headlines: Fairfield school closed due to rash of staff illnesses
With Honoree Fleming’s killer still at large, community rallies to raise reward money; Should Vermont eliminate cash bail?; Vt. lawmakers discuss whether decertified sheriff can still perform his job
Letter: Tired of old ideas? Try someone new!
The choice for the next mayor of Vermont’s largest city is obvious.
FIRE: UPenn president signals misguided willingness to abandon free speech
Penn’s policies have been guided by the Constitution and the law – but that’s about to change, the university president said.
Fernandez: Where were the anti-Israel protesters then?
The world only seems to take notice of Palestinians dying when Israel is involved. When international media platforms exclude coverage of Arab vs. Arab violence, an overt anti-Israel narrative emerges.
CLG: Hunter Biden was indicted Thursday on nine charges – including three felonies
U.S. Senate blocks Ukraine funding; Zelensky abruptly cancels U.S. Senate appeal; U.S. warship attacked – Pentagon; EU warns of Christmas terror attacks
Wilson: The killing of Vermont
We don’t have a “Climate Emergency”, we have an Education Emergency and common- sense problem.
Vermont to prioritize broadband access based on race
Who gets first dibs on this money will at least in part be determined by your race. Certain covered populations have been at an economic disadvantage compared to others, thus justifying the policy.
MacDonald: So, Vermont discriminates against its college students, too?
A group called Campus Voter Project is encouraging out-of-state college students to vote in the college town in which they happen to be on election day.
VT Headlines: Burlington menorah lighting celebrates first day of Hanukkah
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak secures Progressive nomination for Burlington mayor; Vermont’s ‘Raise the Age’ juvenile offender law to remain on pause
Roper: An 18-percent property tax increase will not fix unsafe, underperforming public schools
Principal tries to keep a stabbing out of the media. Hard drugs and a gun found on a playground by children. The infamous Blue Room where children are kept secluded…..a huge property tax increase won’t keep school leaders accountable.
Burlington Fire rescues trapped construction worker
The firefighters and the construction workers already there worked together to save the man.
Sheriff Grismore’s law enforcement license revoked
Grismore given the boot after giving the boot.
Sibilia: About the December 1 Tax Letter…
The pupil weight changes mean that in the next fiscal year, some districts will increase school budgets and see tax rate reductions, while others might experience a tax rate hike even with flat spending. In addition, it has been nearly 16 years since Vermont provided school construction aid.
Letter: Queen City primary care shortage decried
UVMMC has wide-open, wide-berth, welcoming care. Just don’t call Burlington.
