High cost, poor service, and exorbitant battery replacement costs are among the complaints listed in ‘one star’ reviews.
Consumers thumbs-down on EVs
Guy Page
Guy Page is the editor and publisher of the Vermont Daily Chronicle.
Controversial Randolph school superintendent calls it quits
The Blake Allen incident made national headlines and took its toll on Layne Millington, he told a local newspaper after announcing his resignation.
COVID-19 pandemic linked to lower educational aspirations in Vermont high schoolers
After the pandemic, high school students are less interested in attending college. And parents are less motivated to urge them to pursue more education, VSAC said.
Man critically injured in Tunbridge shooting
Detectives have interviewed the individual responsible for the shooting, and the investigation is progressing.
Opening The Books: big paychecks signed by City of Burlington
A government salary watchdog organization has info on Burlington, the State of Vermont, and the federal government.
Anti-Israel ballot initiative begins in Burlington
Frustrated by the City Council’s unwillingness to condemn Israel’s role in the war with Hamas, pro-Palestine activists are collecting signatures to bring the issue directly to voters.
Arrest made in strangulation murder – one of 80 open murder cases in Vermont
Claudia Voight of Windham was strangled to death by former tenant Shawn Conlon, police say.
Vermont Senate leader calls Supreme Court stance on gun rights “insane”
More gun control is the right response to increase in violent crime, the leader of the Vermont Senate told a Burlington forum last night.
Feds ban VT drug store use of facial recognition to stop crime
Facial recog software sometimes produces false positives, resulting in harassment and embarrassment, the feds told Rite-Aid.
Deer jacking suspect faces federal firearm charges
Shortly after midnight, game wardens spotted a slow-moving truck flashing a light on nearby fields. When the cops flashed their lights, the driver fled at speeds of up to 100 MPH.
Family court judge drops road rage stabbing charge
The 20-year-old stabbed the 38-year-old multiple times, but an assault charge is unwarranted because he acted in self-defense, a family court judge said.
State Treasurer pushes Baby Bonds bill
A bill aimed at reducing intergenerational poverty would invest $3,200 in long-term bonds for every Vermont baby born on Medicaid.
Gun rights group to sue State of Vermont over magazine, waiting period laws
“The Supreme Court made it clear that governments may not impose arbitrary and pointless restrictions like Vermont’s waiting period and its ban on commonly-owned, standard-capacity magazines. These restrictions unconstitutionally infringe on Vermonters’ fundamental right to self-defense and must be struck down.”
Trump, Phillips make Vermont presidential primary ballot (with 10 others)
Both major parties have six candidates on the presidential primary ballot – including a few you’ve probably never heard of.
Eshelman: Authoritarian public school monopoly can’t handle parental rights challenges
The fight for liberty is on.
Video: Why you should water your Christmas tree
Beware the pretty firebomb in your living room.
Thieves paint car black to disguise it, then crash in hit-and-run
Three separate crashes with serious consequences – including one lost life.
Police rescue anti-prison activists from man with knife
Responding officers made contact with the suspect at gunpoint, and issued hard commands for him to show his hands.
Police seek suspect in two armed robberies
The same armed robber is believed responsible for two gas station robberies in the St. J area this weekend.
School bus driver cited for striking student
The elementary school bus driver struck the child with his hand, police say.
Thank you, Carol Frenier!
“The Chronicle is my ‘go-to’ source for news about Vermont. You won’t find anywhere near the quality of writing and detailed coverage of events in any other media.”
School board closes elementary school after parents’ lawsuit over poor education
Things got so bad at Windham Elementary that parents sued. Last night, the school board closed the school.
High-powered panel to discuss VT energy
The panel features Secretary Julie Moore from the Agency of Natural Resources; Rob Roper, a public policy analyst & writer; Rep. Mark Higley, Orleans – LaMoille; JT Dodge, No Carbon Tax Vermont; Neale F. Lunderville, President Vermont Gas; and Matt Cota, formerly of the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association.
Gerald Malloy announces 2024 run for Senate
“The Federal government is on an unsustainable more-government, more-spending, failed foreign policy path.”
Budget cut ‘akin to defunding’ county sheriff
Cutting funding for clerks is akin to defunding the already understaffed, hard-pressed Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Honor veterans with wreaths on this Saturday
We don’t know them all. But we owe them all.
$7 million in gambling revenue next year could double in five years
Vermonters will not be allowed to vote on instate collegiate or high school games.
Springfield, MA man shot in St. Albans busted for armed robbery five years ago
A Springfield, MA man critically injured in a St. Albans shooting yesterday was arrested for armed bank robbery when he was 18.
2023 a year of addition
Readers have responded! With weeks to go, we’ve set new annual records in views (pages looked at), visits, and comments.
‘Catch and release’ Judge Jiron bumped from criminal court bench
Jiron has developed a reputation in the Northeast Kingdom for not consistently jailing suspects charged with violent crimes.
Woman dies in head-on crash with tree
A 73-year-old woman not wearing a seatbelt died when her car hit a tree.
Staats: Tolerance should extend to hunting, trapping culture
What is of grave concern is the precedent this decision may set for all hunting dogs and equally disconcerting represents yet another attempt by so-called wildlife advocacy groups to chip away at our hunting culture.
Online sports betting starts in VT January 11
DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Sportsbook will operate mobile sports wagering platforms in Vermont beginning next month.
Questions asked about Grismore’s private $20K pension fund
The biggest concern appeared to be the state ordering the sheriff’s department to repay the state money that had been put into a private retirement fund approved for Grismore by the previous sheriff.
FINAL vote on coyote hunting, trapping rule set for Thursday
The ruling has been a hot potato between the board and the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, which favors a more hunting-and-trapping restrictive interpretation of the two 2022 laws.
Rowell: Burlington City Council, do your job!
The following letter was submitted to Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and the City Council prior to its Monday resolution linking the shooting of three Palestinian men in November to Israel.
Wife, bookkeeper embezzled $400K from family biz
Jodi Lathrop concealed the embezzlement in several ways.
Rollover causes multiple injuries
Drugs, speeding, and wet roads contributed to the crash, police say.
Grismore’s lawyer calls impeachment ‘undemocratic attack,’ fellow sheriffs want him to resign
“The history of Vermont politics is littered with questionable characters who have held all manner of office, yet the sort of partisan hit-job the Impeachment Committee brings to our politics is unprecedented,” Kaplan said.
Headlines: Court denies school request to stop sex abuse probe
A public high school in St. Albans must allow a student sex abuse investigation to continue.
Avian flu hits another VT barnyard flock
Although HPAI poses a low risk to humans, individuals who were in contact with the infected flock are being monitored by the Department of Health.
Scott asks lawmakers to delay juvenile offender law changes
In a report to legislative leaders, the Vermont Department for Children and Families asked for the “raise the age” reforms to be paused for “several years” until the state can improve the care system for young offenders.
‘Beauty in decay’: Historian-photographer Jim Westphalen chronicles Vermont’s old barns
Decades into his adventure in trial and error, he’s learned how rotten wood and rusted metal can produce an idealized portrait, a history written in walls. To lose those relics, he said, is to lose a connection to who Vermonters once were.
Dems pick Shannon for mayor
Shannon voted against reducing police funding two years ago. Today, Democratic voters chose her over a fellow city councilor who voted for the reduction.
Cabot man pleads innocent to punching pregnant woman in stomach, pouring turpentine on her
Police say Grant had assaulted a family member by striking her and pouring turpentine on her.
Eshelman: Half of Bellows Falls freshman class is reading at first grade level
Canary in the coalmine….It’s not that only half of the high school students can read to grade level. It’s that half of them can only read to a first-grade level.
Trans-identified male dominating women’s cycling competitions has “Forced Feminization” fetish
On his Facebook page, Bombardier has compared legislation seeking to restrict sports categories on the basis of sex to the persecution of Jewish athletes during Germany’s Nazi regime.
Car crashes into post office
She meant to put the car in reverse.
Teen cited for death-resulting accident
The highway was wet, but speed was also a factor in the death of Josephine Buckley.
$1.37 million raised for Awartani
18,500 donors in five days have contributed.
Districts grapple with new ed funding law
Tiny Blue Mountain Union High School in Wells River and Winooski High School may benefit from the state’s new education funding law.
Woodstock area friends remember Jason Eaton
Jason Eaton’s alleged violent act was completely out of character for the teenager and young man they knew in the 1990’s and early 2000s.
Convicted coke dealer pleads guilty to Covid-19 $$ fraud, gun offense
After spending fraudulently acquired Paycheck Protection $$ on high-end sneakers, Delima will be cooling his heels in prison.
GOP must find a single challenger to Trump: Scott
Gov. Phil Scott backs Nikki Haley and Chris Christie and hopes either of them – or even Ron Desantis, for that matter – will soon be the single GOP challenger to Donald Trump, he said today.
Burlington high school principal resigns over pulled fire alarm, public opinions mixed
A Burlington school principal has been expelled, permanently, from her job after pulling a fire alarm to stop a school fight.
Political left in Vermont doesn’t support Israel’s war against Hamas
Elected officials and activists on Vermont’s left rally for Palestine, vote against funding Israel’s military response, and refuse to support a resolution condemning anti-semitism.
Shannon gets 2nd major public safety endorsement/ former lawmaker backs Mattison/ Paul endorsed by Dean, Baruth
In a city increasingly concerned about public safety, one Democratic city councilor has picked up two important endorsements.
We’re working on the Comment Snafu – and oh yeah, we passed One Million views!
I had hoped to publish a triumphant ‘WOOT WOOT! We Just Reached One Million Views’ post today.
Bishop to step down from Chamber
The president of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce left her mark on the evolution of the state’s business community.
Hinesburg school administrator wouldn’t let police search playground area where gun was found
School officials were concerned the cops would scare or disturb the kindergarteners. A 35 gram bag of cocaine was found there after the police chief insisted on the search.
Small town considers non-citizen voting
As already adopted in three of Vermont’s cities, a small rural town is considering allowing non-citizens to vote.
Propane tanker burning in Irasburg
Two schools are within the one-mile evacuation zone.
Pro-Palestine rally marked by anti-capitalist rhetoric
Marxist rhetoric was a common theme: “It’s absolutely the capitalist ruling class that is behind all of this, we have to wrench power from the capitalist ruling class back to the workers where it belongs.”
Essex school board rejects Detransition Day
On a book opposing gender transition, the Essex -Westford School Board seems to be practicing some subjective censorship of its own.
Repealing penalties for small-time coke dealers slated for vote this year
Repealing legal penalties for selling up to 149 milligrams of crack cocaine – almost twice the lethal amount of a single dose – is part of a drug abuse ‘harm reduction’ bill cited as a high priority at Saturday’s pre-session caucus of Democratic legislators.
Marine vet and wife donate Christmas tree to Vermont Veterans Home
For the 15th year in a row, a Marine veteran familiar to Chronicle readers and his wife have provided the Christmas tree for the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington.
Confronted about drinking, tenant shot landlord in the head
Told he couldn’t drink in the house, a man convicted of criminal threatening shot his Hardwick landlord to death November 8.
St. Albans store manager throws hot coffee in armed robber’s face
Here’s your cup of coffee, sir.
Police recount Eaton’s reported history of mental illness, domestic problems
The alleged Burlington shooter of three Palestinian college students has a lengthy police history of domestic problems and allegations of mental illness, according to a November 30 press report.
Thanks for visiting! VDC visitors set new record
Two days ago, Vermont Daily Chronicle readers set a record for the most visits in a single year.
Wilson: Vermont public schools charge $23,856/student, produce worst-ever test scores
School boards and superintendents suffer no penalties for poor job performance.
Projected 18.5% property tax increase driven by increased school spending, Scott admin says
“I understand that this will not be welcome news for Vermonters,” said Commissioner Bolio, “This forecast predicts an unprecedented property tax increase next year, with very real financial impacts at a time Vermonters are already struggling to pay for housing.”
Lawmakers gather tomorrow for 2024 preview
Legislators and press will learn tomorrow about the state of the economy, the ‘budget context,’ federal aid, and the latest on the housing and flood crises.
In Prospect St. shooting letter, mayor calls for gun ban in bars
Most of the recent shootings in Burlington happened away from bars. But the Mayor of Burlington has issued another call for banning firearms possession in bars and “other sensitive spaces.”
Legislature gets 51% disapproval rating in new poll/ New hires in, out of state government
A new poll shows Vermonters like how Gov. Phil Scott is doing his job. But the Legislature? Not so much
Correction: Former Winooski equity director not with D.C. firm when 9/21 article published
“Ms Yasamin Gordon, during her short tenure with us, misrepresented her education credentials and experience, among other things,” Iris Bond Gill, CEO, told the Chronicle Wednesday. “There may be a story to write; however, the one you settled for is not it.”
Fernandez: History shows Jordan IS Palestine
In 1920, Winston Churchill blocked off three-quarters of Palestine for Arab settlement only. Just a quarter of the British mandate was left for Jewish settlement.
High interest rates punish towns seeking flood repair $$
Friendly interest rates in a high-interest loan market will help municipalities rebuild and plan for the next climate event, the state’s Bond Bank chair says.
George’s ‘hateful act’ comment may violate code of conduct, critic says
Did Sarah George’s ‘hateful act’ comment create a “substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused”?
Support vigil for Palestinians, Muslims, Arabs tonight on Church Street, Burlington
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger is urging support for Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim neighbors at a rally this evening.
George: “we do not yet have evidence to support this was a hate crime”
“And although we do not yet have evidence to support that this was a hate crime enhancement, I want to be clear that there is no question that this was a hateful act.” George said.
Another high school faces PCB contamination – air filters ordered
The state “Action Level” of 100 nanograms of PCBs per cubic meter is exceeded in the auditorium, dance strudio, phys. ed. office space, two rooms close to the cafeteria, two restrooms, and several storage rooms.
Poll: Scott leads in national guv popularity race
Just like so many times at Thunder Road, Phil Scott is in front of a large field of challengers.
Thousands of homes still without power
Thousands of homes and businesses were left without power statewide throughout the day yesterday after a snowstorm swept through the area on Sunday night and Monday morning.
Bananas reviews Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
Fat shaming, you say? Dear Lord of the flies, no! Thanksgiving is a celebration of girth people, and I’m here for it.
Burlington man arrested for shooting three Palestinians
A video arraignment is planned for Jason Eaton, charged with attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault in connection with the shooting of three Palestinians in Burlington Saturday.
Police: high on cocaine, Hartford man shoots another in the chest
A Hartford man intoxicated with crack cocaine shot another man in the chest last week, police say.
Burlington shooting suspect a self-described ‘radical citizen,’ social entrepreneur, Unitarian
Second-degree murder suspect Jason J. Eaton, age 48, is a Unitarian-Universalist, former Sterling College student, and environmental investment entrepreneur.
Vermont Catamounts extinct? No way, readers say
On the subject of the supposed extinction of catamounts, numerous Vermonters believe their own eyes.
Three Palestinian men shot in Burlington
Police are seeking a white man in his thirties with a mustache as a suspect in the Saturday evening shooting of three American college students of Palestinian descent.
Happy Thanksgiving from our crew to yours
Remembering a different kind of Vermont Thanksgiving
To our valued Sustaining Subscribers: PayPal is out, Stripe is in
Hasta la vista, PayPal. We’ve got a new online giving platform. Feeling thankful already!
Mountain lions wiped out from Vermont 142 years ago
Despite persistent reports of sightings of mountain lions/panthers/catamounts in Vermont, state wildlife officials say the last known catamount in Vermont fell to a hunter’s rifle on Thanksgiving Day, 1881.
Three Dems vie for Burlington mayoral nomination at caucus December 10
Three Democrats – all women – are seeking the party nomination for mayor of Burlington.
Tiny-house project finally moving forward after legal wrangling
15 months after receiving unanimous approval but then hitting strong Act 250 headwinds, a five-unit Tiny Home project is ready to move forward.
Two rural shootings Monday, one suspect in custody
During the dispute, Beayon fired at least one round from a semiautomatic 9mm handgun at Paxton Taube, 25, a resident of the home where the incident occurred
Scott overrides housing regs by expanding July 9 State of Emergency
With winter coming, the Scott administration says it’s time to get flood victims housed – with or without state and local government oversight.
Moore: Burlington Shabbat rally provokes thoughts on Zionism
To quote Golda Meir; “We Jews have a secret weapon in our struggle with the Arabs; we have no place to go.”
Colchester shooting victim ID’d as Burlington man with felony charge record
Police are still trying to determine how and why Dontay Canada was shot Sunday in Colchester.
Vermont Jewish groups sing for hostages missing from Shabbat table
For many in the gathering, concern for the wellbeing of people in Israel was personal. The singing was briefly interrupted by an unexpected cellphone call to Rabbi Jan Salzman. “That’s my son in Israel,” she said.
