Each week, Shepard discusses what makes him sick in politics that particular week.
RNC committeeman Shepard starts Throw-up Thursday
Guy Page
Guy Page is the editor and publisher of the Vermont Daily Chronicle.
Smith: Social Security insolvency should be #1 at next GOP prez debate
Yes, someone needs to ask hard questions of those who wish to run the country.
Braver Angels take on our ‘inner polarizer’
Much of today’s polarization is driven by how we talk with like-minded people about those on the other side, Braver Angels organizers say.
Man removing roadkill struck by car/ Pickup truck fire, thefts
Trying to clear the highway, a Vergennes man sustained life-threatening injuries.
Contrary Canaan bans homeless loitering
You are very welcome to visit Canaan – but not to loiter on public property.
Media misses brazen Burlington censorship story
When a former Burlington city councilor seized the mic from a Burlington resident making a public comment, the media yawned.
State: Casella must remove flood control berm
Vermont’s biggest solid waste handler lacked proper permitting to build its post-flood berm in Montpelier.
Phone call that shocked Teddy Roosevelt came 122 years ago today in Isle LaMotte
122 years ago today, a telephone rang in Isle LaMotte. Little did he know that Theodore Roosevelt was about to step into his role as the Father of the American Century.
State employee union joins AFL-CIO/ Feds declare 2nd farm emergency / UVM research $$ surges/ No LNG by rail / Mobile home water $$ unleashed
Vermont’s state employee union hopes to increase its legislative influence by joining the nation’s largest labor organization. Critics of mandated workplace diversity ‘education’ are watching.
Roper: Another example of climate hysteria leading to a dumb, misguided policy
Three hours a day riding a school bus is the price some students pay for the school district’s failure to hire enough drivers.
We’re growing! Welcome aboard, Michael
This week, look for Michael Bielawski’s investigation into media coverage – and lack of it – into a former Burlington City Councilor silencing a citizen by seizing his microphone at a government meeting.
Rise and fall of Vermont eugenics
Vermont was one of many American states to adopt eugenics as the basis for public policies such as family separation, institutionalization, and sterilization that targeted the most vulnerable Vermonters.
Elderly pedestrian dies after hit by car driven by teen
The Subaru, driven by a 16-year-old, veered into the breakdown lane and struck the 89-year-old man.
Habitual offender charged with murdering mother and son, stealing son’s truck
Christopher Ellis had been staying with the Garvins since April. Then he shot them both and fled in the son’s truck, police charge.
Illegal migrants from Mexico assault Swanton Sector border agent
There were 521 assault incidents against Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials in fiscal year 2022 and 386 in the first ten months of 2023.
Man charged with burying father in back yard
State police received a call reporting that Shawn Bair, 32, of Richford, had informed the caller that a family member recently died of natural causes, and Bair had buried the relative in the back yard of his home on Intervale Avenue.
FEMA sets Oct. 12 flood help deadline
The sooner you apply, the sooner FEMA can process your claim.
School van driver who molested children gets three-year sentence in plea deal
Judge Alison Arms rejected a plea agreement for two years in prison after reading what one victim said about Normandin: “He destroyed my life.”
Homeless man with six shoplifting busts arrested for attempted bank robbery
Morristown has been hit with a crime wave this summer, and police say Steven Royce is right in the middle of it.
‘Come Visit Vermont’ reminds this hospital patient how beautiful his home state is
You and I are blessed to live every day amid four-season (okay, three) scenes of splendor.
Eden man dies 16 days after crash, driver gets added charges
With injured people in his car, the driver tried to flee – unsuccessfully.
Nathaniel Boone, 95
The recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal distributed food weekly for the Community Food Cupboard and counseled prisoners in a Rutland jail.
Carjackings in Williston
A man with a violent crime arrest record attempted two carjackings in Willliston yesterday, one just down the street from the local police department.
Buying alpaca farm with Covid ‘Paycheck Protection’ $$ gets Grafton man two-year stretch
A pizzeria owner spent $660,000 in federal ‘paycheck protection’ money to buy an alpaca farm. But (to quote JO editor Alex de Nuti-Biasi), “The alPPPacas did nothing wrong.”
Hyde Park woman completes historic swim of Lake Memphremagog
A beloved Hyde Park veterinarian battled darkness and disorienting fog to swim the 25 mile length of chilly Lake Memphremagog without a wetsuit.
Natural gas pipelines seen as flood pollution mitigator? Not likely
The July flood washed many fuel tanks into the state’s flood plains. Kerosene heaters in damaged mobile homes overturned, spewing heating fuel into floodwaters.
Crime by homeless not just a city problem in Vermont
Bradford city leaders have been meeting for weeks about the growing violent and property crime, much although not necessarily all of it feared to be stemming from an influx of transients.
Moose-vehicle collisions way up this year
Nineteen people have died from vehicular collisions with moose since 1985.
Bradford transient busted for golf shoe burglary
Homeless man responsible for Bradford burglaries, local police say.
Stolen Trump truck set ablaze, left in woods
Police say a pickup truck bearing a ‘Trump for America’ decal was set afire and abandoned in a remote part of Topsham.
New state police barracks CO has served entire career in Essex/Orleans
A Marine vet, Andrew Jensen has spent every year of his state police career in the Derby barracks.
Kaufman: UVMMC failed to protect us from cybercrime
Knowing full well that they were vulnerable to ransomware piracy, UVMMC failed to spend the money required to prevent being victimized.
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Franklin County State’s Attorney Lavoie resigns
In the midst of an impeachment investigation, Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie has resigned.
Heat-seeking drone finds lost two-year old
When a toddler was lost in the woods, police turned to dogs and a aerial drone.
Teenage drug dealers set up shop in Brattleboro
Big city drug gangs are sending teenaged dealers to Vermont, knowing the state’s laws will treat them more leniently than adults.
East Hartford CT fentanyl dealer on the lam, police say
Pursuing a lead on a fradulent purchase of power tools at a store in Derby, state police found a large stash of drugs – but not the suspected dealer.
Video: former Burlington City Councilor deprives man of free speech at government meeting
I see people being hypocrites. How many times have you called somebody an anti-semite because they called you out for being corrupt? Now you’re experiencing something similar. Black people and everybody in America do the same thing.
White supremacist separatists at Montpelier clean-up unknown to law enforcement, city councilor
Despite their extremist views, the group has seemingly had no formal interactions with local law enforcement.
DUI suspects also DWT (driving without tires)
Most drivers arrested for DUI at least have all four tires on their vehicles.
Vermont guns swapped for Boston drugs
Gets 87 months in federal after nabbed in South Boston sting.
Number of Vermont evangelicals doubled in last decade
In 1990, only two percent of Vermonters were evangelical Protestant Christians. Now the number is 7.25% – the highest in New England.
Stop the totalitarians now, Barre speakers urge
Federer identifies patterns that repeat in history every time a totalitarian state emerges, such as there is always a concerted effort to erase history and present a new future once the old ways are forgotten.
Inmate who got prison guard pregnant pleads not guilty in gun case
They became lovers when she was a prison guard and he was an inmate – a violation of state law.
Flood rescue team vandalism part of Morristown crime wave
A swift water rescue team was stationed at the Morrisville Fire Department. During the overnight hours, someone vandalized their equipment trailer in an attempt to gain access to the equipment inside.
Bernie Sanders’ long history of nepotism
This is not the first time that Vermont’s self-described democratic socialist has been in the spotlight for questionable financial decisions involving his family.
Granville man who died in double-fatal collision identified
A collision in Warren Monday night killed two men. Yesterday, police identified the second victim.
Flood forces rival schools to share athletic fields, combine teams
With their athletic fields buried under sewage, sand and silt, Cabot and Twinfield High will play most of their soccer games at high-ground schools like Danville and U-32.
Brazilian soldier convicted of massacre busted in NH
Filho fled Brazil after a murderous retaliation for the killing of a fellow officer.
State funds up to $11K for trading flood-damaged cars for EVs
“We hope these incentive changes will make a difference in curbing the worst effects of climate change,” Transportation Secretary Joseph Flynn said.
Woman died by hanging near highway intersection / Man found dead on riverbank
Police are investigating the unrelated deaths of two Vermonters.
Federal court expedites snowboarding coach’s lawsuit over transgender speech
Ousted coach David J. Bloch maintains he was unfairly fired the day after he joined in a brief private, non-disruptive discussion started by two of his athletes on Feb. 8 about a transgender student.
Elm-eating bug confirmed in Vermont
An invasive sawfly from Asia that can fully defoliate an elm tree has migrated across the Quebec border into northwestern Vermont.
Tyeastia Green supporters rally, Council sends audit to HR committee
Depending on who you listen to, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger is either a white supremacist or a city leader willing to ask awkward questions about the fiscal performance of the city’s former diversity office chief.
Two men die in early-morning crash
A falling pickup truck, two fatal car accidents, and a motorcycle-deer collision highlight Vermont traffic accident news.
Bus safety barbecue moved to August 17
A Bus Safety Barbecue scheduled for Wednesday has been moved to Thursday due to expected rain.
Arrest made in connection with Leicester double shooting
Roy’s Vermont rap sheet goes back six years.
Drunk boater injures swimmer, police say
Lydia Vorsteveld, a nurse at Porter Hospital, was swimming in Arnold Bay when she was struck by a vessel under motion operated by Gerard Vorsteveld of Panton.
Middlebury College pays students $10K to take the year off
Many students decided to take a leave of absence during the pandemic and are now graduating later than scheduled.
Flood farm damage $12 million and rising
So far, only 205 respondents have completed the survey, which will remain open until Aug. 28.
Montpelier man posted 8,000 pix on dark web child porn site, police say
Coolidge admitted at the police station he was a “member” of a dark web site that he called the “Boy’s Club,” police say.
Report: Bernie campaign paid $200K to non-profit run by stepson
It pays to be family with Vermont’s socialist senior senator.
All historic sites open Battle of Bennington Day, Wednesday August 16
After a day of non-stop rain, the American forces led by Gen. John Stark and Col. Seth Warner defeated the British and German troops desperately trying to capture much needed provisions from the colonial arsenal in Bennington.
‘You Are Trespassing’ loudspeaker annoys neighbors, highlights Burlington retail theft problem
The camera/speaker system blurts out “You are trespassing! Please leave the area … This area is under video surveillance, and you have been recorded.” Neighbors are reportedly irritated.
Fundraising failures that plagued Burlington Juneteenth happened again in Minneapolis
The City of Burlington saw what happened under Tyeastia Green’s watch in Minneapolis and started asking questions about her work in Burlington, which ended in March 2022.
NEK lake celebrates 5 years Eurasian milfoil-free
It took a lot of work, but Shadow Lake has been removed from the list of milfoil-infested Vermont lakes.
Overdose of psychedelic ‘love drug’ killed man at festival at VT legislator’s farm
A Boston man who died of a drug overdose July 7 at the Vermont version of the Burning Man Festival has been identified, and so has the drug that killed him.
Payroll tax, other added costs push newspaper to online-only
While emphasizing that cost increases in many areas led to his decision, Publisher Greg Lamoureux holds the new .44% payroll tax partly responsible.
Bargain apartment or police nuisance? Opinions vary on Church Street building
“The danger of labeling one of the very few actually-affordable buildings in Burlington as a nuisance property is that most of those people will not have any housing opportunities if forced to leave,” the former tenant said.
Grismore disciplinary hearing delayed
The embattled Grismore remains under fire on at least three fronts for an Aug. 7, 2022 incident in which he was caught on video using his foot to kick or — depending on your perspective — shove the lower abdomen of an intoxicated, shackled prisoner at the sheriff’s office.
St. Johnsbury cop writes about policing in the first person
St. Johnsbury Police Department Corporal George Johnson’s press releases depart from the canned style taught at the Dragnet Joe Friday School of Cop Speak.
Ellis: And now, the hard part
But now it must change. We must change. We must innovate. The Dutch have been dealing with the North Sea for generations. New Orleans with the Gulf of Mexico. Let’s hire some of the experts out there to help with this redesign.
Douglas suit against college ‘cancel culture’ proceeds
Douglas said Middlebury College got it wrong and succumbed to “cancel culture” conduct.
Your letters: Sugarcoating credit downgrade/ Notch stuckage hogwash/ Fedsurrection
Any idiot who can’t read warning signs should not be operating a big rig on the highway. Also, any idiot who can’t read warning signs about federal debt should not be operating the U.S. government.
Covid vax not required for public schools, UVM
Students in Vermont public schools at the University of Vermont will not need a Covid-19 vaccination as a prerequisite for enrollment.
Jailhouse killing draws murder #2 charge
A 21-year-old South Burlington man has been charged with the second-degree murder of a 55-year-old prison cellmate.
Roofer dies after electric shock, fall
Driver struck a high-tension power line with a metal ladder, causing an electric shock and a fall of 25-30 feet off the roof.
Fast-rising rivers may lead to second emergency declaration
The Mad River rose five feet after just one inch of rainfall last night. Super-saturated soil is to blame.
Replace gas-powered generators with portable batteries? VT company gets big grant
Each NOMAD unit will be capable of providing power to about 50 homes for 10 hours.
Gymnastics coach busted for voyeurism in Waterbury
Girard allegedly made video recordings in the bathroom of a gymnastics academy.
Brattleboro woman and trafficking victim says pregnancy center saved her life
The first African-American director of a Vermont pregnancy resource center was once a scared, pregnant victim of human trafficking.
Former major drug dealer, now clean, gets second chance
“Today, following this criminal justice intervention, her pattern of drug use and criminal conduct has ceased,” a federal prosecutor said of former kingpin Melissa George.
Concerned about public schools, Moms for Liberty, VTGrassroots meet August 17
VTGrassroots and Moms for Liberty will offer speakers and networking at a joint meeting August 17 in Barre.
Danville man dies by gunfire in domestic dispute
Wayne Payton, 50, of Danville.was killed by a shot to the head.
‘Improvements’ at Willoughby beach get F from disabled college professor
I have been going to swim and kayak on Willoughby for over 30 years and when I saw these horrible “improvements,” I frankly cried.
ATV rider, pedestrian die in crashes
In addition to the two fatal crashes, the weekend saw a wrecked state police cruiser and a speeding VW escape police pursuit.
Trump campaign collecting signatures at the Fair, Trump truck stolen
The Trump 2024 campaign hopes his supporters will stop by the Champlain Valley Fair booth and sign a petition to place the former president on the 2024 Vermont primary ballot.
Middlebury teen died of hypothermia
Cause of death: hypothermia. Manner of death: accidental, for a Middlebury teenager who reports say often wandered away.
After drunk minor dies in crash, charges filed
A 16-year-old partied with alcohol and maybe drugs, then drove off in a car. He died in a crash, and the adults who allegedly provided the alcohol have been charged.
VT man, grandson killed while stacking wood in Maine
It’s not known yet why an SUV veered off a street in Sanford, Maine and killed a Jericho man and his grandson at a summer home.
FEMA aid for flood damage tops out at $41,000
“We all have to take responsibility for our properties,” a FEMA official said. “The money that FEMA gives from Congress is to help kickstart that recovery process.”
FIRE: Trump jury’s burden of proof
To convict, a jury must hold DOJ to its burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt three facts about former President Trump.
Roper: Want a balanced checkbook? Yes, it DOES have to be Republicans
Asked by a reporter what he’s doing to get more Republican elected, Scott snapped back, “It doesn’t have to be Republicans. I just want more legislators with common sense. More centrists, moderates, that understand how to balance a checkbook.”
Median forestry salary $63K, new guide says
There’s good money working with your hands or driving big vehicles in the forest.
Winooski River, during and after the Flood
In case you’d forgotten…..
Biden targeting gas-powered generators is ‘cruelty,’ Vermont power grid expert says
Citing concern about carbon monoxide emissions, the Biden administration would make almost all gas-powered generators non-compliant.
Coolidge buffs re-enact 2:47 AM oath of office, honor his response to Japanese earthquake
His prompt call for all Americans to provide earthquake relief to Japan was classic Coolidge – compassionate, frugal with government resources, trusting in the generosity of individual Americans and private organizations.
Rutland teen shot best friend in the head, gets 30 months
A teenager who was high on crack cocaine shot his best friend in the head in 2021. A judge gave him a stiffer-than-usual sentence due to the recklessness of the act.
Race-based affinity groups cancelled in Shelburne
Yesterday’s story about a Vermont school thinking better of racially-exclusive affinity groups called to mind this 2021 political cartoon by Dan Jeffries.
Social media blackout in Canada hits northern VT media
Starting today, Facebook and Instagram, Meta’s prominent platforms, are restricting Canadian users from viewing or sharing news links, along with broadcaster videos and photos.
