Once the payroll tax door opens, it will take a little bit out of everyone’s pocket and the Legislature will be going back to the well time and time again, Gov. Phil Scott said.
Guy Page
Guy Page is the editor and publisher of the Vermont Daily Chronicle.
Impeachment committee to hold secret hearings on Grismore and Lavoie
Despite objections from the Vermont press, the Vermont Legislature impeachment investigation committee will meet this week behind closed doors.
No suspects yet in Leicester shooting
Two months ago, the man shot in Leicester Sunday night was involved in a late-night car chase with a man who said he owed him money.
Government, beer drinkers, and God: the George Will Interview, Part II
“If we’re going to lower the temperature of our politics, we have to lower the stakes of politics. Politics permeates absolutely too much,” George Will said.
Putting aside the Science
Political indoctrination is masquerading as school curricula. It is manipulative and shameful.
D-Day video: The Boy on the Beach
This brief, extraordinary video captures the sacrifice and the hope of D-Day, Normandy, 6/6/1944.
LaMarche: Legislative lies
As readers and voters, we bear the responsibility of holding Goldman, as well as every Democratic representative who failed to adequately plan for this crisis, accountable.
READERS, WE APOLOGIZE! Subscription NOT needed to read George Will article
Some readers couldn’t read yesterday’s interview of George Will because the software-challenged editor goofed. Sorry! Reprinting today for EVERYONE.
‘This guy is still a judge!?’ senator fumes about easy-bail jurist
The $200 bail for DeGreenia wasn’t the first controversial catch-and-release of Jiron’s brief judicial career.
Keelan: Non-profit embezzlement strikes again
Part of the problem regarding embezzlement, especially here in Vermont, is the trust we place in those accountable for the funds of the state’s 6,000-plus nonprofit entities.
Gervais: Lawmakers can’t handle the truth about S.5
We elect representatives to, as the title suggests, to “represent” us. Not to disregard us.
State’s attorney still weighing prosecution in 2007 St. J jewelry heist
The victim, an asthmatic, said she might not have survived if Blagojevic had followed through on a plan to put duct tape over her mouth, but he ran out of time, court records show.
Targeted shooting leaves one dead, another critically injured
Initial investigation indicates the shooting was a targeted event directed at the victims.
Hit or miss windstorm knocks out power / rosy maple moths / the postman and your dog
See the rosy maple moth up close…. maybe TOO up close.
George Will, what are they THINKING in Washington?
“This is the dirty little secret of Washington, Congress complains all the time about its power being usurped. But more often than not, that power has been freely given to the executive branch by Congress.”
ANOTHER new school building proposed in Burlington
A private school just down the road from Burlington High School also wants a new campus.
State of Vermont advertises for permanent bureaucrats to plan, implement S.5
A help wanted ad placed by the State of Vermont says, “The recently enacted S. 5 requires the establishment of a clean heat credit evaluation program, a technical advisory group, an equity advisory group, a credit tracking and trading system, and a registration system.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to speak in South Burlington June 21
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will speak on the topic “Climate, Markets, and Economic Fairness” June 21 at the Doubletree in South Burlington.
Gervais: Child trafficking supported by U.S. government
In this article, I will distill global and national efforts that set up what we are seeing in Vermont and how these efforts lean towards grooming of our precious children at a very young age.
Vermont agrees to pay $125K to Randolph family punished for speaking out in trans student locker room incident
The State of Vermont has agreed to pay the Allens $125,000, reinstate Travis Allen as coach and remove Blake Allen’s disciplinary record – and change some pro-trans messaging in schools.
UPDATE: Spray painting at lawmaker’s residence says, “It must be nice to have a home”
A South Burlington lawmaker appears to have been targeted with spray-paint vandalism for not doing more for the homeless.
700 households forced to leave homeless hotels
On Checkout Day, as with any other long-ignored day of reckoning, the fear and heartbreak were all too real.
Act Like Men, Part III: Compromise or Courage
Jordan Peterson is a man who doesn’t just wear the uniform but fulfills the duty.
Video: Bernie Sanders, ‘race’ books, and Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
A Cherokee and U.S. senator from Oklahoma takes issue with a children’s book blaming white people for creating the concept of race.
Thieves steal truck and ATM, set both on fire
Police are looking for thieves who broke into a restaurant, stole an ATM, and then set the machine on fire.
Interstate compact bills signed
Legislation signed by Gov. Scott should make it easier for out of state health care workers to treat Vermont patients.
Man under firearms ban jailed after found with loaded AR-15
St. J firearms incident at 2:50 AM.
Scott vetoes juvenile crime bill
“This bill would make it more difficult to investigate and prosecute young adult perpetrators involved in serious crimes, such as narcotics trafficking, sex offenses, including sexual assaults that happen on college campuses and child sex abuse cases, and internet crimes against children,” Scott said.
Sanders: No on Congress budget deal – Biden should invoke 14th Amendment
“At a time when climate change is, by far, the most existential threat facing our country and the entire world I cannot, in good conscience, vote for a bill that makes it easier for fossil fuel companies to pollute and destroy the planet by fast-tracking the disastrous Mountain Valley Pipeline,” Sanders said.
Traffic deaths at five-year high
“We are seeing a lack of seat belt usage; speeding; and driver inattention as contributary factors in a large number of these incidents,” VSP spokesperson Adam Silverman said today.
McClaughry: of electrification and freezing pipes
What these Vermont legislators cannot grasp is that relying on electric heat is just not feasible in a Vermont winter.
Underage, non-citizen voting vetos face override
Gov. Scott has said non-citizen voting should be allowed statewide, or not at all.
Voluntary paid family leave begins Phase One July 1
The benefits of the voluntary program will provide up to six weeks of paid family and medical leave benefits at 60% of an employee’s average weekly wage.
Heat, Canadian wildfires combine to cause air pollution
Smoke and heat will create hazy air pollution over New England today.
Vermont has second-highest per-capita rate of new melanoma cases in U.S.
Skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer in Vermont, and the state has the second-highest per-capita rate of new melanoma cases in the nation, according to the National Cancer Institute.
My questions for George Will
Having spent more than a half-century writing and speaking on current affairs, the longtime Washington Post and syndicated columnist has heard and answered every question ever asked a pundit by his lesser-known brethren.
Scott vetoes legislative pay hike: “it doesn’t seem fair”
“This year, the General Assembly passed several pieces of legislation that will significantly increase costs for Vermonters through new and higher taxes, fees, and penalties. In my opinion, it does not seem fair for legislators to insulate themselves from the very costs they are imposing on their constituents by doubling their own future pay,” Scott said.
Police qualified immunity safe for another year
The Vermont Legislature passed plenty of public safety-related bills this year. But removing police officers’ legal immunity was not among them.
Mayor Miro: Burlington has more homes and solar arrays than when I took office
Burlington has more solar power than any city east of the Mississippi, Mayor Miro Weinberger listed as one of his tenure’s accomplishments.
Warner: Act Like Men, Part II
Despite their numerous denominational, doctrinal and stylistic differences, one thing churches in the Upper Valley seem to agree on is avoiding politics in the pulpit. Why is that?
Bobolinks, turtles need your help
Many turtles killed on Vermont roads are nesting females.
Two Vermont towns have more EV charging stations than some states
A small college town and a central Vermont city boast more EV charging stations than either North Dakota or Wyoming.
McClaughry: Burlington’s homeless problem
The one clear fact is that Vermont cannot forever spend millions of dollars a month supporting a homeless population, that doesn’t care to do anything in return.
Warner: Act like men
The very nature of womanhood is under attack yet again, and by proxy so is manhood.
House Speaker urges another State of Emergency after Scott vetoes budget
Suddenly both Scott and the Democratic leaders of the Legislature were fighting to be seen by the ‘Gang of 17’ as champions of beneficiaries of a program they were responsible for defunding.
Charity Clark hindsight on charging police “will have a dangerous and chilling effect”
The bar for charging police officers with a crime is now so low the expectation is that any use of force could be twisted into a criminal case, the former Director of the Vermont State Police says.
Beware June jump in bear conflict, Fish & Wildlife warns
Last year, Fish & Wildlife saw reported bear incidents spike from 206 in May to 473 in June.
Woman jumps to her death from Mt. Pisgah / 7-year-old girl dies in collision
A popular scenic overlook was the scene of a Connecticut woman’s intentional leap to her death.
Franklin County woman charged with kidnapping is missing
An arrest warrant has been issued for a woman ordered to not leave her Bakersfield home following a May 11 charge of kidnapping.
Help for homeless will have recipient requirements, Scott administration says
Gov. Scott outlines a path forward from the ‘homeless hotel’ era.
Native Americans praise school board for keeping Chieftain name
The Native American Guardian’s Association (NAGA), based in North Dakota, has congratulated the Green Mountain School Board for reinstating the Chieftain team name for Green Mountain High School in Chester.
New Haven man charged with first-degree arson of home / Another highway death
Arson of a New Haven home has led to the arrest of a New Haven man. And another highway death brings the 2023 total to at least 24 – well above the 10-year average.
Memorial Day mural to be unveiled Saturday in Fair Haven
The tribute mural in Fair Haven comes after a yearlong planning process with input and support of local community members, veterans, businesses, historical societies, including Marine Corps veteran Kevin Durkee of Fair Haven.
One Orange County copper mine cleanup gets batty, another gets potty
Expect the unexpected in the copper mine cleanup business. If it’s not bats, it’s knocked over port-a-potties.
St. J woman bought Glock for Hartford, CT gang member charged in two killings, police say
The drug-gun crime connection is apparent in this report of a Vermont woman buying two handguns for a Hartford, CT man with an arrest history of shooting people.
Judge finds no probable cause for state trooper beanbag assault charge
State troopers didn’t commit assault on a drug-addled man waving a saw when they fired a beanbag at him, a judge said. But it still might have been reckless endangerment.
Mayor wants Murad as permanent Burlington police chief
Five years of police chief limbo is long enough, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger has decided.
Highway deaths 50% over 10-year average following three deadly crashes
The three fatalities bring the number of Vermont highway fatalities this year to at least 23. The 10-year average is 15, state police say.
As budget battle looms, Scott administration says revenues are down
The Legislature wants to spend $8.5 billion next year. The Scott administration says revenues have fallen two months in a row.
Newport mayor resigns after 75 days, citing hostility
The unhappy 75-day tenure of Newport’s mayor came to an end Monday night.
Roll Call!
How did YOUR legislator vote on the big bills in Montpelier this year?
Eye gouger gets 7-15 years in prison
The victim’s eyes were swollen shut and gushing blood, family members reported.
Flag kerfuffle ruffles village
An man who moved from Idaho to a tiny Orange County village is getting local pushback for his plan to beautify utility poles with American flags.
Mott: Not just Red States risk deep-sixing democracy
When a pro-choice leader announced “our autonomy over our bodies is not up for discussion,” it sent a clear signal: If you are pro-life in Vermont, your judgments do not matter. That’s a big mistake.
Krowinski sends budget without ‘homeless hotel’ $$ to Scott, blames him for failing to plan
It’s not the Legislature’s fault that the homeless hotel program is ending without a transition plan. Just ask the Speaker of the House.
Attorney General orders State Police to cite two state troopers over ‘bean bag’ incident
Two state troopers have been cited for simple assault for their efforts to stop a severely disturbed man with non-lethal bean bag rounds.
Springfield, MA men busted in Barre on fentanyl trafficking charges
Josue Cordero, 32, and Carlos Inostroza, 30, both of Springfield, MA were taken into custody and lodged in lieu of $25,000 bail each.
State of Texas erects razor wire to stop illegal immigrants after feds lift Title 42
Texas soldiers helped install miles of additional razor wire along the border and continue to maintain a strong presence behind the barriers.
Deml, Levine: Deaths in prison show Vermont’s hidden healthcare crisis
Even as total inmate population declines,Vermont’s correctional system continues to grapple with the aftershocks of the pandemic.
Derby’s Dandelion Run celebrates spring
As is tradition, the event also celebrated the “Last One Back to the Barn,” a title given to the runner who demonstrates grit and determination.
Video: Strange bedfellows in $8.5 billion budget veto battle
In addition to the budget, bills that (Cutler said) could be vetoed include underage voting in Brattleboro. ranked choice voting, the legislative pay hike, universal school meals, and a gun control bill.
Signing contracts an issue with Brattleboro underage voting bill
The proposed Brattleboro charter change explicitly gives teenagers the right to do on behalf of the Town something state law otherwise prohibits them: the right to enter into contracts.
To help grads remember, UVM commencement speaker spells out V-E-R-M-O-N-T
The director of the U.S. National Science Foundation used an acrostic to help his fellow UVM grads remember his commencement speech.
Night of terror at Killington campsite
A Mendon man with an axe threatened to kill four out-of-state campers in Killington, police say.
Colchester man charged with dealing coke and pandemic loan fraud
According to the indictment, Hollins applied for eight EIDL loans in mid-2020 in his own name, in the names of two businesses he founded, in the names of two relatives and in the names of three persons whose identities Jones allegedly stole.
NEA, abortion rights groups, Krowinski win big this year in Vermont Legislature
With another session of the Vermont Legislature over, Ledbetter, Calvin Cutler and Katharine Huntley of WCAX, and I will focus on what happened and what’s next – and maybe play the Winners and Losers game.
Sense of urgency moves restorative justice, abortion/transgender shield bills to head of the line
An attitude of ‘We need this NOW’ motivated lawmakers to pass legislation regarding abortion provider protections, criminal case referrals, and the easing of public meeting restrictions – and then make sure it became law quickly.
Franklin County man arrested for ‘burning with intent to intimidate’ in Charlottesville, VA
An Enosburg Falls man has been charged with carrying a lit tiki torch with intent to intimidate – a crime in Virginia.
Police seek smoke bomber at Williston movie theater
The smoke bombing resulted in an evacuation of the building and nearby businesses.
Restoring Our Faith Summit II set for Oct. 10
The Restoring Our Faith Summit is born from the idea that the global pandemic throttled our country into a state of fear, resulting in cultural breakdown.
Breaking News: Substitute teacher arrested for sexual assault on teenage girl
A 13 year-old-girl was sexually assaulted by a teacher at Lowell Graded School, police say.
Rep. Peterson: why I voted against $130 mil childcare bill
Mostly the childcare bill just costs too much. But it also intrudes Big Government into a sphere of life best handled by small business and families.
Lawmaker on ‘unbiased’ impeachment probe urged sheriff to drop out of race
One of the lawmakers charged with making an unbiased investigation of Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore’s alleged offenses had previously urged him to drop out of the race.
School board to hold forums on principal fired for BLM comments
The embattled Mount Ascutney School Board is considering holding public forums to address lingering public dissatisfaction over the BLM-related firing of Principal Tiffany Riley and the subsequent $650,000 settlement the school district paid her.
Constitutional amendment would enshrine gender identity rights
Gender identity would be a protected constitutional right under an amendment proposed on the last day of the 2023 legislative session.
Rutland drug ringleader “P-Nut” sentenced to 140 months
A juvenile was used as a courier in “P-Nut” Ruiz’s drug operation.
Burlington shoplifter who threatened employees with knife sentenced
After gathering $1200 of merchandise, Kingsbury threatened employees with a knife.
Trudell: Who elected you to drive our fuel prices up so high?
You did not explicitly say you would do these things when you ran your political campaigns. We Vermonters were not marching in the streets demanding that you do these things to us.
State: towns unwilling to host youth detention facility
“When they start hitting staff with frying plans, they’re violent, and that’s the problem,” Sears said. “Right now we don’t have anything at the top of the system to hold those violent youths.”
‘Childcare affordability’ bill will increase costs for some families
In the 11th hour, the House agreed to the Senate’s funding structure, with a payroll tax of 0.44%, with at least 75% of the tax required to be paid by employers.
Historian/columnist George Will invokes Vermont presidential election history
“My idea is as the Ethan Allen Institute goes, so goes Vermont. And then as Vermont goes, so goes the nation,” Will said.
State bans TikTok on state-owned devices
Digital services secretary Shawn Nailor cited U.S. intelligence agencies assessments “about the potential for Chinese intelligence and security services to use Chinese information technology firms as routine and systemic espionage platforms against the United States and allies.”
Vermonters in UVM freshman class up 8% – but still less than one in five
About 40% of UVM students will pay no tuition this fall, and Vermont resident enrollment is up.
State judge wavers on jailing ‘youthful offender,’ so feds charge him with armed robbery
Vermont’s ongoing lack of a secure holding facility for youthful offenders almost meant freedom for an 18-year-old alleged arm robber and drug criminal from Brooklyn – until the feds stepped in.
New trapping, coyote hunting regs get public hearings
The coyote-hunting regs would limit to 100 the number of coyote hunters using dogs. They also would limit each hunter to four dogs or fewer, and require the dogs to wear tracking/control collars.
House panel picked for Franklin County impeachment probe
A House panel to investigate possible impeachment proceedings on a Franklin County’s state’s attorney and sheriff has been selected.
Vermont desperately needs a Taxpayer Bill of Rights
To cover all this drunken sailor activity by the supermajority, the Democrats and Progressives are just asking you to, as always, “pay just a little bit more.”
Bill meant to help unions organize might ban DEI training mandates
A bill intended to be union-friendly “exemplifies how trying to regulate speech is a double-edged sword that creates unintended consequences,” an advocacy group says.
Prisoner who died in local jail OD’d on drugs he concealed
The cause of Jones’s death was acute mixed drug intoxication including fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, and the manner of death was an accident.
Corrections disbands inmate work crews, prison industries
Department officials attribute the decline in work crew sentences to the success of criminal justice reforms, including Justice Reinvestment I and II initiatives.
