The House approved a bill that would give judges wider perameters for granting a relief from abuse order.
House redefines domestic abuse to include ‘coercion’
Banned chemicals PCBs found in East Montpelier’s U-32, remediation underway
U-32 Middle and High School in East Montpelier has joined dozens of schools in the state testing positive for the toxins, also called polychlorinated biphenyls.
Cole: Against unlimited government
Apparently, our legislators see the boundaries and shrug them off. This is akin to me getting elected and proposing a ban on all abortions despite the recent limits on abortion restrictions Vermonters put into the state constitution.
Bill proposes voluntary gun license
In return for a waiver of the 72-hour waiting period, voluntary gun license applicants would be required to provide detailed information about themselves and their family members.
VT Headlines: Legal online sports betting officially launches in Vermont
Vermonters still without power ahead of winter storm forecasted on Friday; Swanton Village voters to weigh public safety expansion; Vt. lawmakers revisit flavored-tobacco ban
CLG: U.S., U.K. begin bombing Yemen
Democrats fume after Biden orders Yemen airstrikes w/o congressional approval; Ukraine shells Donetsk hospital on Christmas Eve; Pentagon report fails to track $1 billion in weaponry for Ukraine
Lawmakers consider retail theft felony bill
Shoplifters know cops and courts will do little or nothing to stop misdemeanor thefts of under $900. “The current laws are telling these offenders that they are above the law,” a store owner told lawmakers.
Roper: House Democrats pass BYOD State Supported drug dens
Despite being Federally illegal: Bring your own drugs! What could go wrong?
Baker: I want to be Ben Shapiro
Not really be him, but I sure would love his intellect and ability to debate. Let me tell you why.
Restorative justice, no police staff increase in Burlington Prog candidate public safety plan
“Evidence shows that community enforcement strategies change behavior more effectively than the threat of punishment by the criminal justice system,” Mulvaney-Stanak says.
Anne Donahue unafraid to challenge
In a recent interview, Representative Anne Donahue’s wisdom and moral compass shines through. So does her love of ice cream.
Myers Mermel to buy WDEV
Former Senate candidate and EAI prez buys community radio station chain.
House OKs ‘safe injection sites’
Supporters say the bill will reduce overdoses. “Passage of H.72 will make Vermont drug dealers very happy,” opponent and Rep. Art Peterson said.
Bean named Chronicle Social Media Director
Our daily views started jumping off the charts within just 24 hours of Paul’s first efforts to create more robust social media.
VT Headlines: Utility crews spread across rural areas of VT to restore power before upcoming weekend storm
Low-income Vermonters struggle with loss of Medicaid coverage; Vermont woman hospitalized after building collapse in Dummerston; Authorities clean up South Burlington encampment
Bill prioritizes minorities and illegal immigrants for flood reimbursement
A bill introduced Jan. 10 deprioritizes the majority of Vermonters for proposed flood recovery assistance.
MacDonald: Vermont Surpasses 2022, With 27 Homicides in 2023
Only half of the homicides were gun crimes, a fact lawmakers choose to ignore.
One dead in Barton fire
The fire was contained to a single room, but not before its occupant died.
Shannon unveils housing plan
Burlington’s mayoral candidates share differing ideas on solving the city’s housing shortage.
Burlington school supt. blames 14% tax hike on state ed formula
Burlington schools are in a tight spot financially, and the state’s property valuation formula called the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) is a big reason why, the superintendent claims.
Scott, ‘broad coalition’ of lawmakers launch Act 250 bill
Climate-change minded lawmakers need to be ready to provide more housing to ‘climate refugees,’ an influential state senator argues.
Six state troopers placed on paid leave, under investigation
The investigation stems from police pursuit of a fleeing domestic abuse suspect.
Headlines: Rail Trail open for winter
The repaired, post-flood, NY-to-New Hampshire Lamoille Valley Rail Trail is open for winter use.
Keelan: Efficiency Vermont just keeps growing
Efficiency Vermont is not different than most Vermont nonprofits that are, in effect, quasi-state agencies. They have substantial mission creep.
Windham County man faces Fed. court for lumber poaching
USFS claims “299 merchantable trees were unlawfully harvested. Many small non-merchantable trees (an inch or less in diameter at breast height) were also cut, but not tallied.”
Frustration grows over out-of-staters committing crimes in Vermont
A suspect in a shooting that occurred in October of last year was apprehended in Union, New Jersey on Jan 4. This is the latest incident that involves out-of-state residents committing crimes in VT.
Nathan Strong, Lloyd Dike, House members pass on
Semper Fi applied to U.S. Marine Jesse Strong’s dad, too.
Klar: New York law attacks religious freedom
Chick-fil-A is targeted for its faith yet again.
End-of-life assisted suicide up since 2021; policy may undermine neighboring states
Vermont possibly to become a “suicide tourism” destination.
Bean: The Year of the Floods and Geoengineering
It’s becoming more clear to me that Vermont is not the main target at all, but rather high leverage, political, collateral damage.
Free ice fishing Jan. 27
Festival at Elmore State Park
DMV official put on leave while FBI investigates
Wade Cochran, director of the enforcement and safety division at the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, has been placed on paid leave pending an unspecified Federal investigation.
Evslin: How not to control disease
Overstrict rules are counterproductive
Sportsmen’s Clubs honor U.S. Marine with hits highest honor
Butler excels in marksmanship and represented Vermont at 4-H National Shooting Sports competitions in Nebraska.
Almost two feet of snow in Groton Sunday – more snow, wind expected tonight
Wind + wet snow = power outages expected in eastern Vermont blizzard tonight and tomorrow And another one may arrive Friday.
VT Headlines: How Vt. communities are working to turn problem properties into profit
Chelsea tackles rise in crime with help from neighboring communities; Burlington again struggles to find consensus on police oversight; Fire rips through Vermont home
McClaughry: Civil society
What is less likely to make news are act of kindness, generosity, good Samaritans, people stepping in to help those who have suffered misfortunes.
Lawmakers to hold hearing on ‘woke ideologies’ influencing the military
Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Chairman Glenn Grothman, R-Wisc., will host the hearing.
Vermont Huts reaches out
Vermont Huts Association looks to bring more people into the outdoors
Director of Elections moving on
Secretary of State announces nationwide search.
Roper: Make VPIRG pay
For flood damage to our communities and mental health damage to our children
Silverstein: Selection bias, a trojan horse and a Don Tinney proposal: a financially toxic threesome
Failure to review and reflect on the entirety of all relevant information almost guarantees that the conclusions drawn will be neither justified nor reliable.
From his weakened bully pulpit, Guv asks Legislature to act on public safety, affordability
Being the most popular governor in the nation cuts no ice when it comes to setting legislative priorities.
New bills, Part III: No customer charge for EV-related metering work/ ‘Aggregate’ retail theft felony/ Pet stores must offer shelter, adoption
Stores selling cats, dogs and ‘wolf-hybrids’ would be required to operate a shelter or adoption service for those animals, under a bill proposed last week.
17% spending hike for supervisory union goes to vote today
The supervisory union budget is reviewed and approved by the School Board, not the voters.
VT Headlines: Some Vermont schools have been without potable tap water for years
Taxes on sugary drinks cut consumer sales by 33%, study says; Welch talks border policy changes and workforce issues; Police want your help identifying a Smuggler’s Notch burglar
LaMarche: An affection for injection
“Safe injection” sites are coming to a community near you.
Local homeless man who died under bridge in winter topic of Bennington play
The story about Thierry’s hardscrabble life will be performed by local actors. A discussion on homelessness and poverty in our state will follow the play.
Bananas Exclusive: Gay’s resignation letter
Johnny Bananas is the nom de plume of a fake news reporter living in Vermont. Nothing he reports ever actually happened. This is satire, folks.
Political analyst, transhumanist expert, cops to speak at upcoming events
Tax policy, transhumanism, and crime will be the subject of upcoming public meetings this month.
Resort faces safety violations after toddler’s July, 2023 water tank drowning
The water tank entrance was supposed to be clearly marked with danger signs and have a secure cover held shut with metal bolts. Smuggs failed on both fronts, a state report says.
CLG: SCOTUS to take up Trump Colorado ballot case
37 Epstein Documents Released in Their Entirety; Wyoming judge dismisses effort to bar Trump from ballot; Maine GOP state lawmaker moves to impeach state secretary over Trump ballot removal
Iselin: American Epiphany
We have created a society in which those who favor and advocate the truth in real life, just as Jesus did, rather than only in abstract ivory towers, are sneeringly, mockingly persecuted as “Truthers” by the shamestream media and by censorship.
Planned Parenthood, Target subjected to bomb threats on Jan. 6
Jan. 6 saw bomb threat hoaxes to a Vermont Planned Parenthood and a West Lebanon, NH store, plus a quick and strong police response to an armed man seen walking in Derby.
Letters (corrected): state senator drives immoral electric car/ Sharia and Hamas/ January 6 Epiphany
Go home, Becca.
State trooper dives into icy pond, saves 8-year-old girl
Michelle Archer took off her gun belt and dove into frigid water.
Two-minute outline of key challenges facing Legislature
There is ubiquitous agreement that action is needed on housing, but how?
Beck: What a mess
The annual discussion over Vermont’s Education Fund and wringing of hands over education property tax rates is an unprecedented mess this year, and that’s being kind.
Fired Woodstock coach loses first round in transgender lawsuit
The Woodstock Union High School coach, fired after he joined a private conversation last Feb. by two students on his team about transgender athletes, lost his first battle to win back his job.
New Jersey man arrested for shooting, kidnapping
Hamdi entered the home, kidnapped two men, and shot one trying to flee, police say.
New bills, Part II: Semi-auto ‘assault’ firearm ban, Flood Fund proposed
Four Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill that would ban possession of so-called ‘assault weapons.’
VT Headlines: Authorities work to solve surge of homicides from 2023
Vermont Senate beefs up financial disclosure requirements in response to VTDigger reporting; Brattleboro’s municipal EMS takeover plan may face state review; DEC outlines bathroom environmental action
Coast-to-coast drug kingpin sentenced in Burlington to 12 years
A part-time Vermont resident, the mastermind of a coast-to-coast conspiracy to distribute hard drugs and launder drug money, was sentenced to 12 years.
Heroin user gets four months for crash that killed two high school students
Charges were downgraded from felony to misdemeanor when the state couldn’t prove the driver was impaired.
Stevenson: Fish and Wildlife Department defies legislators
Vermonters have been trying to change how the Fish and Wildlife Board and Department treats wildlife and the public for decades but reach grid lock, every time — and here we are again.
Roper: Sen. McCormack: “Am I so out of touch? No, it’s my constituents who are wrong.”
Democrat does his best to paraphrase Principal Skinner.
Zupan: McClaughry is a treasure that will be missed
John McClaughry would be deemed a national treasure if Vermont had not claimed him first.
Burlington Police 2023 Report: 22% more incidents than last year, 43% more than 2021
Key takeaways include that serious incidents such as overdoses are up and the department is engaged in replenishing its staffing levels.
New bills would create logging fraud crime, ban no-cause eviction, ease cannabis restrictions
Raw materials for the legislative sausage-making machine.
VT Headlines: Central Vermont lawmakers host rally to launch flood omnibus bill
Police, lawmakers look to curb retail theft; Newport to get mental health urgent care facility; Vt. towns still working out how to pay for flood repairs; Hartland names new town manager
State’s Attorney Sarah George tells Harvard forum she “went to law school to dismantle the criminal legal system”
“I went to law school because I wanted to dismantle the criminal legal system and thought that that’s the best way to do it,” George said.
Vernon man dies in crash/ Mailbox thefts/ VT man killed in CA
The Toyota Corolla left the interstate and hit a tree.
Worker shortage stops delivery of Cabot cheese
Products as small as the cracker cuts and as big as the three-pound blocks will vanish from store shelves for a while.
State grant could help Waterbury brewery curb its wastewater
Last month, Freak Folk Bier brewery received a grant from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s wastewater management program.
McGuinness: How much will Article 22 cost Vermonters?
Under Article 22 of the Vermont Constitution, Vermonters may be required to pay for medical procedures related to reproductive choice through increases in health insurance premiums.
Rainy weekends reduced 2023 deer harvest
The likely final tally of over 16,800 deer will provide about 3.4 million servings of locally-sourced venison.
Klar: Who trusts the WHO?
A story of global bureaucratic incompetence.
The First 86 Names Linked to Ghislane Maxwell Trial Doc Dump
It’s NOT a Jeffrey Epstein client list. It IS a list of names that appeared in previously sealed court documents. Interesting info – but not conclusive.
Left is weaponizing food, Klar tells popular podcaster
“On the left, they’re trying to weaponize food. They’re saying it’s all about equity,” Klar tells Stuckey. “They’re saying it’s all about cows, and then climate change comes in. But in the end, people need to eat.”
Tolkien and your comments on VDC
Wisdom of C.S. Lewis via J.R.R. Tolkien re: written comments and criticism.
Green Mountain Transit to begin collecting some fares starting March 6
Green Mountain Transit (GMT) has announced that fare collection will resume on March 6, 2024, for its Chittenden County, Commuter, and LINK Express routes.
Miro: Vermont should follow Burlington’s lead
Burlington’s outgoing Mayor lists what he’d like to see Vermont do for energy affordability and climate,
VT Headlines: Lyndon Rescue ambulance damaged in car crash while transporting patient
Vt. judiciary tackles effort to address mental health and recidivism; Tunbridge trails battle goes to Vermont Supreme Court
Fetal homicide bill to be introduced
There should be justice for expecting mothers who lose their unborn children to drunk drivers, a Northeast Kingdom lawmaker says.
Roper: VT Democrats open 2024 session with 10% income tax hike
Now it’s in the House, and you have a chance to let your Representatives know what you think about all this. Please do!
Dame: Democrats attacking democracy
At the end of the day, our Democracy is only as robust as our willingness to defend those ideals – even when we prefer different outcomes.
Despathy: Dear Legislators, please check your Green Colonialism
The majority of these bills are in place ready to be taken up and molded into legislation that will serve Vermonters and keep Vermont affordable.
Happy New Year
You made 2023 the best-read (1.09 million views!), most-visited, most-commented-on year Vermont Daily Chronicle year ever.
Legislature reconvenes tomorrow
Property tax sticker shock, safe injection sites, and control over private schools are among the issues expected to engage lawmakers when the second half of the biennium opens tomorrow.
Smith: The MADCAP policies of the Vermont legislature
The Vermont Legislature has a modus operandi: “Make As Darn Complicated As Possible”
‘Feather River John’ retires from working on the Freedom railroad
It comes as no surprise that by far the most gifted and prolific living essayist on the subject of Vermont liberty would use a railroad double-entendre to announce the conclusion of 30 years of bi-weekly commentaries.
Miro: Building housing and ending homelessness
We are long past the time for more debate. It is time for comparable State action to address wasteful and exclusionary State land use and housing policies.
VT Headlines: Missing Vermont man found dead
New year means new laws that will affect Vermonters’ wallets; Police investigate gunfire incident in South Burlington; Lamoille County food share overwhelmed
Newly-formed committee to pick next federal judge for Vermont
A seven-member screening committee is expected to begin work later this month reviewing the names of Vermonter lawyers interested in filling the seat of U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford.
McClaughry: The end of the line
I take leave of the Ethan Allen Institute, and of my 30 years of biweekly efforts to defend and advance the principles that over the years have made our little state strong, proud and free.
Beal: In defense of wildlife advocacy groups
I felt compelled to correct misleading statements that misrepresented the values and goals of wildlife advocates. It’s okay to disagree, but the continued misinformation needs to be addressed.
Despathy: What this Legislature SHOULD be working on
Any legislator who cannot refocus efforts away from carbon should move to China and help them deal with their rapidly growing coal situation.
LaMarche: Vermont’s unpleasant New Year’s surprise
Instead of raising the fees on every Vermonter, why don’t state lawmakers draw their wanted revenue from their political paymasters?
LaMarche: Haley’s missed opportunity
You’ll often hear Southerners claim the Civil War was an issue of state’s rights. They aren’t wrong. They are just lacking a bit of detail: state’s rights over slavery.
Roper: When is someone paying more than “their fair share”?
There is some discussion that at least some Republicans will offer a Taxpayer Bill of Rights bill for consideration in 2024. Let’s give them support when they do.
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