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
VT Headlines: Some Vermont schools have been without potable tap water for years
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.
K9 Carbon finds elderly man lost in woods
An elderly man lost in freezing woods after sundown was rescued by canine Vermont State Trooper.
Updated with photo: Firefighters battle bulldozer blaze
The incident occurred at approximately 2:35 am, prompting an immediate dispatch of fire units to the scene.
Merry Christmas! Stolen ‘Flying A’ sign recovered
A week after it was stolen, an antique sign was reported found by a New Hampshire antique dealer and returned to its Enosburg owner.
Republican lawmaker says judges’ criminal rulings “not beneficial to the public”
Nonetheless, Lalonde argues that lighter penalties are more beneficial than harsher ones. He goes as far as to suggest that probation is a “higher deterrence” than jail time.
Bucknam: Barbarians
Today, barbarian ideas are resurgent in the West and across the world.
Keelan: Why there are so few homes being built
If housing costs and interest rates were half of what they are today and a labor force was available, multi-family housing (which is what is needed) would never see an ounce of concrete poured in Vermont’s towns and villages.
VT Headlines: New Year’s Eve celebrations
Burlington officials say encampments monitored for health and safety; HIV case numbers remain consistent in Vermont; 2023 was Burlington’s warmest year on record, capping a year of ‘wild’ weather
CLG: States still don’t know what to do about Trump
Despite backlog of veterans’ claims, VA using resources to help illegal immigrants; U.S. senator calls for bombing Iran Blinken and Mayorkas Fly to Mexico, Discuss Amnesty for Millions of Illegals
MacDonald: Slippery, meet Slope
Canada represents the cutting edge of progressive thinking where socialized health care meets socialized mass murder under the guise of your having asked for it.
New mayor sees Newport as a ‘go to’, not ‘go through’ city
Addressing recent disruptions at City Council meetings, Sullivan praised the respectful majority of attendees and underscored the meetings’ purpose of conducting city business.
Homeless encampment fire near Battery Park
The fire turned out to be a homeless encampment made up of tarps and a flat wooden platform. It had spread to the surrounding vegetation, causing concern for the safety of the area.
History firsts on the First
The first day of the new year also marks the anniversary of several milestone moments in history. See how many of these “firsts on the First” events you know with this short, fun quiz.
Vermont librarians face patron drug abuse, homelessness
More people aren’t getting the help they need for basic services, which has meant the library is asked to fill that gap.
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.
Legislators explain tax impact of new, $99 million school
The pricetag for a new Woodstock middle/high school has risen to $99M, local officials learned.
Christmas Day knife fight leaves Newport man dead
The victims in a fatal Newport stabbing and a non-fatal Tunbridge shooting have been identified.
Burlington cops say man beat his girlfriend unconscious
His attack left his girlfriend bleeding and unconscious, police say.
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
Man dies in Christmas Day fight/ St. Albans fire/ 118 MPH on I-89
Police are investigating the death of a man who died Christmas Day after a fight with another man in Newport Town.
Cops seek Bradford school vandal/ Newspaper that lost 90% advertising during Covid reorganizes
The newspaper, founded in 1889, has overcome some daunting challenges in the past few years, It lost 90% of its advertising revenue at the outset of COVID-19 and suspended its print edition.
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.
Letters: Remembering forgotten riot/ Genocide/ Biden’s failure
Chronicle readers sound off on a forgotten riot, the Israeli-Hamas war, and Joe Biden.
Healthy honeybee population climbs
In 2023, VAAFM reported the highest number of colonies on record, 17,145.
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.
Striking a Match for 2024
If you’ve been holding your pecuniary powder dry…..
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.
Bridport man dies in crash
An Addison County man was thrown from his vehicle when it veered off the road. He was not wearing his seatbelt.
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.
Hospital expands ER
Rather than continue to treat ER patients on stretchers in hallways, the Newport hospital will convert an ambulance bay into four new patient rooms.
Evslin: Gaza peace depends on Hamas
Antony Blinken explained that well at a press conference which got almost no coverage.
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