Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Two days before she was named publisher of the Rutland Herald and Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, the newspapers’ vice president and CEO was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of an accident.
According to the Rutland City Police Department, 64-year-old Catherine Nelson crashed her Nissan sport utility vehicle several times Saturday night in downtown Rutland and was found to be "over twice the legal limit to operate a vehicle."
Nelson's car hit a porch on Park Street, struck a guardrail on Porter Place and finally crashed into the Westminster Cracker Company building, "causing extensive front end damage to the vehicle," according to an incident report issued Tuesday evening by Patrol Sergeant Joseph Bartlett. The Rutland Police arrived on the scene shortly after 8 p.m., took Nelson into custody and issued a criminal citation for her to appear in court at a later date. Her car was towed away.
Nelson did not respond to Seven Days’ requests for comment Tuesday evening, but her lawyer, John J. Welch, later told the Herald, “Things will become clear as this evolves.” He cautioned observers “not [to] jump to any conclusions.”
It appears that Nelson’s boss, outgoing publisher R. John Mitchell, was aware of the incident when he announced to the papers’ employees Monday afternoon that she would succeed him, effective February 1. But according to two Herald staffers, neither Mitchell nor Nelson informed the newsroom that their new boss had been charged.
“I'm not aware of John telling the newsroom about the incident,” Herald news editor Alan Keays told Seven Days Wednesday afternoon. “I certainly believe it would have been more appropriate for the newsroom to have learned about the incident sooner.”
Tags: Catherine Nelson , Rutland Herald , Times Argus , R. John Mitchell , Image , Web Only
Monday, December 28, 2015
Rutland Herald and Barre-Montpelier Times Argus publisher R. John Mitchell plans to step back from the family-owned news organization early next year, several sources within the company told Seven Days Monday.
The 70-year-old publisher, who joined the Herald as an ad salesman in 1965, disclosed his plans during a staff meeting Monday afternoon. Replacing him as publisher of the two dailies, effective February 1, will be vice president and CEO Catherine Nelson. His son, Rob Mitchell, will become editor-in-chief of both papers.
The elder Mitchell will remain president of the newspapers’ parent company, Herald Association, Inc., and chairman of its board of directors.
“I think he’s been struggling with this probably for a year or two,” Rob Mitchell told Seven Days Tuesday. “I think he feels that we’re at a point where he can step back, and he’s not as worried about where we are as a newspaper or newspapers.”
Tags: Rutland Herald , Times Argus , John Mitchell , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Now, with the February Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary drawing near, Sanders’ campaign is trying to drive home the message that it very much expects to have a robust life after New Hampshire.
Sanders announced Tuesday that his campaign has launched a television ad in Nevada, home to the third-in-the-nation presidential vote February 20. Sanders also plans campaign stops next week in Reno and Las Vegas, the campaign announced.
In a press release, his campaign said, “The new Nevada effort signals that Sanders is building on the foundation he has laid for taking his campaign beyond Iowa and New Hampshire.”
The ad, titled “Real Change,” is the same 60-second introduction to Sanders he aired earlier in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Weaver, in the press release, said airing the ad in Iowa is proof that Sanders has the resources to wage a national campaign: “We look forward to expanding Bernie's campaign on the ground and in the airwaves in many more states in the days and weeks ahead.”
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Democratic presidential nomination , Hillary Clinton , Nevada , presidential campaign , campaign trail , Image , Web Only
John Paul Faignant, the attorney for former Rutland police officer Andrew Todd, said the Rutland Board of Aldermen approved the settlement Monday night. It is believed to be one of the largest civil settlements of its kind in Vermont, the Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said.
Todd alleged that he was subjected to racial slurs and other abuse from his fellow officers. But Todd's allegations went far beyond beyond internal police operations.
Todd accused some officers of racially profiling drug suspects, carrying on inappropriate relationships with female confidential informants and drinking on duty.
Faignant said that Todd, an African American, was pleased that the lawsuit had helped publicize allegations that Rutland authorities had swept under the rug.
Tags: Rutland police , Andrew Todd , John Paul Faignant , Chris Louras , discrimination , Rutland , Image , Web Only
It is up to Obuchowski to decide whether to allow a wintertime outdoor skating rink to be assembled on that special place. “The Statehouse lawn is a public forum. It’s a place where people can come and express themselves,” Obuchowski said. “To me, that almost makes it sacred ground in terms of small ‘d’ democracy.”
A group called “Put a Rink On It” has proposed setting up a 50-by-100-foot rink on the east side of the lawn near State Street. Organizers have the support of the city of Montpelier and have raised about half of the $20,000 they think they’ll need to erect and operate the rink, said Nate Hausman of Montpelier, who, along with Kim McKee, is championing the effort.
“It’s a space we thought doesn’t get a lot of use in the winter,” Hausman said, describing the idea as starting off half-baked, before it began whetting appetites around town.
Tags: Montpecular , Vermont Statehouse , Montpelier , Image , Web Only
Despite the objections, the city council voted unanimously to approve the agreement.
Eric Farrell, the developer who purchased the land from Burlington College, plans to build as many as 770 units of housing on the lakefront site. After an outcry from residents, he agreed to negotiate with the city to preserve some of the open space.
In early December, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that his administration — along with the Vermont Land Trust and the affordable housing developer Champlain Housing Trust — had reached a deal with Farrell.
Under the plan the city council approved Monday, Burlington and the land trust will purchase and preserve 12 acres from Farrell for $2 million. Housing, including 160 affordable units, will occupy the remaining 15 acres. That development is still contingent on passing the city's normal zoning review and the state environmental review.
Tags: Burlington , Burlington College , Mayor Miro Weinberger , Champlain Housing Trust , Vermont Land Trust , Burlington City Council , Image , Web Only
Monday, December 21, 2015
Lisman is the first candidate for governor to release his assets. Some other states require candidates to release specific information, but Vermont does not. While most past candidates for governor have volunteered the information, there’s never been a standard for what should be released.
As founder of the public-policy group Campaign for Vermont, Lisman advocated for requiring the release of information to allow voters to gauge whether a candidate has any conflicts of interest. Monday, he urged other Vermont candidates for governor to follow his lead. “I think this sets a pretty good standard,” Lisman said.
Lisman is competing for the 2016 Republican nomination against Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, while Matt Dunne and Sue Minter are vying for the Democratic nomination. Dunne’s campaign manager, Nick Charyk, said Dunne will release his information May 15 to match congressional candidates’ timing, or sooner if there is a clamor for it. Brittney Wilson of Scott's campaign said he'll release his assets after he files his taxes for 2015. Sarah McCall of Minter's campaign said she will do the same.
Tags: Bruce Lisman , Phil Scott , Peter Shumlin , Matt Dunne , Sue Minter , Vermont politics , Image , Web Only
Sunday, December 20, 2015
But the chill wasn't just emanating from below the floorboards. It was in the air around Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) top aides and surrogates, still frosted over the Democratic National Committee's decision to suspend access to its voter files late last week. The sanction came after the DNC caught several Sanders staffers taking advantage of a temporary software glitch to snoop around rival Hillary Clinton's voter data. (The Sanders campaign fired one of the perpetrators Thursday and suspended two others Saturday.)
Speaking to reporters in the arena before the debate, campaign manager Jeff Weaver referred to the suspension, which was lifted late Friday, as a "death sentence" and a "very heavy-handed, unfair overreaction by the chairwoman." He was referring to DNC chief Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
"I think what it demonstrates is there are establishment forces out there that are very, very concerned about the success of this campaign," Weaver said.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Presidential Campaign , Jeff Weaver , Tad Devine , Nina Turner , Debbie Wasserman Schultz , Image , Recommended Reading , Web Only
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) apologized Saturday night for the behavior of campaign staffers who accessed voter data belonging to rival Hillary Clinton — but his apology took a little prodding.
Asked about the controversy at the third Democratic presidential debate, in Goffstown, N.H., Sanders at first delivered an extended explanation of the drama that had subsumed his campaign in recent days. He criticized the Democratic National Committee, its data vendor and even the Clinton campaign, which he suggested may have accessed his own proprietary information.
Only after moderator David Muir of ABC News asked whether Clinton deserved an apology did Sanders actually express remorse.
"Yes, I apologize," the senator said, not looking happy about it.
As Muir turned to Clinton for a response, Sanders jumped back in to offer a fuller mea culpa.
"Not only do I apologize to Secretary Clinton — and I hope we can work together on an independent investigation, from day one — I want to apologize to my supporters," he said. "This is not the type of campaign that we run. And if I find anybody else involved in this, they will also be fired."
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , Martin O'Malley , Presidential Campaign , New Hampshire Debate , ABC News , campaign trail , health care , Image , Recommended Reading , Web Only
Saturday, December 19, 2015
The détente came hours after the Sanders campaign sued the DNC in federal court, alleging breach of contract for suspending access to its voter file. In its complaint, the Sanders campaign argued that the DNC's "unwarranted, unilateral suspension" was causing the candidate "irreparable injury" and threatened to "cripple" his campaign.
The Sanders campaign had been barred from accessing information it has collected on voters, supporters and donors since Thursday afternoon, when the DNC discovered that Sanders staffers had accessed proprietary data belonging to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
The DNC initially said it would not restore access until the Sanders campaign provided a full explanation of its activities. The Sanders campaign, meanwhile, accused the DNC of taking its data "hostage" and attempting to "sabotage" it.
Without access to its lists, which the Sanders team called “the lifeblood of any campaign,” its canvassing and fundraising efforts were hobbled just six weeks before the Iowa caucuses. In its lawsuit, the Sanders campaign valued the losses it was suffering at more than $600,000 per day.
In a statement released early Saturday, DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said it had reversed course because the Sanders campaign had provided the information it had requested.
"Based on this information, we are restoring the Sanders campaign’s access to the voter file, but will continue to investigate to ensure that the data that was inappropriately accessed has been deleted and is no longer in possession of the Sanders campaign," Wasserman Schultz said. "The Sanders campaign has agreed to fully cooperate with the continuing DNC investigation of this breach."
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