Thursday, June 23, 2016
If it passes the full Congress, the deal between top Democratic and Republican leaders on the Senate Agriculture Committee would preempt Vermont’s law, which is slated to take effect July 1.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said in a statement Thursday that he’s still evaluating whether he supports the agreement. Unlike Vermont’s law, which requires labeling on packages, the agreement means consumers could have to scan a product with a digital device to get GMO information.
That’s partly why Gov. Peter Shumlin and Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell oppose the federal approach.
“Not a good day for Vermont if this bill passes,” said Sorrell, whose office has been gearing up to enact the state’s new regulations. “A consumer would need to have a smartphone and have the appropriate app on your smartphone to be able to hold it up to a box of breakfast cereal to see if there are GMOs in it. This looks to me like an industry-friendly bill and not a consumer-friendly bill. I hope it doesn’t get the 60 votes it needs to pass.”
Tags: GMO labeling , Patrick Leahy , Grocery Manufacturers Association , Image , Web Only
"We focused attention on the obligation of Congress to act," said U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who joined his colleagues for much of the protest. "The response I got on social media from Vermonters — the calls to our office — has been greater on this event than anything else since I've served in Congress. And it's been overwhelmingly positive."
Democrats took control of the House floor late Wednesday morning and did not leave until roughly 1 p.m. Thursday. They stalled all congressional action until late Wednesday night, when House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Republican leaders reconvened to push through a major spending bill and other legislation. GOP lawmakers then left town — despite chants of "no bill, no break!" — for their annual Independence Day recess.
Tags: Peter Welch , gun control , Image , Video , Web Only
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
"That's something I've never done in my life," he said. "But every moment of silence has been followed by moments of total inaction, and obviously our job is to do something — to have a debate on a bill and pass some common-sense gun legislation."
Welch took his protest a step further Wednesday, joining a highly unusual sit-in on the House floor to demand a vote on gun-control legislation. Democratic lawmakers interrupted the chamber's proceedings that morning and vowed to remain in the well of the House until Republican leaders scheduled a vote.
"It's been a spontaneous avalanche of support among our colleagues," Welch said Wednesday afternoon during a phone interview from the House cloakroom. "Members feel good that finally we're doing something to indicate clearly and explicitly with our actions that we want action, we want to do our job, we want to vote."
Tags: Senator , Peter Welch , Patrick Leahy , Bernie Sanders , gun control , Recommended Reading , Image , Web Only
The vanguard of the group, which says it has no leadership and convenes annually to celebrate peace, nature and community, began arriving last week at a site northeast of Manchester Center. They are establishing a water supply, setting up kitchens and digging latrines. U.S. Forest Service officials expect as many as 10,000 more people to arrive in the coming weeks.
The forest service stationed officers a few miles down the road from the campsite, and a Rutland County sheriff’s deputy idled Tuesday at the intersection of Route 7 and Brooklyn Road, eight miles below the gathering. While early arrivals have been able to park relatively close to the site, those who come next week will likely have to hike in from miles away.
The forest service says that the gatherings, which have been held on federal land around the country, “can stress the services and resources of a small, rural community.” The nearby town of Mount Tabor has a population of just 250.
The forest service, which is providing daily media updates, said Wednesday that authorities have issued 16 warning notices and eight violation notices for traffic or drug-related offenses.
Forest service spokesman Ethan Ready said the Rainbow Family traditionally leaves behind several people after the main celebration to clean up the site.
The site, a looping hiking trail atop Mount Tabor with a large meadow in the middle, includes several kitchen areas where food is prepared for a mass evening meal. Guests pitch their tents wherever they please.Teams on Tuesday were busy bringing in food and water, digging toilet trenches and even setting up pipes that will eventually carry water from nearby springs, a woman who goes by “Feather” explained.
“We share what we have together and we pray for peace and love around the world and Mother Earth,” Feather said. “Welcome home.”
A first-time visitor was greeted warmly by almost everyone at the campsite.
“Welcome home man!”
“Want to help me drag this cart to a kitchen?”
“Peace, brother.”
“Stop and sit and hang out for a minute.”
“Want to dig a shitter?”
But this question popped up too: “It’s a cop! Are you a cop?”
Tags: Rainbow Family of Living Light , Mount Tabor , U.S. Forest Service , Green Mountain National Forest , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
A fifth person was arrested and charged Monday in connection with the May killing of a transgender man at a Burlington homeless encampment.
Amber Dennis, 29, faces a second-degree murder charge in Amos Beede’s death. She was held behind bars in lieu of $100,000 bail and was due Tuesday afternoon in Chittenden Superior Court, police said in a statement.
Dennis, described by police as “part of the transient community in Burlington,” joins Vermont residents Erik Averill, 21, Jordan Paul, 21, Myia Barber, 22, and Allison Gee, 25, held in jail for the murder.
Beede, 38, was attacked May 22 at a homeless encampment off Pine Street near the Barge Canal. He died of his injuries a week later.
Police say the suspects used their hands and feet to fatally beat Beede, who suffered broken facial bones, a subdural hematoma and broken ribs.
Police initially investigated the death as a potential hate crime. But further investigation revealed that the suspects and Beede, who frequented local encampments, had a dispute that ended in the deadly beating, Chief Brandon del Pozo told reporters June 2.
Tags: Amos Beede , Amber Dennis , barge canal , Allison Gee , Myia Barber , Jordan Paul , Erik Averill , Image , Web Only
The ad, titled "Count On," focuses on Minter's role in helping rebuild homes and roads after the 2011 storm hit a large swath of the state.
She was deputy transportation secretary before she served as the state's Irene recovery officer and then as transportation secretary.
"Sue Minter helped lead the rebuilding," a voice-over says.
Tags: Sue Minter , Matt Dunne , Peter Galbraith , Bruce Lisman , Phil Scott , Peter Shumlin , Election 2016 , primary 2016 , Image , Video , Web Only
At issue were a series of proposals to strengthen the nation's gun laws. Like his district-mate, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sanders supported measures that would bar those on federal terrorism watch lists from buying firearms and require those engaging in private sales to undergo federal background checks. The pair opposed a Republican proposal to delay for 72 hours the purchase of firearms by those on terrorism watch lists.
All of the measures failed.
For Sanders, who has been busy campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, the votes were his first since January 12. According to GovTrack.us, Sanders missed another 19 votes last fall. The senator declined an interview request, and a spokesman did not respond to questions about his long absence.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Patrick Leahy , Scott Milne , presidential campaign , Recommended Reading , Image , Web Only
Monday, June 20, 2016
James Duff Lyall, of Tuscon, Ariz., will replace Allen Gilbert as executive director of the ACLU of Vermont on July 25. The state chapter is based in Montpelier.
Tags: James Lyall , Allen Gilbert , ACLU , police , immigration , Vermont ACLU , Arizona ACLU , Image , Web Only
Bandits dug up hostas, iris and other perennials by the roots, made off with hanging baskets and annuals, and snipped cut flowers before their owners could put them in vases. One resident lost apple trees planted in memory of a loved one.
Front Porch Forum, the neighborhood email newsletter, reported 26 posts about purloined plants dating back to June 8. The incidents ranged from the South End to the North End, with a concentration on streets in and around the Old North End.
Tags: plant , thefts , burlington , shrubs , stolen , Image , Web Only
Starting next month, the oldest daily newspaper in Vermont will no longer be a daily newspaper.
The Rutland Herald and its sister publication, the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, plan to cease print publication on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, sources within the family-owned company said late Monday afternoon. The newspapers will continue publishing online those days and will still distribute a print edition Thursday through Sunday. The changes are set to take effect the week of July 4.
Publisher Catherine Nelson briefed Herald employees on the changes Monday afternoon, while owner R. John Mitchell did the same with Times Argus staffers. Neither responded to requests for comment. Hours after Seven Days first reported the development, both newspapers published stories online confirming it.
In an interview with the Herald, Mitchell framed the move as a means of avoiding further layoffs. The papers have repeatedly trimmed staff in recent years.
"We’ve cut, I think, all the jobs we can without really decimating the newsroom," Mitchell told his paper. "This is an attempt to keep from having dramatic layoffs in the newsroom and to try and monetize the technical base we’ve built for social media."
Tags: Rutland Herald , Barre-Montpelier Times Argus , Image , Web Only