Sunday, April 30, 2017
Scott was set to drive at Thunder Road SpeedBowl in Barre before officials postponed the Merchants Bank 150 just before race time.
Racing at Thunder Road is something Scott's done annually for 25 years, but this would have been his first time since becoming Vermont governor in January. If and when the governor does race, it'll likely be a first in the nation, according to Scott's staff. Governors golf, governors own baseball teams, but there's no evidence other sitting governors race cars.
Tags: Thunder Road SpeedBowl , Phil Scott , Gov. Phil Scott , Image , Web Only
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Protesters filled the Statehouse lawn to hear speakers from groups around the state rail against the environmental policies of President Donald Trump. Protesters displayed their positions in signs such as "Climate change is real," "There is no Planet B," and "Frack you Pruitt," a reference to Trump's Environmental Protection Agency chief, Scott Pruitt.
"Donald Trump, take a look at Montpelier," cried Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) when he took the podium. Clean energy sectors such as solar create jobs, Welch said, saying that Trump's policies are not only wrong, but are "plain stupid."
Tags: Senator , Peter Welch , Bernie Sanders , climate change , climate protest , Image , Slideshow , Web Only
Friday, April 28, 2017
The House Human Services Committee passed H.170, which would legalize possession and growing at home of small amounts of marijuana — but would not allow for sales or commercial growing.
“The body and Vermonters want to vote on this,” said Rep. Ann Pugh (D-South Burlington). The full House vote will take place early next week, she said.
While anything is possible, the vote likely comes too late for legalization legislation to make it through both the Vermont House and Senate this year. Legislators are working toward adjourning for the year next Saturday.
Tags: Ann Pugh , Cannabeat , marijuana legalization , medical marijuana , Vermont legislature , Image , Web Only
Yeah, that's the stuff.
Senate Minority Leader Dustin Degree (R-Franklin) played the role of the Determined But Doomed Underdog. Senate Democrats and Progressives were the Mustache-Twirling Majority.
Tags: Phil Scott , Dustin Degree , Philip Baruth , Bobby Starr , John Rodgers , Dick Mazza , Brian Campion , Image , Web Only
A federal investigation into a Burlington College land deal orchestrated by Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) wife, Jane O'Meara Sanders, appears to be ongoing, according to two former college officials.
Sara Adsit-McCuin, who served on the defunct college's board for roughly three years, said Friday that she was contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation "a couple of weeks ago." During an in-person interview, two FBI agents focused their questions on Burlington College's 2010 purchase of a 32-acre campus overlooking Lake Champlain. At the time of the deal, O'Meara Sanders was serving as the college's president.
"I didn't give them any information that they didn't already have," Adsit-McCuin told Seven Days.
Carol Moore, a former president of the college, told Seven Days that she, too, had been contacted "three or four weeks ago" by an FBI agent. He confirmed to her that "this is an ongoing investigation," Moore said.
The existence of the investigation was first reported Thursday by VTDigger.org, citing email correspondence between the Vermont Agency of Education, Burlington College and federal officials. Those emails confirm that the investigation was active at least through February. The FBI's recent contact with Adsit-McCuin and Moore suggests that it continues.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Jane O'Meara Sanders , Burlington College , Image , Web Only
If Gov. Phil Scott rejects the budget, House Minority Leader Don Turner (R-Milton) told reporters, “We stand ready to support and sustain a veto.” More than 30 of his caucus members lined up behind him in the Statehouse’s Cedar Creek Room.
All but one had voted for the budget when it passed the House, so why the turnabout? Republicans are now insisting that Democrats include Scott’s 11th-hour proposal to negotiate a statewide teacher health insurance plan in the budget bill.
Democrats have said they don’t have time to vet the plan, unveiled last Thursday, and they dispute the claim that this is a now-or-never opportunity.
Scott claims the state could reap up to $26 million by taking over negotiations this year. Several members of his administration watched the press event from the back of the room. Spokesperson Rebecca Kelley refused to say whether Scott would actually veto a budget that doesn’t include his health insurance proposal.
Tags: Gov. Phil Scott , House Republicans , Don Turner , Image , Web Only
Thursday, April 27, 2017
"This is a good coming together of the majority and minority of the Senate," said Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden).
Lunge was appointed to a six-year term on the board that regulates health care in Vermont in November by then-governor Peter Shumlin. She had served since 2011 as his health care reform director.
But Shumlin's staff apparently never sent the appointment paperwork to the Senate, which by law is charged with confirming the nomination.
Tags: Robin Lunge , Green Mountain Care Board , Image , Web Only
Josiah Leach, 18, will be confined to the South Burlington home at all times except for medical appointments, meetings with his lawyer or for legal proceedings, and if granted permission to leave by his probation officer, U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss ruled.
Leach, who faces a five-year maximum sentence on a charge of threatening by means of interstate commerce, must wear a GPS-monitored ankle bracelet and cannot have contact with any students, visit district schools, or use a computer.
Tags: Josiah Leach , South Burlington , South Burlington High School , Trevor Whipple , US District Court , Christina Reiss , Michael Drescher , Elizabeth Quinn , Image , Web Only
But the competing events represented the two sides in the often contentious — and racially tinged — debate over the high school’s Rebel nickname. And the gatherings came just days after a South Burlington High School senior’s arrest for allegedly threatening to kill his classmates and teachers, supposedly as retribution for the decision to drop the Rebel name.
One of the groups gathered for a vigil outside city hall with a message of peace and unity, while another showed up at the police station to thank officers for their work as the death threats last week terrified the town.
Organizer Vicki Garrison told the 60-person strong crowd at city hall that the vigil was “an opportunity to start healing, to start a new beginning — together. This gathering represents unity, harmony and peace and I just thank you so much for coming.”
Holding signs that read “unity is in our hands” and “strength in unity,” the crowd listened as speakers urged the school board to stand by its February decision to drop the Rebels name, which some say has racist connotations. The group at times prayed together and sang “We Shall Overcome” in the round.
Tags: South Burlington High School , Rebels , Josiah Leach , South Burlington Rebels name change , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
“I think there’s plenty of time,” he said. “I’ve been around this building for 16 years. We’ve done more dramatic things at the end of the session than this.”
The first-term governor also believes there’s plenty of time for a return to auto racing. The season begins this weekend at Barre’s Thunder Road SpeedBowl with a car show and open practice on Saturday and the first race of the year Sunday afternoon.
“I’m hoping to go to at least practice, go to the car show and maybe practice on Saturday,” he said. As for racing on Sunday, “It depends on how well I do on Saturday ... If I race, I want to be competitive.”
One could question Scott’s priorities, with the legislature planning to adjourn just a week later, on May 6. But, after all, “there’s plenty of time.”
Tags: Phil Scott , Tim Ashe , Mitzi Johnson , George Till , Thunder Road , Image , Web Only