Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Trombly and Carter-Lovejoy join Ali Dieng and Republican Vince Dober as candidates in the special election scheduled for June 27.
A Democratic caucus is scheduled for May 4. Dieng, an independent, has said he'll try to win the Dem's endorsement.
Trombly declared his candidacy Wednesday in a press release. The 37-year-old serves on the steering committee of the Wards 4 and 7 Neighborhood Planning Assembly and works as vice president of loan operations at People's United Bank.
Tags: Tom Ayres , Ali Dieng , Lorraine Carter-Lovejoy , Chris Trombly , Burlington City Council , Ward 7 , Image , Web Only
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” said Senate Appropriations Committee chair Jane Kitchel (D-Caledonia) of her first-ever unanimously passed budget bill.
The Senate’s budget includes a few key differences from the version the House passed last month, meaning the two chambers will have to hash it out. Those negotiations are expected to start Friday, clearing the way for the session to adjourn a bit early.
Tags: Vermont Senate , Jane Kitchel , Phil Scott , Mitzi Johnson , Kitty Toll , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Tuesday morning:
At a press conference, Gov. Phil Scott urged the legislature to go along with a proposal that first surfaced just last Thursday.
He wanted to negotiate a teacher health care plan on a statewide basis rather than school-district-by-school-district. It would save $26 million a year, said Scott, who wants that cash to spend on other state services.
Tags: Vermont legislature , Phil Scott , Tim Ashe , Mitzi Johnson , Dustin Degree , Ann Cummings , Image , Web Only
Paul Kane is contesting allegations in probate court that he mishandled the estate of a local woman for whom he provided care. He failed "to uphold the integrity of the judiciary," the board ruled in a decision issued Monday.
"The board considers the permanent prohibition on holding judicial office appropriate due to the severity of Mr. Kane's conduct, the fact that these violations continued throughout his tenure as assistant judge, his refusal to take responsibility for his actions in his testimony before the board and his multiple instances of providing demonstrably false testimony to the board at the hearing," board chair Steven Adler wrote in a 19-page decision.
Kane and his late wife, Marie, took Catherine Tolaro into their Westminster home in 2009, according to court documents. Tolaro was then 82. The couple gained power of attorney for Tolaro in 2010. She died in 2014 at age 86.
Tags: Paul Kane , Catherine Tolaro , side judges , Judicial Conduct Board , Image , Web Only
That’s a jump from 11.8 percent of respondents who agreed with a similar proposal in a 2007 poll.*
The increase in secessionist sentiment — measured in surveys conducted by the University of Vermont’s Center for Rural Studies — could reflect a Trump bump.
“Given the aggressive and destructive behavior of the United States of Empire this past decade, it is not surprising that more and more forward-thinking Vermonters support independence and a Second Vermont Republic,” Rob Williams, the leader of a Verexit campaign, said in a prepared statement.
Tags: Vermont secession , Thomas Naylor , Rob Williams , Image , Web Only
This gamble didn’t pay off.
Since last June, 25 lottery machines leased by the state of Vermont have gathered cobwebs in storage — unplugged and unused — at a cost of $8,000 a month.
That means the state has paid $72,000 in fees — for nothing. And the tab is still mounting. Neither the governor nor legislators were happy to hear about the losing proposition.
"I don't like that we're wasting money and having these machines sit idly," Gov. Phil Scott said Tuesday. His staff learned about the situation in February while working on his proposal to merge the Lottery Commission with the Liquor Department.
"It's a waste of money," said House Ways and Means Committee chair Janet Ancel (D-Calais), who has long opposed expanding the state lottery.
Tags: Vermont Lottery Commission , Phil Scott , Peter Shumlin , Touch Play , Interlot , Image , Web Only
The bill was set aside earlier this month to give supporters time to round up enough ‘yes’ votes. But when it returned to the floor Tuesday, it was defeated by a vote of 13 to 16.
In an unsuccessful attempt to make the bill more palatable, its sponsor, Sen. Debbie Ingram (D-Chittenden), proposed an amendment that would have eliminated penalties on underage smokers found with tobacco in their possession.
Senators remained reticent, voicing concerns about dictating Vermonters’ decisions, particularly those old enough to serve in the military.
Tags: cannabis related , Debbie Ingram , Jeanette White , smoking age , Vermont Senate , Image , Web Only
Monday, April 24, 2017
Three times, Buschner has paid for new birth certificates or IDs for homeless people whose belongings were stolen. In the 15 years that Buschner has operated his A-Maize-ing Kettle Korn cart, he's spoken with people who have lost prescription medication, important documents and other personal items.
Now, the New North End resident is spearheading a project to construct 40 secure lockers where the homeless could safely store their belongings for free. Buschner's still finalizing the cost estimates, but figures the total will come in between $5,000 and $10,000 for building materials, locks and possibly a security camera.
Buschner hopes to have the lockers completed in downtown Burlington by midsummer.
"I see people burdened by their stuff," Buschner said. "They can't go to the doctor's, can't go grocery shopping, can't get into the store with a big backpack." Lockers would help "give them some dignity and security."
Tags: Paul Buschner , Dave Hartnett , Salvation Army , homelessness , Image , Web Only
Josiah Leach, 18, showed no emotion during the U.S. District Court hearing Monday afternoon in Burlington, at which he was assigned a public defender. Leach did not enter a plea and is scheduled to return to court on Thursday. He is being held without bail.
Authorities charged Leach with knowingly transmitting a threat via interstate commerce, which carries a five year maximum sentence. The teen, who is African American, allegedly made eight threats last week to kill students and staff in retaliation for the racially charged decision to drop the high school's Rebels nickname.
The February decision to drop the name has roiled the community. Critics say it's a reference to the Confederate South and slavery, while defenders say it's a benign tradition.
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Senators are working on a consensus resolution that would acknowledge that former governor Peter Shumlin’s administration made mistakes in the appointment process, but that there was no question he intended to appoint Lunge, according to Sen. Peg Flory (R-Rutland).
“It seemed like the wisest option,” said Flory — meaning Senate Republicans decided against contesting the appointment.
The Senate is likely to vote on Lunge’s confirmation Tuesday or Wednesday.
Tags: Robin Lunge , Peter Shumlin , Phil Scott , Green Mountain Care Board , Vermont Senate , Image , Web Only