Tuesday, July 11, 2017
The Vermont Board of Libraries met Tuesday and heard two and a half hours of debate about a request to rename the award. Critics behind the effort say Fisher was associated with the Vermont Eugenics Survey, and that she stereotyped its targets — including French Canadians and French Indians — in her writing.
But after several speakers at the meeting mounted a fierce defense of Fisher, the board delayed making a recommendation on whether to rename the award until its next meeting on October 10. State Librarian Scott Murphy will have the final say.
"I'm not trying to kick the can down the road, I'm trying to figure out a way to deal with this," board chair Bruce Post told Seven Days after the meeting in Berlin.*
Tags: Dorothy Canfield Fisher , children's book award , Tom Mulholland , Judy Dow , Scott Murphy , Helene Lang , Bruce Post , Image , Web Only
Attorneys continue to question prospective jurors individually. But of approximately 100 people summoned for the jury pool, 70 have been sent home for a variety of reasons: they've formed an opinion about the case, they have a personal connection to someone involved in the case or they have a personal connection to a sexual assault victim.
Deputy Franklin County State's Attorney John Lavoie and McAllister's attorney, Bob Katims, have each used three of their six allotted challenges. Judge Martin Maley said he wants to select four alternates to the 12-person jury.
Tags: Norm McAllister , Franklin County , John Lavoie , Bob Katims , Martin Maley , legislature , Image , Web Only
Monday, July 10, 2017
The Washington Post reported Monday that a federal investigation involving Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) wife, Jane O'Meara Sanders, "has accelerated in recent months" and is "gathering steam." In what appeared to be a previously unreported development, the Post wrote that prosecutors had subpoenaed a Vermont state official "to testify before a grand jury" about the matter in April.
"That is the first public confirmation that prosecutors have sought to present evidence to a grand jury," investigative reporters Shawn Boburg and Jack Gillum wrote.
But according to the state official in question, Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Finance Agency executive director Robert Giroux, and VEHBFA general counsel James Foley, prosecutors never asked Giroux to testify before a grand jury. And the subpoena itself, which Foley provided to Seven Days, makes clear that federal officials were seeking documents from the state agency — not testimony.
"A personal appearance is not required and the subpoena may be complied with a CD/DVD or Documents by certified mail," Acting U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles wrote in an April 17 cover letter accompanying the subpoena. The federal request makes no reference to Giroux or any other state official.
The distinction is important because federal prosecutors often use grand jury subpoenas to obtain documents at an earlier stage of an investigation. They typically do not call witnesses before a grand jury until they are seeking an indictment.
After Seven Days questioned Boburg and Gillum about their reporting late Monday, the Post corrected its story and retracted the claim.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Jane O'Meara Sanders , Burlington College , Washington Post , Image , Web Only
The decision comes two years after a group of doctors first sought permission from the Green Mountain Care Board to build an independent outpatient facility.
Amy Cooper, a member of that group and executive director of the independent doctors’ association HealthFirst, pitched the center as a lower-cost alternative to the care provided in hospitals.
The Green Mountain Surgery Center will perform colonoscopies, epidural injections, orthopedic surgeries, hernia repair and other procedures that aren’t emergencies and don’t require overnight stays. Cooper has said — and the decision stipulates — that the center will accept patients regardless of the insurance they have. The Office of the Health Care Advocate, a consumer watchdog housed within Vermont Legal Aid, ultimately backed the project.
Tags: Green Mountain Care Board , Green Mountain Surgery Center , Amy Cooper , HealthFirst , Image , Web Only
The new owners of the former Burlington Labs announced the rebranding at a press conference Monday outside company headquarters on Main Street in Burlington.
Gov. Phil Scott and Mayor Miro Weinberger were on hand to offer their support, saying the reorganized company plays a vital role in opioid addiction treatment.
The Aspen symbolizes clarity of purpose and the "ti" in the new name is a reference to harmony and the seventh note on the musical scale, said Chris Powell, CEO of the reconstituted company.
Tags: Burlington Labs , Aspenti Health , Miro Weinberger , Gov Phil Scott , Chris Powell , Image , Web Only
Jury selection began Monday in the second sexual assault trial of former state senator Norm McAllister, and attorneys were having trouble identifying jurors who are eligible to serve.
By day's end, not a single juror had been chosen from among the roughly 100 people summoned to Franklin Superior Court. Selection was to continue Tuesday, and the testimony was expected to commence on Wednesday.
Last week, prosecutors from the Franklin County State's Attorney's Office and Bob Katims, McAllister's attorney, submitted a list of prospective jurors who they believe should be struck, either because they had formed opinions about the case or had other conflicts. That was based on questionnaires the prospective jurors had completed.
But Judge Martin Maley agreed to strike only half of them. The remaining ones were being interviewed one by one by the judge and attorneys.
Tags: Norm McAllister , leglsiature , Bob Katims , John Lavoie , Martin Maley , Image , Web Only
Not for long: After 72 years at the site — and 169 in Burlington — the facility will go quiet next year, making way for new owners who plan to transform the old manufacturing space. Blodgett Oven is moving after the company purchased a 180,000-square-foot facility in Essex from Miller Realty.
Now, Burlington business owner Russ Scully has bought the three-building, 16-acre property along the waterfront in Burlington's South End. The two parties closed the deal on June 23, according to Erica Havers, vice president and controller of Blodgett. Scully paid $14.3 million for the property, which is assessed at just over $4.1 million, according to city documents.
Scully has been tightlipped about his plans for the property, but he — along with his wife, Roxanne — already have a variety of water-related businesses in Burlington; now they also have some waterfront.
Tags: Blodgett Oven , Russ Scully , Roxanne Scully , Tom Torti , Noelle MacKay , Burlington , Miro Weinberger , Rachael Miller , Frank Cioffi , Image , Web Only
Friday, July 7, 2017
Svitavsky, who calls himself "a bona fide, strong, left-wing Christian liberal," says he shares many of Sanders' political views — if anything, he adds, "I'm more liberal than Bernie" — but he is no fan of Sanders' conduct, calling him "a vicious politician. So many good words, but so arrogant."
Svitavsky says he was spurred to enter the political arena by the 2016 presidential campaign. "Bernie was very much responsible for Trump's election," he asserts. "I was amazed that Sanders wouldn't do all that he could, once Hillary [Clinton] got the nomination, to elect Hillary over Trump, who would destroy all the things he supposedly believes in."
Tags: Senator , Jon Svitavsky , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , Donald Trump , U.S. Senate race , Image
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Forty-eight percent of New North End residents reported satisfaction with the pilot project, which changed North Avenue from four lanes to three last year, compared to 45 percent who feel dissatisfied, say the results, released in mid-June.
The citywide results indicate a wider margin of support for the bike lane — 53 to 40 percent.
But the year-long pilot project has sown distrust and frustration over the city process.
"It's divided the neighborhood," said Councilor Kurt Wright (R-Ward 4).
Tags: Dave Hartnett , Kurt Wright , Chapin Spencer , Miro Weinberger , Nicole Losch , bike lanes , North Ave , Image , Web Only
Juan De La Cruz had originally been ordered to leave the United States by July 6. But his forced removal was delayed after his attorney, Matthew Kolken, argued that De La Cruz had a "reasonable fear of torture" if he returned to his home country.
Last Friday, De La Cruz and Kolken, who is based in Buffalo, N.Y., presented the case by phone to an asylum officer who granted De La Cruz the opportunity to argue for "relief from removal" before an immigration judge.
"The judge will decide if he'll be able to receive protection from the United States," Kolken told Seven Days. "We are just keeping our fingers crossed," he added.
Tags: Juan De La Cruz , Kirsten De La Cruz , Matthew Kolken , deportation , removal order , Image , Web Only