Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Scott said at a press conference that he learned of her resignation late last week.
“Rebecca decided that it was time for her," the governor said. "This was her decision, and I value what she’s given to the state over the last four years — what she’s done for our cabinet. I’ve valued her as a team member."
Scott didn’t detail Holcombe's reasons for leaving.
“She just thought it was best for her to leave at this time,” he said. “Personal decision.”
Tags: Rebecca Holcombe , Agency of Education , secretary , Phil Scott , governor , resignation , Image , Web Only
Monday, March 26, 2018
Consulting company KPMG found that the Department of Public Works had 17 errors on the books. Some customers had been overcharged while others had been undercharged, according to DPW director Chapin Spencer, who presented the findings at Monday's Board of Finance meeting.
The city hired KPMG for a review of its water billing system after discovering last November that it had overcharged the University of Vermont more than $2 million for its water use. The city has established a plan to repay UVM the cash.
KPMG examined the 98 compound meters that the city oversees, said Spencer. The meters measure the flow of large quantities of water for businesses or large institutions — not private homes. UVM has 25 such meters.
All told, the city overbilled four customers a total of $210,000, KPMG found. Some customers had errors in more than one account.
The city also did not collect about $644,000 worth of water bills, ranging from $8,619 to $256,456. In one instance, the undercharge of $256,456, the department added an extra zero and miscalculated by a factor of 10, said Megan Moir, assistant DPW director for water resources.
Tags: Chapin Spencer , Megan Moir , Department of Public Works , University of Vermont , Zero Gravity Craft Brewery , Image , Web Only
The proposed measure comes after 55 percent of Burlingtonians voted on Town Meeting Day to ask the council to "request the cancellation" of the planes and find a less noisy, less risky option.
"The voters asked us to take action, so we're going to take action," said Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District), who sponsored the resolution.
Tags: Max Tracy , Miro Weinberger , Joan Shannon , Save Our Skies , Burlington City Council , Heather Wilson , Image , Web Only
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Handmade signs were everywhere. Giant banners hung near the front, in the unmistakable style of the Bread and Puppet Theater. Middle school, high school and college students gathered in great numbers, but the crowd ranged in age from toddlers to senior citizens — some of whom were part of the protest movements of the 1960s.
"I grew up during the demonstrations and protests," said Kate Rader of East Montpelier, who was carrying a banner from the League of Women Voters. "At the very least, we’re modeling how to bring about change in a peaceful, loud and bold way." Her fellow banner carrier, Madeline Motta of Stowe, hoped that students' engagement in gun protests would lead to activism at the ballot box in November.
Tags: March for Our Lives , Bread and Puppet Theater , Madeleine Motta , Kate Rader , Ethan Sonneborn , Mary Hooper , Brigitte Riordan , Renee Bamford , Jasmine Stein , Siyanda Jacobs , Image , Slideshow , Web Only
Friday, March 23, 2018
The figure represents a 1.1 percent increase over last year's budget.
"Our growth rates are astounding if you like low growth rates," said House Appropriations chair Rep. Kitty Toll (D-Danville). "I don’t know how much lower I can go."
The 2019 budget, which passed by a 122-10 vote, relies on about $2.5 billion of state money, $1.6 billion of which would be allocated to the general fund to cover general government expenses. That's slightly more than the general fund proposed by Gov. Phil Scott.
Tags: Vermont House , 2019 budget , Phil Scott , Image , Web Only
The bill, S.55, was hotly contested in a debate that began Friday at 9:30 a.m. and lasted well into the evening, with one break for a late lunch. A final 85-59 vote on the bill took place just before 7:30 p.m.
“The policies in this bill will keep firearms away from those who intend harm and reduce the lethality of firearms that may be misused,” said Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), who spent much of the day responding to questions and criticism from the bill’s opponents.
House Republicans vocally opposed much of the bill, arguing that it would be ineffective, unconstitutional, unduly burdensome on law-abiding Vermonters or some combination of the three.
“We are passing legislation today that does nothing, because it’s going to make a few people feel good,” said Rep. Patrick Brennan (R-Colchester).
Tags: guns , firearms , universal background checks , bump stocks , high-capacity ammunition , Martin LaLonde , Valerie Stuart , Patrick Brennan , Don Turner , Image , Web Only
The National Association for Gun Rights mailed postcards to Vermonters this week attacking Republican Gov. Phil Scott for embracing new gun control proposals. The Colorado-based group urged recipients to call the governor and ask him to veto S.55, a gun control bill that passed the Vermont Senate earlier this month.
The postcards feature a doctored photo of a childlike Scott sitting on the shoulders of former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, who stands beside Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) — both outspoken advocates of new guns laws.
"Is Vermont Governor Phil Scott Feinstein & Bloomberg's gun control lovechild?" it reads.
A lifelong proponent of gun rights, Scott changed course last month and embraced certain gun-control proposals following a school shooting in Parkland, Fla., and a foiled plot closer to home, in Fair Haven. But according to his spokeswoman, Rebecca Kelley, the NAGR postcard distorts the governor's views.
"It’s this type of misleading propaganda that’s so destructive to the work being done to better protect our kids and communities, and the governor will continue to exhibit bold leadership that keeps our kids safe without infringing on constitutional rights," she said in a written statement.
Tags: Phil Scott , National Association for Gun Rights , Michael Bloomberg , Diane Feinstein , Image , Web Only
“This law would put them out of business,” said Toensing, who also serves as vice chair of the Vermont Republican Party.
Tags: guns , Century Arms , Century International Arms , jobs , economy , Corey Parent , Brady Toensing , Image , Web Only
Long Trail Brewing can’t sell its latest batch of beer infused with the hemp extract cannabidiol because of a hold-up with the feds.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is in the midst of reviewing the brewery’s label for its Medicator beer because of the “special ingredient” noted on the packaging, Long Trail spokesman Drew Vetere said Thursday. The CBD suds can’t be sold until the feds give the green light, known as a "certificate of label approval."
“It could be days or it could be months,” he said.
That means the brewery won’t be able to sell Medicator at Saturday’s Vermont Brewers Festival at Killington Resort, according to Vetere.
Tags: Cannabeat , cannabiz , CBD-infused beer , Long Trail Brewing , Image , Web Only
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Sample News Group, a Pennsylvania-based chain of 75 newspapers, plans to buy the Vermont dailies by the end of the month, owners Reade Brower and Chip Harris said in a press release issued Thursday. The pair bought the Herald and Times Argus just 18 months ago from the Mitchell family, which had owned them for decades.
"I was as surprised as anyone," said Herald and Times Argus editor Steve Pappas, who first learned of the deal Thursday morning. "I had to Google them."
Details of the transaction were scarce. Sample News Group president George "Scoop" Sample referred an inquiry to Herald general manager Rob Mitchell.
"He's excited to work with us," said Mitchell, who remained with the papers after his family sold them in September 2016. "Obviously there's going to probably be changes in certain ways, like philosophically and all that, but in general he believes in running good newspapers."
Tags: Rutland Herald , Times Argus , Sample News Group , Steve Pappas , Rob Mitchell , Image , Web Only