Thursday, April 26, 2018
Blume aimed to foster that connection with "Women of Cannabis," a networking event meant to encourage entrepreneurship ahead of recreational marijuana legalization in Vermont on July 1. About 30 attendees made small talk and snacked on refreshments Wednesday at the Burlington clothing store Tailfeather, where product racks were pushed aside to make way for the event.
Some women were novices, interested in exploring entrepreneurial opportunities in the cannabis industry. Kirstin Daigle, who works in quality assurance at Stone Environmental in Montpelier, said she was interested in helping labs improve their cannabis testing practices and attended "to learn." Denise Stubbs was just entering her first season selling five varieties of high-cannabidiol (CBD) hemp plants from her home in Plainfield.
Tags: Cannabeat , cannabiz , women of weed , Burlington , Heady Vermont , Kathryn Blume , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Richard Monroe, 25, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Rutland to a firearms charge for fatally shooting Kevin DeOliveira, 23, and to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Monroe's plea agreement calls for a 25-year prison sentence, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Federal authorities said that in late 2014, Monroe and DeOliveira argued about several ounces of cocaine that had been damaged. DeOliveira, a New Jersey native, claimed that Monroe owed him several thousand dollars. Monroe disagreed.
On the morning of January 2, 2015, Monroe approached DeOliveira's Greene Street apartment. When DeOliveira opened the door, Monroe shot him once though the eye with a .22 pistol, authorities said.
Tags: Kevin DeOliveira , Richard Monroe , Christina Nolan , Burlington , drugs , crime , cocaine , Image , Web Only
Weinberger granted Beth Anderson, who has been serving as interim chief administrative officer, a permanent post overseeing the city's finances and budget. Anderson, who was hired in June 2015 as the city's first chief innovation officer, was appointed to replace Bob Rusten, who retired in September.
Weinberger's current chief of staff, Brian Lowe, will move into Anderson's role as acting chief innovation officer. He'll take on the responsibility of improving the city's IT systems and build on "BTVStat," a program Anderson created to chart progress and measure the success of city goals.
Tags: Miro Weinberger , Jordan Redell , Brian Lowe , Noelle MacKay , Beth Anderson , CEDO , Bob Rusten , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
The frigid temperatures during the most recent festival kept people at home, leading to a "substantial loss" for the organization, board chair Dave Mount explained in a press release. "Our reserves have been fully tapped," he wrote.
The board will pay off any outstanding debts from the 2018 event before disbanding First Night Burlington, Inc., at the end of April, according to the release.
Tags: First Night Burlington , Dave Mount , Burlington City Arts , Image , Web Only
Monday, April 16, 2018
The Burlington City Council unanimously passed a resolution Monday that would reopen the design process in an effort to alter the plan to add and preserve more trees.
The measure, introduced by Councilor Jane Knodell (P-Central District), came in response to opposition by the citizen group Keep the Park Green, which has argued that too many trees are slated to be cut down under the current redesign of the downtown park.
The renovations are set to begin in 2019 — and Knodell said the project would remain on track.
Tags: Max Tracy , Jane Knodell , Miro Weinberger , Keep the Park Green , Image , Web Only
Friday, April 13, 2018
Private investigator Daniel Troidl found that even if board member Jeff Wick did make racially biased comments, “there is no credible evidence that such bias has manifested itself in the form of illegal employment discrimination.”
The report, which included interviews with administrators and school board members, concluded a controversial multiweek investigation.
As a result of the investigation, the school board passed a resolution on Tuesday that requires its members to receive training on inherent bias and how to avoid employment discrimination. The resolution also created a committee to make sure the salaries of employees that report to the board have been "appropriately established."
Tags: Jeff Wick , Yaw Obeng , Mark Porter , Burlington School District , Clare Wool , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
A veto "would serve little purpose other than extending the divisive debate indefinitely," Weinberger wrote in a commentary published on VTDigger.org that explained his decision.
It is the first time in Weinberger's six-year tenure as mayor that he has not signed a council resolution, according to the release. Instead, he sent a letter to U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson explaining his decision and voicing his continued support for the jets.
Tags: F-35 , Miro Weinberger , mayor , Burlington , Burlington International Airport , planes , fighter jets , U.S. Air Force , Vermont Air National Guard , Image , Web Only
Those members, who bought either month- or yearlong passes, have access to about 80 green and blue bikes spread out at 15 hubs in the three towns, according to Katie Martin, the program and marketing manager for the Chittenden Area Transportation Management Association, which helps oversee the bike program.
Riders racked up about 100 miles across 125 trips aboard the seven-speed bikes in the program's first five days, Martin said.
Tags: bike path , Miro Weinberger , UVM , Champlain College , bike share , Burlington , South Burlington , Winooski , transportation , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Starting this fall, the cost for online learning will be $318 per credit, college president Donald Laackman announced at a press conference Tuesday. Many adults have the ambition to earn a post-secondary degree, Laackman said, quoting results from a Champlain-commissioned national survey conducted last year.
"But they view college as out of reach due to costs and student debt," he said. "We call this the hope gap."
Champlain aims to increase enrollment in computer-delivered courses from the current 3,500 to around 5,000 over the next few years.
Tags: Burlington , Champlain College , online learning , Image , Web Only
The logging is necessary to move forward with the largest housing development in Queen City history, according to developer Eric Farrell. Crews cleared nearly half of the 21.65-acre plot, which extends down to Lake Champlain, he said. Much of the rest of the site was already without trees.
The cutting did not escape notice.
"Burlington development at Cambrian Rise property results in tree carnage. A very sad day," members of Keep the Park Green posted on Facebook, along with a series of videos and photos. The group has been advocating to preserve trees at a different Burlington project in City Hall Park.
Tags: Eric Farrell , Cambrian Rise , Burlington , Keep the Park Green , trees , Burlington College , Image , Web Only