Friday, January 5, 2018
Rep. Kiah Morris (D-Bennington) belted out the tune for the House's devotional, a daily formality that usually consists of the state song or the national anthem. Friday's change-up to the classic Wizard of Oz song — sung by a legislator, no less — was part of the remembrance for Paij Wadley-Bailey, who died in 2016.
The House honored Wadley-Bailey with a resolution. Morris' performance held members' rapt attention from beginning to end.
“Paij contributed a lot to our community on so many levels and in so many ways,” Rep. Brian Cina (P-Burlington) said Friday. “She was an educator and an activist and a community organizer.”
Tags: Kiah Morris , Brian Cina , Paij Wadley-Bailey , Vermont House , Image , Web Only , Video
Thursday, May 18, 2017
“They’re not working,” she agreed.
Five or so key political players, including Gov. Phil Scott, House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) and Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden), conversed behind closed doors throughout the day Thursday. They were discussing a possible compromise on the teachers’ health insurance issue, one day after legislative leaders declared an impasse. (Scott apparently made overtures to the two Democratic leaders Thursday morning.)
But as of 6 p.m., nothing had been made public. That left most of the 150 House members and 30 senators, not to mention legions of lobbyists, with nothing to do and little sense of how long they’d be there. Meanwhile, a dozen or so reporters dutifully documented the stasis, which has stretched on nearly two weeks after the legislature was supposed to adjourn.
Tags: Vermont Statehouse , Phil Scott , Tim Ashe , Mitzi Johnson , Image , Web Only
Friday, May 5, 2017
But Mazza is also known for his flamboyant ties — fuchsia, ultramarine, lavender — matched with a pocket square and a satiny cloth rose pinned to his lapel.
While it's common knowledge that the Colchester grocer has the ear of both Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden), few are aware that his influence extends into both men's wardrobes.
Mazza's main objective: Liven up the neckwear of the two most powerful men in the Statehouse. Scott and Ashe are currently embroiled in budget negotiations with one another, as well as with House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero).
The fashion fix-up started with Scott, for whom Mazza estimates he has purchased at least a dozen ties over the years. "He’s very difficult. He doesn’t like to dress [up]. He'll come over here in work boots," Mazza said Thursday, standing outside the governor's ceremonial office.
Tags: Phil Scott , Dick Mazza , Tim Ashe , fashion , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
So when I hear someone refer to the place as “Mohn-pel-IEH,” my ears perk up.
Walking down the main corridor of the Statehouse on Monday afternoon, I saw Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman having a chat with a young couple who were pushing a baby stroller. I stood at a respectable distance, not wanting to intrude, but I could hear enough to suspect that these weren’t locals.
Sure enough. “We’re from France. Paris,” said Akrivi Fili, who was there with her partner Benjamin Dupas and their 9-month-old daughter.
They were bemused, in a good way, by their casual encounter with the man a heartbeat from the governorship.
Tags: David Zuckerman , Benjamin Dupas , Akrivi Fili , Emmanuel Macron , Marine Le Pen , Image , Web Only
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
Friday, April 14, 2017
Johnson temporarily halted debate on a workers’ compensation bill in deference to Republican members who’d asked for a caucus. When it was time to return to the floor, the electronic bells meant to summon lawmakers back to the Chamber tolled repeatedly throughout the building.
The Republicans, who were meeting in a room downstairs, didn’t heed the chiming, assuming the Speaker would wait until they were ready.
Instead, Johnson went ahead with the day’s business and held a vote, despite the conspicuously large number of empty chairs (Republicans hold 52 seats).
Tags: Vermont House , Mitzi Johnson , Don Turner , Adam Greshin , Marianne Gamache , Mary Morrissey , Brian Savage , Janssen Willhoit , Image , Web Only
Saturday, March 18, 2017
The bill survived an onslaught of hypotheticals posed by lawmakers in the final hours before the deadline. Legislation had to be voted out of committee by the end of the week to make it to the other chamber this session — and therefore have a chance at making it into law.
The task put reporters in an awkward position as they had to lobby legislators to pass a bill prompted, in part, by the fallout from a criminal sexual assault case involving former state senator Norm McAllister.
Prosecutors in that case, which continues today, subpoenaed reporters from Seven Days and Vermont Public Radio who had interviewed McAllister. The situation drew attention to the lack of legal protection for journalists and their sources in Vermont, one of a handful of states that doesn’t have a shield law.
The argument goes that whistleblowers and others need to know their identities will be protected in order to feel comfortable confiding in reporters.
Tags: shield law , Vermont senate , Norm McAllister , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Freshman Rep. Brian Cina (P-Burlington) is fully aware of the potential for humor, but he’s completely serious: He’s proposed the formation of a state Artificial Intelligence Commission.
“If you keep track of what’s going on in artificial intelligence, it’s exponential change and it’s unpredictable,” he notes. “So I believe that it would be best to get ahead of the curve.”
Cina (pronounced “chee-na”) has introduced H.378, a House bill that outlines four responsibilities for a state commission. First, fashion a code of ethics for A.I. research. Second, work on a test to determine when an A.I. entity has reached consciousness. Third, explore how the state could increase government efficiency through A.I. And fourth, find ways to promote Vermont as “a haven for the ethical development of artificial intelligence,” he says.
Cina doesn’t expect legislative action this year; he’s just hoping to spark discussion.
Tags: Brian Cina , Artificial Intelligence Commission , Jeff Bartley , Josh Bongard , Image , Web Only
Thursday, February 16, 2017
But inside the chamber itself, members busied themselves saying no to happy hour for the rest of Vermont. By a tally of 69-49, legislators voted down an amendment that would have changed state law and allowed bars to offer short-term drink specials.
Rep. Oliver Olsen (I-Londonderry), who represents several ski towns, sought to do away with the Puritan statute. Vermont is one of 11 states, including notoriously dry Utah, that don't allow happy hour, Olsen said.
He called his amendment "an economic development issue," noting that Vermont is increasingly a culinary destination. His proposal would have allowed bars to offer discounts for two hours or less at a time on beer or wine, but not hard liquor.
Tags: happy hour , liquor laws , Oliver Olsen , Tom Stevens , Heidi Scheuermann , Vermont legislature , Image , Web Only
Monday, February 13, 2017
But if you are from out of state and were in Vermont to ski or snowmobile over the weekend, Gov. Phil Scott wants you to take a “powder day.”
He didn’t come out and say so, but the underlying presumption is that employers of out-of-state visitors are supposed to give them a bonus day off because it snowed in Vermont in winter.
“I’ve proclaimed Monday an official powder day,” Scott said in a statement issued Sunday night. “And, while I can’t grant official pardons out of state, I certainly hope all will be granted a ‘snow day’ pardon. Visitors can feel free to tell their boss Vermont’s governor asked them to stay.”
Vermonters, meanwhile, are not included in the “declaration.” So just keep toiling away at your job and ignore any thoughts of skiing through fresh powder.
The somewhat whimsical declaration was meant to draw attention to the fact that the skiing will be about as good today as Vermont has seen in two years, maybe longer.
The governor wants out-of-staters to stay, eat and buy another day’s lift ticket because that’d be good for Vermont’s economy. Never mind the economy of the state or province they came from.
It’s a curious suggestion from a governor who speaks often of the value of a strong work ethic.
Tags: snow day , Vermont skiing , Gov. Phil Scott , snowmobiling , Rebecca Kelley , tourism , Image , Web Only