Vermont news

• Congressional Dems push to reverse net neutrality rollback

  28-02-2018 23:27 via vtdigger.org
  Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., speaks in favor of net neutrality regulations at a press conference. Photo by Elizabeth Hewitt/VTDigger
  WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats are pushing to reverse the rollback of Obama-era net neutrality regulations.
  Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., joined minority leaders in the House and Senate on the Capitol lawn on a sunny Tuesday to tout an effort to block the new rules, which the Federal Communications Commission approved late last year.Get all of VTDigger's politic
  
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• Gun Owners: What Should Gun Control Look Like In Vermont? dlvr.it/QJD5KL https://t.co/5Hc1cygJBO

  28-02-2018 22:01 via twitter.com
  
  Gun Owners: What Should Gun Control Look Like In Vermont? dlvr.it/QJD5KL https://t.co/5Hc1cygJBO
  
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• Senate unanimously approves ‘extreme risk’ gun bill

  28-02-2018 21:24 via vtdigger.org
  Sen. Dick Sears listens to testimony on new gun control legislation in January. File photo by Mike Dougherty/VTDigger
  Senators gave their unanimous seal of approval on Wednesday to the first of what is expected to be a series of gun control laws after a thwarted school shooting in Fair Haven — following a mass shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 —“jolted” the state’s policymakers.Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, said he never expected the bill to make it
  
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• VTDigger hosts statewide 2018 Scripps Spelling Bee final

  28-02-2018 18:03 via vtdigger.org
   
  Calling all logophiles to the 2018 statewide final of the Scripps Spelling Bee on Wednesday, March 14, at St. Michael’s College, One Winooski Park, Colchester.
  Contestants ranging in age from 8-15 will vie for the honor of representing Vermont in Baltimore, Maryland, for the national final May 29-31.
  Competition begins at 3:30 p.m. until the last word is spelled correctly.
  This event is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Vermont Principals’ Association, the
  
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• Thirty-six Vermont towns will vote to tackle climate change at their town meetings

  28-02-2018 16:35 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — 350VermontFebruary 27, 2018
  Contact:Jaiel [email protected]
  Vermont – As progress has stalled at the federal level and there is very little action from Vermont Governor Phil Scott in creating solutions to combat greenhouse gas emissions, Vermont residents are moving to address climate change at the local level. This year on Town Meeting Day, residents in 36 towns across Vermont will vote on resolutions which aim to find local solutions to reduce emiss
  
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• Join VTDigger for free coffee Tuesday at Burlington’s Fletcher Free Library

  28-02-2018 16:35 via vtdigger.org
  Join VTDigger on Town Meeting Day, Tuesday March 6, 7:30 a.m. at the Fletcher Free Library in downtown Burlington. Get your election day off to a great start with Brio’s fresh hot java and Miss Weinerz’s delectable donuts. Coffee is free. We’ll also have treats from Bohemian Bakery. Stop by and say hi!Get all of VTDigger's political news.You'll never miss a political story with our weekly headlines in your inbox.Daily
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• Vermont Retail & Grocers Association receives workforce development grant

  28-02-2018 16:29 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Vermont Retail & Grocers AssociationFebruary 27, 2018
  Contact: Erin Sigrist, PresidentVermont Retail & Grocers [email protected]
  Montpelier – Vermont Retail & Grocers Association (VRGA) is proud to announce they will receive a $2,500 Workforce and Education Training fund grant from the Department of Labor. The “mini” grant fund promotes job readiness activities that will eventually lead to jobs. The grant is for VRGA&rsq
  
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• 37 Businesses, Organizations urge the Vermont Senate to support local, advanced wood heating

  28-02-2018 16:21 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Renewable Energy VermontFebruary 26, 2018
  Contact:Austin DavisRenewable Energy [email protected] – Non-profits, local businesses, and other users of advanced wood heating sent a letter Tuesday to members of the Vermont State Senate urging them to support rural economies, working landscapes, and commitments to climate pollution reductions by taking actions which support advanced wood heating. Advanced wood heat utilizes highly efficient b
  
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• Organic dairy farmers to meet March 15 at Vermont Tech

  28-02-2018 16:00 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — UVM ExtensionFebruary 23, 2018
  Contact:Susan Brouillette(802) 524-6501, ext. [email protected]
  Randolph Center – Organic dairy farmers will learn about bedded and composted packs, high quality milk production, strategies for financial success and the latest organic dairy research at a day-long conference on March 15 in Randolph Center.
  The 2018 Vermont Organic Dairy Producers Conference is organized by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension’s Northwest
  
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• Annual Veterans Summit at NVU-Lyndon, March 10

  28-02-2018 15:52 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Northern Vermont University-LyndonFebruary 23, 2018
  Contact:Sylvia [email protected]
  Lyndon — Gov. Phil Scott and Rep. Peter Welch are scheduled to speak at the sixth annual Northeast Kingdom Veterans Summit on March 10 at Northern Vermont University-Lyndon. The summit is Vermont’s only such event.
  The 8 a.m.-3 p.m. summit, free for veterans and their families, will be at Alexander Twilight Theatre. A concert by the Vermont Nationa
  
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• Northeast Kingdom Collaborative announces regional priority areas

  28-02-2018 15:41 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Northeast Kingdom CollaborativeFebruary 23, 2018
  Contact:Katherine Sims, DirectorNortheast Kingdom [email protected] 
  Hardwick – The Northeast Kingdom Collaborative is taking new steps for the future of the region. The organization, which works to build strong and vibrant communities in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, has worked over the last year to set a new path forward to strengthen the organization’s reach a
  
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• Sanders meets with Parkland students, delivers remarks on gun safety

  28-02-2018 15:34 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Office of Sen. Bernie SandersFebruary 27, 2018
  Washington, D.C. – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday met with five current and former students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who traveled to Washington this week to speak to legislators and work to prevent another tragedy like the mass shooting they experienced at their school Feb. 14.
  Later, Sanders delivered a speech on the Senate floor regarding the need for commonsense gun safety le
  
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• Leahy And Daines introduce legislation to protect Americans’ privacy at the border

  28-02-2018 15:28 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Office of Sen. Patrick LeahyFebruary 27, 2018
  Contact:David CarleOffice of Sen. Patrick Leahy202-224-3693
  Breanna DeutschOffice of Sen. Steve Daines(202) 224-2651
  Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) Tuesday introduced legislation requiring the government to have reasonable suspicion or probable cause to search or seize Americans’ electronic devices at the border.
  Currently at the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protec
  
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• Chris Bray: Time for commitment to clean water

  28-02-2018 03:29 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Sen. Christopher Bray, D-Addison, who serves as chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. He is the lead sponsor of S.260.For the second year in a row, the Vermont Legislature is building the budgets and laws to deliver the strongest, best-funded water quality program in the state’s history. This increased level of work is essential. While the well-publicized disaster of toxic blooms that closed Lake Carmi for three months are an
  
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• Anson Tebbetts: Progress being made on water quality

  28-02-2018 03:25 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Secretary Anson Tebbetts.
  As legislators move into the second half of the session, efforts to improve the quality of water in Vermont continue. On the tables of legislative committees, a series of proposals address everything from funding to emergency action. These are healthy discussions, and they are not confined to the Golden Dome.
  The Agency of Agriculture is working with farmers and stakeholders on
  
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• Judy Dow: Another perspective on Dorothy Canfield Fisher

  28-02-2018 03:22 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Judy Dow, who is an educator from Essex and on the boards of directors of Gedakina and Oyate. 
  I agree with the Vermont State Library Board that the children’s book award named for Dorothy Canfield Fisher needs to be renamed. I can’t help but wonder if State Librarian Scott Murphy is dragging his feet on making a decision about changing the name for political reasons.
  On April 7, 2017, I shared my research and concerns with the Vermont
  
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• Charlie Baker: Regional dispatch could improve services

  28-02-2018 03:19 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Charlie Baker, who is executive director of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission.
  For the past year and a half, eight Chittenden County municipalities banded together to take a fresh look at how we dispatch emergency services (police, fire and emergency medical services (EMS)) throughout the region. The current systems do work, and we appreciate the fine efforts by dispatchers who perform these essential duties 24/7/365. Two recent studies
  
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• In the Zone: Voices from the F-35 debate

  28-02-2018 03:00 via vtdigger.org
  Homes on the east side of South Burlington’s Airport Drive were among the first to be demolished in an airport buyout program. Google Street View image; photo/animation by Mike Dougherty/VTDigger
  Rough Landing is a four-part series on the debate over basing F-35 fighter jets in Burlington. Read Part 1.
  Get all of VTDigger's political news.You'll never miss a political story with our weekly headlines in your inbox.Daily
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• Community braces for arrival of F-35 stealth fighter jets

  28-02-2018 02:54 via vtdigger.org
  
  
  Rough Landing is a four-part series and podcast on the debate over basing F-35 fighter jets in Burlington. Parts 2-4 will be published Wednesday through Friday.Get all of VTDigger's political news.You'll never miss a political story with our weekly headlines in your inbox.Daily
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• Already battered by thunderous noise, community braces for arrival of F-35

  28-02-2018 02:54 via vtdigger.org
  
  
  Rough Landing is a four-part series and podcast on the debate over basing F-35 fighter jets in Burlington. Parts 2-4 will be published Wednesday through Friday.Get all of VTDigger's political news.You'll never miss a political story with our weekly headlines in your inbox.Daily
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• Bond ratings, water pipes: ‘Into the weeds’ with Miro Weinberger

  28-02-2018 02:48 via vtdigger.org
  Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger. File photo by Cory Dawson/VTDigger
  This is the second in a series of profiles of Burlington’s three mayoral candidates running in the March 6 Town Meeting Day election.
  BURLINGTON — Mayor Miro Weinberger has a lot to show for his six years in City Hall. Get all of VTDigger's political news.You'll never miss a political story with our weekly headlines in your inbox.Daily
  Sundays only (Weekly Wrap) Email me stories on these subjects... Business News
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• Bond ratings and water pipes: ‘Into the weeds’ with Miro Weinberger

  28-02-2018 02:48 via vtdigger.org
  Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger. File photo by Cory Dawson/VTDigger
  This is the second in a series of profiles of Burlington’s three mayoral candidates running in the March 6 Town Meeting Day election.
  BURLINGTON — Mayor Miro Weinberger has a lot to show for his six years in City Hall.Get all of VTDigger's political news.You'll never miss a political story with our weekly headlines in your inbox.Daily
  Sundays only (Weekly Wrap) Email me stories on these subjects... Business News
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• Driscoll stiffed local contractor; lost court case

  28-02-2018 02:27 via vtdigger.org
  Carina Driscoll, an independent, won the Progressive endorsement for Burlington mayor. Photo by Cory Dawson/VTDigger
  Carina Driscoll, a candidate for mayor of Burlington, stiffed a local contractor and aggressively pursued him in court for four years over a $3,000 bill for services. She ultimately lost the case and drew the ire of a local judge.Polli Construction sued Driscoll in 2007, in an attempt to recoup money owed for the rehab of a house she and her husband, Blake Ewoldsen, planned to fli
  
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• Ex-student accused in Fair Haven shooting plot details plans

  28-02-2018 02:22 via vtdigger.org
  Jack Sawyer appears in Vermont Superior Court in Rutland on Tuesday, February 27, 2018.Sawyer was appearing for an evidentiary hearing to determine if he should continue to be jailed after being charged for planning a school shooting at his former high school in Fair Haven. (Pool photo by Glenn Russell/The Burlington Free Press)
  A former student who police say was planning to shoot up his past high school in Fair Haven watched a recording of himself Tuesday talk to a detective about the alleged
  
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• Court shown video of alleged school shooting plotter’s interrogation

  28-02-2018 02:22 via vtdigger.org
  Jack Sawyer appears in Vermont Superior Court in Rutland on Tuesday. Pool photo by Glenn Russell/Burlington Free Press
  A former student who police say was planning to shoot up his past high school in Fair Haven watched a recording of himself Tuesday talk to a detective about the alleged plot.
  Jack Sawyer, 18, sat quietly between his two attorneys in Rutland County superior criminal court as prosecutors played clips from his interrogation earlier this month at the Vermont State Police barracks in
  
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• Burlington School Board calls for stricter gun laws

  28-02-2018 01:40 via vtdigger.org
  BURLINGTON — The Burlington School Board unanimously passed a resolution Monday, urging Vermont House and Senate members to approve tougher gun control measures.The board’s action comes in the wake of the arrest of a Vermont teenager, Jack Sawyer, who allegedly planned a school shooting in Fair Haven, shortly after the latest school shooting in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14 in which 17 students and teachers were killed. Closer to home, a man shot into a crowd outside the popular Burl
  
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• Sanders’s son launches congressional bid

  28-02-2018 01:35 via vtdigger.org
  The main image on the homepage of Levi Sanders’s official campaign website.
  Levi Sanders launched his campaign for one of New Hampshire’s two seats in the United States House early this week.
  Sanders, 48, announced his bid in New Hampshire’s first congressional district on his official campaign website, days after he told Vice News that he was seriously considering a run.Get all of VTDigger's political news.You'll never miss a political story with our weekly headlines in your i
  
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• Pallito leaving state government after 25 years

  28-02-2018 00:51 via vtdigger.org
  Andy Pallito. VTD/Josh Larkin
  After more than a quarter century in state government, Andy Pallito is moving on.
  Pallito will leave his post with the Green Mountain Care Board in March, and he’s set to become Community College of Vermont’s new dean of administration the following month.
  The Burlington resident brings a long governmental resume to the college: He currently leads the care board’s hospital budget review process, and his past state positions have included commission
  
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