Judge Delays Ruling on Closure of Burlington Homeless Camp

By Courtney Lamdin Posted on October 28, 2021 at 9:09PM

Vermont GOP Chair Deb Billado Won't Seek Another Term

By Colin Flanders Posted on October 28, 2021 at 7:21PM

Scott publicly criticized her on more than one occasion, while some GOP state lawmakers accused her of making it harder for them to distinguish themselves from the national scene. Some stopped seeking support from the state party altogether.

Amid Hospital Crunch, VA to Offer Mental Health Beds to Nonveterans

By Colin Flanders Posted on October 27, 2021 at 2:55PM

The Essex facility, estimated to cost about $15.5 million, will serve people who no longer need to be hospitalized but are not yet ready to return home, freeing up hospital beds in the process. The state hopes to complete the project by late next year, and patients are expected in 2023.

State Recommends Most Students Wear Masks During Indoor Winter Sports

By Alison Novak Posted on October 26, 2021 at 9:27PM

Unvaccinated students playing sports where masks can't be consistently worn should participate in weekly COVID-19 testing, the guidance says. Outdoor winter sports can be held as normal, with any COVID-19 mitigation measures left up to individuals.

State Regulators to Hold Public Forums on Health Care Wait Times

By Chelsea Edgar Posted on October 26, 2021 at 6:07PM

The goal of the public forums is to help the task force identify the points where access to medical care breaks down, according to Kevin Mullin, chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, which regulates the state's health care system. For instance, driving distance can present an obstacle for those who live far from health care providers.

Lawmakers, Professionals Call on Scott to Amp Up Pandemic Response

By Colin Flanders Posted on October 25, 2021 at 7:12PM

When Democratic legislative leaders called on him in late August to do more as infection rates climbed, he wrote off their concerns as “playing politics” and said there was no reason for him to declare another state of emergency. And as case counts reached their highest point of the pandemic this month, he dismissed the notion of another mask mandate, saying he did not think it would “get one single person to wear a mask that doesn't want to wear a mask.”

Feds Say 7 Percent of Jobs in Vermont Are Open

By Anne Wallace Allen Posted on October 22, 2021 at 4:30PM

 In response to the pre-pandemic worker shortage, wages did start rising around 2019, and now there are hundreds of ads for entry-level positions offering as much as $30 per hour plus benefits. Middlebury College is advertising a $750 sign-on bonus for dining, public safety and facilities positions.

New School Contact Tracing Rules Will Put Fewer Students in Quarantine

By Alison Novak Posted on October 22, 2021 at 3:33PM

have COVID. And on the educational side, it's keeping them out of school while we're doing that.

Judge Rules in Favor of Vermont Law School in Mural Controversy

By Chelsea Edgar Posted on October 22, 2021 at 2:45PM

Justin Barnard, the attorney for VLS, told Seven Days he was pleased with the court's decision. "The school’s mission is to educate law students in a diverse and inclusive community, and it became clear over recent years that the mural — which many feel depicts Black bodies in a caricatured, stereotyped manner — was inconsistent with that mission and had become a source of discord," Barnard wrote in an email.

Dairy Farmer Sues Burlington Over Airport PFAS Contamination

By Kevin McCallum Posted on October 21, 2021 at 9:17PM