Off Message

Renters Can Apply for New $100 Million Assistance Program

By Anne Wallace Allen Posted on May 12, 2021 at 10:24PM

“What we don’t know — it is just almost impossible to get this number — is how many households have been making either no payment on rent or partial payments on rent, and just getting deeper and deeper in the hole,” Pine said. “What we do know is this money will be able to cover arrears, and that’s a huge, real positive aspect.”

Gov. Scott Establishes a Proclamation of Inclusion That Welcomes All to Vermont

By Anne Wallace Allen Posted on May 12, 2021 at 9:00AM

The proclamation — and a declaration that May 9-15 this year is inclusion week in Vermont — show that being inclusive and welcoming takes continued effort, said Scott in a press release. He noted that the Vermont League of Cities and Towns has created a guide to equity and inclusion for its members.

A health care worker prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Pending Approval, Vaccine Appointments for 12- to 15-Year-Olds Could Open This Week

By Anne Wallace Allen Posted on May 11, 2021 at 5:27PM

He advised parents who have children in this age group to start planning now by registering on the state health department's website. They will be able to sign up the morning after CDC approval is announced.

The retired ferry Adirondack in Port Kent, N.Y.

Company Scraps Plan to Scuttle an Obsolete Ferry in Lake Champlain

By Kevin McCallum Posted on May 11, 2021 at 3:26PM

Instead, the Addy, as she is known, will be scrapped, Trieschmann said. John Paul, port engineer for Lake Champlain Transportation, declined to comment.

Vermont Senate Backs $100 Million Broadband Bill

By Colin Flanders Posted on May 11, 2021 at 2:00PM

One key difference centers around who would be allowed to receive the funding. Instead of sending money directly to internet service providers, the House bill would funnel grants to communication union districts — a type of municipal entity that can both build broadband infrastructure themselves or work with private internet providers to expand service.

Burlington City Council to Study Raising Councilor Pay

By Courtney Lamdin Posted on May 10, 2021 at 11:22PM

City Attorney Eileen Blackwood told councilors that while no other nonprofits have stepped up, the city has heard from "a couple individuals who have done investigations into wage and hour matters" but who don't qualify under the ordinance. Blackwood has suggested allowing for-profit businesses to serve in the role so long as they don't hold other city contracts. The program would also shift from a complaint-based system to one that relies more on site visits and proactive investigations, Blackwood said.

Hightower Named Executive Director of Peace & Justice Center

By Courtney Lamdin Posted on May 10, 2021 at 3:17PM

The position will be Hightower’s first foray into the nonprofit sector. For the last five years, Hightower has worked as a manager and analyst at Resonance, a Burlington-based private company that helps fight poverty through federally-funded global development projects.

Hoffer: Vermont's Dairy Industry Netted $285 Million in State Support Over a Decade

By Kevin McCallum Posted on May 10, 2021 at 1:47PM

In addition to direct grants and subsidies, the report noted that agricultural operations are exempt from a range of permits, including for stormwater, groundwater and wetlands.

Its Credibility Gone, Vermont Performing Arts League to Dissolve, Board Says

By Colin Flanders Posted on May 9, 2021 at 10:41AM

Bergstein, who founded the performing arts league in 1978 alongside his wife and business partner, April Werner, has been accused of forcibly kissing, sexually harassing and groping numerous women over the last decade. He was also the subject of a criminal investigation in 2016 following an allegation that he brought an underage girl to a bar and then back to his home where he “sexually penetrated her" but was never charged.

Koffee Kup's Burlington facility on Riverside Avenue

In Wake of Koffee Kup's Closure, Massachusetts Company Eyes Vermont Expansion

By Colin Flanders Posted on May 7, 2021 at 8:30PM

Three days after the closure, KeyBank sued Koffee Kup for breach of contract, writing in court filings that the company still owes $3.2 million on a term loan and $4 million on a revolving credit. Those agreements, according to the suit, require that the company repay its debt in the event of a change in ownership. A week after learning that most of Koffee Kup's stock had been sold on April 1, KeyBank demanded to be repaid.

Seven Days