Off Message

Bernie Bits: In the West, Sanders Talks Immigration and Guns

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 22, 2015 at 11:03AM

e also took an apparent dig at Clinton without mentioning her by name. “It was appalling to me that last year when the papers were full of discussion of the large numbers of unaccompanied children at the borders there were so many voices insisting they be turned away or simply shipped back to their country of origin like a package marked return to sender,” he said.

Chittenden County State's Attorney T.J. Donovan speaks Friday night at the Vermont Democratic Party's annual Curtis Awards dinner.

Donovan to Run for Attorney General

by Terri Hallenbeck Posted on June 21, 2015 at 11:21PM

In accepting the award, Minter launched into a campaign-style speech that carried enough of a national flavor to suggest she might be interested in a congressional seat. Instead of spending their time trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Minter said, Republicans in Washington should fix the nation's crumbling roads and bridges.

Labor Unions Want Uber Drivers Treated As Employees

by Alicia Freese Posted on June 21, 2015 at 7:35PM

The distinction between a contractor and an employee, which varies by state, can be hard to pinpoint, but it depends on the level of control a company exerts on the people who work for it. As Seven Days reported in April, Vermont’s Department of Labor has for months been examining whether Uber drivers are employees under state law.

Sen. Bernie Sanders at a New Hampshire house party in April.

Will Sanders' Gun Record Haunt Him in the Democratic Primary?

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 18, 2015 at 5:32PM

Following Wednesday night's deadly shooting of nine parishioners at a historically black Charleston, S.C. church, the issue is bound to come up in the presidential debate. While Sanders has run as a progressive alternative to former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, his record on firearms puts him well to the right of both Clinton and former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, both of whom have consistently supported gun control measures.

Johanna Anderson sits chained Thursday morning to a pipe at the Vermont Gas pipeline construction site in Essex.

Protest Disrupts Pipeline Work

by Terri Hallenbeck Posted on June 18, 2015 at 2:47PM

e long-term use of fossil fuels, which the group opposes. Vermont Gas spokeswoman Beth Parent argued that replacing oil or propane heat with natural gas saves households on average $2,000 a year.

Lieutenant Gubernatorial Race Could Reshape Vermont Senate

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 18, 2015 at 12:34PM

Brandon Riker, a 28-year-old Marlboro resident who works in finance, cautions that he's still just "exploring the idea" of running and is busy "traveling the state, talking to people, seeing if it's viable." Though Riker has never run for public office before, he worked for President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign and for Sen. Jon Tester's (D-Mont.) and former Alaska senator Mark Begich's reelection races.

Two Men Discovered Dead of Suspected Overdoses

by Alicia Freese Posted on June 18, 2015 at 11:46AM

Schirling also noted that police had been to the house twice previously for overdose calls. And on December 4, police searched the house in an investigation into heroin dealing in Burlington's Old North End after neighbors raised concerns.

Supporters at Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) presidential campaign kickoff at the Burlington waterfront in May.

New Polls Show Bernie-Mentum

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 17, 2015 at 5:04PM

t’s important to keep in mind that even presidential steamrollers hit speed bumps and even — gasp! — lose states," he argued.

Media Note: Sanders Camp Hires MSNBC Producer

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 17, 2015 at 9:38AM

As he continues to beef up his presidential campaign staff, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has recruited MSNBC producer and 2009 University of Vermont graduate Arianna Jones to join his press team. According to TVNewser, Jones will serve as "deputy communications manager" for the campaign.

Artists Say South End Proposal Would Mean Gentrification

by Molly Walsh Posted on June 17, 2015 at 9:31AM

Carrying signs that read "We've got this, keep the protective industrial zone" and "gentrification = disintegration of arts and industry," many people questioned the proposals in the draft PlanBTV South End and the process that led to them. Several speakers said the thick draft misrepresented public input gathered at meetings and understated opposition to zoning that would allow housing in the Enterprise Zone where it is now prohibited.