Off Message

OMG! Cautionary Sidewalk Stencils Appear in Downtown Burlington

by Cathy Resmer Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:14PM

My smartphone was safely stowed in my pocket this morning as I walked in to work, which is probably why I noticed these new stencils on the sidewalk in downtown Burlington. Naturally, I took my phone out after I saw them and snapped some photos.

(Almost) Morning Read: Shumlin's East Montpelier Empire Grows

by Paul Heintz Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:11PM

Remember Peter Hirschfeld? He's that guy from the New York Post, I mean, National Enquirer, I mean, Vermont Press Bureau, who broke a story last week about Gov. Peter Shumlin's land dealings in East Montpelier.

The Fact Checker: Would Single-Payer Health Care Result in the Largest Tax Increase in Vermont History?

by 7D Staff Posted on October 10, 2012 at 8:00AM

CLAIM: “Montpelier is keeping a $5 billion secret. Why?

Burlington Progressive Party Chair Kicks Ass on Would-Be Thief

by Ken Picard Posted on October 8, 2012 at 2:29PM

The Burlington City Progressive Party may not be the dominant force it once was in Queen City politics, but this week its committee chair proved he can still kick some serious ass in the Old North End — by pummeling the snot out of a would-be criminal. On Friday night, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m., Tiki Archambeau (pictured right) claims he walked out of his house on Crombie Street when he noticed the dome light in his car lit up.

Video: McMullen Loans His AG Campaign "Low Six Figures," Releases Two New Ads

by Paul Heintz Posted on October 8, 2012 at 1:09PM

Republican candidate for attorney general Jack McMullen is up with two new TV ads: one taking incumbent Democratic AG Bill Sorrell to task on crime and the other faulting him for personally arguing a campaign finance case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Though McMullen declined to reveal how much he's spending to air the two ads, he said he's raised $50,000 from contributors thus far and loaned his campaign an amount "in the low six figures."

The Week Ahead: October 8-14, 2012

by Andy Bromage Posted on October 8, 2012 at 8:58AM

Only four weeks until Election Day, and you know what that means — time to start paying attention! Candidates for virtually every office on this year's election ballot face off in debates this week, and many will take questions from voters like you.

Conservative Super PAC Dives Into Legislative Races

by Paul Heintz Posted on October 5, 2012 at 4:10PM

The state's big-spending, conservative super PAC, Vermonters First, is broadening its focus to specific House and Senate races. For weeks, the group has filled the airwaves and mailboxes with advertisements opposing "Democrats" generally and supporting two statewide Republican candidates specifically.

Facing Questions About East Montpelier Property, Shumlin Storms Out of Press Conference

by Paul Heintz Posted on October 5, 2012 at 6:39AM

attempted to jump in. As Hirschfeld sought to ask the question again, Shumlin said, "It's been great seeing you," and stormed out of the room.

The Scoreboard: This Week's Winners and Losers

by Paul Heintz Posted on October 5, 2012 at 4:00AM

Each Friday here at Off Message headquarters, we do our very best to bring you the week's winners and losers in Vermont news and politics. Sometimes, however, we just spew out the same old conventional wisdom you've been hearing all week.

F-35 Supporters Double-Down on Property Value Claims

by Kevin J. Kelley Posted on October 4, 2012 at 1:19PM

Representatives of nine major real estate firms in Chittenden County are doubling down on a local development group's earlier claim that basing F-35 fighter jets at the Burlington airport will have no adverse effect on the value of nearby homes. In a full-page advertisement (right) running this week in Seven Days and today in the Burlington Free Press, the realtors say their conclusion is based in part on "careful analysis of real world Vermont market transactions."