Priest Shortage Claims Winooski Parish and Two Small Churches

by Derek Brouwer Posted on June 24, 2020 at 1:37PM

All three churches had been closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, during which time the diocese streamed mass online. Churches statewide were allowed to reopen on June 1 with reduced capacity, per an order from Gov. Phil Scott.

City Attorney Prevents Burlington Police Commission From Asking Officers to Resign

by Courtney Lamdin Posted on June 23, 2020 at 11:21PM

The commissioners agreed to discuss the statement in executive session. Hughes asked if Gamache had made the statement public.

Vermont Senate to Change Remote Meeting Policy After More Glitches

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 23, 2020 at 6:58PM

Like many public bodies, the Vermont legislature has struggled to adapt to the remote meeting world created by the coronavirus pandemic. In April, Ashe apologized after senators veered into a public policy discussion before making a caucus stream live.

EMILY's List Endorses Rebecca Holcombe for Governor

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 23, 2020 at 12:21PM

Updated at 1:06 p.m. A national political organization devoted to electing pro-choice women to public office announced Tuesday that it has endorsed former education secretary Rebecca Holcombe in the Democratic primary for Vermont governor.

Rodgers Lashes Out as Senators Criticize His 'Derogatory' Email

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 22, 2020 at 11:29PM

Though Rodgers' personal finances have kept him from remote legislating, he said Monday that he hopes to win reelection to the Senate this fall. Because he missed the deadline to appear on the Democratic ballot, he plans to wage a write-in campaign for the nomination.

Burlington Councilors Hear From Chief on Proposed Police Cuts

by Courtney Lamdin Posted on June 22, 2020 at 10:45PM

Cutting 30 percent of the roster would leave Burlington with 75 cops, down from the current 90. The union contract dictates that the newest hires would be the first to go, Murad said, displaying a PowerPoint slide with portraits and bios of the latest recruits.

Act 250 Bill Hits Quagmire in the Latest Act of a Long Legislative Drama

by Kevin McCallum Posted on June 22, 2020 at 8:39PM

The goal of S.237 was to make it easier to build housing in downtowns and neighborhoods identified for growth, where services, jobs, and utilities are concentrated, Sen. Michael Sirotkin (D-Chittenden) explained. One key way to encourage this would be to remove the “unnecessarily complicated and duplicative regulations" that drive up development costs, he said.

Middlebury Will Welcome Students Back to Campus This Fall

by Derek Brouwer Posted on June 22, 2020 at 6:21PM

Middlebury College will hold in-person classes this fall, the private liberal arts school announced Monday, but students must pass multiple COVID-19 tests and quarantine periods before they can return. "While this fall will look much different than at any time in our history, I am grateful that we will be able to come together again in a way that upholds educational opportunity while maximizing the health and safety of the entire Middlebury community," president Laurie Patton said in a detailed campus letter.

State Plans to Resume Probe Into Prison Abuse Allegations

by Colin Flanders Posted on June 22, 2020 at 5:30PM

Vermont has increased testing at its six in-state prison facilities. Every inmate is tested at intake, and the state has conducted one round of mass testing at every facility in recent weeks, swabbing roughly 1,250 inmates to date. Until last week, only the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans had any non-staff cases, with at least 45 inmates and 17 employees infected.

Legislators Fast-Track Some Police Reforms, Plan More Work on Others

by Kevin McCallum Posted on June 19, 2020 at 7:30PM