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Vermont Loosens Restrictions for Restaurants, Tourists

by Kevin McCallum Posted on June 5, 2020 at 4:16PM

Under new rules starting Monday, tourists and nonessential business travelers from low-risk areas of New England and upstate New York will no longer have to quarantine when visiting Vermont. Low-risk counties are defined as those with fewer than 400 active cases per million.

'Call to Action' In Winooski As Outbreak Takes Shape

by Derek Brouwer Posted on June 5, 2020 at 4:02PM

The outbreak emerged late last week as a small cluster of cases. Today, Scott announced that he was lifting some statewide restrictions on out-of-state travel and indoor dining but said the health department could suggest that Winooski "take a pause on these openings" if further testing were to show "wider community spread."

The demonstrators marching to police headquarters on Saturday

Activists Demand Burlington Defund Its Police Department

by Courtney Lamdin Posted on June 4, 2020 at 11:10PM

"There are no new facts that would warrant re-opening the employment actions," the statement reads. "All three officers remain employed by and are valued members of the BPD."

Health Commissioner Mark Levine at a press conference in March

Winooski Coronavirus Outbreak Widens With 34 New Cases

by Derek Brouwer Posted on June 4, 2020 at 7:36PM

State officials have cautioned that case clusters were likely to pop up as the state emerges from lockdown. Further, increased testing of asymptomatic residents is likely to uncover more infections than were documented in the pandemic's first month, when testing was limited to people who showed certain symptoms.

Scott Administration Outlines $375 Million Health Care System Bailout

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 4, 2020 at 6:32PM

interests are similar. We might be approaching it differently."

Sen. John Rodgers Misses Democratic Primary Filing Deadline

by Kevin McCallum Posted on June 4, 2020 at 1:28PM

“I had too many things on my plate and wasn’t paying close enough attention,” Rodgers told Seven Days. He put his paperwork in the mailbox at his Glover farm on Tuesday, figuring that allowed plenty of time for it to reach a district clerk in Newport by 5 p.m. on Friday, which he thought was the deadline.

Ken Schatz to Retire as DCF Chief

by Paul Heintz Posted on June 3, 2020 at 8:05PM

With more than 950 employees, DCF is one of the largest departments in state government. It's responsible for child protective services, foster care and adoption programs, childcare regulation, and such economic support programs as Reach Up, 3SquaresVT and fuel assistance.

Gov. Phil Scott and Health Commissioner Mark Levine at a recent briefing

Scott Expected to Announce on Friday the Return of Indoor Dining

by Colin Flanders Posted on June 3, 2020 at 3:46PM

"But with contact tracing, coordination with the community, careful isolation and quarantine, this outbreak can and will be managed," Levine said. Scott said he plans to announce his latest turns of the "spigot" on Friday, as long as the outbreak remains contained to the Winooski area. He said the return of indoor dining at restaurants will be "very controlled," with an emphasis on physical distancing; bars will not be allowed to reopen at this time.

New Burlington Police Commission Chair Warns of 'Uncomfortable Conversations' Ahead

by Derek Brouwer Posted on June 2, 2020 at 10:01PM

The special committee's February report called for more leeway for police commissioners to publicly discuss the disciplinary cases they review. The Bellavance case, for instance, resulted in a three-week suspension, but the incident was not publicized until Meli filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court many months later.

A polling place in South Burlington last week.

Bill to Remove Scott's Power to Decide How Vermonters Vote Advances

by Kevin McCallum Posted on June 2, 2020 at 9:52PM

Condos argues the best way to ensure a safe general election in November is to mail ballots to all registered voters in the state, perhaps 500,000 people. Groundwork needs to begin now, he says.