The Vermont Department of Public Service (VDPS) has come under intense scrutiny this week for omitting criticisms from an internal report assessing its accountability to the public. In a letter to the Department, lawyer James Dumont argued that VDPS independence is compromised by the influence of the ...
On March 1, voters across the nation participated in the largest single-day delegate bloc of the 2016 presidential primaries, known as Super Tuesday. Although Bernie Sanders won his home state of Vermont in a landslide over challenger Hillary Clinton, he struggled to win delegates nationally. Sanders ...
At first, it appeared to be an “udder” disaster. Last Friday, Feb. 26, an Agri-Mark owned tanker separated from the truck and overturned at the roundabout in downtown Middlebury, spilling roughly 40,000 pounds or 4,600 gallons of milk into the street. No one was injured, though most of the milk ...
On Thursday, Feb. 26, the Vermont Senate voted 17-12 to approve a bill legal- izing the recreational use of marijuana in Vermont. The bill, S.241, brings Vermont one step closer to be coming the fifth U.S. state to legalize marijuana. It will now proceed to the State House of Representatives, where ...
Vermont is revolutionizing the workplace, as the state has recently passed a bill requiring employers to provide paid sick leave for their workers. Currently, it is estimated that there are about 60,000 Vermonters who do not receive paid sick leave, many of whom are women who hold low-wage jobs. The ...
Bernie Sanders enjoys more popular support in Vermont than any other state in the nation. Yet even here, Sanders faces an uphill climb for the Democratic nomination. The reason: superdelegates. As Ben Kamisar explains in the Hill, superdelegates are “state party insiders given the freedom to support ...
Despite Senator Bernie Sanders’ 20-point margin of victory in Vermont’s neighboring state of New Hampshire, Senator Patrick Leahy reiterated last week that he will continue to support Clinton’s candidacy, and plans to cast his superdelegate vote in her favor. Leahy and Sanders have served alongside ...
The unexpected death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has infused the Democratic and Republican primaries with new drama. Last Friday, Feb. 12, Scalia was found dead of natural causes at a luxury resort in West Texas. He was 79 years old. Both Vermont Senators Bernie Sanders (I) and Patrick ...
On Jan. 31 and Feb. 4, a community forum met to talk over the proposed project to repair the railroad bridges in downtown Middlebury. The plan has drawn significant local opposition due to its anticipated effects on the downtown, as well as the potential for ecological damage to Otter Creek. Construction ...
On Jan. 8, Senator Martin LaLonde (D) of South Burlington introduced bill H.527, an amendment to the 2014 ban on using electronic devices while driving on the highway. This bill allows policemen and other law enforcement officers to inspect phones and other electronic devices without a search warrant. ...
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) players in Vermont may soon earn something they hadn’t bet on: a substantial fine. On Jan. 15, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office said that betting on DFS was illegal in Vermont. Popularized on websites Draft Kings and FanDuel, players of DFS accumulate points based ...
Middlebury’s Charter House Coalition currently helps house and feed over 500 people per year through a number of ever-expanding programs. The non-profit has come a long way since the organization started hosting monthly community dinners back in 2004. “If someone had told any of us back in 2004 ...
The train tracks that run through town, seemingly broken down décor, are scheduled for a substantial improvement. The Vermont Agency of Transportation plans to lower the railroad beds to accommodate double-decker trains and renovate the two rail bridges in town. The replacement of deteriorating bridges ...
When we stopped Ansel to talk in Sandy’s Bakery in Rochester, a look of recognition came across his face. He knew us – or knew of Humans of Vermont, that is. “Wow, I love you guys,” he gushed. Somewhat taken aback by our first fan, we thanked him as we sat down in the adjacent red arm chairs. ...
On January 7, Governor of Vermont Peter Shumlin delivered his sixth and final State of the State address, in which he reflected on his successes in office — and the challenges that lie ahead for Vermont. Shumlin has elected not to run in the upcoming gubernatorial election, ending his five year stretch ...
Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo recently outlined his strategy to combat the rising opiate crisis that has gained attention both within Vermont and nationally. Various gangs have formed active drug networks in Burlington, causing concern for public health and safety. The mayor of Burlington, ...
Although Vermont is over 3,000 miles from Paris, Vermonters are not letting the distance silence their voices on climate change action. Since the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference began in Paris last week, Vermonters have been engaged in many capacities. Some rallied locally, others went ...
On Saturday, Dec. 5 the John Graham Shelter in Vergennes hosted its second annual sleep-out at the foot of Otter Creek Falls near Marbleworks. The fundraising event raised over $35,000, which surpassed last year’s total of $30,000. All of the money raised will go directly into helping homeless individuals ...
We met Erin and Hannah, co-founder of the North End Honeys, in Bristol in October. They had just finished playing a set at a harvest fair, an upbeat and self defined “screaming honky tonk” duo with crooning harmonies and smooth strummed guitars. We stopped to chat as the two blonde friends started ...
With the presidential election less than a year away, and primaries for both parties even closer, the Campus sought on Sunday to take stock of local residents’ opinions. The following interviews are an anecdotal glimpse into an electorate that is decidedly Democratic, but still grapples with the feasibility ...