Big winds knock out power for thousands of Vermonters
Massive gusts of high-speed winds are knocking out power for thousands of Vermonters across the state.
Q&A with Katharine Montstream, Burlington volunteer
Editor’s note: This Q&A is one of many VTDigger will run throughout Election Day. Katharine Montstream, 50, is volunteering at the Burlington polls in Ward 6 this Election Day. She is a Ward 6 resident who voted for Obama in 2008, and said she would do so again this year. Why is it important to [...]
Best way to help Hurricane Sandy victims is donating through a reputable relief organization
Vermonters are in a position to repay some of the help that poured into the state last year after Tropical Storm Irene. Eight Red Cross volunteers headed to New Jersey Wednesday to help out, and Gov. Peter Shumlin is offering two Vermont Guard helicopters to relief efforts. At this point, though, it is more helpful [...]
Rapid Referral Program for at-risk youths proving effective, according to three-year study
Two numbers stand out in a new study on recidivism rates among at-risk youth — 18.7 and 84. Young people who receive alcohol and drug abuse counseling at Spectrum Youth and Family Services have an 18.7 percent risk of committing crimes, while 84 percent of teens in the control group who didn’t participate in the [...]
Burlington Free Press plans to sell seven of its downtown buildings
The Burlington Free Press announced Friday that it will undergo a major downsizing operation — it plans to sell seven of its 12 downtown Burlington buildings. The newspaper is scaling back its downtown office space from 55,700 square feet to 10,000 square feet. It will consolidate its editorial and business activity into this space, which [...]
Vermont Yankee engineering supervisor’s alcohol level tests over NRC limit
A blood alcohol test Wednesday morning of a Vermont Yankee engineering supervisor was above the federally mandated alcohol limit; plant authorities subsequently revoked the employee’s access to the plant. According to Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) spokesman Neil Sheehan, the supervisor was tested due to a red flag raised by coworkers, not a random screening. “It [...]
Middlebury students distribute fake press release claiming college divested “industries of violence” investments
Five Middlebury College students, masquerading as the college’s communications office, distributed a counterfeit press release last Friday, announcing that Middlebury was “fully divesting its endowment from war” in honor of the Dalai Lama’s visit to campus. Though the content of the release was false, it has incited plenty of media attention — its authors have [...]
State seeks federal funding for health insurance exchange program
Gov. Peter Shumlin’s health care reform team is moving forward with the development of in-person assistance programs to help individuals, families and small businesses better access the Vermont Health Benefit Exchange. The exchange will become the state’s chief health insurance market come Jan. 1, 2014. Lindsey Tucker, deputy commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health [...]
Tests narrowing herbicides in tainted Green Mountain Compost; payments to gardeners costing less than expected
New testing shows that Chittenden Solid Waste District’s herbicide-tainted Green Mountain Compost may contain only one, and possibly two, herbicides. Also, it appears that reimbursements to customers will be less than the $1 million initially estimated. In July, the CSWD recalled thousands of cubic yards of compost that contained traces of herbicides — under 16 [...]
Burlington City Council to review new Parkway plan, BT committee and accessibility
The Burlington City Council will consider a proposal to consolidate oversight of the troubled finances and operations of Burlington Telecomm tonight. The mayor and a number of city councilors want to replace the previous advisory committee and Blue Ribbon Committee with a Burlington Telecom Advisory Board that is supposed to advise BT management, the mayor, [...]
