Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) March 9  introduced legislation to connect every household in America with high-speed broadband service capable of supporting remote schooling, online businesses and remote work, telehealth appointments, and entertainment streaming. The most recent Federal Communications Commission Broadband Deployment Report indicates that 18 million people lack access to broadband service. The Vermont Dept.…

H.128, an act relating to limiting criminal defenses based on victim identity, colloquially referred to as “gay panic,” passed in the Vermont Statehouse 144-1 on March 11. The single "Nay" vote came from Rep. Rodney Graham (R-Orange-1), of Williamstown. The bill was introduced by Rep. Mari Codes and Rep. Taylor Small, and co-sponsored by 24…

By Xander Landen/VTDigger A federal coronavirus relief bill approved Wednesday, March 10, by the U.S. House would direct more than $2.7 billion to Vermont, according to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. That includes nearly $1.3 billion in direct aid to the state and tens of millions of dollars to Vermont municipalities. “My top priority for this relief…

On March 15, Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) and Green Mountain Power (GMP) each launched a broadband deployment program to help more Vermonters in some of the hardest-to-reach corners of Vermont get connected to broadband quickly and cost-effectively. The plans approved Friday by the Vermont Public Utility Commission lower the cost for broadband providers to connect…

On Friday, March 12, Governor Phil Scott announced updates to Covid-19 guidance for small multi-household gatherings and table seating at restaurants. Effective immediately, the changes allow two unvaccinated households to gather at a time, and permitting restaurants to seat multiple households together, but no more than six people can be seated at the same table. Masking, distancing,…

By Rep. Jim Harrison The passage of the American Rescue Plan in Washington was welcome news to state leaders and many Vermonters. Thanks to small state minimums, Vermont will once again receive over a billion dollars in federal funds. Over $2 billion will come into the state when you include the $1,400 stimulus payments to…

At the conclusion of Tuesday evening’s meeting, Select Board Chair Lynne Bertram announced that Norman “Nope” Martin had declined to participate in a runoff election with George Spear and instead dropped out of the race. In Australian balloting on March 2, Spear was deadlocked with longtime incumbent board member Martin, 128-128, in the only contested…

Three sections of Routes 12, 106 and 4 will be repaved. The anticipated start date is early May, though project managers couldn’t say exactly when as the start date will be determined by the company chosen to do the work. The work on the paving may go into the evening hours to ensure that the…

By Curt Peterson For more than 50 years Barnard residents have relied on a fellow named George to learn when spring has officially arrived. Historically sponsored by the Barnard General Store, George (a dummy who is tied in a sitting position, his high chair supported by the ice on Silver Lake) announces the “ice out”…

By Polly Mikula Plans to move Rutland Free Library out of downtown, and relocate it to the former College of St. Joseph (CSJ) campus, have fallen through — at least for now. Library trustees had hoped to buy the former college library building from Heartland Development, which plans to acquire much of the former campus from…

By Erin Petenko/VTdigger Based on increasing Covid-19 vaccine supply, Gov. Phil Scott estimates that life in Vermont could return to normal by the Fourth of July, he said Tuesday, March 16 at his twice-weekly press conference. Scott learned in a national call with the White House on Tuesday that vaccine makers are ramping up their…

By Alan J. Keays/VTDigger RUTLAND—Judge Peter Hall died early Thursday morning, March 11, one week after announcing he would step back from the region’s federal appellate court. Hall, 72, was the lone Vermonter on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, which is based in New York City. Judge Geoffrey Crawford, Vermont’s chief federal district…

By Katy Savage The niece of a man killed in a hit and run in Mendon Thursday, March 11, is asking the public for help in identifying who hit him. “I’m struggling with what happened,” Amanda Miles wrote in a message to her late uncle on Facebook. “You didn’t let life bring you down and you…

Timeline of Covid-19 related executive orders in March 2020 March 7: the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Vermont. March 13: Governor Scott declared a State of Emergency. March 13, Governor Scott restricted non-essential gatherings of more than 250 people and prohibited all non-essential out-of-state travel by state employees. March 13: Governor Scott restricted…

MCR, the country’s fourth-largest hotel owner-operator, has acquired Killington Mountain Lodge, a 102-room inn located at 2617 Killington Road in Killington. The lodge sits on the sixth hole of the par-72 championship Killington Mountain Golf Course. MCR will operate the Killington Mountain Lodge as a Hilton Tapestry affiliate. The hotel will have a grand reopening as a…