By Lola Duffort/VTDigger With Vermont seeing one of the country’s slowest rates of growth for coronavirus infections, K-12 officials have said they intend to have students back in classrooms come fall. But schools will look starkly different, they warn. And all plans are subject to change. “The best thing about it is the whole nation’s in…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson This week’s New Yorker magazine cover ,“This Side Up,” illustrates an upside down world, capturing an aspect of how many are feeling right now. Our U.S. government has failed to adequately prepare and protect its citizens from a global pandemic — and our public safety officers, whose job is to protect…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Vermont has a proud tradition of a citizen legislature. Its 180 members (150 House and 30 Senate), are part time and in my opinion, most serve as public servants in the truest sense of the word. The typical legislative session adjourns in early to mid-May. However, this year is like no…

By Sen. Dick McCormack Note to readers: This isn’t the Covid/Economy related article I’d planned to submit for this week. The economic fallout of the shutdown is terrible and people want an accounting of how their legislators are responding. There are reasons for me to not write about racism. We’re the whitest state in the…

By Rep. Jim Harrison In my prior role with the Grocers Association, I remember going into the House Appropriations Committee where the chair at that time, Michael Obuchowski, had a sign on the wall, “What part of NO do you not understand…The N or the O?” The message was clear if you were coming in…

Staff report The members of the (VSP) Vermont State Police and Dept. of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling unequivocally condemn the actions of police officers in Minneapolis that led to the death of George Floyd, according to a statement, Friday, May 29. “What I have seen on video from the mishandled attempt to arrest George…

By Mike Dougherty, Grace Elletson and Elizabeth Hewitt/VTDigger Vermonters rallied Saturday, May 30, as protests against police brutality erupted across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. In Burlington, signs and speeches escalated to a verbal confrontation with city police officials as demonstrators marched on the Burlington Police…

Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced Monday, June 1, a restart plan for resuming driver’s license tests and a new service for Vermonters to receive their learner’s permit online as the state begins limited resumption of services paused due to Covid-19. “As operations and services come back online, the DMV…

Says he will not campaign until state of emergency is over Governor Phil Scott send the following email Thursday, May 28 at 7 a.m. Dear Mountain Times, First of all, I want to thank you for the support you’ve given me over the years. I would not be governor today without your help and encouragement.…

On May 22, Vermont Senate passed legislation (S.295) to ban PFAS and other toxic chemicals from certain products. The bill is supported by firefighters, business groups, educators, public health and children’s advocates, and environmental groups. It now heads to the Vermont House for consideration. Lauren Hierl, executive director of Vermont Conservation Voters, noted: “S.295 takes…

By Rep. Jim Harrison I must say that the potential reopening of barbers and hair salons on May 29 got my attention. As we were recently sorting through some old books, we came across our college yearbook. I couldn’t help thinking that the longer hair I had then was indeed making a comeback! Last week,…

Green Mountain Power (GMP) customers now have two new home battery programs they can enroll in starting on June 5, after a Vermont Public Utility Commission order issued late Wednesday, May 20. GMP’s Tesla Powerwall and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs are both modeled on the company’s popular and groundbreaking pilot programs that have…

The U.S. Census Bureau, in coordination with federal, state and local health officials, began to drop off 2020 Census questionnaire packets at front doors of households in Vermont on Friday, May 8. This is done in areas where the majority of households do not receive mail at their physical address. The Census Bureau began hand-delivering…

Charles “Butch” Shaw of Pittsford announced his candidacy for re-election to a sixth term to represent the citizens of Brandon, Pittsford and Sudbury in the Vermont House of Representatives on Monday, May 18. Butch was first appointed to the House by former Governor Jim Douglas in 2009 to represent Rutland District-6. Shaw has developed a…

Jim Harrison of Chittenden announced his candidacy for a new term as state representative for the Rutland-Windsor 1 district (Bridgewater, Chittenden, Killington and Mendon) on May 14. He was first appointed in 2017 by Governor Phil Scott to replace former Representative Job Tate and was elected to a new term in 2018. Harrison, an independently-minded…