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…

By Sen. Dick McCormack The pandemic, its economic fallout, and the resulting social and personal stresses, all beg for analysis. What’s going on? What are proper responses? What mistakes are being made? What fundamental problems are exposed? I’m grateful for the informed, insightful, indeed wise communications I’ve been getting from concerned citizens. It’s gratifying when constituents…

By Rep. Jim Harrison This past Friday, the House gave preliminary approval to H.673, which gives authority to towns to adopt a shade tree regulation plan. The legislation is only enabling and was advanced by the agriculture and forestry committee on a unanimous vote, which usually means quick passage on the House floor. While the…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson Public health is improved with safe housing The Covid-19 crisis is challenging all of us, but it is particularly challenging for those already at risk in Vermont. “Stay Home, Stay Safe” assumes two things – that you have a home and that it is safe. Sadly, for too many Vermonters this…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Call it a mother’s ingenuity, but our son is not always the best with reading and responding to emails. It may be a guy thing? So Pat has learned that when she needs to get Ben’s attention, she just titles the email “Golf,” even though it has nothing to do with…

Preliminary data show a 15% decrease last year over the year prior Opioid-related fatalities in Vermont have decreased for the first time since 2014. Newly released data from the Department of Health show a 15% decline in the number of deaths attributed to opioid misuse — down from 130 in 2018 to 111 in 2019. Health Commissioner Mark…

Everyone is responsible for doing their part to stop this pandemic - wear a mask By Sen. Dick McCormack State Colleges As everyone knows, the proposal to close three state colleges has been taken off the table, at least somewhat in response to public outrage. But the issue is far from settled. As I argued…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Confirmed new cases of Covid-19 in Vermont continued to decline last week, another sign that we are beyond the peak and doing better than many other areas. On Friday, May 1, Scott again turned the proverbial spigot another quarter turn as more businesses will be allowed to open, albeit with restrictions…

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) has received a grant for more than $21 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The grant funds will be distributed among public transit providers statewide in rural and urban areas and aid…

By Kit Norton and Xander Landen/VTDigger Once the state cashes the checks it received from Washington, D.C., Vermont’s coffers will have $1.25 billion in funding that can be used to cover costs related to the Covid-19 crisis. Gov. Phil Scott and lawmakers have until the end of the year to decide how to spend the money granted to…

USDA is expanding access to innovative online food purchase program U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced, approval of a request from Vermont to provide online purchasing of food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households April 24. This approval will allow the state to expedite the implementation of online purchasing with currently authorized SNAP…

By Sen. Allison Clarkson Thankfully as a result of Vermonters adopting “Stay Home, Stay Safe” and practicing public health safety measures — social distancing, wearing face masks and gloves — the spread of the novel coronavirus has slowed significantly in Vermont. The growth rate in new Covid-19 cases is lower and the number of people…

By Jim Harrison This past Friday, April 24, Governor Scott turned the spigot ever so slightly or as Stewart Ledbetter said on “Vermont This Week” (the Friday evening PBS program for political junkies), “He took baby steps.” Vermont continues to show a slowing of new cases. However, as Scott pointed out, neighboring states like Massachusetts…