Vermont Staying Healthy

health rankings2VERMONT-- Vermont is number two of the healthiest states in the country. And now Caledonia County is starting to go up for the healthiest counties in Vermont.

Read more: Vermont Staying Healthy

Free Tuition: The Logistics

freetuition thumbnailVERMONT- President Barack Obama has recently pitched the idea of free tuition for community colleges. In Obama's State of the Union Address on January 20, he made it clear that getting a higher education needs to be a priority for the citizens of this country. Later in the address, the President backed his idea with statistics, saying, "forty percent of our [United States] college students choose community colleges."

Read more: Free Tuition: The Logistics

Push for Renewable Energy Sparks Concern

SolarThumb

MONTPELIEROver 100 people attended a Vermont Statehouse hearing Tuesday to voice concerns about about problems resulting in the state's push to build renewable energy.

Read more: Push for Renewable Energy Sparks Concern

How Affordable is Affordable Care?

VTHealthConnectVERMONT- The out-of-pocket cost for Vermonter’s using Vermont Health Connect exchange is about to increase. This year, the state of Vermont and the Federal Government have subsidies in place to help customers pay for their health care.

Read more: How Affordable is Affordable Care?

Alternative Taxes

electronic cigarettesLYNDON- A highly popular smoking alternative could soon be affected by three proposed bills brought in front of the house. The proposed bills were brought up by Representative Patricia Komline.

Read more: Alternative Taxes

Thick and Creamy with a Chance of Metal

kraft thumb

VERMONT- The popular franchise, Kraft, announces a recall of their original flavored Kraft Macaroni & Cheese products, because some packages may contain peices of metal.

 

Read more: Thick and Creamy with a Chance of Metal

Body Cameras to Keep Law Enforcement Transparent

body cam thumbST. JOHNSBURY- St. Johnbsury Police Officers have been wearing body cameras to document their daily duties for years. Lawmakers in Burlington are in debate over an expansion project, which would require the distribution of body cameras to all officers in Vermont.

Read more: Body Cameras to Keep Law Enforcement Transparent

Pushing the Limits

gunsVERMONT- Senate Bill 31 is no longer on the table, but, a new bill has passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee, looking to go into law. 

 

Read more: Pushing the Limits

911 Dispatch Centers Calling for Help

911 DispatcherVERMONT – In order to save $1.7 million for next year’s state budget, two 911 call centers, are in consideration of being shut down. The Derby and Rutland Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP's) have been targeted out of the state's 12 dispatch centers to shut their doors in order to save the state money after last year's shortfall of financial resources.

Read more: 911 Dispatch Centers Calling for Help

The Fight For and Against Marijuana

The Choice on MarijuanaBURLINGTON – It’s causing quite a stir-up at the state house; Will Vermont legalize the recreational use of marijuana? One Vermont Senator is pushing for exactly that to happen.

Read more: The Fight For and Against Marijuana

Vermont's Split Opinion on New Bill

renewablethumbnaiolcopyMONTPELIER- A new bill has been given preliminary approval by the Vermont House, with a vote of 127 to 11. The bill will require utilities to sell renewable electricity, some of which will come from wind, solar, and bio-methane sources that are in-state. The bill, H.40, is a program that will also reduce fossil fuel consumption by the electric utilitie's customers.

Privacy Act to Limit Govt.'s Power

privacy protectionVERMONT- Amendment IV states: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Read more: Privacy Act to Limit Govt.'s Power

Obama's Plan for Affordable College

obamaNORTHEAST KINGDOM- If President Obama’s Community College Plan is passed, the Community College of Vermont could see an increase in enrollment.  

 

Read more: Obama's Plan for Affordable College

Vermont Gas Pipeline

vermont gas finalVERMONT--- The pipeline project that would have gone from Middlebury, Vermont to Ticonderoa, New York will no longer be happening.The plan for the project known as Phase 2, was to connect the Middlebury pipeline to the International Paper Facility in Taconderoa New York, to bring natural gas under Lake Champlain.

Read more: Vermont Gas Pipeline

Vermonters vs. Vermonters

gun billMONTPELIER- Lawmakers have heard the side of numerous Vermonters about the proposed gun bill that has been introduced. With both sides filling the State House last night to speak to the Senate Judiciary and Health and Welfare Committee, it was not hard to pick out who was for the bill and who was against it, not only by the testimonies given, but also the colors that were worn.

Read more: Vermonters vs. Vermonters

Fourth Attempt for VT Beverage Tax

beverage taxVERMONT- A previously disputed beverage tax has found its way back to the State House. The proposed tax that would ask for two cents per ounce on drinks with added sugar has already been rejected three times before in 2011, 2013, and 2014.

 

Read more: Fourth Attempt for VT Beverage Tax

Barnet Town Meeting

BARNET- The Selectboard for the town of Barnet met Monday night with two topics up for discussion.

 

Read more: Barnet Town Meeting

Gruber Gives Testimony

gruberWASHINGTON D.C - Jonathan Gruber, a consultant of the Affordable Care Act, testified to the House of Oversight and Government Reform yesterday.

Read more: Gruber Gives Testimony

Vermonters: Rude on the Roads?

HandsFreeVERMONT - Ten states across America have been recognized in a survey conducted by Insure.com. The Green Mountain State was ranked for having some of the rudest folks out on the roads.

Read more: Vermonters: Rude on the Roads?

Shumlin says, "Reign in on Education Spending"

shumlin approvalVERMONT - Governor Peter Shumlin says the state of Vermont has to cut back on school spending, while still improving the quality of students' education. 

Read more: Shumlin says, "Reign in on Education Spending"

Unanswered 9-1-1 Calls During Outage Reportedly Double First Report

911outageVERMONT - The number of people who reportedly called 9-1-1 and did not successfully reach a dispatcher during last Friday's outage has nearly doubled; and at least two of them were made by residents of the Northeast Kingdom, the VCCJ has learned.

Read more: Unanswered 9-1-1 Calls During Outage Reportedly Double First Report

Harvey Lake Dam

barnet damVermont - The Barnet select board took over an hour last night discussing about ways to fix the Harvey Lake Dam, which has taken the town ten years to get to this point.  The dam was built in the early 1970s and got maintenance more or less in a year, but this is the first major repair of the dam.

Read more: Harvey Lake Dam

Keeping Rights on Record

body camsVERMONT - As technology continues to evolve, the way our human rights are protected evolve as well. March 2nd, 1991, would forever change how news is covered and shared, and opened the eyes of many around the world.

Read more: Keeping Rights on Record

Should Gruber be Terminated

gruberVERMONT- Vermont State Senate Minority Leader Joe Benning is asking Governor Peter Shumlin to terminate Vermont's $400,000 contract with Jonathan Gruber.

Read more: Should Gruber be Terminated

"NO" to Pipeline

pipelineNATIONWIDE- The United States Senate has voted down the bill to authorize the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

 

Read more: "NO" to Pipeline