Deep cuts will need to be made in New Hampshire’s budget due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Chris Sununu said Thursday as he also announced schools will be closed until the end of the school year.
The shutting down of the economy for fear of virus transmission has produced still-uncalculated millions of dollars in lost incomes, closed schools and colleges, and tottering businesses. Not the least of the catastrophic effects is the disappearance of hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues over the next two or three years.
In response to uncertain FY 2021 state transportation revenues, the House Transportation Committee on Wednesday discussed a proposal to approve a full year of transportation spending but allocate only enough money for three or four months.
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation last month ordered Vermont public water systems to disinfect water to protect immuno-suppressed Vermonters at risk from Covid-19.
The United States and Canada agreed to extend a ban on all non-essential travel on their shared border for another month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said the Trump administration’s plan to reopen the country was a good approach during a news conference on Friday.
COVID-19 is serious. It’s a big challenge. Governor Scott is fighting it with carpet bombing, which hasn’t killed the virus but has devastated most everything else. Attila the Hun could not have done a better job killing an economy in his rampage through Europe.
More than 130 Vermonters have used the Vermont State Police “Executive Order Reporting Tool” (EORT) to inform police about other Vermonters’ alleged infractions of Gov. Scott’s executive orders for work, travel and social distancing, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling said this week.
When the time comes to honor all of those Vermonters who displayed great courage, commitment, and capabilities during the pandemic, I hope that those who were deep in the fight — our janitors, custodians, wipers and environmental engineers — are recognized for also protecting all of us.
Norway has had 128 deaths from COVID-19 out of a population of 5.4 million. Finland, with 5.5 million, has had fewer than 100 deaths, and Denmark, with 5.6 million, has had 275 deaths. It’s too early to know, but Sweden later may be seen as a success because its smaller population allows it to respond more easily.
The House Transportation Committee on Wednesday discussed several thorny problems raised by the state of emergency: 34 public transit drivers are out, three have tested positive; ridership is down 75 percent; and Burlington riders are less likely to wear masks.
We will never know how many more Vermonters have years knocked off their lives, never know how many cases of domestic abuse occurred, how many more high schoolers dropped out a year or two later due to the stay-at-home order.