“Priority 1” crimes like arson, assault, overdoses and robbery rose 14.2% in Burlington in 2021, the first full year of the ‘Defund the Police” staff reductions measures, according to a May 20, 2022 report by city analyst Jonathan Larson.
After a mass shooting Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 children and two teachers, Gov. Phil Scott is calling for new federal gun control measures, and Vermont’s education secretary is reminding communities about important resources that may prevent future tragedies.
Police in Burlington, largely understaffed due to funding cuts from City Council, investigated another gun incident early Monday morning. Multiple parties were firing at each other, according to BPD.
Student researchers Andrew Langdon and Maggie Adams have compiled data on 101 Vermont towns and the money each spends on its library and police department. The results: Sixty-one towns spend more on police, while 40 put more money toward libraries, according to a press release from the center.
The governor, along with Democratic U.S. Sen. Peter Welch and the Vermont Community Broadband Board, said $16 million in connectivity grants will fund fiber broadband service to Bolton and a group of towns in the Northeast Kingdom. The projects must be completed in the next two years.
On Thursday Vermont’s governor used his veto pen to strike down drug decriminalization through a proposed Drug Use Standards Advisory Board, but he allowed ranked choice voting in Burlington City Council elections.
Four candidates for lieutenant governor on Wednesday participated in a forum focused on Vermont’s climate policy, and while all voiced support for green energy, some had reservations about the role of Big Wind.
Rising costs are making it difficult for small stores like his to compete. Product prices are increasing, which means higher costs for customers and lower profits for J&Js. “It’s really tough to make money,” said John Barton, owner of J&Js.
A $6 million investment in brownfield remediation has been committed in Burlington, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said. The funding will support a cleanup and redevelopment project at 453 Pine St. in the city of roughly 42,000 people.
Forty-two of the 180 legislators in the Vermont General Assembly won’t be seeking re-election to their current seats. Vermont Daily Chronicle asked about 50 undecided or unknown lawmakers if they plan to run. We also asked them why they think turnover is at an all-time high.
A social justice musical called “Listen Up” — which has since been turned into a movie — is being shown at schools and other venues throughout Vermont in May and June.
Now that the legislative biennium has wrapped up, elected officials and new candidates are turning their attention to the 2022 election season, complete with announcements of who is running and who is not.