JAY — Soul and blues singer and guitarist Dave Keller will be performing a one night only benefit concert for Head Start. The show will take place Saturday, January 18 at 8 p.m. at the Foeger Ballroom at Jay Peak. Keller, based out of Montpelier, is considered one of the finest soul and blues men… Keep Reading
By Jon Street | Watchdog.org BURLINGTON — Leading experts say health care costs in the Green Mountain State are climbing to new heights, but Gov. Peter Shumlin denies it. “If it were true, we wouldn’t be doing it,” he told Vermont Watchdog at an annual legislative breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel Conference Center in South… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON — Responding to an inquiry by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, The National Security Agency director did not rule out collecting intelligence on members of Congress. “In recent months, the American people have learned that a record of virtually every telephone call made in the United States is placed in an NSA database, that… Keep Reading
NEWPORT — The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has settled a lawsuit alleging that VerMints, Inc., violated the law by labeling its flavored mints as “Vermont” products when in fact they were made in Canada, from out-of-state ingredients. The settlement requires VerMints and its President, Gary Rinkus of Braintree, Massachusetts, to donate $35,000 to the Vermont… Keep Reading
NEWPORT — In October, Revision Military laid off 35 its 57 workers in Newport when it didn’t get the government contract that company official had counted on. On Monday, the company announced that they had won a new contract worth $21 million, that will bring 43 jobs back to Newport. The contract is to supply… Keep Reading
In an effort to keep the citizens of Orleans County informed, the Vermont State Police, Derby Barracks, reports the following activity for the week of 01/06/14 – 01/13/14. ORLEANS COUNTY TOTAL CASES – 70 # PERSONS ARRESTED – 3 # CHARGES – 3 ALBANY 911 Hang up – 2 Agency Assist – 1 BARTON/ORLEANS Alarm… Keep Reading
NEWPORT – High risk drinking is a public health problem in Vermont. Half of all young adults age 18 to 24 drink to excess. The Health Department hopes to educate health care professionals about the importance of asking adults about drinking habits and behaviors as part of a regular checkup or appointment. Only 9 percent… Keep Reading
By Jon Street | Watchdog.org BURLINGTON — Prominent members of his own party wonder why, after more than 2 1/2 years, Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott refuses to take a position on the state’s single-payer health-care law. Scott said he remains “skeptical.” In an interview with Vermont Watchdog, that’s the best Scott could offer as… Keep Reading
IRASBURG — Yesterday at 7:30 a.m. the Vermont State Police responded to a two vehicle crash on I-91 southbound in the town of Irasburg. The crash involved a car and a tractor trailer truck. The operator of the car was Andrea VanWoert, of Derby. She was driving a 2009 Saturn Vue. She was rear ended… Keep Reading
How about a quick show of hands. All those in favor of keeping Lake Memphremagog free from the possibility that it becomes contaminated by an especially nasty type of oil, that if leaked into the system would not just sit on top of the water like most oil, at least making it possible to clean… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) reintroduced sweeping legislation to protect Americans’ personal information and ensure their privacy. Leahy also announced the issue of data privacy would be the subject of a committee hearing early in the new Senate session. Leahy’s bill comes just weeks after the department store chain, Target, suffered… Keep Reading
CRAFTSBURY COMMON — Some have called him the father of the local food movement. Noted author Gary Paul Nabhan will be speaking at Sterling College on Tuesday, January 28, at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public as part of the Vermont Table Speaker Series. The talk, “Tapping Into the Wisdom… Keep Reading
NEWPORT — The WIKE Trading Post radio show is returning to local radio station WIKE 1490 AM on Sunday mornings from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. The show is for listeners who want to buy, sell, swap, or trade items on the radio airwaves. “Years ago this was a very popular show that people would listen… Keep Reading
MONTPELIER – Gov. Peter Shumlin called on Congress today to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program, which expired on Dec. 28. The Governor said about 650 Vermonters lost benefits with the program’s expiration, losing an average weekly benefit of approximately $300. Up to 2,300 Vermonters could lose assistance over the first half of 2014.… Keep Reading
Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note music. Sacred Harp music is performed a cappella (voice only, without instruments) and originated as Protestant Christian music. A group of shape note singers gathered at the First Universalist Parish in Derby Line, Sunday afternoon… Keep Reading
A wise man once said, “It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing.” Saturday night at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, the 18 piece Swing North Big Band played their Swinging Epiphany Celebration. The show was part of the Now Playing Newport music series. Press play below to hear the story. For more… Keep Reading
BURLINGTON — On Friday, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders asked the National Security Agency director whether the agency has monitored the phone calls, emails and Internet traffic of members of Congress and other elected officials. “Has the NSA spied, or is the NSA currently spying, on members of Congress or other American elected officials?” Sanders asked… Keep Reading
DERBY LINE — In some cases international trips are literally a walk or bike ride away for residents of Orleans County. However you get there, if you plan to leave the United States with an electronic device, a federal judge says it “would be foolish, if not irresponsible,” to have any sensitive information on it.… Keep Reading
NEWPORT – As Vermonters start to check on their sugar woods, the damage from last week’s ice storm is being revealed. The federal Farm Services (FSA) offices have started taking applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) for maple sugar makers. Orleans County is listed as one of the areas most affected, with FSA officials… Keep Reading
The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles will start offering REAL ID cards on January 2. To obtain a REAL ID, you will need an original or certified copy of your birth certificate or other proof of identity, proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence in the United States, and proof of your Social Security numbers.… Keep Reading
BURLINGTON — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders said Friday that Congress must restore unemployment benefits that expired today for 1.3 million Americans, including some 600 Vermonters, who have been out of work for longer than 26 weeks. Unless Congress acts, jobless benefits will lapse during the first half of 2014 for an additional 1.9 million people,… Keep Reading
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org In many aspects, Vermont isn’t not afraid to buck the status quo. After the Revolutionary War, it existed as its own republic for nearly 14 years. It was the first state to introduce women’s suffrage in 1880, allow civil unions in 2000 and pass same-sex marriage in 2009. And while… Keep Reading
MONTPELIER – At the request of Gov. Peter Shumlin, Vermont emergency management officials today asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct a damage assessment in the Champlain Valley and northern Vermont counties impacted by the on-going ice storm. The state is applying in an attempt to secure federal public assistance to help cover… Keep Reading
By Kevin Paquet Disney’s princess movies are, in many ways, a trick of time dilation. Despite the ubiquity of princess-branded products in toy aisles across America, Disney only made three “princess” movies in its first 60 years of animation: “Snow White” (1937), “Cinderella” (1950) and “Sleeping Beauty” (1957). You’d be forgiven for forgetting that, since… Keep Reading
DERBY — When Hurricane Sandy hit in October of 2012, Domenic Laurenzi lost everything. For nearly a month he found himself living in his car. He was working for someone who flat out refused to pay him, and finally the heater in his car went out. He spent the next five days grinding it out,… Keep Reading
ALBANY — The ice storm over the weekend claimed the life of a man from Albany, who died from carbon monoxide poisoning. The Vermont State Police report that at 6:21 a.m. Monday, they received a call regarding a death in Albany. The Victim has been identified as Mitchell Rowell, age 60. The Albany Fast Squad… Keep Reading