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Vermont town to lose biggest taxpayer as nuclear plant shutters
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org When nuclear power finally vanishes from Vermont’s borders this year, the town of Vernon will suffer the loss of its biggest taxpayer. As discovered in tax agreements with city officials, the announced shutdown of the Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, owned by Entergy, a New Orleans-based energy conglomerate, will not only reduce the choice in the…
From horse lying to lengthy beer tasting, the 10 strangest Vermont laws
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 it may be a trendsetter, it…
Vermont says ‘tis the season’ to hike texting fines
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org As Old Man Winter swoops into Vermont, the state government wants to be sure drivers are paying attention. “Our crews just completed a weekend marathon of plowing, and are now here preparing for the next storm to arrive,” announced Gov. Peter Shumlin at a press conference Tuesday. “And as hard as they work plowing snow, they…
Bitcoin politician wants to upgrade democracy in Vermont
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org When Jeremy Hansen ran for political office in 2012, he had no idea his candidacy would spark imaginations across the country. The assistant professor of computer science at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., ran for the Vermont state Senate for Washington County on a bold platform of using online technology to ask every citizen their view on a particular…
Relaxed Vermont pot laws may lead to legalization
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org In July of this year, Vermont lawmakers took a bold step. They removed criminal penalties for those caught with small amounts of marijuana. Now, 5 months later, decriminalization of pot is generally judged to be a great success in the Green Mountain State, a sentiment which could push Vermont to be the third…
Passing gas: Will seized private land clear way for pipeline?
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org If you build it, they will come … and take your land. Vermonters might face that scenario if the state’s largest private energy company can get approval for its new natural gas pipeline. Vermont Gas Systems put forth a proposed extension of the Addison Rutland Natural Gas Project pipeline project to bring natural gas to…
Fox News: Natural gas in Vermont? No fracking way, say green groups
By Yaël Ossowski | Fox News Published November 20, 2013 watchdog.org No drilling, no pipelines, and no natural gas. If environmental groups in Vermont get their way, this could be the new slogan of the Green Mountain state. That’s the message of their latest campaign to oppose the extension of a Vermont Gas Systems pipeline intended to…
Natural gas in Vermont? No fracking way, say green groups
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org No drilling, no pipelines, and no natural gas. If environmental groups in Vermont get their way, this could be the new slogan of the Green Mountain state. That’s the message of their latest campaign to oppose the extension of a Vermont Gas Systems pipeline intended to transport shale gas from Canada to New York. Vermont already became…
Vermont uses Democratic state rep’s brother to push state health exchange
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org In the effort to promote the new health insurance exchange required by Obamacare, Vermont might have gone a little overboard. In a promotional advertisement posted to its social media accounts, Vermont Health Connect, the state’s health insurance exchange, posted a testimonial featuring Brian D. McCarthy, a father of two from Swanton. Hepraises the exchange.…
Christie’s gubernatorial re-election bucks D.C. establishment
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org Even before the ink on the final ballot was dry Tuesday, a certain class of political observers were busying their keyboards with the takeaway that the vote in New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie‘s favor served as nothing more than a proverbial catapult for the nation’s highest office in Washington, D.C. “The win gives…