Dec 8-14, 2010
High-tech Computer Crime Fighting; New Senate President John Campbell; Barbie and “Sexualization”
Senate Approves Tax Cut Compromise
By an overwhelming 83-15 vote this afternoon the U.S. Senate voted to approve a sweeping compromise to extend tax cuts to Americans of all income levels, casting aside the complaints raised Friday by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in a daylong faux filibuster. Sanders told Seven Days the Senate’s approval was “disappointing, but not surprising.”…
Report: BT Debt Violations Began in 2005
* Updated with comments from DPS Commissioner David O’Brien & Mayor Bob Kiss * The outside consultant hired by the state Department of Public Service alleges that Burlington Telecom was in violation since it was first issued a certificate of public good in September 2005 — nearly three years earlier than city officials have since…
National Gay Rights Group Moves to Burlington
A national gay rights group that has made a name for itself countering the so-called “ex-gay” industry — which claims to help people “pray away the gay” — is moving to Burlington. Truth Wins Out founder and executive director Wayne Besen said he chose Burlington as a way to cut operating costs, but also believes…
More Drama at Church & Main
There were setbacks even before Burlington’s Church & Main opened in October. When the proprietors first announced they had bought the space previously occupied by Smokejacks, they planned to open in time for the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival in June. Before long, the team realized the restaurant’s plumbing and exhaust system needed to be replaced…
Sugarbush to Host Shumlin’s Inaugural Ball
Vermont’s Governor-elect Peter Shumlin and 1100 of his closest friends and admirers will celebrate his inauguration at Sugarbush, his inaugural committee announced Thursday. If the $50 ticket price isn’t in the budget, not to fret. Shumlin will be at two additional free functions — one on the Statehouse lawn after he’s officially sworn in and…
Burlington Nabs National Sustainability Award
Not all the news coming out of Vermont’s largest city is bad, or about Burlington Telecom. This week, city officials announced that the Queen City, in conjuction with Champlain Housing Trust, won the national award for excellence from the Home Depot Foundation for sustainable community development. The award come with a $75,000 check. Home Depot…
Burlington Telecom to Regulators: We’ve Got a Plan (We Can’t Tell You About Yet)
When is a telecom not a telecom? We may soon find out in the case of Burlington Telecom. Burlington Telecom told state regulators at an hourlong hearing that its state-of-the-art fiberoptic network is now owned by CitiCapital thanks to the utility’s decision to cancel its lease with the global financier. How BT replaces CitiCapital’s equipment…
WPTZ Hires New Anchor
There’ll be a new anchor in town come the first of the year, according to WPTZ NewsChannel 5. After a nationwide search to replace outgoing anchor Gus Rosendale that included candidates from coast to coast, the station has hired George Mallet, the afternoon news anchor of Milwaukee’s NBC affiliate WTMJ, to join Stephanie Gorin at…
Federal Court: E-Cigarettes are Tobacco Products, Not Drug-Delivery Devices
Smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em: A federal court yesterday upheld a lower court’s decision that the nicotine-replacement devices known as “e-cigarettes” should be regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as tobacco products, NOT drug-delivery devices. The ruling came as welcome news to the thousands of e-cigarette users who’ve dumped their cancer sticks…
We’re All Socialists Now
Sanders preps for speech, citing unfair tax policies that continue to divide the wealthist Americans from everyone else.
Exed Out
Dear Mistress Maeve, Last week you responded to a woman who was concerned about her boyfriend’s relationship with his ex. Well, I’m in a similar situation, except I’m the guy in the scenario. I’m dating this phenomenal woman, and I have nothing but the best of intentions with her. While I don’t run errands for…
Tapping the Vain
Bible references are now AOK on VT vanity plates. What else BLEWBY the DMV?
News Quirks
Curses, Foiled Again Parole absconder Robert Lewis Crose, 47, managed to evade California authorities for 12 years but then led them right to him when he complained on his Facebook page about the cold weather in the northern Montana town of Cut Bank. A fugitive task force in California notified Glacier County, Mont., sheriff’s Sgt.…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the coming weeks, life will beguile you with secrets and riddles, but probably not reveal as much as you’d like. I think this is an opportunity, not a problem. In my opinion, your task isn’t to press for shiny clarity, but rather to revel in the luxuriant mysteries. Let them…
WTF: Why is a boat parked in the woods in Brookfield?
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: We just had to ask…
![Chili Polar Ride & Cook Off [SIV203]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sevendaysvt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/episode203.webp?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1)
Chili Polar Ride & Cook Off [SIV203]
12/4/10: Green Mountain Harley-Davidson in Essex Junction organizes lots of charity events and this Saturday’s 3rd Annual Chili Polar Ride & Cook off benefited the Burlington Emergency Shelter. A fresh layer of snow put an end to the scheduled ride but that just gave people more time to sample the chilis and answer all of…
Digital Apprehensions
High-tech computer crime fighting has arrived in Vermont — but at what price?
Mother Courage
Book review: Frontier Feminist: Clarina Howard Nichols and the Politics of Motherhood by Marilyn S. Blackwell and Kristen T. Oertel
Flannel Flap, the Sequel
Readers keep responding to the American Apparel ad in the November 24 issue
Letters to the Editor
Compost Clarification The article “Growing at the Intervale” [“Side Dishes,” November 17] stated that the Intervale Center’s new executive director, Travis Marcotte, will be taking charge of moving Intervale Compost Products to its new location in Williston. To clarify this point, we are delighted to work with Travis as we turn the property, where ICP…
Shumlin to Vermont Yankee: Suck it Up
Governor-elect Peter Shumlin is calling on Entergy to re-start its efforts to extract tritum-laced groundwater at Vermont Yankee. “I respectfully request that Entergy return its extraction wells to service and repeat my earlier request to increase the number of wells to prevent tritiated water from entering Vermont’s precious and irreplaceable aquifers,” wrote Shumlin in a…
Bolton Valley Resort For Sale … Again
For at least the fifth time in its history, Bolton Valley ski resort is looking for new owners. Current owners Doug Nedde and Larry Williams have signed up a New England investment banking firm to help it find a new owner, or possibly new investment partner to handle the day-to-day operations. Mike Krongel of Mirus…
