Oct 27 – Nov 2, 2010
Political Guru Harlan Sylvester; Ghost Hunt at the Wilson Castle; Grave Robbing in Burlington
Roadside DUI Video Shows Salmon Humbled, Yet Defiant
A roadside video released last week shows that Auditor Tom Salmon not only asked a Vermont State Trooper if he knew he was the state auditor — an office similar to the governor and lieutenant governor — but also questioned why he was being handcuffed. After being arrested for driving while under the influence last…
Rasmussen Survey: Shumlin Leads Dubie 50-45 Percent
In a new Rasmussen Reports survey of 750 likely Vermont voters, Democrat Peter Shumlin remains slightly ahead of Republican Brian Dubie. The report, just released to the public, shows Shumlin earning 50 percent of the likely vote and Dubie 45 percent. Three percent of those surveyed were undecided and only 1 percent said they were…
The Final Countdown: Election 2010
This is it, folks: the final three days before Armageddon, er, the Rapture. No, wait. Oh, right — Election Day 2010. Here are a few political tidbits and observations as we make the final mad dash for the ballot box. Vermont’s politicos were shocked — shocked! – that the Rutland Herald and Barre Montpelier Times…
Vermonters Rally for Sanity in DC
***updated below*** I was in Washington, DC, this weekend for the amazing and inspiring Online News Association conference, and I couldn’t resist putting on my reporter hat and dropping by the “Rally to Restore Sanity.” I was there from about 9 until 10:30 a.m. or so, before the rally actually started. There were already thousands…
Vermont Yankee Sale: Trick or Treat?
Talk about your October surprises: A blog post on the conservative website Vermont Tiger is alleging Democrat Peter Shumlin secretly favors relicensing the plant if it were sold to new owners and a power purchase agreement with Vermont utilities were in place. Or so Shumlin allegedly said during a secret meeting with anonymous “businessmen” more…
Vermont House and Senate Races to Watch
Unlike the U.S. Congress, it’s highly unlikely that Democrats will lose control of either the Vermont House and Senate, but the GOP could begin to close what is now an enormous gap between themselves and their rivals. In the Senate, Democrats hold a 23 to 7 edge over the Republicans, while in the House the…
The Unluckiest Drunk Driver Ever (Not Tom Salmon)
Vermont Auditor Tom Salmon is getting all the headlines for his drunk-driving cruiser-cam video, just ordered released by a Superior Court judge in Montpelier. But an even unluckier drunk driver emerges in the pages of a Vermont Superme Court decision released today. According to the ruling, Jason Young left Barre in his pickup truck shortly…
Regional Chamber Chief Says U.S. Chamber Ads in “Bad Taste”
Across the country, regional chambers of commerce are distancing themselves from the role being played in the national elections by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A report on the alt-news website AlterNet found that a number of local chapters have publically disavowed the national chamber’s tactics and its heavy-handed support for Republicans. Especially in states…
Big Controversy
If you heard a loud BOOM! earlier this week, that was the sound of the Internet exploding over a blog post published by Marie Claire magazine blogger Maura Kelly about the sitcom “Mike and Molly.” The show features the life and times of overweight couple Mike and Molly and has many Americans happy to finally…
Firefighters Feeling Burned by Dubie?
The Professional Firefighters of Vermont have been increasing their visibility this week in get-out-the-vote efforts for local House and Senate candidates as well as two Democrats running for statewide office. They’ve cut a radio ad for Democrat Jim Condos, the candidate they are supporting for Secretary of State, that includes GOP Sen. Vince Illuzzi (R-Essex/Orleans),…
Vermont Newspaper Circulation Still Dropping, But More Slowly
U.S. daily newspaper circulation fell 5 percent in the last six months, according to audit figures just released — and that’s good compared to the freefall dailies have experienced over the last few years. So, how are Vermont’s dailies faring? Better than the national average in most cases, and notably worse in a couple others.…
Energy Exec Tells Dubie: Prove Allegations or Drop Them
* updated below – Blittersdorf files lawsuit* A leading supporter of Democrat Peter Shumlin is appealing personally to Republican Brian Dubie to either prove allegations of corruption and trading campaign contributions for receiving tax credits or drop the issue. David Blittersdorf, a cofounder of NRG Systems and now the chief executive at AllEarth Renewables, talked…
Judge Orders State to Release Auditor Tom Salmon’s DUI Video
* updated below * In a five-page ruling issued late this afternoon, Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered the state Department of Public Safety to release the roadside video of Auditor Tom Salmon’s DUI traffic stop. The state has until 4:30 p.m. Thursday to release the video to Burlington attorney John Franco. The state’s attorneys…
Seven Days’ Halloween/Election Cover
Yes, those are gubernatorial candidates Brian Dubie and Peter Shumlin on the cover of this week’s issue of Seven Days. Designer Diane Sullivan explains the cover concept: This issue came out right before Halloween and the election, so we wanted to do a cover that combined both things. The same thing happened in 2008 with…
Independent Emily Peyton Withdraws from Governor’s Race, Backs Shumlin
Another independent candidate has dropped out of the super-competitive governor’s race and endorsed Democrat Peter Shumlin. Emily Peyton, a 51-year-old activist from Putney, told Seven Days today she is withdrawing effective immediately. She is the second candidate in as many days to back out of the race: Yesterday, Liberty Union Party candidate Ben Mitchell threw…
Agriculture Agency Denies Management Plan for Elk Farm
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture has rejected plans to manage wildlife on a 700-acre Irasburg game preserve owned by Doug Nelson, whose herd of elk became famous this year when it was joined by a moose — Pete the Moose. The agency said Nelson’s 20-page proposal offered few details about how he planned to ensure…
News Quirks
Curses, Foiled Again Police investigating a convenience- store robbery in Ferndale, Mich., by a man wearing a plastic Darth Vader mask identified Jamie C. Hernandez, 41, as their suspect after the store’s surveillance camera clearly showed him putting on the mask before pulling a butcher knife on the clerk. (Oakland County’s Daily Tribune) Albanian authorities…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the Chinese province of Fujian, there used to be people who believed they could communicate directly with the dead. If they slept on the grave of the person they wished to reach, their dreams during the night might lead to a meeting with the spirit of the departed. I propose…
![A Haunting at Wilson Castle [SIV198]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sevendaysvt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/episode198.webp?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1)
A Haunting at Wilson Castle [SIV198]
10/16/10: New Hampshire’s Dark Knights Paranormal investigate Proctor’s Wilson Castle for signs of haunted activity. Eva and Seven Days’ Associate Editor Margot Harrison (AKA Agent Scully) have an investigation of their own. Music: Swale, “In the Tank” – unreleased AND ALSO: REMEMBERING KATHLEEN SMITH 10/25/10: Phinn Sonin of Junktiques Collective shares some memories of beloved…
Artists Provocateurs
At the Fleming Museum, small versions of the very large works of Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Things That Go Bump in the Castle
Looking for paranormal activity at a Vermont landmark
WTF: Why doesn’t the sex-offender registry give addresses or crime details?
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: We just had to ask…
Letters to the Editor
On Shumlin’s Side A big thank-you to Sen. Richard Mazza for speaking out against Brian Dubie’s smear campaign and character assassination of Peter Shumlin [“Fair Game,” October 20]. The Peter Shumlin I know is a confident, articulate, vigorous politician but would never attempt to destroy an opponent’s character. Peter has been working hard to keep…
Video: Spooky Breakfast
Sitting in a room with a fog machine, a passel of twentysomethings in costumes and eating a breakfast of Halloween candy is not usually on my Saturday morning to-do list. I made an exception last Saturday, when Burlington’s Spooky Society invited me to its “200th annual” Spookfast. Watch the video to see what I thought…
Socialist Ben Mitchell Drops Out of Governor’s Race, Endorses Shumlin
Liberty Union Party candidate Ben Mitchell has withdrawn from the super-close governor’s race and thrown his support to Democrat Peter Shumlin. In an email sent to the media this morning, Mitchell calls Republican Brian Dubie a “far right ideologue” because he is pro-life, opposes same-sex marriage and “supports shutting down schools and libraries in order…
