Towns Prepare for Meeting Day
Vermonters in communities across the state will attend their town’s annual meeting tomorrow. They’ll be electing local officials, wrestling with school and municipal budgets and debating a variety of referenda. (VPR)
Pollina Campaign Finance
The Vermont Progressive Party is defending its choice to commission a recent public opinion poll. Democrats are charging that the poll represents a premature campaign expenditure on behalf of Anthony Pollina. Pollina has been deciding whether to run as a Progressive candidate for governor or for lieutenant governor. (VPR)
Essex IBM
Vermont’s IBM plant is set to become the only site that will produce the world’s fastest semiconductor chip. The newly unveiled chip is designed to improve the performance of communications products. (VPR)
Mildest Winter on Record
This winter is officially the warmest on record in Vermont. The National Weather Service says the average temperature for December, January and February was more than eight degrees warmer than normal. (VPR)
Town Meetings Across the State
Tuesday is Town Meeting Day, with 189 towns making their annual decisions on local budgets and office-holders. Some towns will meet Monday night, or already met on Saturday. (AP)
Drought
Vermont has been drought-stricken since April 2001. On Monday, Representative Bernie Sanders outlines the kinds of federal help available to farmers and well owners. (AP)
Dean Travel Update
Governor Howard Dean is going to South America on a trade mission, after speaking at a political forum in South Carolina. He’ll be back in the state on March 13. (AP)
Edwards Named State Marshall
Former state Representative John Edwards of Swanton has been nominated by the White House to be Vermont’s next U.S. Marshall. Edwards had a three-decade career in the state police.
Reading Settlement
Residents of Reading, Vermont have voted to pay the legal settlement of a former teacher in three annual installments. This decision was made despite the financial pressures facing the school district. (AP)
VT Farming
The number of farms in Vermont is down by 100, according to a survey but the amount of farm acreage in the state is holding steady. The survey indicates that farms are consolidating. (AP)
Clavelle Not Running for Statewide Office
Mayor Peter Clavelle of Burlington says he is not running for statewide office this year. He urges fellow Progressive Anthony Pollina to run for lieutenant governor. Pollina will announce his decision on Thursday. (AP)
Abenaki Education
Vermont educators are required to teach about the indigenous Abenaki Tribe. Now, they have a new teaching tool: a video produced by the state Folklife Center on Vermont Indians. (AP)
West Burke Murder Case
The Vermont Supreme Court is to hear arguments on a West Burke murder case. The case centers on whether a teenager’s confession is valid, since it was made in the absence of an adult guardian. (AP)
Castleton Death "Suspicious"
Police are investigating what they call a suspicious death in Castleton. A man was found dead in a house trailer the morning after a party there. (AP)
Stanley Tool Museum
Residents in Shaftsbury are trying to turn part of the closed Stanley tool works into a small tool museum. (AP)