Instant Runoff Bill
Backers of an instant runoff voting system say they’ll urge the Legislature to adopt their plan this year. The group says their strong success on Town Meeting Day in almost 50 communities sends a clear message to lawmakers. Still, it appears that the proposal faces an uphill battle in the Statehouse. (VPR)
Maine Yankee Compact
A decade ago, the Vermont Legislature agreed to join with Maine and ship the state’s low-level nuclear waste to Texas. But now that Maine’s only nuclear power plant is closed, Maine is trying to pull out of the three-state compact. Vermont still plans to ship its waste to Texas.
Burlington Recount
The Burlington school budget was still defeated, but by a narrower margin, after 81 valid absentee ballots turned up in the mail. (AP)
ASC Delisted
The NYSE has dropped American Skiing from its trading list, after the company’s stock stayed below on dollar for 30 consecutive days. (AP)
Zantop Murders
Robert Tulloch has pleaded innocent to a new charge of conspiracy connected with the murders of two Dartmouth College professors a year ago. (AP)
Benay Remains Chair
Jeffrey Benay, who’s been the chairman of Governor Howard Dean’s Advisory Commission on Native American Affairs for twelve years, has been reappointed. (AP)
Genetic Privacy Bill
Senator Jim Jeffords has introduced a bill to prevent the use of genetic information for discriminatory purposes by insurance companies and employers. (PA)
Skiing Death at Sugarbush
Vermont State Police report the death of a skier from Massachusetts in an accident at Sugarbush Resort in Warren. Linda Silva, considered an experienced skier, slid into a tree. (AP)
Shooting Investigation
The attorney general’s office will hold interviews with witnesses to the police shooting of an agitated man in a Brattleboro church. The additional interviews will help determine whether to file criminal charges against the two officers who shot Robert Woodward seven times. (AP)
Furlough Policies
Corrections officers from around Vermont are expressing concern that new furlough and release rules are letting dangerous inmates out. State Corrections Commissioner John Gorcyk says the complaints are "gibberish". (AP)
Shumlin Against Piercing Bill
State Senator Peter Shumlin has scolded his colleagues for "a crazy idea", wasting time on a bill to determine which body parts a person under 18 years of age may legally pierce. (AP)