Vermont

Outgoing Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman says he expects Vermont lawmakers will affirm John Rodgers’ victory in special vote this week – VTDigger

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2025

Outgoing Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman says he expects Vermont lawmakers will affirm John Rodgers’ victory in special vote this week – VTDigger

Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman listens to a question after speaking at a press conference in South Burlington on Monday, January 6. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

SOUTH BURLINGTON — Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman said Monday that he expects Vermont lawmakers to affirm John Rodgers’ victory in the race for the state’s second-highest office when the Legislature convenes later this week.

Zuckerman, a Progressive/Democrat, won fewer votes in November’s election than Rodgers, a Republican. But neither candidate secured more than 50% of the vote, triggering a constitutional process whereby the Legislature crowns the winner.

In the days after the election, Zuckerman conceded the race, though he nodded in a radio interview to the possibility that legislators could, technically, still name him lieutenant governor — and that they might have good reason to do so. His comments drew sharp criticism at the time from current and former state political leaders.

Zuckerman said Monday at a press conference in South Burlington — which he convened to offer parting thoughts, he said, before leaving office — that he had not been in contact with legislators about how they would vote “since a few days after” the election.

“The Legislature will make its decision. I suspect they will elect John Rodgers. I haven’t heard anything otherwise,” Zuckerman said in response to a reporter’s question.

Zuckerman has frequently criticized Republican Gov. Phil Scott — with whom Rodgers is a close ally — throughout his tenure in office. And he took aim again at the governor in his remarks Monday, calling on Scott’s camp to bring “real options” to the negotiating table with legislators on key issues, including reforming the state’s education funding system and making housing and other aspects of life in the state more affordable.

That hasn’t always been the case over recent legislative sessions, he argued.

“The governor has hundreds of staff to develop policy proposals, and the Legislature has no individual staff and is part-time for less than half the year,” Zuckerman said. “It is up to the governor, after eight years, to lead — not by pointing fingers at the Legislature, but by coming up with policies that reflect Vermonters’ wishes for good local public schools and affordable housing.”

A man stands behind a podium, speaking in a conference room with beige walls and ceiling lights. — Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

Zuckerman encouraged policymakers, too, to consider increasing taxes on the state’s wealthiest residents and many second-home-owners, highlighting aspects of progressive economic policies he has championed in the state for decades.

In response to a question, the three-term lieutenant governor told reporters that he had not decided whether he would run for political office again. But he said that, at least in the short-term, he planned to stay active in politics by hosting a public-affairs radio show.

“It’s not what I’m here to advertise,” Zuckerman said. “But I’ll be talking about issues every week with people, having Vermonters on to talk about what their struggles are, and trying to get out there what’s going on in the Statehouse.”

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Vermont

Vermont H.S. sports scores for Tuesday, Jan. 7: See how your favorite team fared

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Vermont H.S. sports scores for Tuesday, Jan. 7: See how your favorite team fared

The 2024-2025 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.

TO REPORT SCORES

Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.

►Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter:@aabrami5.

►Contact Judith Altneu at jaltneu@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.

TUESDAY’S H.S. GAMES

Girls basketball

Burlington 68, Champlain Valley 59

B: Bree McDonald 24 points. Nylah Mitchell 20 points. Atika Haji 16 points.

C: Zoey McNabb 23 points. Kaitlyn Jovell 10 points.

Note: Burlington defeated CVU for the first time since Feb. 17, 2012.

Oxbow 64, Peoples 33

O: Braylee Phelps 24 points. Maggi Ellsworth 15 points.

P: Daisy Berg 13 points. Sophie Beck 11 points.

Note: Phelps made five 3-pointers to lead Oxbow, which led 40-16 at the break.

Harwood 44, Lyndon 34

H: Eloise Lilley 14 points. Maddie Ryley 9 points. Kendra Rocheleau 8 rebounds. Adelaide Chalmers 5 rebounds. Roanha Chalmers 5 rebounds.

L: Ella Marshia 15 points.

Note: Harwood led 25-17 at the break and 24-29 through three quarters before pulling away for the road win.

Winooski 36, BFA-Fairfax 31

W: Ashlyn Parris 9 points. Taraji Bradley 8 points.

F: Anna Villeneuve 16 points.

Note: Winooski opened a 26-7 halftime lead.

Windsor 58, Lake Region 18

W: Sophia Rockwood 20 points. Amelia Rockwood 14 points. Audrey Rupp 8 points.

North Country 64, Spaulding 27

NC: Sabine Brueck 20 points. Ava Patten 10 points. Addie Nelson 10 points. Marlow Maxwell 9 points.

S: Taylor Keel 9 points.

Lamoille 60, U-32 34

L: Alyssa Small 17 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists. Evie Pirie 10 points. Ava Baisley 9 points. Maddex Percey 8 points. Alana Crittenden 7 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds.

U: Paige Parker 14 points. Clara Wilson 12 points.

Twinfield/Cabot 60, Northfield 35

T/C: Kendall Fowler 16 points. Jorja Washburn 12 points. Carly Mancini 11 points.

Williamstown 58, Danville 52

W: Julia French 20 points, 5 steals. Natalie Beliveau 15 points, 15 rebounds. Hannah Spencer 14 points. Courtney Beliveau 8 points, 5 rebounds.

D: Myah Morgan 15 points. Lauren Joncas 15 points.

Rutland 46, South Burlington 28

R: Brinley Gandin 18 points. Lanza Bellomo 9 points.

SB: Lexi Paquette 18 points.

Montpelier 49, Woodstock 42 (OT)

Randolph 47, Thetford 41

Stowe at Richford

Enosburg at Hazen, ppd.

Boys basketball

Rice 78, St. Johnsbury 56

R: Owen Eaton 22 points. Dallas St. Peter 21 points. Evan Eaton 16 points.

SJ: Rex Hauser 23 points. Michael Rodriguez Guerrero 12 points. Will Eaton 8 points.

Note: Owen Eaton drained five 3-pointers for Rice, which led 38-19 at the break.

South Burlington 76, Milton 29

SB: Deng Aguek 22 points. Oli Avdibegovic 14 points. Paul Comba 13 points. Kai Davidson 10 points.

M: Keegan Fitzgerald 7 points. Carter McGregor 7 points.

Note: Host South Burlington led 24-6 after the first quarter and 41-14 at the break.

Champlain Valley 60, Essex 36

CV: Owen Scott 21 points, 3 assists. Luke Allen 10 points, 9 rebounds.

Burlington 93, BFA-St. Albans 48

BHS: Abdi Sharif 19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals. Pascal Munezero 14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals.

BFA: Gabe Howrigan 19 points. Ryan Munger 11 points.

Note: Host BHS (6-0) raced to a 51-24 halftime lead.

Woodstock 61, Brattleboro 52

W: Elvis Lavallee 18 points. Caleb Sammel 17 points. Caeden Perreault 10 points.

B: John Satterfield 18 points. Oscar Korson 14 points. Jack Cady 10 points.

Colchester at Mount Mansfield

WEDNESDAY’S H.S. GAMES

Boys basketball

Games at 7 p.m unless noted

Williamstown at BFA-Fairfax

Fair Haven at Middlebury

Winooski at Richford

Lyndon at Montpelier

Lamoille at U-32

Lake Region at Hazen

Thetford at Peoples

Randolph at Mount Abraham

Twinfield/Cabot at Danville, 7:30 p.m.

Girls basketball

Games at 7 p.m unless noted

BFA-St. Albans at Missisquoi

Essex at Colchester

Rice at Burr and Burton

Boys hockey

Burr and Burton at Colchester, 4:30 p.m.

Woodstock at Harwood, 5 p.m.

Hartford at Rice, 5:25 p.m.

Milton at St. Johnsbury, 6 p.m.

Stowe vs North Country at Jay Peak, 6 p.m.

Middlebury at Burlington, 7 p.m.

U-32 at Brattleboro, 7:15 p.m.

BFA-St. Albans at South Burlington, 5:15 p.m.

Essex at Champlain Valley, 7:40 p.m.

Missisquoi at Mount Mansfield, 8 p.m.

Girls hockey

Kingdom Blades at Middlebury, 5 p.m.

Woodstock at Spaulding, 5:15 p.m.

Stowe at Hartford, 5:45 p.m.

Champlain Valley/Mount Mansfield at Essex, 6 p.m.

Burlington/Colchester at BFA-St. Albans, 7 p.m.

U-32 at Missisquoi, 7:15 p.m.

Wrestling

Champlain Valley, St. Johnsbury at Essex, 6 p.m.

(Subject to change)

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Vermont

The 7 Best Vermont Events This Week: January 8-15, 2025 | Seven Days

Published

10 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

The 7 Best Vermont Events This Week: January 8-15, 2025 | Seven Days

Courtesy
DragonBoot Quartet

Take a Bow

Courtesy of Hall Art Foundation
“Group of Trees near Rutschwil, Nr. 25, Winterthur” by Thomas Struth

Acclaimed German artist Thomas Struth‘s exhibition of large-scale color photographs at Hall Art Foundation in Reading showcases the rural landscapes of Northern Switzerland. Struth’s soft, unidealized shots were taken in the early 1990s and began as a commissioned project for a private hospital in Winterthur — the works serving as a portal for patients to the outside world.

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Vermont

U.S. attorney for Vermont announces resignation: Who will replace him?

Published

18 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

U.S. attorney for Vermont announces resignation: Who will replace him?

United States Attorney for Vermont Nikolas Kerest announced his resignation Monday. This is common practice pending a presidential inauguration and party change. President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in January 20 and will select his own pick for attorney.

Kerest was appointed to the position by President Joe Biden in 2021 and oversaw a group of 51 employees during his time.

In a press release from his office, Kerest said “representing the United States as a member of the U.S. Attorney’s Office team for over fourteen years and as its leader for the past three years has been the highlight of my career. Public service is a gift.”

Kerest previously served as an assistant United States attorney in Burlington since 2010.

During his tenure in the position, his office focused on addressing violent crime, something that had spiked in Vermont. He supported the Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force, and worked with local law enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations to remove violent offenders from the streets.

Kerest’s office also focused on enforcing federal civil rights laws, as well as educating Vermonters about their rights under these laws. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also taken significant steps to address elder financial fraud in Vermont, prosecuting offenders of those crimes.

His office also successfully represented the Federal Highway Administration against challenges to the construction of Burlington’s Champlain Parkway.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael Drescher will become acting attorney when Kerest officially steps down on inauguration day. Kerest’s office stated he hasn’t determined his next career steps yet.

Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@gannett.com.

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