Vermont

Some businesses in Vermont’s flood-wracked capital city reopen

Published

9 months ago

September 1, 2023

Some businesses in Vermont’s flood-wracked capital city reopen

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Nearly two months after severe flooding inundated Vermont’s capital city and other parts of the state, four shops in downtown Montpelier reopened Friday, with customers telling them they’re glad they’re back while many of the other businesses remained closed.

A crowd formed outside Bear Pond Books in the morning before the doors opened, said co-owner Claire Benedict.

“They came through the doors clapping and saying ‘hooray,” she said. “It’s just been a wonderful positive day like that, all day. We’ve had a lot of people coming out, lots of hugs, lots of congratulations and even some cookies.”

The torrential rains in July caused what some saw as the state’s worst natural disaster since a 1927 flood that killed dozens of people and caused widespread destruction. Some communities suffered more severe flood damage this past July than when Tropical Storm Irene ravaged the small, mountainous state in 2011.

At the 50-year-old Bear Pond Books, water about 3 1/2 feet deep ruined many books and fixtures.

After the water drained out of downtown, droves of volunteers to helped flooded businesses shovel out mud, clean and move damaged items outside. Staffers and volunteers piled waterlogged books outside the bookstore.

While the bookstore and three other shops on one side of a city block were able to reopen Friday ahead of the Labor Day weekend and several restaurants had already reopened, many businesses still remain closed. Benedict thinks a number of businesses will reopen this month while for some it could take longer.

Friday was a day of celebration, made clear by a woman who shimmied through the busy bookstore singing “you’re back, you’re back, you’re back.” She and some others wore Friend of Bear Pond Books t-shirts. Patrons left with book purchases in hand.

Lee Crawford, of Plymouth, Vermont, made a trip to visit her “favorite bookstore” on opening day Friday. She has been following Bear Pond on Facebook and said she was “beyond happy” for the business.

“You love these places, you care about the people that own them,” she said. “We know how hard it is for them to come back. I’m looking at other businesses here, hoping they come back.”

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Vermont

The legislative session may be over, but Vermont’s political season is just starting to heat up

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Press Room

The legislative session may be over, but Vermont’s political season is just starting to heat up

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – One week after adjourning, Vermont lawmakers are reflecting on the whirlwind session, and strategizing on how to counter Governor Phil Scott’s expected vetoes in the coming days.

The marathon legislative session that ended last week was defined by education spending, property taxes, and ongoing flood recovery efforts. “Lots of tough issues to tackle. Usually, we have two or three. This was five or six,” said House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington.

Lawmakers are sending a flurry of bills to the governor, including measures on flood safety and resiliency, Act 250 reform, and preventing the sale of Vermonters’ sensitive data online.

Senate Majority Leader Alison Clarkson, D-Windsor County, says despite challenges facing a citizen’s legislature getting bigger and more expensive, it was a productive session. “We only have four-and-a-half months to do our work. We got a lot done in four-and-a-half months,” she said.

Lawmakers are also advancing the biggest issue of the session — a bill setting the statewide average property tax rate at 13.8 percent. “Our bill really strikes a balance in ensuring we can do everything we can to have the strongest education system for our kids while also protecting property taxpayers,” Krowinski said.

Governor Scott has pledged to veto it. “They can dig in and whip votes and as they’ve shown us in the past. They don’t need us, they can override vetoes pretty handily,” he said. But he says there could also be room for compromise over the next month.

Meanwhile, Scott has telegraphed possible vetoes for about half a dozen bills including the Renewable Energy Standard; Act 250 reforms; data privacy; and safe injection sites. Lawmakers will return to the Statehouse on June 17th for their veto session

The end of the session has been marked by the retirement of key lawmakers and political announcements preceding the campaign season. In a surprise announcement Friday, Senator Jane Kitchel, D-Caledonia County, was the latest in a string of veteran lawmakers who announced she will be retiring.

Attention is also turning to the governor’s race. Former Gov. Howard Dean on Monday is expected to announce whether he will challenge Phil Scott.

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Vermont

Vermont H.S. scores for Friday, May 17: See how your favorite team fared

Published

9 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Press Room

Vermont H.S. scores for Friday, May 17: See how your favorite team fared

The 2024 Vermont high school spring season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and field, tennis and Ultimate.

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 Twitter @aabrami5

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

End of an era: Colchester girls soccer coach Jeff Paul steps away after 2023 title, 23 seasons

Track and field stars: Who shined, set meet records at the 51st Burlington Invitational meet?

FRIDAY’S H.S. GAMES

Girls lacrosse

Games at 4:30 p.m. unless noted

Mount Mansfield at South Burlington

Burlington at U-32

Harwood at Rice

Mount Abraham/Vergennes at Colchester

Middlebury at Champlain Valley

BFA-St. Albans at Essex, 7 p.m.

Boys lacrosse

Games at 4:30 p.m. unless noted

Rice at Stowe

Essex at BFA-St. Albans

South Burlington at Mount Mansfield

Champlain Valley at Middlebury

Softball

Games at 4:30 p.m. unless noted

Harwood at Lamoille

Enosburg at Rice

Harwood at Milton

Oxbow at Bellows Falls

U-32 at Spaulding

Baseball

Games at 4:30 p.m. unless noted

Hazen at BFA-Fairfax

Richford at Blue Mountain

Mount Mansfield at Burlington

Harwood at Milton

Girls tennis

Matches at 3:30 p.m. unless noted

North Country at U-32

Stowe at Essex

South Burlington at Burlington

Stowe at Essex

Harwood at Middlebury

Rice at Mount Mansfield

Colchester at Champlain Valley, 4:30 p.m.

Boys tennis

Matches at 3:30 p.m. unless noted

St. Johnsbury at U-32

South Burlington at Burlington

Mount Mansfield at Rice

Champlain Valley at Colchester

Boys Ultimate

Games at 4 p.m. unless noted

Rice at Milton

Essex at St. Johnsbury

Colchester at Burlington, 4:30 p.m.

SATURDAY’S H.S. GAMES

Girls lacrosse

Games at 11 a.m. unless noted

BFA-St. Albans at Middlebury

Milton at Spaulding

Lamoille at Stowe

Brattleboro at St. Johnsbury

Stratton Mountain at Green Mountain Valley

Boys lacrosse

Colchester at Mount Abraham/Vergennes, 10 a.m.

Montpelier at Burlington, 11 a.m.

Brattleboro at St. Johnsbury, 12:30 p.m.

Green Mountain Valley at Stratton Mountain, 2 p.m.

Spaulding at Milton, 6 p.m.

Softball

Games at 11 a.m. unless noted

Mount Abraham at Vergennes, 10:30 a.m.

Richford at Twinfield/Danville/Cabot, 10:30 a.m.

Paine Mountain at Burlington/Winooski

Randolph at Lake Region

Missisquoi at St. Johnsbury

Middlebury at Milton

South Burlington at BFA-St. Albans

Essex at Champlain Valley

Burr and Burton at Harwood

Mount Mansfield at Rutland

Lyndon at North Country

Baseball

Games at 11 a.m. unless noted

Mount Abraham at Vergennes, 10 a.m.

Rice at St. Johnsbury

U-32 at Spaulding

Montpelier at Harwood

MIddlebury at Milton

South Burlington at BFA-St. Albans

Burlington at Colchester

Randolph at Lake Region

Essex at Champlain Valley

Hazen at Lamoille

Mount Mansfield at Rutland

Lyndon at North Country

Girls tennis

Matches at 11 a.m. unless noted

Stowe at Champlain Valley

Montpelier at Mount Mansfield

Boys tennis

South Burlington at Stowe, 10 a.m.

Boys Ultimate

Games at 11 a.m. unless noted

Track and field

BFA/South Burlington Relays

(Subject to change)

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Vermont

Vermont Green coming to WYCI!

Published

16 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Press Room

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont Green is coming to WYCI!

The club and station announced a partnership on Thursday which will see six VGFC games broadcast on WYCI this coming season, including both the annual Juba Star friendly and the inuagural Maple Cup against CS-Saint Laurent of Quebec’s Ligue Un.

Here’s the full schedule:

Six men’s games to air on WYCI this Summer(VGFC/WYCI)

“To have some of these games be 2,500 people, sold out, and then also knowing there’s thousands of people watching digitally on the streams is incredible,” said club co-founder Patrick Infurna. “And now to know that with partnering with WYCI that these games will be on local television, it’s just another game changer. It’s a level up for the club, and it’s expanding the access to the game in the way that we’re trying to do this. It’s really cool.

You can find WYCI on the following television providers:

Comcast: SD channel 19; HD channel 712
Burlington Telecom: SD channel 84; HD channel 284
Spectrum: SD channel 12, 14, 16, 22; HD channel 706 or 1230
Metro-Cast: SD channel 17
DirecTV: channel 40
DISH: channel 34
Over the air in HD on channel 40.1 in Saranac Lake, NY, and 26.1 in Claremont, NH