Vermont

Vermont DMV launches program to assist autistic drivers

Published

9 months ago

August 29, 2024

Vermont DMV launches program to assist autistic drivers

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles recently unveiled a new program aimed at easing challenges for autistic drivers and the law enforcement officers who engage them.

Some autistic people experience the senses more intensely than neurotypical people: flashing police lights, for example. And there can be differences in communication, which can lead to behaviors being misinterpreted.

The DMV’s Blue Envelope Program is designed to make routine traffic stops feel safer and less stressful.

Vermont Public’s Jenn Jarecki was recently joined in-studio by Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Wanda Minoli to learn more about the program. This interview was produced for the ear. We highly recommend listening to the audio. We’ve also provided a transcript, which has been edited for length and clarity.

Jenn Jarecki: So we described it briefly in the introduction, but broadly speaking, what is the state’s new Blue Envelope Program?

Nathaniel Wilson

Vermont Public

Vermont DMV Commissioner Wanda Minoli said the Blue Envelope Program is a tool that can help law enforcement officers and drivers with autism communicate more effectively during roadside stops.

Wanda Minoli: The Blue Envelope Program is really simply about awareness for law enforcement when they do traffic stops, and it’s another form of communication for our residents. Our focus at DMV is customer service, and we’ve had to recognize that we deliver services to every resident at some point in time in the state of Vermont. And you have to be able to adjust and adapt in your communication with them.

Jenn Jarecki: Wanda, I’m curious about how the partnership between the DMV and the University of Vermont Autism Collaborative came about, and what role the Collaborative played in developing the DMV’s Blue Envelope Program.

Wanda Minoli: The Collaborative played the most significant role. They told us how it should be worded, how it should be designed, and what it looked like. And that’s based on their experience and how individuals — with an autistic spectrum of some type — communicate and how they communicate roadside. So they led us and we developed.

Jenn Jarecki: I understand that other states have similar programs, like neighbors in Connecticut and Massachusetts, to name just a couple. How much influence did that existing work have on what’s ultimately been rolled out here in Vermont?

Wanda Minoli: Well, for us, we used the other states’ model of the envelope and started there. Don’t reinvent the wheel. If there’s a successful program out there, then, you know, state to state, we try to model. And that’s really, really important because when you think about this program, and you think about our residents and our New England states, we don’t drive just in Vermont. We may take a vacation to Maine, we may be traveling to Massachusetts for something, and you possibly could be stopped roadside. And what we have now is consistent messaging for all law enforcement, and that applies for people driving into our state. So, when they hand the blue envelope over, all law enforcement is aware. They know exactly what they’re getting and what this document means, and that’s really important, too.

Jenn Jarecki: I want to press on that just a little bit, Wanda. You’ve said that you hope this program can, and I’m quoting you, “build bridges between law enforcement and the autism community.” Can you say even more about that?

Wanda Minoli: Building the bridges, again, is about awareness and communication. And when law enforcement is stopping someone — and we’re going to use a simple example for roadside — they are not aware. And every spectrum is different, you may not communicate with your eyes. Law enforcement is trained to communicate, you know, be looking at the individual, right, having that eye contact. And keeping it at that simple, simple level of, you know, this allows that officer to be able to do and be aware of the tasks that they have in front of them and the conversation. Because roadside stops are about conversations, generally, that’s where it starts. If you’re not aware at that point, the conversation can easily — for the passenger or the driver or the law enforcement — it can go a different way. And this is about a calming effect. This is about a tool to be able to communicate in a very comfortable manner.

Jenn Jarecki: What has the response from law enforcement been to the Blue Envelope Program?

Wanda Minoli: I have communicated with my team, and with the DMV enforcement team, and they’re very excited about it. Again, it’s awareness and it’s another tool. We sent out a law enforcement bulletin to all law enforcement entities in the state of Vermont: municipalities, Vermont State Police. I have not had any personal or direct conversations with them.

Jenn Jarecki: I’d like to talk about the blue envelope itself. Can you describe it for us, and what is written on the envelope and what its sort of purpose is?

Wanda Minoli: So the purpose is to put your necessary documents. If you think about it again, at a roadside traffic stop, a law enforcement officer is going to ask for your license, your registration and your proof of insurance. And so the document is something that you put in the envelope, you just place all of these documents in. But more importantly, too, it asks for an individual’s contact information in the event maybe communication is not, you know, going very well. It gives the law enforcement officer another avenue to help the conversation, and it’s as simple as that.

Jenn Jarecki: So, as we mentioned, the program rolled out earlier this month. Have you had any sign-ups yet?

Wanda Minoli: Oh my goodness, yes. I was so excited. I actually checked yesterday afternoon just to see how the requests were coming in and if we’re getting any online requests. And we had 175 as of noon yesterday [Aug. 21], which to me is remarkable. And in addition, we had two requests from other states. And so that alone tells me there’s awareness and individuals want access.

Jenn Jarecki: So for anyone listening, Wanda, who may be interested in getting a blue envelope, you know, what is the cost, and what might be the next steps?

Wanda Minoli: So, there’s no cost. There’s two simple ways to get the envelope. You can stop by any DMV branch office, you can walk in and we have available at the counter, and you can pick one up. Or you can go online, and you can just send us an email, there’s a direct link, and we will mail them to you.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message.

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Vermont

Vermont man charged in the murder of missing Bradford man – VTDigger

Published

13 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Press Room

Vermont man charged in the murder of missing Bradford man – VTDigger

A Vermont State Police cruiser seen in Burlington on Thursday, Jan. 23. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

A Bradford man in Vermont State Police custody is accused of killing Corey Crooker, who was first reported missing in January, according to state police.

James D. Nickles Jr., 42, is facing charges of second-degree murder, unauthorized burial or removal of a dead body and providing false information to police, according to state police spokesperson Adam Silverman. A judge found probable cause for the charges Friday, and the Vermont State Police obtained an arrest warrant for Nickles.

Crooker was last seen by family members on Jan. 9 and last heard from five days later.

Vermont State Police initially deemed Crooker’s disappearance “not suspicious” but later obtained evidence that the circumstances of the case were “criminal in nature.”

Nickles had been in federal custody on firearms charges arising from the investigation into Crooker’s disappearance when he was charged with his killing, according to state police.

According to reporting by NBC5, Nickles, while in custody, allegedly confessed to shooting Crooker on Jan. 14 during an argument over drugs.

Nickles later disposed of the body by burning it in a fire pit, NBC5 reported. Police found evidence at the scene but could not positively identify the remains at that time, the outlet reported.

The agency this week also arrested Lisa Akey of Bradford in connection with Crooker’s death. Akey has been charged with being an accessory after the fact, obstruction of justice and providing false information to a police officer, according to state police.

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Vermont

‘We have to be realistic’: Scott pauses Vermont’s electric vehicle rules

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2025

Press Room

‘We have to be realistic’: Scott pauses Vermont’s electric vehicle rules

Gov. Phil Scott issued an executive order this week pausing penalties for manufacturers who fail to hit certain electric vehicle sales quotas set to kick in later this year.

Three years ago, Vermont agreed to require “an increasing percentage” of passenger cars, trucks and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold in the state to be electric starting late this year, with the end goal being to stop selling gas-powered vehicles completely by 2035.

On Tuesday, however, Scott said in his executive order that the plan’s original timeline is no longer feasible due to lack of supportive infrastructure, lagging interest in electric vehicles and “federal disruptions” like tariffs, which are raising costs and “causing supply chain uncertainty.”

“I continue to believe we should be incentivizing Vermonters to transition to cleaner energy options like electric vehicles,” said Scott in a press release announcing his executive order. “However, we have to be realistic about a pace that’s achievable. It’s clear we don’t have anywhere near enough charging infrastructure and insufficient technological advances in heavy-duty vehicles to meet current goals.”

Vermont may have the most electric vehicle chargers per capita in the nation, but even the fastest charging stations in the state take hours to fully charge a vehicle, Scott said during a press conference on Wednesday. He added that the oldest charging stations take 12-16 hours, requiring people to prepare well in advance if they want to travel.

“You can’t rely on that if you’re going to be traveling in Vermont, especially on a cold winter day,” Scott said. “Your range might be 200 miles. If you’ve got to go to Brattleboro and back, you’re challenged.”

Scott has experienced the inconvenience of charging EVs

As an example, Scott recounted his experiences with the electric Ford F-150 his administration purchased back in August 2022, admitting that he’s had to delay travel plans or make other travel arrangements in the past because of how inconvenient charging the vehicle can be.

“We have much more work to do in order to make it more convenient, faster, and more affordable to buy, maintain and charge EV’s,” Scott said in his press release. “When we do, it’s more likely every day Vermonters will make the switch.”

Where consumer interest in electric vehicles stands now, manufacturers and local dealers are struggling to meet Vermont’s zero emission vehicle sales goals, Scott said during his Wednesday press conference. To hit sales targets, some manufacturers are “forcing” dealers to receive and sell a certain number of electric vehicles before they supply dealers with more gas-powered cars and trucks, which are still in much higher demand, Scott said.

“And dealers aren’t able to sell them,” Scott said, hurting them financially.

To avoid penalties for failing to meet electric vehicle sales totals, manufacturers can no longer impose the aforementioned zero emission vehicle “ratios” on dealerships, must deliver vehicles in a “timely manner” and must provide reports demonstrating they are continuing to “promote and market” electric vehicles, such as building more charging infrastructure and including electric vehicles in “ride and drive” events.

“The enforcement discretion is only available to them if they are continuing to provide the services Vermonters are requesting,” said Secretary Julie Moore of the Agency of Natural Resources during Scott’s press conference.

The executive order was effective immediately and will continue until Dec. 31, 2026 or until Scott, upon consulting with Moore, amends or rescinds the order.

Megan Stewart is a government accountability reporter for the Burlington Free Press. Contact her at mstewartyounger@gannett.com.

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Vermont

Bob’s Discount Furniture to open 20 new stores this year, including one in VT. Here’s where

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2025

Press Room

Bob’s Discount Furniture to open 20 new stores this year, including one in VT. Here’s where

Want to save money on new furniture? Try these 3 super strategies

Buying new furniture can cost upwards of hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
So how can the frugal-minded save money, without trawling thrift shops and Craigslist?

Bob’s Discount Furniture is set to open their first location in Vermont this year.

The opening is one of 20 stores Bob’s plans to open in 2025 as part of an ongoing growth strategy, with six stores opening across the country so far this year. Now, the New England-based furniture chain has its sights set on Williston, with plans for the location to open in the summer or fall.

“Bob’s has built a loyal customer base throughout New England, and opening a store in Vermont allows us to strengthen our connection with a region that has supported our brand for years,” said Ramesh Murthy, Chief Operating Officer at Bob’s Discount Furniture, in a press release. “We’re excited to bring our on-trend assortment of furniture, mattresses, and home accents at everyday low prices to new customers and markets.”