The executive orders announced today to reduce transmission of Covid-19 in Vermont do not include any restrictions on religious services, Gov. Phil Scott said.
Reporters peppered the governor and Health Commissioner with specific questions about how the new restrictions would impact aspects of life in Vermont. Vermont Daily asked the governor: “Do the new restrictions apply to this weekend’s scheduled religious services?” He answered succinctly: “no.”
New restrictions include:
Ban on ‘multi-household’ gatherings indoors and outdoors, in homes or public spaces. As cases are reported and contact tracing is performed, people at these gatherings can expect to be contacted by, and must comply with, health department authorities.
All bars and social clubs closed to in-person service.
Restaurants remain open for in-person service until 10 pm. Takeout available.
Restaurants, museums, gyms must keep log for contact tracing.
All recreational sports on hold, except those sanctioned by VT Principals Association. MORE….
Senator and possible Labor Secretary Bernie Sanders has upped the ante on proposed stimulus payments for all Americans: he now wants the government to pay $2000 every month for every ‘working class’ American.
Sanders tweeted the comments last night: “The pandemic is surging, and tens of millions of Americans are facing economic devastation. The Senate needs to pass a real stimulus package NOW that provides $2,000 a month to the working class, $600 a week to the unemployed and expands Medicare to all.”
When Congress returns to work next week, it will attempt to resolve differences between Senate Pres. Mitch McConnell’s $500 billion stimulus package and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s $2.2 trillion plan. McConnell’s plan has no one-time stimulus funding, while Pelosi’s would deliver another $1,200 to every American. Sanders’ plan would far outstrip even Pelosi’s. His tweet does not specify how the monthly $2000 benefit would be funded.
Some of Sanders’ Twitter followers pushed back.
“Plenty of nations are still afloat despite the pandemic “surging” and without adopting communist redistribution policies, causing goods prices to skyrocket, as you are suggesting. In some nations this surge is leveling off anyways.”
“Last time we gave $600 a week on top of the standard unemployment rate, most out of work folks I know ended up making MORE than they were while working. Meanwhile the rest of us working shlubs were left out to dry. How does that make sense?”
Sanders yesterday also took a twittershot at the Trump administration: “Instead of fighting to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed over 242,000 Americans, the Trump administration is spending its final days in office fighting a bogus voter “fraud” problem that does not exist. Pathetic. The Biden-Harris Administration cannot come soon enough.”
The concern continues for the more than 1600 fuel oil tanks on the Vermont Red Tag List. In the past two weeks, 48 tanks have been tagged. The good news is that there is now nearly twice the amount of money for the Vermont Tank Replacement Grant Program.
The program, which is funded by a 1-cent per gallon fee on oilheat and kerosene, was nearly out of cash before $300,000 was transferred last week from federal CARES Act funding.
Hazard Pay
Convenience stores and other retailers that were open to the general public between March 13 and May 15 may be eligible Vermont’s Front-Line Employees Hazard Pay Grant Program. Under the program, payments of $1,200 or $2,000 per employee are distributed on a first come first served basis. A summary of who should apply, who gets the money and how it all works can be found here.
Another $8 million was added just added to the hazard pay program and the deadline to apply has been extended to next Wednesday. While heating fuel employees are designated as essential, they are unlikely to qualify for a grant because of limited interaction with the public. Meanwhile, the Vermont Joint Fiscal Committee will be meeting on Saturday morning at 10am (watch live here) to figure out what to do with $75 million in unspent CARES Act funds.
Warm fall, so far – 1039 heating degree days have been recorded outside VFDA’s office since September 1. That’s 8% less than normal and 6% less than last year. MORE….
Shakespeare wrote, ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.’ Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Ortez is uneasy. Recently she tweeted, “is anyone archiving these Trump sycophants for when they try to downplay or deny their complicity in the future?”
Never in the history of American presidential transition has a political leader so bluntly threatened our free speech. She’s warning me – she’s warning you:
“You get in line now. For four years we have shamed you on Facebook and doxxed at work. Lately our friends in Big Tech have blacked out your Facebook page. Our friend Jake Tapper at CNN warned you that backing this president might cost you your job. Now we in the Resistance feel so secure in our triumph that we accuse you of being complicit in the fallen regime.”
AOC, I’ll make it easy for you. If you’re making a naughty list, add my name. I’m honored.
Because in my childhood home, I learned to never threaten or bully.
In fourth grade, I learned about my sacred right to free speech and the never-ending fight to protect it.
And in my church, AOC, I learned the truth will set you free. I learned that if I speak the truth in love, what can man (or woman) do to me? So shame me or dox me or add my name to your loathsome list, But I will speak out for the Constitution and the people who support it. Because if I don’t, I might as well step through the prison door of fear and swing those bars shut behind me.
You SHOULD feel uneasy, AOC. There was once another group of Americans threatened by authoritarians like you. Their names are listed on the Declaration of Independence. Today, a peaceful, irresistible army of Freedom is being mustered. Sign me up.
published by Guy Page, Page Communications
news@vermontdailychronicle.com
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