Chauvin found guilty in George Floyd's murder

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on all charges nearly one year after George Floyd died in his custody on the side of a city street.

The video of Chauvin with his knee on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds touched off protests by millions of people in the U.S. and around the world, calling for racial justice and police reform.

In Chauvin's much-watched criminal trial, he faced faced three counts: second-degree murder — unintentional; third-degree murder; and second-degree manslaughter. Following the verdict's reading by Judge Peter Cahill, cheers of "justice" and "Black Lives Matter" erupted outside the Minneapolis courtroom and at the location where Floyd was killed. Chauvin's sentencing is expected in eight weeks.

After the conviction, the Floyd family's attorney Ben Crump released a statement which read in part:

“Painfully earned justice has arrived for George Floyd’s family and the community here in Minneapolis, but today’s verdict goes far beyond this city and has significant implications for the country and even the world," the statement reads. "Justice for Black America is justice for all of America. This case is a turning point in American history for accountability of law enforcement and sends a clear message we hope is heard clearly in every city and every state."

Members of Congress also weighed in, including U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, of Vermont, who said the outcome "offered some measure of accountability" in the ongoing struggle for change.

"This verdict is an important step for our country as we wrestle with centuries of injustice," Welch said. "But there is so much more work to do in our communities, in the halls of Congress, and in each of our lives to build a society free of bigotry and inequality. We all must commit to do the work, every day."

In remarks after the verdict was released, Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden urged Congress to pass the sweeping reforms in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. They also noted the importance of reversing the impact of racism.

“It’s the work we do every day to change hearts and minds, and well as laws and policies. That’s the work we have to do. Only then, will full justice and full equality be delivered to all Americans,” Biden said. “And that’s what I just discussed with the Floyd family. The guilty verdict does not bring back George, but through the family’s pain, they’re finding purpose, so George’s legacy will not be just about his death, but about what we must do in his memory.”

— Gareth Henderson

New funding aims to provide healthy food for students

A school bus heads through Woodstock Village in Vermont recently. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

A new program is being launched to ensure students continue to have access to healthy meals during the pandemic. 

The federal government recently allowed 34 states, including Vermont and Massachusetts, to provide a temporary food benefit to pre-K-12 students who would normally receive free and reduced-price meals at school. This new Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) benefit is meant to replace the value of school meals that children would have received earlier in the year, had they been at school.

In Vermont, households eligible for this funding should receive it by April 29. At the state’s press briefing on Friday, Education Secretary Dan French thanked the many people who helped get this program off the ground.

“This has been a very complex program to implement, and I want to thank the many school staff around the state who worked quickly to collect the required data from households and submit it up to the state level,” French said. “This quick work on their part made it possible for us to turn this program around fairly quickly and get the benefits deployed, and we really appreciate their efforts.”

The amount of the P-EBT benefit is based on the student’s mode of learning in the months covered. For example, the amount is $119.35 per student for a remote learning month, $70.61 per student for a hybrid learning month, and no benefit for an in-person learning month. The money is provided through an electronic benefit card to be used for food purchases at participating grocery stores, convenience stores, online retailers and farmers markets. This program has no impact on eligibility for the free meals currently available through schools. 

“Families are encouraged to use both resources to make sure students have access to healthy meals,” French said. 

About $14.7 million in P-EBT benefits will soon be issued to 21,844 Vermont households for the time period of September 2020 through February 2021. That impacts about 33,000 students, nearly 42% of the state’s public school population. Vermont had 78,928 students in pre-K-12 as of February.

Another P-EBT benefit will be provided in July, to cover the months of March through June 2021.

— Gareth Henderson

The quiet power of poetry

Lulls Brook by Reeves Road in Hartland, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Through nature’s stream of change, 

A settled peace holds sway.

The rest is fully arranged;

Renewal anchors the day.

That’s my poetic recognition of spring, reflecting the confident peace beneath the surface of the changing season. Using few words to say more is a cherished feature of poetry, and one of many reasons to celebrate this age-old art form. 

Today, we’re in the middle of National Poetry Month, and we’ve also arrived at the 25th anniversary of this national celebration. “Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters,” states poets.org. 

It’s already been a big year for poetry, with National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman and her inspiring reading of her masterpiece, “The Hill We Climb,” at the presidential inauguration in January. The poem, now published in a book of the same title, reads in part: “Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true: That even as we grieved we grew, that even as we hurt we hoped, that even as we tired we tried, that we'll forever be tied together, victorious.” 

Poetry is painting with words, drawing from the vast palette of human feelings to touch our heartstrings, and move our minds. Each poem that encapsulates art with profound meaning is, in and of itself, a victory. It’s another proof that a great amount of beauty can live, and flourish, within the words of a poem. It can make a difference, by bringing out truth and giving hope like no other art form can. That's the gift it brings, and that’s the quiet power of poetry.

— Gareth Henderson

U.S. Capitol Police officer dies in checkpoint incident

One U.S. Capitol Police officer is dead and one is injured after a vehicle rammed into a barrier at a checkpoint at the U.S. Capitol complex in Washington, D.C., today. The suspected driver has also died, authorities reported.

Just after 1 p.m., a driver in a blue sedan crashed into the North Barricade of the complex and struck the two officers. The suspect reportedly exited the vehicle, refused to heed verbal commands, and ran toward the officers carrying a knife. One of the officers shot the man. All three were taken to the hospital.

U.S. Capitol Police later said the deceased officer was William 'Billy' Evans, an 18-year veteran of the Capitol Police force.

Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman addressed the public at a press conference.

"This has been an extremely difficult time for U.S. Capitol Police after the events of Jan. 6, and now after the events that have occurred here today," she said. "So I ask that you keep our U.S. Capitol Police family in your thoughts and prayers."

Multiple media outlets have identified the suspect as Noah Green, 25, of Virginia. The police believe he acted alone and there is no threat to the general public. The motive remains unconfirmed and the investigation is ongoing.

There were no details about the injured officer.

The incident sent the U.S. Capitol complex into lockdown. Capitol Police tweeted just after 3 p.m. that it had cleared the "external security incident" at all U.S. Capitol campus buildings, but the area around the scene would remain restricted.

— Gareth Henderson

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and will be updated.

Biden: U.S. to hit goal of 100 million doses Friday

The winter landscape in Bristol, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

U.S. President Joe Biden said a major COVID-19 vaccination goal of his administration would be reached on Friday much earlier than initially expected.

At a press briefing Thursday, Biden confirmed that's the day the administration would beat its goal of delivering 100 million vaccine doses to Americans in his first 100 days in office. Friday is just two months into the president's first term.

Biden noted this milestone was close at hand during a televised address last week. On Thursday, he said several key steps, taken shortly after he took office, enabled this to happen. They included expediting critical materials for vaccine production, working with vaccine manufacturers to speed up delivery of millions more doses, and brokering a historic manufacturing partnership between competing companies.

"These steps put us on track to have enough vaccines, enough vaccine supply, for every adult American by the end of May — months earlier than anyone expected," Biden said.

He added that eight weeks ago, 8% of American seniors had been vaccinated — today, 65% of Americans age 65 or older have received at least one shot. The amount of vaccine doses going to states has doubled, and the U.S. has gone from delivering 1 million vaccinations per day, to an average of 2.5 million, Biden said.

The administration has put a particular focus on supplying vaccine doses to community health clinics. Biden said that's to help those who've been hardest-hit by the pandemic, especially Black, Latino, Native-American and rural communities.

"This is really important, because we believe speed and efficiency must be matched with fairness and equity," he said.

Going forward, Biden encouraged Americans to continue to follow public health guidelines, including wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands often.

"If we keep our guard up, stick together and stick with the science, we can look forward to a Fourth of July that feels a bit more normal, with small groups able to gather for cookouts in backyards."

To get to that point, Biden said, there was more work to do, and the COVID-19 relief bill being implemented will help, as it provides more funding for community vaccination centers and testing. States are also expected to get increasing amounts of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the coming weeks.

Biden has directed states to make all adults vaccine-eligible by May 1, and some states have announced they can do so, including Vermont, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut and North Carolina.

— Gareth Henderson

Governor loosens rules, responds to Biden deadline

A view from the Ottauquechee River Trail in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

As promised, the state of Vermont made further changes to public health guidance on Friday, as the number of vaccinated Vermonters steadily increases. The state reached a new milestone in that process: 1 in 4 Vermonters have now received at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Gov. Phil Scott also said the state could exceed President Joe Biden’s new directive that states make all adults vaccine-eligible by May 1. But first, the state needs to know how much Johnson & Johnson vaccine it will get, and he was confident that update would be forthcoming.

At a Friday press briefing, Gov. Phil Scott announced immediate changes to rules on small multi-household gatherings and table seating at restaurants. The changes allow two unvaccinated households to gather at a time, and restaurants can seat multiple households together, but no more than six people can be seated at the same table. Masking, distancing, capacity limits, and other guidelines remain in place.

At a press briefing, Scott acknowledged Vermont continues to take one of the most cautious approaches to reopening, and this has caused some frustration. 

"I hear from people every day who think we should be moving faster to reopen like some other states have," Scott said. "But there's a reason we have the lowest number of (COVID-related) deaths in the country, and the lowest death rate in the continental U.S. If our death rate was as high as some of our neighbors, like New York, we wouldn't be talking about 212 lives lost. We'd be talking about 1,500 or more."  

Scott said he'd continue to take a "methodical and strategic approach", guided by the health experts. He also noted that, as more people get vaccinated, Vermonters can expect the loosening of public health restrictions to be more frequent than last spring, when the vaccine was not available.

Speaking of vaccinations, the governor responded to questions his office received following President Joe Biden's televised speech on Thursday night, during which he directed states to expand vaccine eligibility to all adults by May 1. 

Scott said he thought Vermont could exceed that target, but the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine is the key to meeting it. He said the state is waiting for federal confirmation on what its Johnson & Johnson allotment will look like. 

"Following President Biden's remarks, I'm assuming a clear supply picture will be made available to the states as soon as possible, so we can confirm the schedule of our remaining age bands and share it with you next week," Scott said. "But again, I want Vermonters to know, if the federal government delivers the supply, we'll more than deliver on the president's eligibility goal." 

Sanders: Rapid relief a key point of $1.9 trillion bill

For U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the direct stimulus checks going out now to about 90% of Americans are a key feature of the COVID-19 relief bill President Joe Biden signed into law Thursday.

On Friday, Sanders emphasized that rapid economic relief is what many Vermonters and people across the country badly need. For those with direct deposit, those $1,400 relief payments should show up in bank accounts in the next few days, he added.

"I have believed for a very long time, that in a moment when half of the people in our country are living paycheck to paycheck, probably the most important thing that we could do at this moment is just get cash into the hands of struggling families," Sanders said at Friday's state press conference.

The bill also has provisions meant to address child poverty, including increasing the federal child tax credit from $2,000 to $3,600 for families with kids under age 6. In fact, Sanders said, estimates project the legislation will cut child poverty by up to 50%.

"This bill, in a very aggressive way, addresses that crisis," Sanders said.

The senator said he'll never forget seeing the long lines of cars lining up all over the state for emergency food packages last year.

"People are hurting, and they need help," Sanders said.

From the new relief package, Vermont will see $1.3 billion. Within that, the state gets $152 million for rent and utility relief and $50 million for mortgage assistance.

Sanders also shared important news for the many Vermonters who filed for unemployment in 2020. The relief bill adds a tax deduction for the first $10,000 in unemployment benefits an individual received in 2020.

With the bill's passage, enhanced federal unemployment benefits of $300 per week are extended into early September. It also provides more funding for vaccination efforts, aid for school reopenings and assistance for businesses.

Noting the great need to help children during the recovery, Sanders said the bill nearly triples federal funding for summer and after-school programs. It also supplies an additional $391 million in federal funding for child care.

"The bottom line is, this is an enormously comprehensive piece of legislation. It will impact, I suspect, almost every family in the state of Vermont," Sanders said. "The goal here is to do everything that we can to help people who are struggling right now, to rebuild our economy, to open up our businesses, to get our children back to school, and to crush this pandemic as quickly as we can."

In the coming weeks, he said, people can expect Congress to take on big issues like infrastructure, energy systems and climate change, noting each of those areas can create jobs as the country moves forward.

State provides update on school staff vaccinations

The state of Vermont's efforts to roll out vaccinations for school employees has gone well for the most part, though with a few "bumps in the road", according to state education officials.

On Monday, the state began vaccine eligibility for teachers, school staff and child care providers. This included school-based clinics offered around the state.

At Friday's press briefing, Education Secretary Dan French said there were some issues regarding the location of vaccination appointments, as some appointment slots filled up more quickly than others.

“I just wanted to assure people that new clinics will be implemented as the supply increases, so school staff should not worry about being able to get an appointment if they weren't able to get one this week," French said.

Additionally, school staff in Vermont can also get vaccinated through the federal pharmacy program, which includes over 20 Walgreens locations throughout the state. French encouraged school staff to check on Walgreens appointment slots for availability as well, at walgreens.com.

Also on Friday, French shared a note of progress for the return to in-person learning. In February, Vermont schools saw slight increases of in-person learning across all grade levels.

"As the weather gets warmer and vaccination expands, we can expect to see the amount of in-person continue to increase in the coming weeks," French said.

As of Friday, over 11,000 educators, school staff, and child care providers have made appointments.

Also this week, vaccine registration opened for all Vermonters over age 16 with certain high-risk health conditions, and 21,700 people in that group of about 75,000 have signed up.

For appointments and eligibility details, visit healthvermont.gov/myvaccine or call 855-722-7878.

— Gareth Henderson

Biden signs relief bill; sets vaccine eligibility deadline

A view from Cloudland Road in Pomfret, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

U.S. President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill into law on Thursday, paving the way for $1,400 direct payments to start going out this week. Biden followed that up with some major announcements that same evening. 

In his first prime-time address to the nation, Biden ordered states to make all adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1. The U.S. plans to up its current number of daily vaccinations from 1 million to over 2 million, the president said. He also spoke of his stated goal to get 100 million Americans vaccinated in his first 100 days in office. 

“Tonight, I can say we're not only going to meet that goal; we're going to beat that goal," Biden said. That mark will be reached by his 60th day in office, he added.

With the vaccination process ahead of schedule, Biden anticipated Americans being able to celebrate the Fourth of July in small gatherings.

“That will make this Independence Day something truly special, where we not only mark our independence as a nation, we begin to mark our independence from this virus,” Biden said. 

The $1.9 trillion relief package includes more funding for vaccination efforts, aid for school reopenings and assistance for businesses, among other items. It also extends federal jobless benefits of $300 per week into early September, includes an expansion of the child tax credit of up to $3,600 per child, and supplies $350 billion in state and local aid. About 90% of households will see the $1,400 direct payments. 

On Thursday night, Biden acknowledged it had been a year since lockdowns took hold in America. Even with the progress on the vaccination front, Biden noted, it’s still important for everyone to follow the public health guidance of masking, frequent hand-washing and social distancing. He said the battle against COVID is “far from over”, and it will take everyone’s efforts to get the country over the finish line regarding the pandemic.

“Even if we devote every resource we have, beating this virus and getting back to normal depends on national unity," Biden said. 

The president also plans to accelerate a nationwide effort to reopen schools, sticking with his goal of opening the majority of K-8 schools within his first 100 days in office. The administration will also issue further public health guidance in the coming weeks for vaccinated individuals, and plans to unveil online tools to help people find local vaccination sites.

— Gareth Henderson

Welch: Stimulus bill key for fully reopening schools

A sunny afternoon view of Wyman Lane in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Vermont's governor wants schools fully open by the middle of April, and the federal COVID-19 relief bill is designed to help schools as they transition back to in-person learning, according to U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, of Vermont.

The $1.9 trillion bill being taken up in the U.S. Senate has $170 billion going to schools. On VPR's Vermont Edition on Monday, Welch recalled when he visited the Winooski school district earlier during the pandemic, and observed all the changes they had to make to run their schools during the pandemic, which cost them about $2 million.

"This (stimulus) money is a recognition by the federal government that opening schools is easier said than done, and it requires resources and the spending of money in order to do it safely for our kids and for our teachers," Welch told VPR.

He said this federal relief could help schools hire extra personnel as they go back to in-person learning, which may include more nurses to take temperatures, for example. The funding could also help reconfigure classrooms for social distancing. Overall, Welch said any use of the federal aid must have a "COVID-related nexus", but it is less restrictive than prior aid packages. That means these new funds could be used on expenditures which could also have long-term benefits, such as improving school ventilation. The greater flexibility was something requested by the governor previously, Welch said during the VPR interview.

Currently, about 30% of Vermont schools have full-time, in-person instruction, 50% are hybrid, and 20% are fully remote. On Friday, the Scott administration announced its statewide effort to get schools back to full-time, in-person learning by year's end, and hopefully by mid-April. Education Secretary Dan French expects to give more details about that plan this week.

The topic has been one of intense debate nationally. On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a school reopening deal with lawmakers, and on Friday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a school reopening bill that he said was a threat to public health.

There seems to be broad agreement that getting students back to full-time, in-person learning is crucial, although some are concerned about the idea of reopening when not all teachers are fully vaccinated. Vermont is taking that into account as the next steps on its vaccination plan are considered. On Monday, the state opened up vaccination appointments to Vermonters age 65 and over.

Last Friday, Gov. Scott said the main reason to push for a full school reopening is "to reverse the negative impact of the pandemic on our kids."

"We have to start assessing the educational, social and emotional impact the pandemic and remote learning has had on our kids," Scott said. "Then we have to work together to reverse those impacts, as quickly as we possibly can. And that means, in this case, in-person instruction.”

A Senate vote on the federal aid package is anticipated in the next two weeks, since extended federal unemployment benefits expire on March 14.

— Gareth Henderson 

Help at an hour of need

The rising sun tops the ridgeline in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Even during the severest of challenges, when hardship impacts so many, Americans step up for their neighbors. That was evident during a recent effort when two Texans facilitated free deliveries of food and other supplies for their neighbors, during the state’s severe emergency caused by the winter storm, outages and water shortages. 

Debra Crawford Davis and Megan Johnston started Facebook groups for Anderson County and Grayson County, respectively, to help with communication about who needs help, what was open and what the weather was doing, according to CNN. It was coordination when their community needed it most.

"We are a small town, but we're a close town," Crawford Davis said of Palestine in Anderson County, in a CNN interview. "We're able to see the good in one another and come together for the greater good."

That project has been one of many acts of kindness amid this crisis. There were also reports of people helping each other by sharing a generator, for example, or opening their homes to others looking for alternate shelter from the extreme temperatures. In Manor, a suburb near Austin, Starla Everett welcomed her neighbors, Adrian and Gina Escajeda, into her home to warm up. The couple’s house had dropped to minus-6 degrees inside, and without power and water service for most of last week. They remained at Everett’s place for a couple of nights. Adrian Escajeda was inspired by his neighbor at a time when supplies for everyone were low.

"It is so amazing to know that even in times of need — and knowing the grocery stores are closed — people would still open their homes and offer their food," he said.

In Texas, wider efforts are underway to help on a regional level. Water distribution sites have been set up around the state, the PBS NewsHour reported Sunday, and more than 2 million bottles of water had been distributed around the state as of Saturday. FEMA and other federal partners are leading the continued efforts on deliveries at this important time. Hunger is another key issue now, with many store shelves empty after disruptions to the food supply during the storm. At height, the storm left 4.5 million people in Texas without power.

By Monday, many Texans had seen power restored to their homes, and temperatures in major cities like Austin, Dallas and San Antonio reached above 65 degrees. The fallout from the storm’s impacts heated up as well, as the outcry grew over sky-high electric bills many people received. Some increased by thousands of dollars, mainly due to the state’s unregulated energy market, according to the PBS NewsHour’s Monday report. Speaking to the media, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick promised the state would find a solution to the issue. As of Monday evening, water-boil advisories remained in effect for 8.8 million Texans.

The recovery from this historic weather event will be a complex one. During the process, hopefully the heartfelt, community support will continue to spread and be of some comfort at this time of need and loss. It’s not a stretch to imagine this will be another time that will be recorded in Americans’ tradition of helping each other when it matters most, which has been a theme of the past year as well. That love and support remains, and it can uplift us even in our darkest, most impossible hours. For each other, we can — and will — be strong.

— Gareth Henderson

Important weeks ahead for next COVID relief bill

A sunset view of the Ottauquechee River in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Work continues on the Biden administration's COVID-19 relief plan, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is hoping for significant progress in the next two weeks.

The $1.9 trillion proposal could help the U.S. return to full employment in a year, Yellen told CNBC on Thursday. She said a plan of that size is needed to weather the economic storm of the pandemic. Some Republicans, who proposed a $618 billion package Democrats rejected, fear "overheating the economy" and causing inflation.

“Inflation has been very low for over a decade, and you know it’s a risk, but it’s a risk that the Federal Reserve and others have tools to address,” Yellen told CNBC. “The greater risk is of scarring the people, having this pandemic take a permanent lifelong toll on their lives and livelihoods.”

The administration's current proposal would provide $1,400 direct payments to most Americans and would begin gradually increasing the U.S. minimum wage to $15 per hour. The bill also has significant funding for vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing, and it contains state and local funding that governors of both parties have been requesting for months.

The minimum wage increase, enhanced unemployment insurance and an expanded child tax credit in particular have drawn criticism from GOP lawmakers, Business Insider reports. COVID-related unemployment benefits start expiring on March 14.

Conversations continue between the Biden administration and some Senate Republicans about the relief bill, though the White House proposal has won no Republican support in Congress so far, according to ABC News.

Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who met with President Joe Biden last week, warned the president against passing the relief bill with only Democratic support — which the majority could do. According to ABC, Hogan told Biden doing that may complicate future work on major issues like infrastructure or rebuilding the economy.

"I said to him, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should," Hogan told ABC News on Sunday. "And I said that I thought that it was good for his agenda over the next four years if he started out by getting some Republicans on board in a bipartisan way."

House leadership is hoping for a relief bill vote in that chamber by the end of next week.

According to a recent CBS News/YouGov poll, 83% of Americans approve of Congress passing a new economic relief package.

— Gareth Henderson

Wintry blast continues its widespread impact

The view behind the Woodstock History Center earlier this month. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

The winter storm that pummeled the country this week may have left New England, but its impact persists elsewhere with severe power outages and major delays in vaccine distribution. At least two dozen people have died this week from weather-related incidents in the U.S., according to The Associated Press.

In Texas, power had been restored to over 600,000 people by Wednesday morning, but 2.7 million homes in the Lone Star State were still in the dark shortly before 2 p.m., NPR reported. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which runs about 75% of the state's power grid, acknowledged the hardship people are enduring in the extreme cold.

"We know millions of people are suffering," ERCOT's president and CEO, Bill Magness, said in a statement Wednesday. "We have no other priority than getting them electricity. No other priority."

ERCOT asked local utilities to shed 14,000 megawatts of load, which equates to around 2.8 million households. Some municipalities urged residents to reduce their electricity usage, and many had to issue boil-water notices.

The weather's impact also hampered the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts in Texas and elsewhere. In Vermont on Tuesday, Gov. Phil Scott said White House officials warned governors that day about postponements in vaccine deliveries to different states due to the storm.

"I'm not sure how that will affect us, but stay tuned," Scott said.

On Wednesday, the delays hit some parts of the Northeast. In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city had to hold off making 30,000 to 35,000 vaccination appointments due to delayed distribution from elsewhere in the country due to weather, The Associated Press reported.

The heavy Arctic blast continued to impact Americans from the south-central U.S. to the mid-East Coast throughout Wednesday. Though some areas will see more moderate temperatures in the coming days, many will experience temps 20 to 35 degrees below normal such as the Great Plains, Mississippi Valley and the lower Great Lakes region, according to the National Weather Service.

— Gareth Henderson

Winter Storm Uri closing in on New England

Woodstock Village after a storm earlier this month. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Widespread winter weather has broken snowfall records across the country, and Winter Storm Uri is now heading to New England, where snow and ice is expected to begin early Tuesday. 

Not all areas are due for tons of snow on Tuesday, but forecasters are warning about snow and ice mixing on the roads in many parts of the Northeast region. In Vermont, the higher snowfall is expected to be in the north, with much of the state, including the Woodstock area, getting 6 to 12 inches. Some southern areas may see less than 6. The farther south you go, the more ice on the roads will be the main issue, said Tyler Jankoski of MyNBC5. 

“The heavy snow and sleet is for all of us in the northern half of the region, with that icing south,” Jankoski said. 

A winter storm warning was in effect from 7 p.m. Monday through 7 p.m. for most of Vermont, with 1 to 2 inches of snow falling per hour between midnight and 7 a.m.

What’s coming is the culmination of what’s been an epic weather event elsewhere in the U.S. On Monday afternoon, communities from the Rio Grande to the Saint Lawrence River were under winter weather advisories, and about 3 million people were without power. Most of those were in Texas, where traffic in every major city ground to a halt because of snow. 

“I want to encourage people to stay home, to stay off the roads,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner at a press briefing.

Oklahoma City, which also had record snowfall, had endured five-straight days of 25-degree temperatures, and states across the Plains have recorded record-low temperatures as well. The weekend brought 11 inches of snow to Seattle, breaking that city’s snowfall record for February. 

As of 4 p.m. Monday, over half of the U.S. population remained under winter weather advisories. 

Vermont’s COVID-19 vaccination clinics will remain open on Tuesday, but people wishing to reschedule their appointment due to the weather are asked to call 855-722-7878.

In the Green Mountains, the storm is expected to largely subside by noon on Tuesday, and sunshine and 25 degrees is in the forecast for Wednesday.

— Gareth Henderson

New COVID-19 relief bill taking shape

A view from Wild Apple Road in Pomfret, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

While the impeachment trial consumed the past week in the Senate, lawmakers in the House have been crafting the next COVID-19 relief bill. 

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, Vermont’s lone congressman, is a senior member on two of the House committees working with President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief proposal. Those would be Energy and Commerce, and Oversight and Reform, and they both voted to approve key components of the package.

“In my committees, we worked to make President Biden’s bold plan tangible and focused to help Vermonters and all Americans get through this unprecedented pandemic,” Welch said. “I am pleased that we produced legislation that will help Vermonters contain and crush this terrible virus, by including robust state and local funding, billions of dollars for vaccine production, distribution and COVID testing, and help for the most vulnerable among us to make it through the winter.”

The provisions passed by the committee include: 

• State and Local Coronavirus Relief Funds: Vermont will receive an estimated $961 million in state and local funds.

• $7.5 billion for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for national vaccine distribution and administration, including assistance to state and local health departments.

• $5.2 billion for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to develop and purchase additional vaccines for the U.S.

• $4.5 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is a vital lifeline to help Vermonters heat their homes during the cold winter months.

• $46 billion for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and mitigation measures around the country.

• $7.6 billion for Community Health Centers throughout the U.S. to assist with COVID-19 response.

• $7.6 billion for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-Rate Program to expand access to broadband in the U.S. and allow for the purchase of connected devices for students and library members.

The COVID relief package is expected to pass the House in the coming weeks before being taken up by the Senate.

— Gareth Henderson 

A fact sheet on the Committee on Energy and Commerce’s work is here. A fact sheet on the Committee on Oversight and Reform’s work is here.

Trump acquitted of incitement charge

The U.S. Senate acquitted former U.S. President Donald Trump of incitement of insurrection, as a week-long impeachment trial concluded on Saturday. 

A majority of senators voted 57-43 on the incitement charge, but that fell short of the supermajority needed to convict. Seven Republican senators joined the Democratic majority in voting to convict the former president. They were: Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.

The trial centered around Trump’s role in the events of Jan. 6, when a mob of the president’s supporters invaded the U.S. Capitol, injuring multiple police officers. A total of five people died as a result of the siege, including a Capitol Police officer. Two other officers committed suicide in the weeks since. Lawmakers were evacuated from Congressional chambers as the rioters, enraged by the president’s oft-repeated false claim of a stolen election, delayed the counting of the electoral votes which would eventually confirm now-President Joe Biden’s election victory. Some of the rioters walked through the hallways intent on finding Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and then-Vice President Mike Pence — with some of the mob calling for his hanging. 

The House impeachment managers argued that a speech Trump gave on Jan. 6, combined with his conduct in the weeks prior, incited the rioters to march to the Capitol and attempt to violently overtake it. Managers also used video footage from that day, as well as tweets and statements from the former president, to build their case. Trump’s defense attorneys, however, countered that the speech did not amount to incitement and that the impeachment was a continued political “witch hunt” against Trump. Some Republicans voted to acquit because they assert the Constitution doesn’t provide for the impeachment of a former president — a stance the House Managers opposed, saying there is precedent for former officials to be impeached. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who voted to acquit, started his remarks after the vote by saying the president, a fellow Republican, undoubtedly fueled the fearsome events of Jan. 6.

“The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president, and having that belief was a foreseeable consequence of the growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories and reckless hyperbole which the defeated president kept shouting into the largest megaphone on planet Earth,” McConnell said. 

However, McConnell also asserted that impeachment does not apply to officials who have left office — one of his main reasons for supporting acquittal. 

But Sen. Collins, of Maine, saw it differently. In her statement after the vote, Collins said Trump encouraged the mob in the hope of preventing a peaceful transfer of power — as demonstrated by his hours-long delay in calling off the riot.

“This impeachment trial is not about any single word uttered by President Trump on Jan. 6, 2021,” Collins said. “It is instead about President Trump’s failure to obey the oath he swore on Jan. 20, 2017. His actions to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power — the hallmark of our Constitution and our American democracy — were an abuse of power and constitute grounds for conviction.” 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer decried the widely-expected acquittal. He remarked, “Jan. 6 would not have happened, but for the actions of Donald Trump.” 

Saturday marked the culmination of an historic impeachment trial, which stemmed from the first time a president had been impeached twice. 

Also during this week, House committees have reportedly been marking up President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal, in an effort to advance that bill. The House hopes to complete any changes and pass the bill before the end of the month, CNBC reported Friday. It would then move to the Senate.

— Gareth Henderson

Biden: ‘This is democracy’s day’

An American flag in Woodstock, Vermont, during the Fourth of July. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Before a silent National Mall but with a message of hope, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as the new president and vice president of the United States on Wednesday. With that accomplished, history was made: Harris officially became the first African American, the first Asian American and the first woman to hold the country's second-highest public office.

The historic moment gave joy to millions, but it was not before the usual inauguration crowd of thousands. Amid heightened security and the pandemic, the National Mall was instead filled with a majestic public art display of nearly 200,000 flags — including American flags, and flags from every state and territory — representing the many people who couldn’t be there to share the moment. With applause from the smaller, distanced gathering assembled, Biden took to the podium to address the nation for the first time as its 46th president.

"This is America's day, this is democracy's day, a day of history and hope, a day of renewal and resolve," Biden said.

That resolve was severely tested in recent months, during an election fraught with unproven allegations of election fraud and swirling conspiracy theories. Rage about the election result fueled the mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, in which supporters of former president Donald Trump tried to derail the Congressional process to complete the certification of the presidential election. That attempt failed, as Biden noted, but he put it in a larger context, about the power of the country's foundation.

"Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause: the cause of democracy," Biden declared. "The will of the people has been heard, and the will of the people has been heeded. We've learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile, and at this hour my friends, democracy has prevailed."

Unity was the main theme, and a quality Biden said the country greatly needs. He acknowledged there are Americans who are not pleased that he was in office, and calls for unity often ring hollow today.

"I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days. I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real, but I also know they are not new," Biden said.

He noted that through the Civil War, the Great Depression, World Wars, 9/11 and other dark times, we've overcome challenges together.

"Through struggle, sacrifices and setbacks, our better angels have always prevailed," Biden pointed out.

Going forward, he said Americans must guard against "lies told for power and profit" and speak up for truth.

"We must stop the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured," Biden insisted.

The president also spoke directly to those who voted against him.

"Hear me out, as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart, and if you still disagree, so be it. That's democracy. That's America," Biden said. "The right to dissent peaceably within the guardrails of our republic is perhaps this nation's greatest strength. Yet hear me clearly, disagreement must not lead to disunion, and I pledge this to you: I will be a president for all Americans."

All Americans, in one way or another, have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Biden led a brief moment of silence for those who lost their lives, their families and the country. As he did several times, the president pointed out the simultaneous challenges we face, including threats to democracy and truth, the pandemic, systemic racism, growing inequity and climate change.

"Any one of these would be enough to challenge us in profound ways, but the fact is, we face them all at once, presenting this nation with one of the gravest responsibilities we've had," Biden said.

He urged people to set aside politics and forge a united front against the coronavirus.

"In the work ahead of us, we're going to need each other, need all our strength to persevere through this dark winter," he cautioned.

Biden also recalled a different January, in 1863, that also saw rife division throughout the land. It was the month that President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Upon doing so, he said, "If my name ever goes down into history, it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it."

"Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation," he said. "And I ask every American to join me in this cause."

Biden also pledged to put the people first in his work as president.

"I'll keep everything I do in your service, thinking not of power but of possibilities, not personal interest but the public good, and together, we shall write an American story of hope not fear, of unity not division, of light not darkness, a story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness,” the president said. “May this be the story that guides us, the story that inspires us, and the story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history."

Powerful moments of reflection surfaced when National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman shared her stunning poem, "The Hill We Climb", becoming the youngest inaugural poet in the nation's history at 22. Gorman recalled the events of Jan. 6 and the resiliency that followed, saying "while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated."

Her message was poignant, created for the nation, the world, and this era, as it looked also to the future:

"Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true: That even as we grieved we grew, that even as we hurt we hoped, that even as we tired we tried, that we'll forever be tied together, victorious. Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division."

— Gareth Henderson