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Vermont Access Network (VAN) Recognition on the House Floor.

On Friday, VAN set up a display and maintained a presence in the Card Room at the State House for engaging with legislators about its work, its budget ask, and S.181. Rep. Headrick gave a brief speech about local access television on the House Floor, and the House as a body recognized the Vermont Access Network.

From the Office of Senator Welch:

Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joins Protect Our Winters (POW) and Vermont outdoor recreation leaders to celebrate Earth Week and unveil the Energizing Our Communities Act, legislation to support local communities that host Department of Energy (DOE) supported transmission projects. The program will help build trust between local governments and transmission developers so the nation can sustainably increase transmission capacity, which is crucial to a national clean energy transition. The Energizing Our Communities Act invests revenue from certain federal Department of Energy loan programs back into communities, including tribal governments, who host transmission infrastructure. This bill aims to support national transmission grid build-out by ensuring communities see the benefits of transmission at the ground level.

Who: Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.); Sam Masters, Protect Our Winters; John Atkinson, Executive Director of Catamount Outdoor Family Center; Ashley LaPorte, Vice President of Purpose & Impact, Burton; Ted Brady, Executive Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns; and Blake Keogh, Athlete.

From Dr. Wetchi:

Africa Day is on May 11th, 2024. Africa Day (formerly African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day) is the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organization of African Unity on 25 May 1963. It is celebrated in various countries on the African continent as well as around the world. The organization was transformed into the African Union on 9 July 2002, in Durban, South Africa, but the holiday continues to be celebrated on 25 May. 

From VPIRG:

Apply to join VPIRG's summer canvass at vpirg.org/CanvassApp2024!

The summer door-to-door canvass has been at the heart of VPIRG’s work since 1985, the first year a small group of passionate young activists took to the streets, roads, and mountain tracks of Vermont and began a political movement through the simple act of having face-to-face conversations.  But even before the first canvass, since our founding in 1972, VPIRG’s work has been rooted in the idea that when we make the effort to connect with people and build a movement around a common issue, we can accomplish big things – together.

Over the last several decades, our summer canvass has grown to become a beloved Vermont summer tradition. What once was an operation comprised of 10-20 canvassers knocking on doors in and around Chittenden County, has become a force of 70+ canvassers each summer that walk, bike, and talk to residents in all 251 cities, towns, and gores in Vermont. And the conversations we have each year inform the work our team of advocates goes on to do in the State House.  

For more information: www.vpirg.org/canvass