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☆ Vermont's first trans lawmaker gets engaged at rainbow-lit White House
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Vermont Rep. Taylor Small, the state’s first transgender lawmaker, got engaged to her partner, Carsen Russell, while the White House was lit with rainbow lights on Tuesday. Vermont Rep. Taylor Small got engaged to her partner, Carsen Russell (left), after the Respect for Marriage Act signing at the White House on Tuesday. Courtesy Rep. Taylor SmallAs the event was wrapping up, Russell said he asked Small if she wanted to take a photo. “Carson is wonderful at navigating the roads with such confidence.”Carsen Russell, Vermont Rep. Taylor Small's partner of nearly four years, said he wasn't sure he would be able to get a ring into the White House without Small noticing. “I was like, ‘How do I get a ring into the White House without her noticing?’” he said.

LONDON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Unilever said on Thursday that its litigation with the independent board of Ben & Jerry's over the sale of its Israeli ice cream business has "been resolved". The next month, Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit against a Unilever subsidiary to try to block the sale. In an updated lawsuit filed in September, Ben & Jerry's said it was seeking damages and wanted the trademarks returned. Ben & Jerry's declined to comment and Ben & Jerry's independent board did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "I am pleased that the litigation between Unilever and the independent Board of Ben & Jerrys has been resolved," Avi Zinger said in a statement on Thursday.

☆ Republicans seek to sabotage year-end spending bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

An omnibus spending bill that would avert the closure of the federal government would be one of the last acts of unified Democratic political control of Washington. Democrats, meanwhile, understand that the government spending bill likely represents their last chance to enact Biden’s ambitious domestic plans until the next presidential election. If lawmakers cannot agree on a deal, they will face the possibility of either passing a short-term spending bill to carry the debate into the new Congress or a longer-term continuing resolution that would extend current spending levels. But in a sign of the consuming nature of the spending showdown, Republicans emerged from the meeting complaining that the two secretaries spent time lobbying for an omnibus spending bill over a continuing resolution. He said that Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had asked Blinken and Austin to explain why the new spending bill was so necessary.

Washington CNN —Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Sunday that “political aspirations” drove Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s exit from the Democratic Party, as he vowed to take a “hard look” at supporting a potential Democratic challenge to her in Arizona. I happen to suspect that it’s probably a lot to do with politics back in Arizona. Sinema announced last week she was leaving the Democratic Party and registering as a political independent, a move that is unlikely to change the power balance in the next Senate. Democrats will have a narrow 51-49 majority that includes two independents who caucus with them: Sanders and Angus King of Maine. She also brushed aside criticism she may face for the decision to leave the Democratic Party.

☆ Kyrsten Sinema's Democratic defection without a difference
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Specter’s switch from the Republican to the Democratic Party briefly gave Democrats a filibuster-proof majority and allowed them to pass the Affordable Care Act. Joe Lieberman, the moderate Democrat and former longtime senator, lost a Democratic primary in Connecticut in 2006, largely over his support for the Iraq war. A defection without a differenceArizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema appears to be different as she becomes the 22nd senator to change party affiliation while in office. A Senate independence trioSinema will be the first independent senator who isn’t from New England in more than a generation. The most complete political evolution may be that of Lincoln Chafee, the Rhode Island politician who was a Republican senator, independent governor and failed Democratic and Libertarian presidential candidate.

☆ Exclusive: Musk’s Neuralink faces federal probe, employee backlash over animal tests
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Rachael Levy | Thomson Reuters | Award-Winning Journalist Covering Corporate Governance. Her Reporting Has Prompted Federal Investigations | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +16 min

Reuters could not determine the full scope of the federal investigation or whether it involved the same alleged problems with animal testing identified by employees in Reuters interviews. Musk has pushed hard to accelerate Neuralink’s progress, which depends heavily on animal testing, current and former employees said. Delcianna Winders, director of the Animal Law and Policy Institute at the Vermont Law and Graduate School, said it is “very unusual” for the USDA inspector general to investigate animal research facilities. In September, the company responded to employee concerns about its animal testing by holding a town hall to explain its processes. “We’re extremely careful,” he said, to make sure that testing is “confirmatory, not exploratory,” using animal testing as a last resort after trying other methods.

☆ The pro-choice movement is jubilant after the midterms turned the anti-abortion tide
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The midterms proved that voters want to defend abortion access. Smith told Insider that, like many others, while she eagerly awaited the midterm results, the young man popped into her head. Timmaraju told Insider that they'd shifted resources over the summer into getting out the vote. "I think the moral of the story is young voters and women voters saved the day, saved Democrats." Melissa Fowler, the chief program officer of the National Abortion Federation, told Insider that, "Now the country has heard loud and clear that people support abortion access.

National Democrats were fairly happy on Election Day as they dodged a predicted trouncing at the polls, but state Democrats might have even more to celebrate. And Democrats appear on track to flip the state House in Michigan, as well as in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the nonpartisan organization that represents legislative chambers. Democratic wins this cycle signals a shift in state legislative priorities that could have major ramifications on contentious issues. The Republican-controlled state legislatures in Pennsylvania and Michigan had entertained election denial conspiracies after the 2020 election, for example. "Success does beget success," she said, noting that many state legislative candidates outperformed those competing at the federal level.

☆ Becca Balint wins Vermont House race, NBC News projects, and will be state's first woman and LGBTQ person in Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Democrat Becca Balint is the winner of Vermont’s at-large Congressional District race, NBC News projected. She is the first woman and the first LGBTQ person elected to Congress from the state. She added, "Tonight, after 231 years, Vermonters are sending a woman and openly gay person to Congress for the first time." Her victory ended Vermont's status as the only state never to have sent a woman to Congress. In 2020, she became the first woman and the first openly LGBTQ person to be president of the Vermont Senate.

☆ Democratic Rep. Peter Welch faces off against Republican Gerald Malloy in Vermont's US Senate election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Democratic Rep. Peter Welch is running against Republican Gerald Malloy to represent Vermont in the US Senate. Welch has represented Vermont's at-large congressional district for 15 years. Vermont's Senate race candidatesWelch, who has represented Vermont's at-large congressional district in the House since 2007, is running for Senate with a breadth of political experience. Prior to his time in Congress, Welch served in the Vermont State Senate for over a decade, during which he served as minority leader and president pro tempore. From 1856 through the election of 1988, Vermont went Republican in every election except 1964, when it voted for Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater.

☆ Live Election Results: Vermont State Legislature
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Explore more race results below. Polls close in the state at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. It symobilizes the 2022 Election. Election 2022 Vermont Results Explore more election results Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Texas Virginia Washington WisconsinThe Vermont House and Senate are currently under Democratic control and are not seen as particularly competitive. Vermont House of Representatives election results:Vermont Senate election results:

☆ Proposal 5: Vermont will vote to protect reproductive autonomy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Vermont's Proposal 5, or Article 22, would make reproductive autonomy a state constitutional right. Proponents say that the measure will further protect abortion and contraception access. Currently, the state of Vermont has no restriction on abortion access and allows for abortions throughout a pregnancy, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Vermont Right to Life is leading the opposition, and argues that the amendment will make it harder to pass laws in the future that would ban or restrict abortion. What experts are sayingAs of October, 75% of Vermont voters would vote yes on Proposal 5, while 18% would vote no and 6% are unsure, a University of New Hampshire survey found.

☆ These 10 LGBTQ candidates could make political history in November
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

More than 600 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer candidates will be on the ballot Nov. 8 — up from the 432 candidates in the previous midterm elections in 2018 — according to the political action committee LGBTQ Victory Fund. But even as an LGBTQ political leader, Balint, who is a lesbian, has faced pushback for her sexuality. He previously told NBC News that his Republican political affiliation was a result of his family's affection for former President Ronald Reagan. Jennie ArmstrongRunning for: Alaska House of Representatives, District 16Andrew GrayRunning for: Alaska House of Representatives, District 20If elected would be the first: LGBTQ state lawmaker(s) in Alaskan history. Alaska is one of four states with zero out LGBTQ state lawmakers, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund.

☆ Bernie Sanders says he's 'worried' about turnout among younger voters, calls on Democrats to focus on economic issues
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

On CNN's "State of the Union," Sanders signaled worries about turnout among young and working-class voters. Sanders said Democratic lawmakers needed to effectively address the economic concerns of voters. "I am worried about the level of voter turnout among young people and working people who will be voting Democratic," Sanders said. "And I think, again, what Democrats have got to do is contrast their economic plan with the Republicans." The Senate Budget Committee chairman stressed that the party needed to lean into the everyday concerns of voters on the campaign trail.

☆ Vermont town employee who quietly lowered fluoride in water for years resigns
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A town employee who quietly lowered the fluoride in a Vermont community’s drinking water for years has resigned — and is asserting that the levels had actually been low for much longer than believed. While fluoridating municipal water is voluntary, Vermont towns that do “shall control the level of fluoride” within the state’s specified ranges, according to the state’s water supply rule. The Vermont Health Department said it does not regulate municipal water systems. Town Manager Josh Arneson said Thursday that he will review fluoride levels monthly and that the town’s Water and Sewer Commission will also look at the report. The addition of fluoride to public drinking water systems has been routine in communities across the United States since the 1940s and 1950s.

☆ Ezra Miller pleads not guilty to burglary charges, faces up to 26 years in prison
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

“The Flash” star Ezra Miller pleaded not guilty to burglary charges in a Vermont court Monday morning. Miller, who’s charged with burglary into an occupied home and petit larceny, faces up to 26 years in prison if convicted of both charges. The petit larceny charge states that the stolen items were less than $900 in total value. The felony burglary charge has a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $1,000 maximum fine. The larceny charge is a maximum of one year and a similar $1,000 fine.

☆ Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren blast the $25 billion merger between grocers Kroger and Albertsons, one calling it an 'absolute disaster' for consumers
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren blasted the Kroger-Albertsons merger. Sanders called it "an absolute disaster" for consumers that would result in higher grocery costs. The grocery store chains announced Friday that they've entered into a merger agreement that values the combined company at about $24.6 billion. "That's good for small businesses, it's good for consumers, and it actually, in many cases, reduces the need for regulatory oversight. And without local competition offering lower prices, consumers are stuck with nowhere else to stop.

☆ Vermont town employee quietly lowered fluoride in water for nearly 4 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-08 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

And, he said, he doesn’t think the state’s recommended level of fluoride is warranted right now. “For a single person to unilaterally make the decision that this public health benefit might not be warranted is inappropriate. “Fluoride, again, is one of the most successful and important public health measures that has ever been undertaken in this country,” Knowles said. The mineral was first added to public water in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1945. In sparsely populated and largely rural Vermont, 29 of the 465 public water systems voluntarily fluoridate, and just over half of residents served by a public system get fluoridated water, according to the Vermont Department of Health.

☆ 81-year-old Bernie Sanders jokes that he couldn't hear a question about age limits for politicians
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bernie Sanders, asked about age limits for politicians, said it's important to look at the individual. When asked whether he planned to run again, Sanders said "I haven't made that decision." The Senate's average age this Congress is 64.3, the oldest in the chamber's history, according to the Senate Historical Office. CBS Mornings hosts noted that some younger politicians are saying it's time for their generation to step up and most Americans think there should be age limits for politicians. When an Insider journalist asked Sanders about America's aging leaders, the senator interrupted him with a classic Sanders rant.

☆ There's overwhelming support for an age limit on the president and Congress. Here's why that won't happen anytime soon.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

Some have proposed age limits for elected officials amid concerns about America's gerontocracy. The history of the contemporary movement for term limits largely dates back to the early 1990s, when dozens of states enacted term limits not just for their own legislatures but for their federal representatives in Washington. "Put it this way: I'm a little more interested in term limits than age limits," Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland told Insider. "There's a logic to term limits, because the principle of democracy is taking turns," Raskin, 59, said. "If there were to be term limits, the legislature certainly should have more terms than the executive," he offered.

Eight states announced on Monday they're bringing actions against the crypto lending platform Nexo Group in connection with its unregistered, interest-bearing cryptocurrency product. The filings also state that Nexo misrepresented the accounts, and suggested to investors that they are a licensed and registered platform. These interest earning accounts, known as "Earn Interest Product," allowed investors to deposit assets with Nexo in exchange for earning yields as high as 36% on their deposits. Celsius, which offered similar interest-bearing accounts, filed for bankruptcy this summer after freezing customer funds in June. The orders states filed further prevent Nexo from offering this product to residents until it meets the necessary registration requirements.

☆ Ben & Jerry’s sues Unilever to block sale of Israeli business
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-06 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN Business —Ben & Jerry’s is suing its parent company in an attempt to cancel the sale of its business in Israel to a local partner that would continue to distribute its products in the West Bank. The retail giant said that going forward, Ben & Jerry’s would be sold under its Hebrew and Arabic names throughout Israel and the West Bank. But that decision to sell to AQP took the board of Ben & Jerry’s by surprise, according to its court filing, which said that its chair had been “stunned” to hear the news. Since 2021, Ben & Jerry’s has been fiercely opposed to the sale of its products in the West Bank, saying that it would be “inconsistent with” the brand. The board decided to pursue legal action last week at a meeting where five directors voted to authorize litigation, and two appointees from Unilever dissented, Ben & Jerry’s said.

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Find out what your state provides for first-time homebuyers:Programs in the NortheastConnecticutThe Connecticut Housing Finance Authority gives loans for down payment assistance. Programs in the SoutheastAlabamaThe Alabama Housing Finance Association has down payment assistance programs for low-to-moderate income earners, and a tax credit program that can be combined with down payment assistance. If you're buying a home in Louisville, you might qualify for a down payment assistance loan from the local government. WashingtonThe Washington State Housing Finance Commission has several down payment assistance programs that will loan you up to $10,000. The lender is also the one who will approve and process any applications for down payment assistance, closing cost assistance, or tax credits.

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☆ First-time voters for Bernie Sanders don't care about his age, say he speaks to what matters to them and would've voted for him in 2016
▼ + stars: | 2019-03-09 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

College students who support Sen. Bernie Sanders and will be voting for the first time in 2020 say the senator's age is not an issue to them. Sam Johnston, 18, and Anthony Schulte, 19, at a rally for Sen. Bernie Sanders in Iowa City on March 8, 2019. Johnston, Schulte, and Olaniyi all said they would've voted for Sanders in 2016 if they could've at the time. Aluna Olaniyi, 18, at a rally for Sen. Bernie Sanders in Iowa City on March 8, 2019. Read more: Read Bernie Sanders' full speech from his first Iowa 2020 campaign rally"He's a strong leader," Buhr added.

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