Rutland County is reeling from the death of Dezirae Sheldon, a two-year old in Poultney. Her step-father Dennis Duby faces murder charges, and some community members are outraged that the child wasn’t removed from the family’s custody sooner. 

Conservation easements are legal agreements designed to protect land from development forever. But a bill under consideration in the Statehouse would allow those restrictions to be amended, or lifted entirely.

The bill has sparked a fierce debate among land conservation advocates. Opponents argue the legislation could lead to circumstances in which land that was supposed to be protected in “in perpetuity” no longer would be.

We often hear from Senator Bernie Sanders regarding legislative issues in Washington that affect Vermont, but many political observers and Vermonters were also intrigued recently when the Independent Senator commented in The Nation that he was “prepared to run for President” in 2016. 

The Chittenden County Transportation Authority says it has reached a deal with the union that represents almost 70 bus drivers, averting a strike.

The authority says 19 hours of negotiations ended Sunday morning, producing a contract proposal that the union will bring to a vote. Details of the proposal were not released.

The transit authority says passengers on its buses won't experience any service disruptions.

Public Post reports on the work Vermont town face in the wake of Town Meetings and the results of some Town Meeting Day votes. We also look ahead to events celebrating maple sugaring season.
 

Here's a sampling of the week's Public Post Twitter updates from Proctor, Wolcott, Shelburne, Burke and more:

Contract negotiations are scheduled for this weekend between the Chittenden County Transportation Authority management and the driver’s union. The drivers plan to strike on Monday if the two sides don’t reach agreement.

At an auditorium in Burlington City Hall Thursday night, over 150 supporters of CCTA drivers gathered to support Teamsters Local 597, the drivers union.

Unfair hours and working conditions were key issues that could lead to a stop work action. Last month, the union voted 53-4 to reject CCTA's most recent contract offer.

The Shumlin Administration earlier this year promised to give lawmakers their first look at how Vermont might pay for single-payer health care. But the governor has once again opted to delay his financing timeline.

It’s been three years since Peter Shumlin vowed to deliver the nation’s first publicly financed health care system. But he has yet to show voters what taxes he’d use to raise the $2 billion or so  needed to fund the program.

The Paralympic opening ceremonies are underway in Sochi Friday, and there is one Vermonter taking part. Stephen Lawler will be competing in the giant slalom.  

Lawler, who was born with spina bifida, has been skiing since he was about 10 years old. Erin Fernandez of Vermont Adaptive Ski And Sports says Lawler started racing on a mono ski when he was 12-years old, and from the beginning, he really excelled.