Wake-Up Call: Monday, July 1, 2008

With the PolitickerVT.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Vermont's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerVT.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Vermont's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

New law bans sale of tobacco online

In an age where almost anything can be purchased with a click of the mouse, there's one thing that, by law, will no longer be available for online purchase beginning today — tobacco. (Rutland Herald, Dawn Raspuzzi)

Link: http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS01/...

Pollina slams Douglas' "Jim Equals Jobs" program

Progressive gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina attacked today Republican Gov. Jim Douglas' plan to cut 150 positions within the state government while giving some administration officials "merit" bonuses. (PolitickerVT.com, Megan Stewart)

Link: http://www.politickervt.com/meganstewart/1264/anthony-pollina-slams-gov-...

Pollina: Douglas rewarded cronies while planning to cut jobs

MONTPELIER — Gov. James Douglas' administration on Monday defended nearly $300,000 in merit bonuses given to state officials in the months before it proposed cutting 400 jobs from the state rolls because of the downturn in the economy. (Rutland Herald, Daniel Barlow)

Link: http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS04/...

Vermont Bans Online Cigarette Sales

Vermont residents can no longer buy cigarettes on the Internet.

A new law takes effect on Tuesday, banning the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products on the Web, by telephone or mail order, unless the buyer is a licensed wholesaler, retail dealer or distributor. (WCAX)

Link: http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=8582294

Northfield's Freeman will run for Lt. Gov. post

MONTPELIER – There is a Democrat running for Lieutenant governor: Blogger, school board member and upholsterer Nate Freeman said Monday he will try to unseat incumbent Republican Brian Dubie this fall. (Times Argus, Louis Porter)

Link: http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS02/807...

Dairy farm pollution oversight said lax

BURLINGTON — A new report says the state of Vermont isn't doing enough to stem water pollution coming from dairy farms. But state officials say they're acting "aggressively" on the problem. (Times Argus, AP)

Link: http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS02/807...

Symington challenges Gov. Douglas to series of debates

Gubernatorial candidate and House Speaker Gaye Symington (D-Jericho) challenged Gov. Jim Douglas (R-Middlebury) this morning to a series of at least fourteen debates that would take place in the fall. (PolitickerVT.com, Megan Stewart)

Link: http://www.politickervt.com/meganstewart/1263/gaye-symington-challenges-...

With the PolitickerVT.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Vermont's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.