VSEA.org

"Disability Rights Vermont’s 23-page report about the death of Ashley Ellis found that miscommunications between the Department of Corrections and Prison Health Services — the private company contracted to provide health care in the state’s prisons at the time of Ellis’ death — along with other breakdowns in the system of care led to the 23-year-old’s death from a combination of hypokalemic-induced cardiac arrhythmia due to anorexia/bulimia nervosa and denial of medications to boost her potassium levels."

"What in the world were the budget writers thinking of? They were certainly not thinking about the dedicated employees of the state of Vermont. The union’s agreement to the reduction in pay came only after a great deal of arm twisting. Come to find out it was actually nothing but a shake down of the Vermont State Employees by the Douglas/Dubie administration with the approval of the Legislature to obtain money they did not need."

Illuzzi says the State already has the ability to monitor state employees’ internet use (evidenced by a half-dozen examples of past abuse cited by AHS) and that spending $120,000 on a new system isn’t warranted in tough economic times.

Illuzzi also slams AHS Secretary and AP article for indirectly maligning the majority of state employees.

Thanks Senator Illuzzi!

"The history of the United States is the history of Vermont," said Tom Giffin of Rutland, a member of the Vermont Old Cemetery Association, a group of volunteers who study and protect historic cemeteries.

Giffin is also a VSEA member working at the Marble Valley Correctional Facility in Rutland.