 Hi everybody, Andrew Champagne here tonight. Okay, I'm looking at this camera. Camera two. Hello, hello. This is live at 525. We are on a little later tonight because of my tardiness. I'd like to thank my producer today, Kevin Harms, my executive producer, Jordan Mitchell. And I'd like to thank Fiona and Owen and Megan O'Rourke and Emily. And I'd like to thank everyone here. Obviously, Ms. Lauren Glendavidian. I'd like to thank everyone here for helping on the show. We, my friend, it's three weeks away from town meetings. So it is on, the show is on. So I always kind of, when I start the show, I'm gonna start what I always start with is why we are talking about politics. COVID is not over. People are getting COVID. People are in the ICU of COVID. People are still passing away from COVID. So in this COVID era, which began about, I guess, I'd have to say in about March of 21, and it's almost still going. I mean, we don't have to wear the mask anymore. A lot of things have changed and some people have had some tough times. So if you are having some issues with not having enough to eat, having trouble with your rent, having trouble with your heat, having problems with substances, feeling that you're falling in a hole of alcoholism or drug addiction, just, you know, having a tough time. Maybe you have some kids, maybe they're having tough time getting some school clothes or you're looking for a car or you just need someone to talk to. The state has a program and it's called 2-1-1. And usually we can get that posted. I thank you. And you can call to find out also when to get, it's time to get another COVID shot, everyone. As I speak from here, probably the easiest place to get the COVID shot is at our wonderful beloved Community Health Center, which is right on the corner of Riverside and North Manuski Avenue. I am broadcasting from the heart of the Old North End today. We are on the corner of Archibald and North Manuski also. So we're right here, this is where our core audience is. So I'm gonna get cracking with this. We have a very, very, I'm gonna do a lot of Burlington today. There are some races in Manuski, I believe city council. And obviously in South Burlington and in Shelburne and Essex and Essex Junction, they're now split. We're gonna focus today on Manuski. Our mayor of 12 years is not running again. And Moreau, he did it, there he is. That's a good picture of him, I always say that. He's in City Hall Park, that's a sharp suit, Mr. Mayor. And we have four challengers. I don't know if we have, I'm gonna read them off. The challengers are City Councilor Joan Shannon. Okay, I don't know if she's up there. State Representative Emma Mulvaney-Stanik. And then we have two independents that are running today. Their name is Chris Heasley. And the other name is Will Emmons. Okay, so I'm gonna say those names one more time. So Mr. Mayor Moreau Weinberger is not running. He was elected for four terms. Thanks so much for your great work, Mr. Mayor. I swore him in on his second term, so he's a good friend of mine, he and his family. I just registered his high school senior daughter to vote, Leland, and I'd like to thank Ada, and I'd like to thank Stacy Weinberger and his dear parents, just such nice people, wonderful people. He's done a good job, I don't know. I sometimes wonder if people realize how difficult it is being mayor everywhere you go. Someone wants to talk to you. And this being Burlington, they're not always in the best mood or they're complaining. My sidewalk hasn't been troubled. I mean, the mayor hears stuff like that every day. He goes, he works a vigorous daytime schedule. And then every night he's got something he's doing, either city council or board of finance or some sort of meeting. So being the mayor, whoever that person is, is not easy. And again, kudos to him, an honest, excellent person. We've now, we have, as I said, we have four candidates. I'm gonna say their names one more time and I'm gonna thank Owen for that. We have a friend here helping out today who's helping out one of the candidates, his friend, Chris Heasley. So we have Joan Shannon, Democrat, who I've endorsed who I'm helping, who I'm working for, who's probably the favorite. She is a believe, I think, 20 or 22 year city councilor. She lives in the South End with her family. She's a realtor. She and I work together on the board of tax appeal and I think she's an excellent candidate. The second main candidate is state representative Emma Mulvaney-Stanik, okay? She's a very strong candidate. Former city councilor in World Two and Three lives with her family in the historic Old North End down by the lake. And she is a state representative. She is a labor representative. She does a lot of labor organizing. And she is running a hard candidate. She, her whole family has been involved in politics. Her sister, Luvia, DJ Lu, has managed campaigns, has been involved in campaigns. I, Lu, and also her dad, her dad was a candidate for state attorney general. And he, I always see him down at the old labor hall in Waterbury where he's on the board and helps us sometimes when we do events there. His name is Ed Stanik. So, those got two strong candidates. Now, I got a vouch for Chris from Owen, and I'm sorry, I don't know Will Amons, even though that's an old, old Vermont name. But you know, I believe they got, I think they need to get at least 50 signatures. And I think that they have, so they're on the ballot. And I will tell you, it's been very warm for February and January. So I guarantee all four of these candidates are out today. So if they come by knocking your apartment or by your door or you see them, take time to talk to them. Give them some respect, please, because it is not easy going to a door. I mean, I literally have fallen on the ice, you know, a dark, dark door. You never know who's behind any door. So it's always kind of an interesting process. Let's talk, let's talk about voter registration. The election is three weeks from today. We have instant, we have, we have day of instant voter registration, which means that you can go to your polls that day and register to vote. We've been doing it since I think 2018, and it's worked so, so well. Okay, let's say you want to register to vote before that. I just registered my 1750th voter. I did that at a voter registration for higher ground. I'd like to thank my dear friends there. And you, I'd like to put up my telephone number if I could, Kevin. And maybe we can leave that up for a couple minutes. There it is. You can give me a call. I'd be glad to register you. You can also go online and register. You can also go to City Hall and register. The ballots are being sent. Everyone is getting a ballot sent by mail, okay? That doesn't mean you have to vote that ballot by mail, but it means you'll be sent to you. I want to stress something. The presidential ballots, see, they would have to send two ballots. They'd have to send the Democrat and the Republican ballot. Oh, sorry. They'd have to send that. I'm sorry, my mic there. They'd have to send it. It's very thick. They're almost like cardboard. So if you are not, okay, in Burlington and in Chinden County, you are not being sent your presidential primary ballot unless you request it. You can call City Hall. Maybe I can put up that number, Kevin. I hope it's not too much problem for you. That's 802-865-7000. Maybe we can do that. 865-7000. So you can, let's talk about the ways that you can vote. You can get your ballot sent by mail. You fill it out. You must sign and date the form. And then you can send it back in an envelope with a stamp that is already on that ballot by the city. That is probably the easiest way to do it. That's how I will vote, okay? I requested my presidential ballot. So anyone who requests their presidential ballot, that is going to come in a different envelope. So that will require you to send that in the presidential primary envelope and then your regular ballot in the envelope that they've sent. So none of this costs you a penny. So let's talk about some other ways to vote. Let's take advantage of that we have some of the sanest, greatest early voting rules in America. We will be able to start voting right around Valentine's Day, okay? About February 14th. That is also the day that you will get your ballot in the mail. You can go to City Hall, which is on the corner of Main Street and Church Street between eight and 430 and you can vote and you can also register to vote there. Again, that telephone number, that's City Hall, thank you. Maybe we can keep that up for a while too, Kevin. That number is 865-7000. Let's talk about the wards in Burlington. There are eight wards in Burlington and let's start with Ward 1. That is up by UVM. That is above North Willard Street going all the way to the Winooski Bridge, okay? That is Ward 1 and they vote at Modder Christie School, which is on Mansfield Avenue. Modder Christie is a private Catholic school but it is used as a polling place. Ward 2, that's my ward for a couple more weeks. There's been some changes in the wards and I'm over in Ward 3. Ward 2, close to my heart, is H.O. Wheeler School. That is number six, six Archibald Street and that is the IAA, the School for Arts, the Academy of Arts, it's a public Burlington School. Nestled right in the heart of the old North End and while you're there that day, go across the street, please, to Dott's Market. And every Tuesday, they make the best mac and cheese at the most reasonable price. So if you're in Ward 2, a lot of my viewers are in Ward 2. So, okay, Ward 3 is, that is the Barnes School. That is 120 North Street, okay? That is the Sustainability Academy. All these schools have names now, it's so great. Okay, Ward 4, we're gonna take it up the avenue to North Avenue. Ward 4, you're gonna vote at St. Mark's Church. Ward 5, we are gonna go to, we are gonna go, let me think here. We're gonna go to the Junior High on Main Street. We're gonna go to Edmund School and then Ward 6, we are gonna vote at BED, Burlington Electric. Ward 7, you're back up in the North End. You're voting at the Senior Center and Ward 8 with my great friend Hannah King, a city counselor. You are voting at one of my favorite spots where I've worked at the polls before, Fletcher Free Library. Okay, again, very quickly. Ward 1, Matter Christie School, up by UVM. Ward 2, Old North End, HO Wheeler School. Ward 3, Old North End, Lawrence Barnes School. Ward 4, on the avenue, if you're on the left side of the avenue, Ward 4. Ward 5, Edmund School, Midtown and Old North End. 10 minutes left, I've been told. Let me catch my breath here. Ward 6, Burlington Electric. Ward 7, back up on the avenue, on the right side of North Avenue and then Ward 8, Fletcher Free Library. Again, you can give me a call. And actually, I got a call from, it was very early in the morning. I've got to admit, I was still just quite getting up from someone who watched the show, who's an activist in the New North End. And I believe she's come to some democratic functions. She talked about an interview I did with Malik Mines. And I'm sorry, I didn't get her name. If you'd like to call me back at that number, I'd like to have you on the show because you seem to have a lot of community activism. And it's hard to talk for sometimes 45 minutes without stopping. Okay, let's see here. I got to take a bite of this cookie, I'm sorry. But that's community television, right? It's been a long day. It's been a long day's journey and tonight. Okay, thank you for that sugar cookie. God, that's good. All right. Town meeting, it really means a lot to me. All joking aside, it's my favorite day of the year. Only two states I believe do town meeting and that's New Hampshire and Vermont. Some states do stuff in April, some states mostly do stuff in November. Town meeting in the many of the 251 Vermont towns is where you actually go to, for example, a gym, a school, a store, a place where you can gather and you talk about the issues and everyone actually has their say and stands up and raises their hand like the famous Norman Rockwell poster. Now that does not work in Burlington because we will have over 10,000 people voting. This is a very, very big race. As I said, I've endorsed Joan. I like her views on the police. I like her views on public safety. We all agree we need more housing in this city. I've said many times that we're almost like Manhattan. We have UVM on top of the hill. We can't build over there. We have the intervail, which is a floodplain. We can't vote over there. And then we have the lake. Can't do much building over there. So where do we have to build? Either downtown, the old North End or the South End. Now, we all agree, and I'm saying this kind of jokingly, we never want Burlington to be like Fort Lauderdale, okay? Now, what I mean about that is, you know, big buildings at the water. That is never gonna happen. But we need, in our core, we need to go up. We need, I am asking tonight, you know, if you're a UVMmer, UVM has got to build more housing for their students. They're still way behind. You know, we get 50 or 60 beds out of them. And I know we couldn't make it without them, but UVM, we need more housing, okay? Maybe someday, non-students will live up on the campus and we have an integration, kind of like living and learning. Honestly, I think Burlington Country Club, if they got a good offer, they'd probably sell because that's got acres and acres of land. But, you know, now we have like, Winooski's like Brooklyn. You know, they have all these suburbs that are becoming the outer core of Burlington. And so whoever is elected mayor is gonna have to deal with a housing crunch. We also have to deal with a serious, serious drug problem. You know, fentanyl, heroin, crystal meth, crack cocaine, they're killing our people. They're robbing the soul. They're really, in this neighborhood, things are tough here too. And when you get poor people and a crumbling housing infrastructure and a COVID epidemic and a drug epidemic and a tight economy, that can just equal a very bad equation, you know, jail institution or death. Now, what do I have left? I have six minutes, five minutes. Wow, time flies when you're having fun. Thank you to Fiona today. Oh, and you're there back somewhere? Okay, it's hard to see. Someone's watching the show. Kevin, you are a good brother. I appreciate you. Okay, let's talk some national politics. I was a delegate for President Biden in 2020. I'm running again as a delegate for President Biden in 2024. Hopefully we'll take it to Chicago, that great, great union city. And I need people to stand up and support this president and this vice president. There he is, I love him. It really is the toughest job in the world. Hey, I know everyone. Oh, he's too old, he's too this, he's that. I've met him a few times and seen him speak, I think six times, something like that. He seems on the ball to me. Now, the president's day starts about seven in the morning, it goes to about midnight, all right? And I'd like to thank Dr. Jill Biden for keeping it together on this journey. Anybody who says this is easy and anybody's perfect is just, that's not the way it is. We work so closely with presidents. I really admire this man, his character, his honesty, what he's been through, his empathy. You know, we've got some great judicial appointments through, I think he's a great guy. We all have problems, my friend. Have I ever met a perfect person yet? I'm looking around, let's see. No, haven't. So I give this guy my love and my vote and some money. And you know, President Trump is about to endure four criminal trials, okay? He lost his civil trial. So basically it was agreed that he cost to the woman. He was put $83.3 million of damages, three minutes. Can we put my telephone number back up there again? I'm gonna do a voting wrap. So this guy's looking at a world of pain. So if you are sending money to Donald Trump, you are paying for his lawyers. Now my God, is that how democracy's supposed to go? This guy's a traitor, he's dangerous. Let's not forget the events of January 6th. And let's look at these crazy Republicans who have killed affirmative action. Mend it, don't end it. That's what Jesse Jackson says and I agree with him. Mend it, don't end it. And have taken away Roe versus Wade, the law of the land. These people are dangerous. And we need to stay strong and Vermont and you need to help out in all these other states. The states that are gonna be in play around here are New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio. We don't win the presidency if we don't win in Ohio. Now how do I go to Ohio? I dropped my mic. How do I go to Ohio? I feel like a DJ here. How do I go to Ohio and say to them, hey man, everything's great here, isn't it? You're in the rust belt. They've gone through, the World War II ended in April 1945. So we're coming on 79 years that it ended and those cities in Ohio have been in decline. And so for us to come out and say, hey man, everything's great, you gotta keep it real. I have, what do I have for time? One minute? One minute. So I'd like to thank all the candidates that are running for mayor. Joan Shannon, who I've endorsed and I believe will win, city councilor Joan Shannon, state representative Emil Movedi-Estanek, Mr. Chris Haseley and Mr. Will Emmons. I thank them all. We've got some great city council races. I'd like to endorse some city councilors right now. Sarah Carpenter, obviously my great friend Ben Travers, Hannah King, Jeff Hand, let's see, anyone else I've forgotten? I have, you know, it's a lot to deal with all these numbers and facts and try to do this in a 30 minute show. I'd like to thank everyone. We are done, I believe. One of my done in about 30 seconds. Okay, so again, you can give me a call 865-7000. Your ballot's gonna come in the mail. You can come, go to city hall and vote. That number is 865-7000. One more time. The best thing is, if that jimmies you up, if you can't make it, you can come and come to your polling place, one of eight polling places we have today. Wards one, two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight. The show is over. I'd like to thank everyone.