🌱 Amtrak Expansion Planned + $775K Federal Omnibus Bill

Hello again, Burlington! Important update: You all, as readers, have made the Burlington Daily so successful that it is my honor to announce the next stage of the newsletter. Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Burlington Daily. Although I have loved getting to know this community, we want to pass the torch to someone truly local to write about Burlington long term. So if you’re interested in earning extra income while making this newsletter a more valuable resource for your neighbors, learn more and apply here.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy; breezy, mild. High: 61 Low: 44.

Here are the top three stories today in Burlington:

1. Police documents report that a thief used an unlocked backdoor to enter Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger's home. There was reportedly a broken key in the backdoor deadbolt that allowed the thief to enter the property. The thief took jewelry and family heirlooms. (vtdigger.org)
2. Burlington's Champlain College’s Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity will receive $775,000 from an omnibus bill. Senator Patrick Leahy is making the spending request. The center will reportedly use the federal funds to boost cyber security for local municipalities, schools, and nonprofits. (Vermont Biz)
3. After 30 years of attempting to expand Amtrak services to Burlington, travelers will be able to use the passenger rail system to travel to New York City. According to officials familiar with the project, the expansion will likely occur this summer. The Ethan Allen Express will be the route that will extend to Burlington. (vtdigger.org)

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Today in Burlington:

• Champlain Islands Fiber Bees At Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild (11:00 AM)
• Animal Demo At Echo Leahy Center for Lake Champlain (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Mayor Weinberger announces the next steps in Burlington's relationship with sister city Yaroslavl, Russia. (City of Burlington)
• Cynthia Cagle's The Light Of Truth Upon Them celebrates 100 years of voting rights activism. Click to see the powerful work. (Facebook)
• The Humane Society of Chittenden County's Paws for the Cause Auction is officially live. Click to learn more about the event, including where and how to bid. (Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day: Understand Your Risk (March 22)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Danielle Fallon

About me: Danielle Fallon is a writer who loves using her creativity to fuel her passion for communication. She is an employee of content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.