The weather forecast has the Legislature in a frenzy. The House and Senate stayed late and did their Friday work today. Committees are working into the evening to finish bills that are supposed to be out before the Town Meeting week break. Some committees may be back tomorrow, but the full chambers won't meet.

Sen. Vince Illuzzi was scouring the National Weather Service Web site trying to figure out if war critic Cindy Sheehan will get here tomorrow for a hearing featuring those for and against the war. She's flying from Turkey, which you might recall is a long ways from here.

Given that Illuzzi could find only one other Vermont event cancellation, he was reluctant to pull the plug on it yet. So last we heard Thursday evening, it was a go, but folks can check the Senate Economic Development Committee's AGENDA for updates Friday.

Illuzzi noted this event is a rarity - a public debate with people on both sides of the war issue.

He had requested use of the House chamber in case the debate between Sheehan and war supporters draws too big a crowd for the Senate chamber to handle. The House Rules Committee took up that request Thursday afternoon. There were concerns about the fact that Sheehan is a highly partisan speaker being heard in connection with a resolution that passed two weeks ago.

Plus, there's this whole Senate-House rivalry. The Senate has cushier chairs, roomier rooms, and a penchant for turning down Statehouse expansion proposals. There was some talk of stuffing the senators into a small, oxygen-deprived room, but finally the committee relented by a 4-2 vote.

"Even though they're senators," House Speaker Gaye Symington said.

- Terri Hallenbeck