Current News

Vermont ranked 30th on an annual basis (3.4 percent) and fourth overall (4.1 percent) in the US in month-to-month construction job growth in May (15,200 total jobs). Across the nation, construction firms added jobs in 40 states and the District of Columbia between May 2014 and May 2015 and in 28 states and DC between April and May, according to an analysis today of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said noted that the mix of states adding and losing construction jobs continues to vary amid fluctuations in demand.

Agency of Human Services Secretary Hal Cohen and Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) Incoming Commissioner Monica Hutt announced today upcoming staffing changes at the Department. Current Deputy Commissioner Stuart Schurr, an attorney with more than 20 years of experience in both the public and private sector, has decided to shift from his role as the Deputy Commissioner and step in to lead legal services at DAIL as the General Counsel for the Department. Secretary Cohen noted, “Stuart’s keen legal mind and years of experience at DAIL will serve the Department extremely well as he steps into this new role.”

Governor Peter Shumlin announced June 5 that DAIL Commissioner Susan Wehry was leaving her post and that Hutt would take over. At the same time, he announced the retirement of Paul Dupre, Commissioner for the Department of Mental Health. Dupre will be replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Commissioner Frank Reed.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for May was 3.6 percent. This represents no change from the revised April rate (3.6 percent). The national average in May was 5.5 percent, which experienced an increase of one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month’s estimate. The seasonally adjusted Vermont data for May show the Vermont civilian labor force increased by 300 from the prior month estimate. The number of employed increased by 500 and the number of unemployed decreased by 200. None of the over-the-month changes were statistically significant in the seasonally-adjusted series. As of the prior month’s initial data, Vermont’s unemployment rate was tied for fourth lowest in the country. May represents the eighth consecutive month without an increase to the unemployment rate.

HMC Advertising, based in Richmond, has merged with with Cottage 10 of Hinesburg. For over 35 years, HMC has carved out a trusted reputation among Vermont advertising agencies–with client longevity serving as a testament to outstanding service and business results. For example, Smugglers’ Notch Vermont has been a client of HMC for over 25 years, while Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont has been with the agency for over 20 years.

According to the firms, the merger with Cottage 10 adds tremendous creative depth and quality to the already potent offerings of HMC. Cottage 10, led by its Founder and Creative Director Bill Drew, brings nationally recognized creative credibility to HMC as he becomes the Executive Creative Director at HMC. Drew has worked in Vermont since 1993 – most recently founding Cottage 10 in Hinesburg in 2008 and previously served as Creative Director for 10 years at KSV in Burlington.

Vermont Tech opened the doors today to the recently donated Norwich Farms dairy farm. The donation encompasses an approximately 350-acre, 40-stall operational dairy farm on Turnpike Road in Norwich, Vermont, along with three residential buildings and multiple barns. Vermont Tech’s plans for the property include the development of a residential dairy intensive educational experience, delivered on the farm and relying on a fully operating herd. The layout and nature of the facility offer a strong environment for teaching and learning and will provide students with high quality learning experience.

Vermont Student Assistance Corp, now in its 50th year of helping students pursue education after high school, announced it has completed the sale of $21.2 million in education loan revenue bonds rated ‘A’ by Standard and Poor’s and ‘A3’ by Moody’s.

VSAC used the successful bond transaction to raise funds to offer competitive, fixed rates as low as 5.5 percent APR on the Vermont Advantage loan for students in the 2015-2016 school year. These are the lowest loan rates VSAC has been able to offer on its fixed-rate Advantage loans. For families who need financing, these rates are lower than the federal PLUS loan.

VSAC also expects to add Advantage loans for parents and refinancing student loans in the next year.

Governor Peter Shumlin has capped off a successful legislative session by signing the last of 76 bills passed by the legislature this year. "I was proud to sign so many pieces of legislation into law that will help make Vermont's economy work for every Vermonter, protect our special quality of life, and build on the strong job growth we have seen in recent years," Gov. Shumlin said. "I want to thank the legislature for their hard work this past legislative session to move Vermont forward. Signing legislation is just the first step. Now comes the hard work of making those bills work for Vermonters."

Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) has announced that General Alfred M Gray, USMC (Ret) will deliver its 2015 commencement address at a ceremony for nearly 600 students representing nine online graduate programs and two bachelor’s degree completion programs on Friday, June 19, at 10 am in Shapiro Field House.

Gray was the 29th Commandant of the US Marine Corps from 1987 to 1991. As Commandant, General Gray assisted in the formulation of national and international policy and strategy. He also served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as being military advisor to the President, the National Security Council and the Secretary of Defense.

The Kauffman Foundation has ranked Vermont number five in its state-by-state listing of business start-up activity. “The Kauffman Index: Startup Activity” from the Kauffman Foundation brings together data on entrepreneurial trends nationally, at the state level, and for the 40 largest metropolitan areas of the United States. Vermont moved up in this year’s index from the 12^th spot in 2014. The report found that startup activity was up in 32 of the 50 US states last year, and 18 of the nation’s top 40 metropolitan areas also saw increases in new venture activity.

The Index has three components:

The Public Service Department will be holding a series of four public forums around the state in July to solicit Vermonters’ thoughts on how the state can meet its energy goals – and energy needs – in the coming years. The input will inform the next revision of Vermont’s long-range, Comprehensive Energy Plan. A final plan is due to the Legislature in December.

Stakeholder and expert meetings:

The PSD plans half-day meetings on each of these four topics:

• energy efficiency,
• energy supply resources,
• transportation, and
• the electric grid and utility issues.

PSD welcomes RSVP emails to [email protected] by June 12, 2015 with the subject line “meeting participant.” Each email should identify the meeting or meetings which the individual would like to attend. Meeting details follow:

Increasing the gas tax does not result in a commensurate penny-to-penny increase in the retail price motorists pay at the pump, a study of the market impacts of five state gas tax increases enacted in 2013 found. The study looked at gas tax retail impacts in Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wyoming.

The analysis, by Dr Alison Black, chief economist for the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), found, on average, the price for a gallon of regular gasoline the day after a state gas tax increase goes into effect only reflects about 22 percent of the new levy. A month after enactment, only about a third of the levy shows up in the pump price, she says, and thereafter, it is not a significant retail price factor.

Consumers will pay higher prices for palm oil made by companies that help to protect endangered species, finds a new study by North American and UK researchers. The team includes two from UVM’s Gund Institute for Ecological Economics. Palm oil is widely used in processed food and cosmetics. But the conversion of tropical forests to oil palm plantations has devastated a huge number of plant and animal species, including tigers, elephants, rhinos and orangutans.

The study, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that shoppers’ willingness to pay more for sustainably grown palm oil could create profitable incentives for producers to preserve certain wildlife habitats.