Current News

Ski Vermont Gathering at Jay Peak Resort for the Vermont Ski Areas Association’s 46^th Annual Meeting, the Vermont ski industry celebrated a record breaking 2014-15 season with 4,670,903 skier and rider visits. Vermont topped the previous record from 2001 due to another record early opening with ideal conditions for the state’s enhanced snowmaking, the epic parade of snow storms that gave Vermont the most snow of any state in the continental US, and the national story of the season that Vermont was the place to be for powder. Nationally, preliminary numbers show Vermont among just a few states in the country - and the only one in the Northeast - with increased visits.

Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund As Vermont increases agricultural and food production and work towards reaching the state's Farm to Plate goals it's vital that we're taking steps to sustainably manage the natural systems - like healthy soils and clean water - which may be impacted by agricultural activities. Dairy farms make up the largest portion of agricultural land use and certain types of production have detrimental effects on Vermont lakes, rivers, and streams.

After one of the harshest winters in Vermont’s history, Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) has rallied a bipartisan coalition to ensure that LIHEAP receives enough funding to continue providing crucial support to families in need. Rep. Welch, joined by Reps. Peter King (R-NY), Lou Barletta (R-PA), and James McGovern (D-MA), has introduced HR 2194, the Energy Assistance for American Families Act of 2015, which would fund LIHEAP at $5.1 billion for the next five years.

Over the past 7 years, federal LIHEAP funding has been cut 30 percent, leaving low-income families, children, and seniors out in the cold. The bipartisan bill would provide a much needed annual increase of $1.71 billion to LIHEAP, enabling more struggling households to access this critical safety net program.

“Families should never have to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table,” said Rep. Welch. “During brutal winter months, keeping the heat on is a necessity, not a luxury.”

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees and community housing advocates gathered in Wilmington Wednesday morning to celebrate National Homeownership Month and to help the Kehoe family settle into their new USDA-financed home. The Kehoe family lost their home to fire in December 2014, and used a USDA direct loan to purchase their new home in April.

“The search for a safe, affordable and decent home can be difficult for working class American families, especially in tight real estate markets like Vermont,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Ted Brady. “USDA Rural Development and its partners band together to tear down barriers to homeownership. But these systems mean nothing without hardworking and resilient homebuyers like the Kehoes, who pursued the American dream with the help of friends, community members and their families after the fire.”

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin today urged residents of their states to remain vigilant as the manhunt continues for two escapees from the Clinton Community Correctional Facility in Dannemora. Cuomo contacted Shumlin late this morning with new information suggesting the escapees initially planned to flee into Vermont after the jailbreak, although there is no evidence that the two have followed through on that plan.

“We have no indication that the individuals are in Vermont, but given this new information we are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of Vermonters,” said Gov. Shumlin at a press conference at the Dannemora prison. “Everyone should be vigilant, and report suspicious activity to law enforcement.”

by Walter Judge, Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC, June 10, 2015 Vermont was the first state in the country to sue an alleged “patent troll” for consumer protection violations.

Airmen from the 158th Fighter Wing in Burlington, Vermont, will deploy this month in support of the Pacific Command Theater Security Package. Approximately 150 personnel and 10 F-16 Fighting Falcons are set to deploy to the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. The TSP deployment is designed to provide the PACOM region with forces capable of a variety of operations, including disaster relief, global situational awareness, combating piracy, active defense and power projection.

"The Vermont Air National Guard is proud to answer our nation's call to provide a theater security presence in the Asia-Pacific Area of Responsibility," said Major General Steven Cray, the adjutant general. "The versatility of our Airmen to shift quickly between domestic and overseas mission sets is a testament to the strength, professionalism and readiness of our National Guard as an asset to the Total Force."

The Burlington Electric Department and Vermont Gas Systems, Inc, are teaming up to launch Burlington’s first Energy Champ Challenge efficiency program. The Energy Champ Challenge offers Burlington owners of multi-unit, residential rentals a 75 percent cost savings on weatherization upgrades to their buildings in an effort to help them prepare for a more sustainable energy future.

“This exciting partnership with Vermont Gas will offer our shared customers the opportunity to make needed weatherization upgrades to multi-unit, residential rentals, saving money for both building owners and renters,” said Neale Lunderville, General Manager of BED. “In Burlington, we are proud to source 100 percent of our power from renewable generation, but we haven’t stopped there. The Energy Champ Challenge is the next important step in our work to become a truly sustainable city through greater energy efficiency.”

University of Vermont Extension has received a five-year, $518,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand a program aimed at sixth and seventh grade Vermonters proven to reduce risky behavior in youth. The Children, Youth and Families at Risk grant, from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA, will fund a program called PROSPER, for Promoting School-Community-University Partnerships to Enhance Resilience.

The grant will enable Extension to continue its PROSPER program at Lyndon Town School in Lyndonville, where it has been in place for just over two years, and extend it to Mount Anthony Union Middle School in Bennington.

By a number of different measures, Vermonters are leaving themselves open to identity theft and fraud and are not practicing some basic ways to protect themselves. Indeed, 14 percent of Vermont adults in the last two years have had someone rip them off financially, typically through a credit or debit card. An AARP Vermont telephone survey of some 800 adults across the state looked at how Vermonters are being targeted by scams and what they are doing to secure their personal information and identities.

“Vermonters are being targeted and falling victim to scams and cons at an increasing rate and older Vermonters are particularly at risk,” said Greg Marchildon, AARP Vermont State Director. “The findings in this statewide survey show that there is much more the average citizen can do to protect their identities and personal finances from these criminals.”

Summary of findings:

HOME-BASED/PERSONAL PROPERTY PROTECTIVE MEASURES

Lane closures on I-89 in Milton will be ongoing this week. Northbound closures will go from 7AM to 2PM while southbound closures are scheduled from 10AM to 7PM, Monday through Friday. Southbound traffic is diverted to the northbound lane in Waterbury at Exit 10. A reduction in the speed limit will slow traffic through this work zone. The southbound entrance ramp at Exit 10 is closed between 3PM and 6PM, Monday through Friday. The detour is on Route 2 through Waterbury on to Exit 9 in Middlesex. In Hartford the bridge from New Hampshire is reduced to one lane. Expect delays. Paving from Hartford to Sharon in the northbound lane will cause delays this week.

The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation has given an $8,500 grant to the University of Vermont Dental and Oral Health Residency Program to support continuing education opportunities. This is the 5th year the Foundation has provided funding for the program, which is the only residency in Vermont for training and recruiting new dentists. The program attracts dental graduates from throughout the country and offers rotations in general dentistry at the Program’s facility in South Burlington and at private specialty practices and at The University of Vermont Medical Center. Their experience includes treatment of urgent care in the emergency department, anesthesia education, oral surgery, and general medicine training at the hospital. In addition, residents learn about business and personal skills in order to improve their transition to successful dental practice.