Current News

by Elizabeth Hewitt vtdigger.org As the Senate Appropriations Committee hones in on a final version of the General Fund budget package for fiscal year 2016, things are tight. “Our options are very, very limited,” Senator Jane Kitchel, D-Caledonia, said Friday. The committee aims to pass the budget bill out on Monday, and plans to get the bill through the Senate by the end of next week. The House General Fund budget totaled $1.47 billion.

But committee members still have decisions to make, and Kitchel said the fate of H.490 depends on what the Senate Finance Committee does with the revenue package.

The House of Representatives has passed bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) to combat prescription drug abuse by improving the distribution process for prescription drugs. The legislation, which was unanimously approved on a voice vote, was cosponsored by Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

The Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act (H.R. 471) enhances collaboration between drug suppliers and regulators ensuring a more secure supply chain that protects the legitimate medication needs of patients.

“Prescription drug abuse is a major problem that has claimed and ruined many lives in Vermont and across our country,” said Rep. Welch. “This practical legislation will help keep dangerous drugs out of the wrong hands, while ensuring that seniors, cancer patients, and chronically ill individuals get the medications they need in a timely manner.”

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims rose again for the week of April 18, 2015, and are near 1,000 for the first time in nearly two months. The transition from the end of the winter recreation season is resulting in a seasonal increase in unemployment claims. There were 980 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont, an increase of 213 from the previous week's total, but 125 fewer than they were a year ago.

Altogether 7,014 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 66 from a week ago but 1,196 fewer than a year ago. The Department processed 0 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), the same as the previous week.

Caledonia County Republicans have registered their strong opposition to any broadening of the Vermont sales and use tax to include services. The Caledonia County Republican Committee took the action unanimously at its monthly meeting on April 20. The action was prompted by the April 15 advocacy of the sales tax extension by Democratic/Progressive Senator Tim Ashe, Chair of the Vermont Senate Finance Committee.

Such a tax extension could require Vermonters to pay a sales tax on services offered by doctors, dentists, barbers, cosmetologists, electricians, plumbers, painters, architects, lawyers, auto mechanics, small engine repair shops, butchers, seamstresses, home health aides, farm services, snow plowing and landscape firms, pet care businesses and veterinarians, and many more.

CEO, President and Board Chair of Community Bancorp. and Community National Bank Stephen P. Marsh has announced the bank’s plans to close two office locations in Caledonia County. At the close of business on Friday, July 17, 2015, the bank will permanently close the Broad Street office in Lyndonville and the Federal Street office in St. Johnsbury.

Mr. Marsh stated, “We have conducted an extensive analysis of our branch network with a particular focus on branch usage. This work led us to a more thorough examination of our four Caledonia County offices and their proximity to one another. Given the number of our customers that are choosing to bank with us electronically, we felt that a consolidation of our Caledonia County offices was warranted, and the decision was made to close two locations. We do not anticipate additional office closures at this time.”

by Elizabeth Hewitt vtdigger.org According to the secretary of the administration, fewer than 50 Vermont state employees may be laid off under the proposal cut $10.8 million in labor and personnel costs in the fiscal year 2016 budget. The labor savings target was first proposed by Governor Peter Shumlin in January, and was approved by members of the House when the body passed H490, the budget bill, last month.

“My best guess is, I doubt it will be higher than 50 and it could be lower,” Johnson said Thursday. Paul Heintz of Seven Days first reported Johnson’s revised estimate.

The Office of the Attorney General is distributing over $118,000 in settlement funds to more than 1300 Vermonters who were Medicaid beneficiary customers of McGregor’s Medicine-on-Time pharmacy in Winooski, Vermont, from 2004 through 2012. The average distribution is $85.

The distribution is the result of a settlement agreement between the State and McGregor’s that resolved allegations of Medicaid fraud. The State set aside a portion of the settlement funds to distribute to McGregor’s former Medicaid beneficiary customers who may have been improperly charged a monthly service fee or excessive copayments. The amount distributed to each beneficiary was determined based on the number of Medicaid pharmacy claims that McGregor’s submitted in the beneficiary’s name from 2004 through 2012.

Individuals receiving correspondence from the Office of the Attorney General should open the letter immediately as it may contain a check.

Source: VtAG 4.24.2015

First Congregational Church at Thetford Hill, VT, the oldest meeting house in continuous service in the state of Vermont, has become the one thousandth customer connected to ECFiber’s network. To celebrate the occasion, ECFiber Chairman Irv Thomae presented a commemorative certificate to Rona Kinsley, Interim Pastor at the church.

First Congregational Church Interim Pastor, Rona Kinsley, receives a certificate of recognition and appreciation from Irv Thomae, Chairman of ECFiber. From left to right, Terry Barker, Church Secretary, Kinsley, Thomae, David Hooke, Chair of the church Board of Trustees, Stan Williams, CEO of ECFiber.

Champlain College has been recognized for the second time as winner of the Professional Award for Best Cybersecurity Higher Education Program at the 2015 SC Awards. The award was presented Tuesday during the 2015 SC Awards Gala held in San Francisco.

"We are honored that SC Magazine has again recognized our distinctive technology degree programs and the people who helped build this program," said Champlain College President Donald J. Laackman. "The Leahy Center for Digital Investigation and our other Centers of Excellence provide Champlain students the opportunity to work on real-world projects in supervised environments. The students working in the LCDI increase the digital forensic capacity of Vermont law enforcement."

John Snell was recently honored by the Rotary Club of Montpelier with the Capital Award as Citizen of the Year. A number of friends and colleagues shared stories about John’s extraordinary volunteer work and business successes including David Harrison, who has known John for 60 years, Bev Hill, Kim Bent for Eric Love, Rob Spring -- John’s business partner for 20 years, John’s wife Liz Snell, Nancy Sherman read greetings from Michael Sherman, and Paul Hartman.

Montpelier Mayor John Holler read a proclamation which read in part, “Whereas, John Snell has lived the values of service above self by giving abundantly of himself and by inspiring others to share their skills and talents with the Montpelier community.”

The Vermont Community Loan Fund (VCLF) has been awarded a $5,000 grant by Granite State Economic Development Corporation (GSDC). The Vermont Community Loan Fund is a nonprofit, mission-driven alternative lender dedicated to creating healthy communities and financial stability for all Vermonters. VCLF’s lending creates opportunities for low-income, low-wealth Vermonters, creating and preserving quality jobs for the small businesses that are the foundation of the state’s economy.

At the invitation of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey will visit Vermont Friday, April 24. Together, Leahy and Comey will tour the digital laboratory – the Leahy Center for Digital Investigation – at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. Champlain College President Don Laackman will join Leahy and Comey on the tour, which will be followed by a press availability.