Current News

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said he is “disappointed” by today’s announcement of only a 1.7 percent increase in the cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security beneficiaries and disabled veterans. The cost-of-living adjustment is one of the smallest increases since the automatic annual adjustments were adopted in 1975. (There was no increase in benefits in 2010 or 2011.)

“At a time when the prices of prescription drugs and electricity are skyrocketing, I am disappointed that seniors and disabled veterans will only be getting a 1.7 percent increase next year,” said Sanders. “This is the third year in a row that the cost-of-living adjustment will be less than 2 percent.”

by John Herrick vtdigger.org The Legislature next session will decide whether electric utilities should be required to sell renewable energy to customers, rekindling a debate over the price Vermont consumers will pay to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The creation of a renewable portfolio standard would establish by law how much electricity generated from wind, solar and other renewable resources utilities must be sold to customers. Under the state’s current voluntary goal, utilities are allowed to sell renewable power credits out of state to reduce electric rates.

Governors and lawmakers in state capitals across the nation continue to take major steps to lower energy costs, reduce pollution, and save consumers money by increasing their states’ energy efficiency, according to the findings of the 8th edition of the State Energy Efficiency Scorecard released today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The report found that in 2014 Massachusetts (#1) continues to edge out California (#2) as the most energy-efficient state in the nation for the fourth year in a row. Following these states in the top 10 are: Rhode Island (marking the state’s first time in top five), Oregon, and Vermont (all tied for #3); Connecticut (#6); New York (#7); Washington (#8); Maryland (#9); and Minnesota (#10).

Other key State Energy Efficiency Scorecard findings include the following:

by John Herrick vtdigger.org Green Mountain Power will be required to constantly monitor sound coming from wind turbines, which could provide the most detailed assessment yet of a noise issue concerning some residents living near wind farms. The Vermont Public Service Board fined the utility $1,000 last week for exceeding sound limits it placed on the Kingdom Community Wind farm, which was approved in 2011. In place of a larger civil penalty, regulators asked the utility to implement a continuous sound-monitoring program for one year. Regulators said it will cost the utility approximately $109,000 to implement the department’s proposal. The board said GMP cannot recover these costs from ratepayers.

Joined by Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, tech business owners, economic development officials and others at Ello in Burlington, Governor Peter Shumlin Wednesday touted the upcoming 2014 Vermont Tech Jam being held on Friday and Saturday, and highlighted Vermont’s growing high-tech industry and national recognition. “We’re at Ello today because this company – the hottest new social media site since Facebook -- is a great example of this booming part of our economy,” Shumlin said. “Ello is not alone. There are new companies across Vermont looking for employees to take these cutting-edge jobs. The growing popularity of Vermont Tech Jam is a testament to this thriving sector of our economy.”

Vermont Tech Jam file photo by Matthew Thorsen.

The US Department of Energy awarded more than $3.1 million in grants to two Vermont companies to help make solar energy more affordable and accessible. The Department of Energy awarded a $1 million grant to Faraday in Middlebury and $2.1 million to Norwich Technologies in White River Junction. These funds are part of more than $53 million awarded by the Energy Department to advance 40 research and development projects throughout the United States. The projects are designed to drive down the cost of solar energy and bring innovative ideas to the market more quickly.

Vermont’s congressional delegation – Senators Patrick Leahy (D) and Bernie Sanders (I) and Representative Peter Welch (D) – made the announcement today.

“These Vermont companies are on the forefront of reducing the cost of solar energy, a crucial element in helping transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and into renewable energies,” the delegation said in a joint statement.

Vermont Business Magazine FairPoint Communications in a statement issued a statement reiterating its commitment to providing high-quality customer service as it implements and ramps up its contingency plans during the strike by two unions that began last Friday. FairPoint said it is concerned with activities and incidents that have alarmed individuals and obstructed customer service. Meanwhile, the unions, representing more than 1,700 workers, said they are unaware of any inappropriate activity on the part of their members, which they would address if true, but that FairPoint has failed to provide specific information on its claims.

FairPoint's statement reads:

Vermont home sales were up, but median prices decreased in September from the same time last year. For New England, year-over-year sales increased by 0.6 percent according to The RE/MAX of New England September Monthly Housing Report. Pending sales were up 37.2 percent over September 2013. Month-over-month, the cooler weather has helped to contribute to a seasonally-expected decline of -15.8 percent in home sales, with pending sales up 11.3 percent. Across the region, homes are staying on the market an average of 4 additional days, while median price is down -5.3 percent on average. Across the region, every state showed year-over-year sales increases except for Massachusetts, which was down -2.9 percent over September 2013 figures.

The board of Emerge Family Advocates, Inc, has agreed to resign after ensuring that essential services would be maintained through a group of Upper Valley nonprofits, the Vermont Attorney General announced Monday. Sara Kobylenski, executive director of Upper Valley Haven, will coordinate with other local organizations, in consultation with Emerge staff, to provide court-ordered supervised visitation and supervised exchanges of children between parents until Emerge can resume operations.

“Difficult though the situation at Emerge has been,” Attorney General Bill Sorrell said, “we were able to reach this agreement in part because of the strength and commitment of the Upper Valley nonprofit community and its dedication to the services Emerge provides.”

The Vermont Superior Court, Washington Unit, issued a decision Tuesday concluding that the Republican Governors Association (RGA) violated Vermont law by accepting contributions in excess of $2,000 during the 2010 gubernatorial campaign. The RGA claimed it should be exempt from contribution limits because it qualified as an independent-expenditure-only committee. The Vermont Attorney General’s Office disagreed that RGA was an independent-expenditure-only committee and argued it must abide by the contribution limits.

Merchants Bancshares, Inc (NASDAQ: MBVT), the parent company of Merchants Bank, today announced net income of $2.81 million and $9.62 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.44 and $1.52 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively. This compares to net income of $3.67 million and $11.31 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.58 and $1.79 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively. The return on average assets was 0.68 percent and 0.77 percent for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, compared to 0.88 percent and 0.90 percent for the same periods in 2013. The return on average equity was 9.02 percent and 10.48 percent for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, compared to 12.89 percent and 12.94 percent for the same periods in 2013.

Rebecca Haslam, a Champlain Elementary School teacher and District Social Studies and Equity Curriculum Coach for grades K-5, has been selected as the 2015 Vermont Teacher of the Year (VT-TOY), the Agency of Education announced today. In addition to team-teaching first grade, she helps develop curriculum, working with teachers in each of the Burlington School District’s six elementary schools to employ resources that are more inclusive in content, language, and practice.