Current News
by tim
by Laura Krantz vtdigger.org
The state should not legalize marijuana or increase the number of medical marijuana dispensaries, a group representing local police chiefs said.
The Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police issued a statement in March saying it opposes expanding the availability of marijuana in Vermont.
Police believe their concerns about health risks, highway safety and employment issues related to marijuana have been ignored by the governor and lawmakers.
The statement came in response to a letter Gov. Peter Shumlin sent to association president Chief Douglas Johnston saying he was “open to further discussion” about whether it makes sense to legalize marijuana in Vermont. Johnston is Springfield’s police chief.
“This an area where I am happy to continue to let other governors lead, but I am open to the conversation,” Shumlin wrote, referring to Colorado and Washington, which have legalized marijuana.
by tim
The Vermont Mayors Coalition today, joined by Governor Peter Shumlin, honored AmeriCorps and other service members and highlighted the value of their national service to their communities during a news conference in the State Capitol’s Cedar Creek Room and through a proclamation. Vermont’s eight mayors, represented by Montpelier Mayor John Hollar and Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon, joined more than 1,200 mayors from around the nation offering similar recognition of their cities’ service members during the second annual Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service, a nationwide bipartisan effort to:
Recognize the positive impact of national service on our cities;
Thank AmeriCorps and Senior Corps participants who serve; and
Encourage citizens to give back to their communities.
by tim
Irving Energy, one of the largest propane retailers in New England, has agreed to pay $165,938 to Vermont consumers, $160,000 to LIHEAP -- the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program -- and $100,000 in civil penalties to the State of Vermont, to settle claims that the company violated Vermont consumer protection laws. The Attorney General found that for many Vermonters, Irving delayed removing propane storage tanks and issuing refund checks after consumers terminated propane service. “When Vermont propane customers terminate service, a supplier must promptly remove its tank and reimburse any monies due the customer,” said Attorney General Sorrell. “A failure to meet these obligations can be expensive. We encourage Vermont consumers to let us know if their legal rights have not been satisfied.”
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce announced last Thursday the top 27 Best Places to Work in Vermont for 2014. The awards program was created in 2006 and is presented in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management, Vermont State Council (SHRM), the Vermont Department of Labor and the Vermont Department of Economic Development and Best Companies Group.
SEE LIST OF WINNERS BELOW
This statewide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Vermont, benefiting the state's economy, its workforce and businesses.
To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:
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Related Company: Vermont Law SchoolWilson College in Chambersburg, PA, and South Royalton's Vermont Law School, ranked Number 1 in the nation for environmental law, recently forged an agreement that will allow qualified students to earn a bachelor’s degree from Wilson and a master’s degree from Vermont Law in just four years.
Through an articulation agreement between the two colleges, Wilson students who qualify can pursue a bachelor’s degree in environmental sustainability at Wilson, followed by guaranteed admission to Vermont Law’s Master of Environmental Law and Policy (MELP) program.
Some credits would be shared between the two institutions and to expedite the master’s program, students would take two online courses from Vermont Law while attending Wilson. After their junior year, they could enter Vermont Law’s summer program. Both degrees would be completed at the same time.
by tim
by Paul Cillo, Public Assets Institute In the depths of the recession, Vermont unemployment peaked at 26,200. Since that point, in May 2009, it has steadily declined; by February 2014, more than 13,000 Vermonters had left the unemployment lines. Not all of those people found work, however. Between May 2009 and February 2014, employment in Vermont rose by just 2,750.
A slow decade for employment
New figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that employment fell in 2013, following a drop in 2012. In the 10 years from 2003 to 2013, the number of working Vermonters rose just 1.4 percent. That put Vermont in 37th place when the states were ranked from highest to lowest in employment growth. By contrast, from 1993 to 2003 Vermont saw an 11 percent increase in annual employment.
When it’s good to rank last
by tim
A series of public meetings will be held in April to gather comments on the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources’ Draft South Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan.
A Draft Water Quality Management Plan, the Southern Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan has been developed to protect and restore surface waters in the southern Champlain Basin. The southern Champlain Basin includes the Poultney and Mettowee River watersheds, as well as the East Creek and several other small discrete tributaries that drain directly to southern Lake Champlain, which includes all of the land in Vermont that drains to the lake generally south of Crown Point.
by tim
by John Herrick vtdigger.org Developers are lining up to bring renewable power to southern New England as part of a regional initiative that guarantees a ratepayer-backed return on investment. This is the second proposal in recent months that would lay an electric transmission line under Lake Champlain and connect it to a Vermont substation.
In response to a six-state strategy to bring more clean power to the region, a Massachusetts transmission company said it wants to bury a transmission line under Lake Champlain to connect industrial wind power in New York to a Burlington substation.
“It’s a unique moment in time,” said Edward Krapels, CEO for Anbaric Transmission, which is in the early stages of proposing the 40-mile project called the Grand Isle Intertie.
by tim
House Speaker Shap Smith on Friday spiked a proposal to study potential tax revenue the state could earn by legalizing marijuana.
The amendment would have asked the Joint Fiscal Office to study the revenue impact of legalizing marijuana, using Colorado’s pot tax as a guide. The Ways and Means Committee endorsed the amendment.
by ayla
The University of Vermont will award honorary degrees at the May ceremony to Professor Jonathan David Jansen, Dr. Irwin H. Krakoff, Dr. Robert Larner, Crea Sopher Lintilhac, Dr. Robert B. Low and Richard E. Tarrant. The university will also award an honorary degree to Samantha Power, the 2014 commencement speaker.
Jonathan David Jansen is a leading public intellectual in South Africa renowned for his passionate dedication to education, social justice and the process of reconciliation. As vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State, his leadership and his pioneering work is creating unity in the diverse academic community and transforming the atmosphere on campus. He is president of the South African Institute of Race Relations and Patron of Muslim and Jewish Foundations.
by ayla
Vermont Family Network (VFN) partnered with restaurants around the state to raise money for children with special needs. The Fundraiser took place February 1-14 and a portion of sales for specials identified by each participating restaurant were donated directly to Vermont Family Network to help support the work that the organization does with Children and families with special needs across the state. During the two-week period, the 10 restaurants raised $2,428.00 to support the state-wide non-profit organization.
Area restaurants present a check to Vermont Family Network in the amount of $2,428.00 for proceeds raised during the organization’s Valentine’s Fundraiser in February. In the photo from left: Katelynn Audette, Trade Duke’s; Bob Conlon, Leunig’s Bistro; Sarah Hammitt, Trader Duke’s; Jeff Morton, Vermont Family Network; Jeff Bushey, The Windjammer Hospitality Group. Photo courtesy of Vermont Family Network.
by ayla
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM) is reporting the first case of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) in the state. The positive diagnosis occurred on a swine operation in Rutland County on March 26th, 2014.
PEDv is a coronavirus that affects pigs only and is similar to Transmissible Gastroenteritis. It does not make people sick and it does not affect other species of livestock. PEDv does not affect pork safety and pork remains completely safe to eat.
The first detection of this disease in the U.S. occurred approximately one year ago, and since then it has impacted over 4,000 premises in 27 states. The Vermont case represents the first confirmed positive premises in Vermont. The most common sign of PEDv in swine is severe diarrhea, and mortality rates in pre-weaning piglets approach 100%. Older animals generally survive the infection but can shed the virus in their feces and through their respiratory tracts for an extended period.