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Senator Patrick Leahy America is hurting. Reeling from a deadly pandemic that has taken more than 100,000 lives. Witnessing the broad daylight murder of yet another black man by an officer of the law. Seething with rage and sorrow about the racial injustices that still plague our society. And suffering from unprecedented political divisions, routinely worsened and deepened by a President whose every utterance only tears us further apart. In my 45 years in the United States Senate, I have never seen our country so in need of healing.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Wednesday unveiled the Congressional Power Of The Purse Act to restore Congress’ constitutional authority and rein in encroachment on federal spending decisions by the Executive Branch. Leahy said that for too many years, Congress has ceded its constitutional authority over the power of the purse too much to the Executive Branch, but no President has pushed the boundaries of and contorted appropriations law more than President Trump.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) outlined a sweeping set of policy reforms to be adopted in Senate Democrats’ legislative response to police violence, in order to “protect people and communities that have suffered this violence for far too long,” he wrote in a letter addressed to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Sanders listed the following goals “to seriously address an intolerable situation in this country:”

Vermont Business Magazine The 2020 project rankings for the Southern Vermont Economy CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) have been announced. A total of 59 projects were submitted to be included in the five-year plan for growing the southern Vermont economy, 12 of which have been ranked vital. The following list of Southern Vermont CEDS 2020 Vital Projects is presented in alphabetical order by project name.

The purpose of identifying Vital Projects is to publicly acknowledge the top actions the region can support that will make demonstrable progress towards our regional economic development goals, as outlined in the 2019 Southern Vermont Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS).

Vermont Business Magazine Funding is now available for organizations and projects in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties through the Northeast Kingdom Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation. The fund awards grants up to $5,000 in support of projects that benefit the people and communities of the Northeast Kingdom. Nonprofits, schools, and grassroots organizations are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 14, 2020.

The Northeast Kingdom Fund was established in 2011 by the Community Foundation and local partners as a permanent philanthropic resource to support the people and communities of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties. Visit vermontcf.org/nekfund to learn more and apply.

Vermont Business Magazine The 2020 Quechee Hot Air Balloon Craft and Music festival has been cancelled for the first time in the 40 year history of the event, it was announced by the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce (HACC), organizers of the annual event. Thousands of entertainment gatherings, festivals and events have been postponed or cancelled around the state and country due to the COVID-19. The Quechee Hot Air Balloon Craft and Music Festival, which runs annually on Father’s Day weekend was originally scheduled for June 19-21 and then rescheduled for the weekend of September 11-13.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott began his media briefing Monday by speaking about the “heartbreaking tragedy” of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police. Protests and riots have engulfed the nation since his death on May 25, one police officer has been arrested. Scott called on the other three officers to be charged and said, “enough is enough.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported that there were deaths associated with COVID-19 since Monday, which stand at 55, there are none hospitalized and the total cases statewide is 988 – an increase of five since Monday. Overall, more than a 1,000 tests are administered daily in Vermont. Nearly 37,000 Vermonters have been tested since the beginning of the pandemic and 879 people have recovered from COVID-19.

by Paul Cillo, Public Assets Institute The national unrest of the last week has added a layer of pain to what many Vermonters were already experiencing during the pandemic: economic hardship, inequitable access to public resources and health care, and the stress of being isolated from family and friends. The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the protests that have followed over the past week, including in Burlington and Montpelier, have forced us to reckon with the reality that our state does not work for every resident, particularly for Black Vermonters.

Vermont Business Magazine Business owners from the restaurant, construction, retail and agricultural sectors held a press conference via Zoom on Tuesday to urge the Vermont State Legislature to act quickly to release much needed state financial assistance in the form of flexible grants. Various committees in the legislature have been reviewing the Scott Administration's proposal for a $400 million stimulus package which uses federal CARES Act money. It includes emergency grants and loans for businesses impacted by the pandemic and subsequent closures. But many businesses across the state fear that the current legislative process will not get them the money they desperately need quickly enough.

Vermont Business Magazine The physicians and physician assistants of the Vermont Medical Society (VMS) denounce the recent brutal and senseless acts of violence towards Black people by law enforcement officers and acknowledge the impact systemic racism has in driving adverse health outcomes in Vermont and across the nation.

Vermont Business Magazine As a way to encourage and support grassroots action to make Vermont communities more livable, AARP Vermont has expanded its Community Action Grants to communities across the state providing modest funding and technical support to community groups or individuals. The initiative is part an AARP Vermont initiative aimed at preparing Vermont cities and towns for the rapidly aging demographic shift – particularly in the areas of housing, mobility and community engagement.