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Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Donovan today joined a multistate coalition in filing an amicus brief, in Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region v. Parson, challenging the constitutionality of several recently enacted abortion bans in Missouri. As the only remaining abortion clinic in Missouri, Planned Parenthood of St Louis is seeking to overturn two state laws that would create barriers to safe and legal abortion. The coalition’s amicus brief, filed in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, argues that these laws are unconstitutional restrictions on women’s right to choose.

Vermont Business Magazine The Richards Group was recently named one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Vermont, an award created by Vermont Business Magazine, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the Vermont Department of Economic Development, the Vermont Department of Labor, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – Vermont State Council and Best Companies Group.

Senator Patrick Leahy The one-sided Middle East plan that the President has announced is a striking example of President Trump’s familiar playbook of delusional hyperbole over reality. After years of empty promises while systematically dismantling decades of bipartisan US policy in order to benefit only one party, it is farcical to call something a ‘deal’ and impose it on the other party knowing it will be rejected. It is a plan that would diminish the prospects for peaceful coexistence, while damaging our country’s hard-won role as a force for stability in the Middle East, which also has implications for US security interests in the region and beyond.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University Board of Trustees Chairman Alan DeForest ’75 announced today that Colonel Mark Anarumo, USAF, will become Norwich University’s 24^th president effective June 1, 2020. DeForest, along with Anarumo and university officials, made the announcement at an 11 am press conference held on the Northfield campus in Mack Hall Auditorium, which was followed by an open reception in the lobby. He will take over from retiring President Richard Schneider, RADM, USCGR (Ret.), who has served since 1992.

Vermont Business Magazine During the year, DFR received over 3,000 consumer inquiries resulting in 457 formal complaints against financial services firms. Investigations into these complaints, and subsequent enforcement actions, resulted in DFR ordering $2,734,493 be paid to consumers in financial restitution and an additional $2,640,400 be paid in financial penalties. This represents a 32 percent increase in penalties and restitution compared to the previous year.

Vermont Business Magazine The 2020 tax season officially opened on January 27 at both the federal and state levels. This is the date that the IRS and Vermont began accepting and processing personal income tax returns for tax year 2019. The Vermont Department of Taxes recommends filing electronically (e-file) through a commercial software vendor to increase accuracy and have your refund processed sooner. In 2019, 86 percent of all Vermont personal income tax returns were filed electronically. Last year, taxpayers who e-filed their returns on average received their refunds more than twice as fast as those who filed paper returns.

NORWICH, NY (January 27, 2020) – NBT Bancorp Inc, based in Norwich, NY, with branches in northwest Vermont (NASDAQ: NBTB), reported record net income and diluted earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2019. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $121.0 million, up 7.5% from $112.6 million for the prior year. Diluted earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $2.74, as compared with $2.56 for the prior year, an increase of 7.0%.

Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2019 was $29.0 million, down 10.6% from $32.4 million for the third quarter of 2019 and up 1.1% from $28.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2018. Diluted earnings per share for the three months ended December 31, 2019 was $0.66, down 9.5% as compared with $0.73 for the prior quarter and up 1.5% from $0.65 for the fourth quarter of 2018.

Highlights:

Risk here is low, but take everyday steps to prevent exposure and illness

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont health officials are closely monitoring a new coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan, China, and has resulted in a global outbreak of a sometimes-deadly respiratory illness formally known as 2019-nCoV. Thousands of cases have been identified in China, with more in other countries. Five cases in travelers from Wuhan have been confirmed in four states (AZ, CA, IL, WA) as of January 27, 2020. There are no suspected cases in Vermont.

“This is a rapidly evolving situation, but the risk to Vermonters at this time is very low,” said Commissioner of Health Mark Levine, MD. “It’s important for people to know that the only way to get this new coronavirus is if you were exposed to it while traveling in Hubei Province, or if you are exposed to someone who did and they were contagious,” said Dr. Levine.

by John McClaughry Over the past 50 years I have seen a lot of bills introduced into the Vermont legislature. Of all the bills over all those years, the absolute worst was just introduced in the House, with 87 co-sponsors (all Democratic and Progressive). It’s titled the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA, H688). The Climate Action Coalition believes that the planet faces a “climate emergency” due to human-caused carbon dioxide emissions. Every year for the past five years its dozens of lobbyists have labored to persuade the legislators to take bold and far-reaching steps to drive down those emissions. The centerpiece of those efforts has been a carbon tax. The argument has three components. First, we must drive down the use of carbon-based fuels by Vermonters using heating oil, natural gas, gasoline, diesel and propane.

Vermont Business Magazine Practice Fusion, Inc, a San Francisco-based health information technology developer, will pay $145 million to resolve criminal and civil investigations relating to its electronic health records (EHR) software, the Department of Justice announced today. As part of the criminal resolution, Practice Fusion admits that it solicited and received kickbacks from a major opioid company in exchange for utilizing its EHR software to influence physician prescribing of opioid pain medications. Practice Fusion has executed a deferred prosecution agreement and agreed to pay over $26 million in criminal fines and forfeiture.

Vermont Business Magazine Assistant Attorney General Molly Gray announced today that she is running for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont. She joins an ever-crowding field that includes Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe (D/P- Burlington); Democrat Brenda Siegel of Newfane; Democratic State Senator Deb Ingram of Williston; and Republican Meg Hansen, of Manchester. The rush to join the race follows incumbent David Zuckerman's decision to challenge Governor Phil Scott.

Vermont Business Magazine Mascoma Community Development (MCD) has announced the closing of $900,000 in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation to support the development of a retail space within Burlington’s Old North End neighborhood. The space will be specifically tailored to accommodate a locally owned grocery store, as well as a bank “micro branch.” Jake’s ONE is located at 242 North Winooski Ave.

The completion of these community enrichments will provide a crucial source of goods and services that have been relatively absent from this prominent community in Burlington.

Providing access to affordable, healthy food, banking services, and new job opportunities will greatly benefit low-income residents and businesses, which will gain access to critical resources that are within walking distance.