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Vermont Business Magazine Minutes before taking the oath of office to represent Vermont in Congress for a seventh two-year term, Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) recorded a video message to Vermonters to express his gratitude and outline his priorities for the new Congress, including fixing a broken institution—beginning with reopening the federal government—and an agenda focused on rebuilding middle class.

“This past election, the American people made a decision to change the majority in the House from Republican to Democratic. I see this as an opportunity for us, by the way we govern, to earn the trust of the people who made that call.”

Transcript of Welch Remarks

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan announced today that Raymond LeBlanc of Berlin, Vermont, a sergeant with the Vermont State Police, was arraigned today in Washington County Criminal Court on one count of misdemeanor stalking. LeBlanc, represented by attorney Oreste V Valsangiacomo, Jr, entered a plea of not guilty. Superior Court Judge Mary Morrissey, presiding over the arraignment, set conditions of release and the matter has been scheduled for a status conference on March 12, 2019.

As a result of the charges, LeBlanc faces a potential maximum period of incarceration of up to two years, or a maximum fine of up to $5,000, or both.

The charge involves an allegation of stalking by LeBlanc concerning his course of conduct directed at his wife during the timeframe of May of 2018 through December of 2018. The matter was investigated by detectives of the Vermont State Police.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Senate Wednesday night confirmed retired Essex Police Chief Brad LaRose as Vermont’s next US Marshal. He was unanimously confirmed with other noncontroversial nominees in the final hours of the just-expired congressional session. A new Congress begins on Thursday. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Governor Phil Scott (R) had jointly recommended LaRose to President Trump in January 2018 to fill the vacancy, and the President nominated him in June. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination in November. Leahy is a leading member of the Judiciary Committee and has shepherded the nomination through the confirmation process.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Electric Co-op has unveiled a new round of bill credits this year for members who purchase a range of devices for their homes or businesses. Specifically, VEC is offering a $300 credit for cold climate heat pumps purchased this year (up from $150 for those purchased in 2018) as well as new credits this year for Zero Energy Modular (ZEM) homes ($500) and electric-powered forklifts ($1,000).

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC) has announced the results of its December 4, 2018 annual election of VMEC Advisory Board members. Jeff Couture, Executive Director of the VT Technology Alliance (Burlington) and Ken McAvey, Senior Director of Central Engineering at GlobalFoundries (Essex Junction), were newly elected to the VMEC Advisory Board, each for a two-year term. Their election filled two seats voluntarily vacated due to retirements by John Burton, President, Network Performance Inc. (South Burlington) and Steve Wildermuth, V.P. North America Post Fab Operations, GlobalFoundries (Essex Junction).

Vermont Business Magazine Jonathan L. Walton, an acclaimed Harvard University author, social ethicist and religious scholar, will be keynote speaker on Monday, January 21, during Saint Michael’s College’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation Week. Walton will spend the day at Saint Michael’s on Monday, speaking first during a faculty and staff convocation luncheon in the Dion Student Center at 11:45 a.m., and again at 4:30 p.m. as keynote speaker during the main MLK Convocation in the Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, which is free and open to the public. His keynote address will be titled "No One is Free Until We Are All Free: The Centrality of Collective liberation for an Inclusive Vision of the World."

Vermont Business Magazine Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is grateful for all of the toys donated to the Bank’s first annual Holiday Toy Drive which concluded on December 21. So many customers and community members dropped off new children’s toys at their local Bar Harbor Bank & Trust branch. All Bar Harbor Bank & Trust branches in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont participated, collecting more than 1,260 toys in total. Bar Harbor Bank has branches in central Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine New England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) wrapped up its year-long campaign of strong community support with two donations to important Burlington-area organizations. $10,000 was given to the Community Health Centers of Burlington (CHCB). Since 1971, CHCB’s mission has been to provide exceptional primary and preventative health care to people of all ages, backgrounds, and life circumstances. The YMCA of Greater Burlington (YMCAGB) received $5,000. The organization seeks to strengthen the community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, January 3, 2019, US Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) will be sworn in to the 116th United States Congress in a ceremony on the floor of the US House of Representatives. The ceremony will begin at noon. Congressman Welch has represented Vermonters in Congress since 2007.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont's minimum wage rate increased to $10.78 per hour from the 2018 rate of $10.50 per hour, effective on January 1, 2019. Twenty-nine states have a minimum wage higher than the US minimum of $7.25 an hour. Most of those states are raising their minimum wage again this year. New Hampshire and Pennsylvania are the only states in the Northeast to retain the federal rate.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont topped the list of Top Moving Destinations of 2018 according to the 2018 National Movers Study by United Van Lines, the nation’s largest household goods mover. In 2018, more residents moved into Vermont than out of the state, with 72.6 percent of moves being inbound. This marks the second straight year that Vermont is the top inbound moving destination in the US. This year’s study reflects continuing trends of Americans moving to the Mountain West (55.5 percent inbound moves) and the South (53.1 percent inbound moves). Overall, the Northeast region continues to see more residents leaving than moving in, with 57 percent of all moves within the Northeast US being OUTBOUND moves. Vermont, however, was an outlier in this trend. Vermont also ranked highest in the Northeast for the U-Haul survey, ranking 7th best in the nation.