Current News
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by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org The Legislature will likely need to raise the statewide property tax rate by 2 cents, the head of the chief tax writing committee said on Tuesday.
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On Thursday, March 15 at 11 am, the Energy Co-op of Vermont will launch itsCo-op Solar program from its headquarters in Colchester. The program is apartnership with Sunward Systems, Vermont's leading brand of solar hot water system.
Special financing has been arranged through VSECU, a credit union servingVermonters across the Green Mountain state.
WHAT: Innovative solar program announcement from a progressive fuel oilcompany
WHERE: 73 Prim Road, Colchester, Vermont (This will be an outdoor event.)
WHO: John Quinney, General Manager -- Energy Co-op of Vermont
Thomas Hughes, CEO -- Sunward Systems
Alicia Gant, Solar Loan Program ‘ VSECU
Thomas Longstreth, Executive Director -- ReSOURCE
Matt Cota (invited) -- Vermont Fuel Dealers Association
WHEN: 11 am, Thursday, March 15, 2012
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The Vermont Telecommunications Authority has announced a Notice of Grant Funds in the sum of $3.6 million for broadband expansion in Vermont. The purpose of the grants is to extend broadband service availability where it is currently not offered and where no provider has already committed to bring broadband by the end of 2013.
Funding for the grants was appropriated by the Legislature in the FY2012-2013 Capital Budget. Awarded projects will be required to provide service with a combined upload and download speed of at least 5 megabits per second.
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Middlebury’s Maple Landmark Woodcraft has partnered with Hildene, The Robert T. Lincoln Family Home, in Manchester to manufacturer wooden toy replicas of the 1903 restored wooden Pullman luxury railcar, Sunbeam.
The toy car measures about 4’ long and is cut from New England pine. It is printed using a rich green with gold lettering mirroring not only the opulence of the time but the Sunbeam itself with the Pullman green and gold.
‘This was a fun project to work on,’ said Lisa Yorke, graphics room coordinator, ‘it’s not often that we get to work on local projects that have such meaning.’ This special custom souvenir is available in The Museum Store at Hildene.
2012 marks the first full year that the Sunbeam will be open to the public. The Pullman Car arrived at
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Secretary of State Jim Condos will recognize Vermont’s oldest non‐profits in a ceremony to be held today, Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 4 pm at the Vermont Statehouse. The Vermont Centennial Nonprofit Awards program recognizes nonprofit organizations that have operated in Vermont for at least 100 years.
The nonprofits being honored today range from educational institutions, libraries, churches, hospitals, fraternal and other service organizations and many more local groups.
This year, 29 of Vermont’s oldest noprofits will be presented with plaques by Secretary of State Jim Condos. Governor Peter Shumlin, many state legislators, representatives of our congressional delegation, and other dignitaries are expected to attend.
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Secretary of State Jim Condos chaired the statewide canvassing committee for the Presidential Democratic and Republican Parties at 128 State Street, Montpelier, on Tuesday and released the official presidential primary results. Secretary Condos provided copies of the Official Report of the Canvassing Committee for the Presidential Primary Election for the Republican and Democratic candidates. The results are provided on a town by county basis for the Presidential Primary.
The statewide canvassing committee membership is set by state law as the chair of each major party, or his or her designee, and the Secretary of State. In attendance this morning were Jim Condos, Secretary of State; Jake Perkinson, Democratic Party Chair; Morgan Daybell, designee for Martha Abbot, Progressive Party Chair; and Marty Searight, designee for Jack Lindley, Republican Party Chair.
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Today, Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding released the February 2012 General Fund (GF) revenue results. February is the eighth month of fiscal year (FY) 2012 and second month following the January Consensus Revenue Forecast revision. General Fund revenues totaled $52.34 million for February 2012, and were -$9.49 million or -15.35% below the $61.83 million consensus revenue forecast for the month. Year to date, General Fund revenues were $750.63 million, and -$14.15 million or -1.85% short of the target of $764.78 million for FY 2012. The FY 2012 results through February remain ahead of the same period for the prior fiscal year (FY 2011) by 1.33%.
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US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator Barbara Fields today announced $126,720 to Vermont State Housing Authority to support new local homeless programs in Vermont. This fundingprovides critically needed emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent support for individuals and families and is asignificant part of the Obama Administration’s strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness.
HUD recently awarded $1.47 billion to renew funding to more than 7,100 existing local homeless programs operating across the U.S. That funding ensured housing and service programs remained operating in 2012. The grants announced today will support new local programs never before funded by HUD (see below).
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Five small business owners, four small business champions and a lender have been selected by the US Small Business Administration for outstanding success in their chosen fields.
Charles ‘Chach’ Curtis Jr, CEO of Draker Laboratories, Inc, Burlington, Vermont, has been named the SBA 2012 Vermont Small Business Person of the Year. Nominated by Cairn Cross, Managing Director, Fresh Tracks Capital, Curtis was selected for outstanding leadership related to his company’s staying power, employee growth, increase in sales, innovative ingenuity and contributions to the community.
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At the VFW in Rutland today, Reps. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.) heard from Vermont service members and their families about the importance of expanding a successful veterans outreach program pioneered by the Vermont National Guard. Later today, the Congressmen will convene a similar roundtable in Saratoga Springs with New York service members.
‘The message we heard in Rutland today was clear:Veterans need help making a successful transition to civilian life,’ Welch said. ‘The Vermont Guard Outreach program is meeting the needs of returning Guard members and is a good model for the nation.We ought to expand it so that veterans around the country receive similar services.’
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USNews & World Report has ranked Vermont Law School’s environmental law program as the best in the nation for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year. The 2013 Best Grad Schools rankings were released today.
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A record breaking one-year total of $220,000 was raised in the ‘Big Change Roundup for Kids’ in 2012, pushing the grand total for the 7-year old project to more than $1 million. The Big Change Roundup is the largest fundraiser each year for Vermont Children’s Hospital, and the proceeds directly support health care services and programs provided to young patients and their families.
The annual coin collecting campaign is a joint effort of Fletcher Allen Health Care and 98.9 WOKO-FM with support from hundreds of local businesses and community groups and thousands of school children from throughout the region.
‘We are so grateful for the outpouring of support from schools, businesses and people of all ages throughout Vermont and northern New York who made it possible for us to reach our