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Senator Patrick Leahy By any measure, the last two years have been worse than I feared. Time and again, Attorney General Barr has acted in the best interests of Donald Trump, not the country. He has intervened and overruled career prosecutors only in cases to benefit the president and his friends. He has departed from Department norms, misrepresented the Department’s work, and eroded public trust in the Department as a result.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders received the COVID-19 vaccine from U.S. Capitol physician, Dr Brian P Monahan on Saturday.

by Rob Roper The Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI), referring to the organization itself rather than the policy, has put off publication of their final proposal for a multi-state, regional carbon tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for well over half a year. Originally, they promised to release it in the spring of 2020, then hinted at summer, and are currently operating under a promise to do so this fall – a window rapidly closing. Presumably, the delays are part of a strategy to hold off until a politically opportune time. It doesn’t appear such a time will ever transpire. Increasingly, TCI looks dead on arrival.

by Christine McGowan, Vermont Forest Industry Network Movies have been made about the romantic notion of leaving corporate America to start a business in a remote, bucolic Vermont town, but few of those fictional characters can hold a candle to Eleanor Léger, the real-life founder of Eden Ciders in Newport, Vermont. Her story began in the winter of 2006 when she left her management consulting job and bought an abandoned dairy farm in West Charleston.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) went to the Senate floor this afternoon to seek unanimous consent to pass legislation he had introduced earlier today to provide direct payments to working families across the United States. Sanders’ proposal provides a direct payment of $1,200 for every working-class American, $2,400 for couples, and $500 for children. He was joined on the floor by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who spoke in support of the legislation.

Vermont Business Magazine Mary W. Davis Realtor & Associates, also known as Okemo Real Estate which is based in Ludlow Vermont, recently announces new ownership for the company. This 63 year old local realty firm is a long time member of the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce (OVRCC) and the new ownership plans to continue that investment and partnership.

Last month, Mary W. Davis Realtor & Associates was sold to the new ownership team including Real Estate Broker Suzanne Garvey, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Julie Abraham and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Stephen Messina. The previous owner Patricia “Tricia” Davis also announced her retirement.

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Burlington is organizing a pop-up test site for Covid-19 tomorrow morning -- and there are still plenty of spots available.

Public Assets Institute After six months of slowly returning, hotel and restaurant jobs dropped off again in November, as increasing COVID-19 cases limited travel and socializing. And this mid-month count probably does not capture the effects of new restrictions that began on November 14. Vermont hotels and restaurants had 40 percent fewer jobs last month than in November 2019. Private-sector jobs overall were down 10 percent year over year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported 86 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths for 107. Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, said at Friday’s press conference that all hospitals have now received their allocation of COVID-19 vaccine for the first week and have been busy vaccinating their higher risk healthcare staff. Meanwhile, the state pharmacy partners — CVS, Walgreens and HealthDirect/Kinney Drugs — are scheduled to begin clinics at long-term care facilities next week.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims our on their typical holiday season rollercoaster. Claims fell last week after the previous week's spike of 2,013, but have been trending up consistently the last two months. Claims fell 579 to 1,434 last week (up 895 from the same time last year).

Vermont Business Magazine As a significant trail project at Mt Philo State Park ends for the season, project managers and visitors alike are commending the improvements and the broader benefits to Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy. The project, managed by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR), was awarded by a competitive bid process. Designed and constructed by Timber and Stone, LLC, it updates major sections of the main trail to provide a more sustainable and safe ascent, and features a universally accessible trail that improves access at the summit.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The state’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts for November were a combined $26.55 million, or 18.0 percent above consensus expectations in November. The vital personal income tax was up as were the consumer taxes – sales and use and rooms and meals – with sales up nearly 20 percent over projections. Of course, those projections were significantly downgraded by economists last summer.