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by Mike SmithThis is not in dispute: Jody Herring is a murderer.She pleaded guilty to shooting to death three of her relatives and a social worker. Last week a judge sentenced Herring to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

But at the sentencing hearing her lawyer, David Sleigh, asked the court to look at Herring not solely as a murderer, but also as a victim. Sleigh showed — through a parade of witnesses — that Herring was trapped in a family with a history of physical, mental and sexual abuse; that as a child she endured seizures after the untimely death of her father; that she became homeless for a time while in her preteens; and that she was abused by men throughout her life.

Sleigh also contended that if the mental health system hadn’t failed Herring, then there’s a possibility this tragedy could have been avoided.

Vermont Business Magazine Phase 2 is in the waning days of the 2017 construction season and the whole team is working hard to pave the remaining 1 ¼ miles from North Beach to Shore Road. Meanwhile, the push is on to complete as many intersections as possible before winter shutdown. As long as Mother Nature stamps an OK, our contractor plans to move in paving equipment today (Friday, November 17) and begin laying the base course of asphalt. The bike path's asphalt will consist of two layers, a lower layer called the base course (made with larger stone or aggregate to provide a strong and stable base) and on top of that the wear course (made with finer stones and aggregate to provide a smooth riding finish). At this point, our contractor, paving subcontractor and resident engineers are all predicting that we will be able to get the base course in this year, but the wear course may have to wait until the spring.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont's Congressional Delegation recently secured $18.9 million dollars in federal funding for the Low-Income Heating Assistance Program. These funds will help 20,000 Vermont households keep warm this winter. Low-income households across Vermont can expect to receive an average of $879 to assist with winter heating costs.

On Monday, Congressman Peter Welch will participate in a ride along with a heating fuel truck and deliver fuel to the Stone Family in Rutland. This will highlight federal funding for the Low Income Energy Home Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Split the Ticket Fund, and Vermont’s new Fuel Oil Tank Regulations.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) held a student town meeting Friday with the entire student body of Burlington High School and the Burlington Technical Center to discuss the opioid crisis in Vermont and throughout the United States. “I need your help. Not only for Vermont, but for the entire country,” Sanders told the students. “It is critically important that we have an honest and open discussion about this crisis that claimed the lives of 112 Vermonters last year, and affected thousands more. If we do not have the courage to talk about this issue. We are never, ever going to solve it.”

Vermont Business Magazine OneCare Vermont, a Vermont Accountable Care Organization, announced today a major investment in an innovative pilot program to improve the quality of mental health and substance use treatment services for residents of two Burlington area housing communities specializing in the coordination of care and services for older adults and those with special needs.

Working in collaboration with the Howard Center and SASH® (Supports and Services at Home) at Cathedral Square, the program will deliver an improved health care experience to residents of two affordable housing sites by locating a Howard Center clinician there full time.

Vermont Business MagazineThe University of Vermont and its faculty union, United Academics, remain at impasse following negotiations facilitated by a mediator. Under established Vermont law procedures, the next step in the process involves an independent fact-finder, who will review evidence from both parties and offer a recommended resolution. The parties may accept the recommendations of the fact-finder or negotiate further in an effort to reach a contract settlement. Failure to agree on a new contract after fact-finding could result in the Vermont Labor Relations Board resolving the issues.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Friday issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s emergency supplemental request, totaling $44 billion, to address recent natural disasters. Earlier this month, Leahy and Senator Schumer led a letter outlining what Senate Democrats believe should be contained in the supplemental request.

Public Assets Institute Vermont’s unemployment held steady at 2.9 percent last month—the sixth-lowest rate in the nation. But that was the rate for all workers. For the last few years, joblessness among men has exceeded the rate for women by almost a full percentage point.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday over 200 friends, family and community members, and community partners gathered at Trader Duke’s Hotel in South Burlington to celebrate Norwich University President Richard W Schneider as the Vermont Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year. Schneider was selected by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce for the Citizen of the Year Award for his extensive community leadership and continual devotion to the betterment of Vermont.

Norwich University President Richard W Schneider and Vermont Chamber of Commerce President Betsy Bishop. Courtesy photo.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Mount Snow, which was delayed last year in its efforts to expand using EB-5 foreign investor funds through the state's regional center, has received approval to open its own regional center. Peak Resorts, Inc (NASDAQ:SKIS), which owns several ski resorts in the Midwest and Northeast, of which Mount Snow is the largest, Thursday that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has approved the Peak’s proposed Great North Regional Center, a new privately managed regional center, which will serve as Peak’s exclusive EB-5 investment sponsor for projects at its Northeast resorts. The approval is effective immediately.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont unemployment rate was unchanged in October, but all the major indicators showed improvement, with even the Labor Force growing slightly. Privateemployment was up, while Government employment lost 1,200 jobs, almost entirely from State held positions.The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for October was 2.9 percent. This reflects no change from the revised September rate. The national rate in October was 4.1 percent. Overall, Vermont’s unemployment rate was tied for the sixth lowest in the country. New Hampshire was tied for third (2.7 percent); Hawaii was lowest (2.2 percent); and Alaska was highest (7.2 percent).As of the prior month’s preliminary data, the Burlington-South Burlington Metropolitan NECTA was tied for the 15th lowest unemployment rate in the country for all metropolitan areas.

Vermont Business MagazineNew England residents on ThursdayhitEversource Energy and Avangrid Incwith a class-action lawsuitstating that the two energy companies caused electricity consumers to incur overcharges of $3.6 billion in a years-long scheme that impacted six states and affected 14.7 million people, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston. The lawsuit, filed November14, 2017, in the USDistrict Court for the District of Massachusetts states that 7.1 million retail electricity customers and an overall population of 14.7 million people have been affected by Eversource and Avangrid’s “unique monopoly” spanning at least from 2013 to 2016. The scheme raised electric prices by at least 20 percent for those living in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The complaint alleges the scheme violates multiple federal and state competition laws and state consumer protection statutes.