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Vermont Business Magazine The Special Needs Support Center (SNSC) in Lebanon, NH, has received a$4,000 grant from the Granite United Way. These funds will support SNSC’s Parent Educational Support and Advocacy Program.Since 1979, SNSC’s programs have provided support for families and individuals with special needs to become empowered through learning, sharing and collaborating with each other.

The Parent Educational Support and Advocacy Program provides support for parents as they navigate the complex federal and state regulations involved in meeting their child’s special needs. Their Volunteer Team receives training in special education regulations applicable in both New Hampshire and Vermont regarding IEPs (Individualized Education Program) as well as Section 504 Plans (a part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973). SNSC has years of successful work with parents and with school districts throughout the Upper Valley on both sides of the Connecticut River.

Vermont Business MagazineIn honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, Governor Phil Scott joins the Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets in offering thanks to our farmers, local businesses and food producers for providing all Vermonters with high quality food.

Senator Patrick LeahyOver the past 10 months, the Attorney General has testified before the Senate on three occasions about his knowledge of and contacts with Russian operatives.He also answered written questions and provided additional supplemental testimony.But he still has not gotten his story straight. On numerous occasions, new disclosures of his communications involving Russia have raised serious doubts about his testimony.And not one of these disclosures has come from the Attorney General; all have come from the press or unsealed court records.That is a problem.

Vermont Business MagazineCommissioner of Finance & Management, Adam Greshin, has announced a public forum for comment on FY 2019 State budget development.Pursuant to 32 VSA§306(d) the governor is required to develop a process for public participation in the development of goals and a general prioritization of spending and revenue initiatives.

Vermont Business MagazineVermont Attorney General TJDonovan today announced that Westminster Meats, LLC and its owner Daniel Mandich, agreed to pay the State $86,250 in civil penalties for environmental violations at their meat packing and processing facility located in Westminster, Vermont. In 2014-2015, the facility had several failures of its wastewater treatment system. The most serious violation occurred in August 2014, when a state inspector observed a garden hose being used to empty an overflowing tank of animal wastewater (including blood) into a small stream next to the facility’s driveway.

The State filed an enforcement action in Windham Superior Court. On November 6, 2017, the Court approved a stipulated judgment order.

The judgment order allows Defendants the opportunity to reduce a portion of the penalty based on financial disclosures showing inability to pay.

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Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump nominated Alex Azar to be the secretary of Health and Human Services. Azar is the former head of pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly’s US division.

Vermont Business Magazine On October 1, 2017, Castleton University received a Ronald EMcNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program grant, which will exceed $1 million over five years. The program’s goal is to increase the number of Castleton students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds or underrepresented groups, who attain doctoral degrees.

Castleton’s McNair Scholars program will serve at least 25 students, sophomore through seniors, each academic year. At least 2/3 of the cohort will be low-income, first-generation college students. The remaining students will be from groups underrepresented in higher education, including African Americans, Alaskan Natives, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders. Castleton faculty will help McNair program staff identify strong candidates for the program and graduate study.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters who were deceived into sending payments to scammers using Western Union's wire transfer service may now apply for compensation from a 586 million dollar fund administered by the Department of Justice's Victim Asset Recovery Program. This fund is related to a multi-statesettlementwith Vermont Attorney General TJDonovan and 49 other states, the District of Columbia, and Western Union that was first announced in January. Vermonters may be eligible to receive compensation if they were a victim of a fraud-induced transfer using Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017.

Vermont Business Magazine Okemo Mountain Resort opened for the 2017/2018 winter season on Saturday, November 11. Okemo opened with top-to-bottom skiing and snowboarding on five trails with two lifts operating, including the Resort’s Sunburst Six high-speed bubble chair with retractable orange domes and heated seats for six passengers at a time.

“This was our earliest opening in five years,” said Okemo Vice President and General Manager Bruce Schmidt. “We opened on November 8 in 2012. In November 2002, opening day was November 2, and in 1997, opening day was November 1.As luck would have it that year, we ended up closing until mid-November!”

Vermont Business Magazine Boards and commissions serve an important role in state government, giving Vermonters numerous opportunities to serve their state and communities. The Governor’s office is currently soliciting applications to fill vacancies and upcoming term expirations. All those interested in serving on a board or commission should visit the governor’s website.

Vermont Business Magazine Marissa Parisi is stepping down as executive director of Hunger Free Vermont after nearly nine years at the helm. Her last day will be December 15. Parisi will become the executive director of RiseVT, a joint initiative of Rise Vermont, LLC formed in 2017 andOneCare Vermont ACO, in January. Part of her mission will be to grow RiseVT – a project of Northwestern Medical Center and the Vermont Department of Health – into a statewide model.

Vermont Business Magazine Leading environmental, health, scientific and business organizations today applauded the announcement by seven states, including Vermont, andWashington, DC,of plans to develop a regional policy to reduce carbon pollution from the transportation sector. The move was endorsed today by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Acadia Center,Sierra Club, and Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and five other groups.

The announcement byConnecticut,Delaware, theDistrict of Columbia, Maryland,Massachusetts,New York,Rhode IslandandVermontwas made during the Bonn Climate Change Summit.