Current News

Vermont Business MagazineThe Snelling Center for Government is pleased to announce the graduates of the Early Childhood Leadership Institute Class of 2017.The Early Childhood Leadership Institute is a unique leadership and personal transformative institute, initiated in 2014 to stimulate enthusiasm for and effective participation in efforts to improve early childhood work in Vermont. The Class of 2017 became the 3rd graduating class with graduates joining a professional network of more than 900 Vermont Leadership Network Alumni.

Vermont State Parks This holiday season, Vermont State Parks invites you to purchase holiday gift packages, park passes, and gift certificates for friends and family. Not only will they benefit the recipient, but they’ll benefit the parks, too. This year’s popular gift packages are all new with colorful, useful gear designed to make your outdoor adventures both stylish and fun. These packages come fully wrapped and ready to give. They can be ordered online, and shipping is free.

This year’s offerings are:

Day Tripper $59

Includes one punch card good for 10 park day visits, a notebook and pen set, and a Vermont State Parks travel mug.

Vermont Business MagazineDowns Rachlin Martin PLLC Managing Partner Paul HOde, Jrissued the following statement Wednesday regarding the USSenate confirmation of Director Peter BRobb of Brattleboro as general counsel to the National Labor Relations Board.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Mayor Miro Weinberger, Governor Phil Scott, members of the Vermont Climate Pledge Coalition, and the Energy Action Network (EAN) hosted the Vermont Energy and Climate Summit at Champlain College’s Center for Communications and Creative Media. More than 175 individuals from organizations, institutions, and businesses all over the state plus student volunteers attended the Summit, which was promised as part of the launch of the Vermont Climate Pledge Coalition earlier this year.

Vermont Business Magazine More than 100 students from four Vermont high schools traveled to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate on Wednesday as part of the first “Vermont Day” to learn about democracy, civic discourse and the legislative process. The trip, organized by US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), enabled Vermont students to travel to the Kennedy Institute, which is located on the campus of the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Students from Poultney High School, Twinfield Union School, West Rutland School and Woodstock High School participated.

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Care Board is now reviewing the 2018 budget of ACO OneCare Vermont, a network of health care providers that includes hospitals, federally qualified health centers and independent practitioners. This group is responsible for the quality, cost and overall care of the patients attributed to it. The Vermont Legislature in 2016 charged the Green Mountain Care Board with the oversight of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Health care providers participating in an ACO can collaborate with each other, rather than compete, in an effort to lower overall health care costs, coordinate patient care, and improve patient outcomes. To avoid antitrust challenges, the state must provide sufficient oversight to ensure that the ACO is acting in the public’s interest.

Vermont Business MagazineMost of thephosphorus load inLake Memphremagog is from agricultural activities and the state has developed a plan to reduce such pollution by a third.The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is holding two public meetings to present theLake Memphremagog, Coaticook and Tomifobia Rivers Tactical Basin Plan, which outlines how the state will achieve new phosphorus pollution targets for the Memphremagog Watershed in Vermont.​The USEnvironmental Protection Agency recently approved the Lake Memphremagog phosphorus TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load, which calls for a 29 percent reduction in phosphorus flowing off the land into the lake. Too much phosphorus causesnuisance plant and algae growth and occasional cyanobacteria blooms that limit recreational use of the lake.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power and SunCommon today announced a partnership to build a rooftop solar array at Green Mountain Power’s Middlebury Service Center, and make it available to low income customers. The 325-panel project will serve about 35 residential customers, with priority given to local Middlebury residents. The first-of-its-kind program helps low-income households go solar. Membership in the community array will be prioritized to Vermont families whose household income falls within 150% of the federal poverty level ($36,900 for a family of four). The program’s organizers point to ease of access as a key component. Once enrolled, CSA members get 7% off the price of power generated by the array.

Vermont Business Magazine Weidmann Electrical Technology, the St Johnsbury-based global leader in electrical insulation, components, engineering and diagnostics products and services for transformer manufacturers and owners/operators; and Orto de Mexico SA de CV, a world class manufacturer of controls, instruments, transformer accessories, monitors and sensors for electrical applications, have launched of a full line of Weidmann branded transformer accessories, controls and instrumentation.

Vermont Business Magazine Rath, Young and Pignatelli, PC, based in Concord, NH, has announced that Mary N Peterson, former Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Taxes, has joined the Tax Practice Group in its new Montpelier Office. Peterson’s practice will focus on state and local tax, energy and other regulated industries, administrative practice and public policy. Peterson has extensive experience in state and local matters, as well as utility regulation, commercial contracts, lender liability, bankruptcy, and securities.

Counterpoint Vocal Ensemble Dear Friends: We mourn the passing Tuesday ofRobert De Cormier, and we celebrate his indelible legacy.His vision guided and continues to guide the music we sing and how we sing it. Robert founded Counterpoint in 1999.After forming the ensemble,he led it with an extraordinary passionand artistry that sought to accessthe communal meanings of the music we sang,both for and with our audiences.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America, and part of the POWDR adventure lifestyle company, is scheduled to kick off its 2017-18 winter season at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 8, 2017, becoming the first Eastern resort to open for skiing and snowboarding. The first turns of the season will be reserved exclusively for Season Pass and Express Card holders and the resort will open to the general public on Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 9 am.