Current News

by Representative Heidi Scheuermann (R-Stowe) As we enter our sixth week of this 2017 Legislative Session, the differences in priorities between Governor Phil Scott and the Democratic majority in the legislature seem to be getting clearer. As Governor Scott has demanded no new taxes and fees on Vermont families and businesses this year, legislative efforts that seem to be gaining traction include increasing the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour and instituting paid family and medical leave for workers. And, as the Governor proposed a level-funded Fiscal Year 2018 state budget, the legislature last week dealt a serious blow to his proposal, voting against the date change for school budget votes.

Vermont Business Magazine The Allstate Foundation, a leading advocate for victims of domestic violence and financial abuse, announced today$1.2 millionin grants awarded to 20 domestic violence programs around the country. The grants aim to help expand financial empowerment services for approximately 30,000 survivors. The Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violencewill receive $65,000.

It's an especially important time for domestic violence organizations. Demand for their programs is increasing, yet a lack of funding continues to force them to operate with limited resources. On an average day in 2015, more than 12,000 requests for services by domestic violence victims went unanswered. The Purple Purse Moving Ahead Grants, which will be distributed by the 20 awardees to dozens of local domestic violence programs in their states, aim to provide much-needed financial assistance to the nonprofits and those they serve.

by Bill Schubart Hearing loss?...stop mumbling, speak up! Real men don’t have “hearing loss.” Their spouses just mumble as they get older. It was true for my grandfather and father, and it’s true for me. My wife keeps telling me to go to Costco and get my hearing checked. I explain that Costco is for red meat and toilet paper. I hear perfectly well, despite 55 years waving a chainsaw around, three years of concert-sound reinforcement for rock bands, and another ten years in a recording studio control room when I was young. If people just spoke clearly, hearing loss wouldn’t be such a relentless and annoying topic of conversation.

For example, my wife asks, “How ‘bout a little snuggle?” to which I answer, “Sure, if the snow blower starts.” Or, “You want fish for supper?” to which I answer, “She’s nice, but I’m sick of her gossip.”

Vermont Business Magazine Employees from a dozen departments at Southwestern Vermont Health Care gathered on Friday, February 3, 2017 for a photo to celebrate National Wear Red Day. The American Heart Association’s observance and its Go Red for Women campaign raise awareness of heart health issues, especially in women.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, 16 Attorneys General announced the filing of an amicus brief in support of Washington and Minnesota in the federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s executive order on immigration. In an amici curiae brief filed with the US9th Circuit Court of Appeals, co-authored by Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts, the Attorneys General signatories declared:“Although the amici States’ residents, institutions, industries, and economies differ in various ways, we now all stand together in facing concrete, immediate and irreparable harms from the Executive Order.”

Senator Patrick Leahy After a whirlwind confirmation hearing and committee vote, the Senate tomorrow will vote on the nomination of Betsy DeVos to lead the Department of Education. I will be blunt: I do not believe she has the qualifications to uphold the Department of Education’s primary goal – that of ensuring that all students have access to a quality, public education that allows them to succeed.

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Winooski announced today the appointment of Jessie Baker as city manager effective March 13, 2017. Baker currently serves as assistant city manager of Montpelier. Baker is a graduate of Harwood Union High School in Moretown. She holds degrees from Columbia University and Tufts University. Prior to serving as Montpelier’s assistant city manager for the last four years, Baker worked for the Vermont Department of Health on systems improvement and performance management. Before returning home to Vermont, she held a number of management positions with the City of Somerville, Massachusetts.

Vermont Business Magazine With a goal of expanding access to safe drinking water to underserved children and families in the developing world, Pure Water for the World, Inc, based in Rutland.announced last week the acquisition of Michigan-based nonprofit, Safe Water Team. Safe Water Team (SWT) was established in 2009 to help families living in underdeveloped regions receive access to clean water through the use of the Hydraid biosand water filter. SWT, started byRotariansand businessmen in the Grand Rapids area, was founded on the belief that corporations have a social responsibility to act to the benefit of a greater society.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces the availability of grant funds for the purpose of enhancing the competitiveness of Vermont specialty crops, defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture crops (including honey, hops, and maple syrup), and nursery crops (including Christmas trees and floriculture). These funds are awarded through a competitive review process guided by industry, nonprofit and government stakeholders. Prospective applicants may download the Vermont Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Request for Proposals on the Agency’s website athttp://go.usa.gov/3JGBG.

Vermont Business Magazine CFA Society Vermont is pleased to announce they will be holding their first annual Local Research Challenge which will be held in Burlington on February 8. The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis. Students work in teams to research and analyze a publicly traded company. Each team writes a research report on their assigned company with a buy, sell, or hold recommendation and may be asked to present and defend their analysis to a panel of industry professionals.

The Vermont Research Challenge has five teams participating from four local colleges: Champlain College, Lyndon State College, Norwich University, and St. Michael’s College. The subject company was Casella Waste Systems (CWST) an Industrial Goods Sector, Waste Management Industry stock headquartered in Rutland, VT.

by Mike Smith There is a battle going on that ultimately may have more of a lasting impact on this country than any executive order President Donald Trump recently signed. The president and much of America’s national media seem to be on a quest to delegitimize one another. No one is backing down. Both sides are concentrated on destroying each other, seemingly blind to the longterm ramifications or consequences this battle has on the country. It is a silly and dangerous game, and although the president may ultimately win, winning this battle will have a lasting negative impact on all of us.

Leonine Public Affairs Significant political attention in Vermont this week focused on the executive order President Trump signed concerning immigration. That’s not to say that there wasn’t other activity in the Statehouse this week--there was actually quite a bit. But, by far-and-away our statewide elected leaders were focused on better understanding the ramifications of the President’s order banning immigration from seven Muslim nations on residents of Vermont.