Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Shawn Shouldice, Campaign Manager for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Lisman today issued the following statement in response to Phil Scott’s campaign news release earlier today. “The Scott campaign’s response to our ad related to the Lt. Governor’s company’s conducting business with the State of Vermont is nothing more than an immature rant.  They offer no specific factual rebuttal to the information we are presenting to voters. That’s because all the information we presented is accurate.  Phil’s company – in a blatant conflict of interest - has routinely profited from taxpayer-funded contracts with the State.   And after becoming Lt. Governor, it got worse - his business with the State of Vermont increased by more than 400 percent to nearly $50,000 a month.

Vermont Business Magzine At an afternoon event in Rutland County Tuesday, the Vermont Sheriffs' Association endorsed Phil Scott for governor.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, at the Statehouse, Sue Minter was surrounded by environmental advocates to receive the endorsement of the Vermont Conservation Voters in her race for Governor. At the press conference, Minter reiterated her commitment to  Vermont’s bold goal to reach 90 percent renewable energy by 2050.  Minter made clear that she is the only candidate ready and committed to achieving Vermont’s renewable energy goals, cleaning up Lake Champlain and working to make sure that all Vermonters have access to clean drinking water.

“Sue Minter knows that a healthy environment and a healthy economy go hand-in-hand, and VCV is confident that she will bring her deeply-held environmental values into her work in the Governor’s office. We are pleased to endorse Sue Minter as Democratic nominee for Governor today,” added Vermont Conservation Voters Political Director Lauren Hierl.

Vermont Business Magazine Following President Obama’s signing of S764, which establishes a “National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard,” the Vermont Attorney General will no longer be enforcing Act 120, Vermont’s first-in-the-nation law requiring the labeling of food produced with genetic engineering (GE or GMO-genetically modified).

Vermont Business Magazine Late yesterday, United States District Court Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington ordered the Vermont Public Service Board to open Thursday's Vermont Gas Systems hearing to the public. The hearing regards the easement granted last week by the Hinesburg selectboard for Geprags Park in Hinesburg for the Vermont Gas pipeline project. The judge's decision is below. The PSB had decided to close the hearing to the public because of previous disruptions. Meanwhile, the PSB is still considering a Vermont Gas request to rule on intervenor status in the case.

The lawsuit was brought by Lisa Barrett of Huntington. Barrett, now retired, is a former Vermont Assistant Attorney General and former staff employee of US Senator Bernie Sanders. She is represented by Burlington attorney John Franco.

Vermont Business Magazine For the second time this year, a case of West Nile virus disease in a Windsor County resident has been reported to the Vermont Department of Health. The individual was hospitalized in mid-July and was diagnosed with neuroinvasive West Nile virus disease, which is a more serious form of the illness that affects the nervous system. West Nile virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitos that carry West Nile virus can be found throughout the state. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets began conducting mosquito surveillance throughout the state in June. So far this season no mosquito pools have tested positive for West Nile virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

by Harry Chen, MD, Vermont Commissioner of Health I hope to answer some lingering questions about public health and refugees. Let’s start with the conclusion first: there is no significant public health risk associated with 100 Syrian refugees coming to Rutland. In clearing these individuals for entry into the US, extensive efforts are made to ensure good health. An approved physician conducts a medical screening, which includes a physical examination and a chest X-ray. People who have an abnormal chest X-ray, or who are suspected of having TB based on their physical exam, are tested for TB. In addition, children in countries with a high incidence of TB are tested for TB. Anyone who is identified with TB is treated for at least six months and cannot enter the U.S. until they are cured.

by John McClaughry For decades – indeed, centuries – American politics has been a rough game. The Adams-Jefferson contest of 1800 was notably ugly, when the Federalists and their media constantly attacked Jefferson for being a pro-French revolutionary, a religious heretic, and the secret lover of “Dusky Sally." Abraham Lincoln was mocked as a “baboon.” In 1884 a prominent minister backing Republican James G Blaine (“the continental liar from the State of Maine”) attacked the Democrats as the party of “Rum, Romanism and Rebellion”. (That backfired; Cleveland won.)

In 1971 Richard Nixon’s notorious “enemies list” came to light. As Nixon’s counsel later testified,  “This memorandum addresses the matter of how we can maximize the fact of our incumbency in dealing with persons known to be active in their opposition to our Administration; stated a bit more bluntly—how we can use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) will hold the following public meetings in August.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power today announced it filed a new rate plan that calls for a modest 0.93 percent increase in electric bills. The filing, which is subject to Public Service Board approval, will take effect on October 1, 2016, and follows two consecutive years where customers have seen bills decrease. The proposal is part of the company’s overall commitment to keep rates low and stable for customers and if approved, customers will be paying 1 percent less next year than they were paying in 2012. 

“Our commitment is to provide the most reliable, clean and cost-effective power we can and this proposal is part of that commitment to maintaining low rates for customers, even as cost pressures continue to push rates up elsewhere,” said Mary Powell, president and CEO of Green Mountain Power.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Cheese Council (VCC), an organization dedicated to the production and advancement of Vermont Cheese, announced that Vermont cheesemakers took home 34 ribbons from 13 cheesemakers and companies at the 33^rd annual American Cheese Society competition in Des Moines, Iowa last evening. In addition, a cheese named “Greensward” made at Jasper Hill Farm and aged in the caves of Murray’s Cheese Shop in New York City won third place in the prestigious Best in Show Category. This is the fourth consecutive year that a Vermont cheesemaker has placed in Best of Show Category. There were 15 cheeses from Vermont that won first place in their class, nine in second place and 10 in third place.

Vermont Business Magazine Secretary of State Jim Condos reminds all Vermonters to register to vote for the August 9th Primary by this Wednesday, August 3rd at 5 pm. Voters can register by mail, in their town clerk’s office, or online at https://olvr.sec.state.vt.us/ Registered voters are welcome to vote anytime in the next two weeks by requesting an early or absentee ballot. Early voting is a wonderful program for busy Vermonters who may not be able to make it to the polls on August 9^th. Simply go to your town clerk’s office to vote early, call your town clerk to request a ballot, or request a ballot online at https://www.mvp.sec.state.vt.us/