Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Murder suspect Jody Herring pleaded not guilty Monday at the Vermont Superior Court, Washington Criminal Division, in the killing of Vermont state social worker Lara Sobel in Barre. According to Vermont State Police reports, Sobel was killed shortly before 5 pm behind City Place. Herring is also connected to three more deaths in Berlin, for which she has yet to be charged.

On Saturday at approximately 8:02 am, the Berlin Police Department responded to a 911 call at 3168 Airport Road in the town of Berlin. The female caller reportedly discovered three deceased adult females inside the residence. Upon arrival, a Berlin Police Officer entered the residence and confirmed the presence of three deceased adult females. Initial observations by police indicated shell casings at the scene and apparent gunshot wounds on at least two of the victims.

Erin Mansfield vtdigger.org One of the state’s most prominent renewable energy developers is proposing to build more wind power in a region of Vermont that has been divided over such projects for years. David Blittersdorf wants to erect two wind turbines on a Northeast Kingdom ridgeline in the 1,100-person town of Irasburg and produce enough electricity to power more than 2,000 homes. Blittersdorf is co-owner of Georgia Mountain Community Wind, which is on the border of Milton and Georgia, Vermont, that went online in 2012.

Blittersdorf is president and chief executive officer of AllEarth Renewables, which installs commercial solar power projects across Vermont and has been named one of the state’s fastest-growing companies. Georgia Mountain has four turbines and a 10 megawatt capacity to power roughly 3,300 average Vermont households.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was notified Friday of a release of untreated sewage into East Creek in the City of Rutland. The seal on an abandoned sewer pipe that runs under East Creek at the West Street bridge apparently failed resulting in the sewage release. DEC staff and City officials are investigating the incident and repair activities have been initiated. Up to an estimated 150,000 gallons of sewage was discharged to the East Creek, which empties into Otter Creek approximately one half mile downstream.

The Vermont Department of Health has been notified of the release, and in consultation with DEC, has determined that the potential for a health hazard exists.

People should stay out of the water and not swim in it, or use it for recreational purposes from Rutland to Proctor for 48 hours after the release has been stopped.

Vermont Business Magazine Citizens Bank, with branches in Vermont, has announced it has been ranked second in the nation among home loan servicers for client satisfaction in a study conducted by JD Power. According to the JD Power 2015 U.S. Primary Mortgage Servicer Satisfaction Study, Citizens scored 50 points above the industry average.

“Delivering top-notch customer service is a key component of our commitment to provide customers with the best possible banking experience, and it is gratifying that we have been recognized by J.D. Power,” said Brad Conner, Vice Chairman and Head of Consumer Banking. “These findings reflect the investments we’ve made not only in our mortgage business, but across the entire bank, to help our customers bank better.”

Vermont Business Magazine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Keith W Flynn announced today the change of command of the Vermont State Police. Effective at 3 pm Friday, Colonel Matthew T Birmingham, of Brownsville, became the thirteenth director of the Vermont State Police. This occurs as Colonel Thomas J L'Esperance retires from the state police after 28 years of service.

Colonel Birmingham has been with the Vermont State Police since 1998. He started his career as a trooper assigned to the Rutland Barracks. In 2002, he transferred to the Vermont Drug Task Force as a criminal investigator and moved up through the ranks of the state police as commander of the Vermont Drug Task Force, commander of Special Investigations, and most recently served as the Deputy Director for the past year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston recognized Passumpsic Savings Bank for its commitment to affordable housing, and awarded a $2,500 grant to the nonprofit of Passumpsic Savings Bank’s choice, RuralEdge, a rural regional housing organization based in Lyndonville, Vermont. FHLB Boston’s Affordable Housing Program is funded each year with 10 percent of its net profit, with the proceeds awarded in the form of grants, subsidies, and subsidized advances to members and their community-based partners in an annual competitive round. Since its inception in 1990, FHLB Boston has awarded $248 million in subsidies and $211 million in low-interest advances to fund more than 980 housing initiatives and nearly 27,000 housing units.

Vermont Business Magazine Act 60, which came into effect on July 1, 2015, made improvements across the child protection system. This included changes to mandated reporting procedures, some child abuse definitions, and expanded information sharing among mandated reporters.

A mandated reporter is any:

* Health care provider, including any chiropractor, dentist, emergency medical personnel, hospital administrator, intern, licensed practical nurse, medical examiner, osteopath, pharmacist, physician, physician assistant, psychologist, registered nurse, resident physician, and surgeon;

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power and Vermont Gas Systems have made a significant contribution to the profits of its Canadian parent company this fiscal year. Valener Inc (Valener) (TSX: VNR), the public investment vehicle in Gaz Métro Limited Partnership (Gaz Métro), announced today its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2015. Gaz Metro, based in Montreal, is the parent company of Green Mountain Power and Vermont Gas. GMP and VGS contributed nearly a third to Gaz Metro's net income so far this year. The increase in the value of the US dollar was an important factor in the Vermont operations' positive results.

"Net income from Vermont energy distribution activities totalled $8.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2015 and $46.4 million in the first nine months, year-over-year increases of $0.3 million and $3.9 million, respectively (see full report below).

Vermont Business Magazine Nearly 50,000 Vermont Gas customers will see their natural gas bills go down this month. The company announced today a rate decrease of 0.26 percent goes into effect this month for residential customers. The company provides natural gas service in Franklin and Chittenden counties. This is the 11^th time Vermont Gas has lowered rates since January 1, 2012. Vermont Gas customers’ rates have decreased by more than 15 percent in that period.

“The cost of home energy use is a challenge for too many Vermonters. Our aim is to offer more households a practical, affordable choice,” said Don Rendall, President and CEO of Vermont Gas Systems. “This modest rate reduction is part of our overall commitment to keep rates competitive and affordable for both our current and future customers.”

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin has appointed Colin Ryan of Burlington to the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW). Established in 1964, VCW is a non-partisan state government commission advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls. Sixteen volunteer commissioners and representatives from twenty-five organizations concerned with women’s issues guide VCW’s public education, coalition building, and advocacy efforts. Commissioners serve four-year terms and are appointed by the Governor, Senate and House leadership, and the Republican and Democratic parties.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that he will appoint attorney Brian Valentine, presently of the Burlington law firm Mickenberg, Dunn, Lachs & Smith, PLC, as Magistrate Judge of the Family Division of Vermont’s Superior Courts. Valentine fills the seat left open by the retirement of Magistrate Judge Shelley Gartner.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Rotary Club Foundation has transfered $11,500 to Pure Water for the World for a major Haitian roject. Using a significant portion of funds raised through the active efforts and projects of the members, The Burlington Rotary can support bringing clean water to Cite Soleil, one of the world's poorest slums located in Port au Prince, Haiti. This contribution will help bring clean drinking water to a known area of desparate need.

The implementation of this contribution is expected to be this week. For more information regarding Rotary, its Pure Water for the World's Cite Soleil project, and other events, Link to http://www.burlingtonvtrotary.org

Source: Burlington Rotary Club. 8.5.2015. The Burlington Rotary Club meets Mondays at noon at Burlington's Hilton Hotel.