Current News

Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) has announced that General Alfred M Gray, USMC (Ret) will deliver its 2015 commencement address at a ceremony for nearly 600 students representing nine online graduate programs and two bachelor’s degree completion programs on Friday, June 19, at 10 am in Shapiro Field House.

Gray was the 29th Commandant of the US Marine Corps from 1987 to 1991. As Commandant, General Gray assisted in the formulation of national and international policy and strategy. He also served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as being military advisor to the President, the National Security Council and the Secretary of Defense.

The Kauffman Foundation has ranked Vermont number five in its state-by-state listing of business start-up activity. “The Kauffman Index: Startup Activity” from the Kauffman Foundation brings together data on entrepreneurial trends nationally, at the state level, and for the 40 largest metropolitan areas of the United States. Vermont moved up in this year’s index from the 12^th spot in 2014. The report found that startup activity was up in 32 of the 50 US states last year, and 18 of the nation’s top 40 metropolitan areas also saw increases in new venture activity.

The Index has three components:

The Public Service Department will be holding a series of four public forums around the state in July to solicit Vermonters’ thoughts on how the state can meet its energy goals – and energy needs – in the coming years. The input will inform the next revision of Vermont’s long-range, Comprehensive Energy Plan. A final plan is due to the Legislature in December.

Stakeholder and expert meetings:

The PSD plans half-day meetings on each of these four topics:

• energy efficiency,
• energy supply resources,
• transportation, and
• the electric grid and utility issues.

PSD welcomes RSVP emails to [email protected] by June 12, 2015 with the subject line “meeting participant.” Each email should identify the meeting or meetings which the individual would like to attend. Meeting details follow:

Increasing the gas tax does not result in a commensurate penny-to-penny increase in the retail price motorists pay at the pump, a study of the market impacts of five state gas tax increases enacted in 2013 found. The study looked at gas tax retail impacts in Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wyoming.

The analysis, by Dr Alison Black, chief economist for the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), found, on average, the price for a gallon of regular gasoline the day after a state gas tax increase goes into effect only reflects about 22 percent of the new levy. A month after enactment, only about a third of the levy shows up in the pump price, she says, and thereafter, it is not a significant retail price factor.

Consumers will pay higher prices for palm oil made by companies that help to protect endangered species, finds a new study by North American and UK researchers. The team includes two from UVM’s Gund Institute for Ecological Economics. Palm oil is widely used in processed food and cosmetics. But the conversion of tropical forests to oil palm plantations has devastated a huge number of plant and animal species, including tigers, elephants, rhinos and orangutans.

The study, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that shoppers’ willingness to pay more for sustainably grown palm oil could create profitable incentives for producers to preserve certain wildlife habitats.

The Humane Society of Chittenden County shelters as many as 90 companion animals on any given day. Hot and cold days make a very real impact on the comfort of both the animals and the people in the building. With a $5,800 grant from Green Mountain Power and a cost share from Efficiency Vermont, HSCC is now saving an estimated 8,089 kWh and 106 ccf of natural gas per year AND 10,600 pounds of carbon emissions each year. HSCC estimates a savings of nearly $1,000 per year in energy costs.

Like many small non-profit organizations that rely exclusively on gifts and grants, HSCC is always looking for ways to save money. Improving the energy efficiency of its South Burlington shelter was an important investment to lower the organization’s overhead costs and keep its precious residents warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

The People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, announced today that it has awarded $10,000 to the Sara M Holbrook Community Center. As a federally designated refugee relocation site, Burlington continues to grow and grapple with changing community needs. One of the greatest needs for newly arrived families is mastering the English language.

Situated next to a classic red-clapboard barn on land farmed since the early 1800s, a new piece of Vermont history is taking shape: an award-winning community solar array poised to provide energy to both Brattleboro businesses and residents. Contributing companies Soveren Solar, the Vermont Agricultural Business Education Center (VABEC), and Brattleboro Savings & Loan will ‘throw the switch’ on a 150kW, 64-rack array on Tuesday, June 23 at 5 p.m., which represents one of five Vermont Community Solar projects in the state. Gov. Peter Shumlin is scheduled to speak.

Tomorrow, a representative of Attorney General Bill Sorrell’s office will testify before a subcommittee of the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce on HR 1599, a bill that, if adopted, would preempt Vermont’s GE food labeling law (also known as GMO) – Act 120.

At the request of Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D – NJ), Assistant Attorney General Todd Daloz, who worked on the drafting of the regulations implementing Act 120, will testify before the Subcommittee on Health as it hears from witnesses representing biotechnology and food manufacturers on the proposed federal ban on state-level GE food labeling.

Beginning at 10 AM tomorrow, the testimony will be streamed at http://ago.vermont.gov/.

Vermont AG: June 17, 2015

Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and a bipartisan group of House members this week unveiled an updated version of their legislation to level the playing field for small local businesses competing with Amazon and other large internet retailers. Similar to the Marketplace Fairness Act, the Remote Transactions Parity Act would require remote sellers to collect the same sales tax collected by brick and mortar stores, but goes further by including additional protections and exemptions for small online retailers.

“This is an issue of fairness,” Congressman Welch said. “Small mom-and-pop businesses in Vermont struggle every day to offer competitive prices to their customers. They simply cannot compete against Amazon and other large retailers who sell the same products online at a lower price because they are not required to collect state or local sales taxes. Vermont’s small businesses need a level playing field. Our bill will give them a fighting chance.”

People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, announced today that it has awarded $5,650 to the Stern Center for Language & Learning in Williston. The funding from People’s United Community Foundation will support Building Blocks for Literacy in Franklin County, an early childhood literacy skills development program. The program trains early childhood providers and parents on strategies for teaching pre-literacy skill development to ensure children have a solid foundation for success in school and life.

Brenda Buzzell, Building Blocks’ Coordinator, was delighted to learn about the grant. “This donation from People’s United Community Foundation for our early care and education providers in Franklin County is fabulous! Our communities are so very fortunate to benefit from People’s United’s high level of commitment to support children and families.”

In response to a growing regional and national skilled labor shortage, GW Plastics is leading the way in workforce training, career development, and community educational outreach through an innovative high school program. The company is proud to announce that their first year of “School of Tech” students has graduated. GW Plastics began their “School of Tech” in January. Local students from Randolph Union High School in Randolph, Vermont were bused to GW Plastics’ state-of-the-art facilities for a semester-long course focused on manufacturing technology.