Current News

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Thursday announced that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected six Vermont communities to receive a total of $2 million for grants under the Brownfield Grant Program that will help them assess and clean up contaminated properties to facilitate their redevelopment and reuse.

In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders and Welch said: “These investments protect public health and the environment in communities. But even beyond those benefits, they also help turn these community liabilities into job-creating and revenue-generating community assets. The Brownfields Program is a template for partnerships that empower communities and private organizations to work together in forging solutions and getting results.”

A ceremony to celebrate the start of construction of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s (SVMC) new Pownal Campus was held Wednesday, May 20, at the building site on Route 7, just north of the Massachusetts border. The new 5,000-square-foot primary care office building is expected to open in the fall of 2015 with two providers and the capacity to see hundreds of new patients.

“The preventive and early care patients receive from primary care providers make centers like this one the best starting points for high quality medical care. We are excited to expand this important service in Pownal,” said Thomas A. Dee, FACHE, president and CEO of Southwestern Vermont Health Care.

Solar projects in communities throughout Vermont will be open for public tours the third Saturday in June. “Celebrate Solar Tours” will take place across the state on Saturday, June 20, the weekend of the Summer Solstice. Like open sugarhouse weekend in the spring and open art studio weekend in the fall, the summertime tours will give Vermonters the opportunity to get an up-close view of solar systems to learn about the technology, solar economics, and the benefits of solar to our community.

Solar customers, host farmers, and owners alike will be on-hand to speak with the public – with many of the sites offering fun events, also.

Following doctor’s orders is about to get more fun thanks to a new initiative announced Wednesday by Governor Peter Shumlin. Under the new “Park Prescription” program, physicians around the state will prescribe to their patients time outdoors in Vermont State Parks as a way to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent chronic health issues.

Sixteen doctors’ offices around Vermont will issue Park Prescriptions, which will entitle patients to free entry at any Vermont State Park. The program is a partnership between the Vermont State Parks, the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the Department of Health, and physicians across Vermont.

“We all know that the one of the best ways to stay healthy is to stay active,” Shumlin said. “Luckily we live in Vermont and are surrounded by natural resources that make staying active easy and fun. So listen to your doctor and get outside this summer!”

After a slow start to the year, Vermont's housing market has strengthened and in April out-performed every other state in New England. Vermont was the only state with an increase in both sales and median price. For New England overall, year-over-year sales decreased by -2.5% according to the RE/MAX INTEGRA, New England April Monthly Housing Report. Pending sales were up 11.4% over April 2014 and up 19.5% over March 2015.

The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) announced grants today totaling $3,083,910 to protect 2,127 acres of agricultural land on 14 farms and a sugarbush and to conserve 641 acres of wooded and open land on three properties with recreational trails in the towns of Williston, Lyndon and West Windsor. The grants were made to the Vermont Land Trust, the Lake Champlain Land Trust, Kingdom Trails and The Trust for Public Lands. The funding commitments were made at the Board’s May meeting.

Chuck Ross, Secretary of the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, said, “Farmers will use these VHCB grants to provide capital for expansion, diversification, debt reduction or retirement. Conservation allows farmers to realize a portion of the equity in their property while also permanently protecting the land, ensuring that Vermont farmland will be available for generations to come. It’s a win-win for farmers as well as for Vermont’s agricultural economy.”

The Vermont State Police participated in the national "Click It or Ticket it" campaign; as well as Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) over the Memorial holiday weekend from Friday May 22 until Monday May 25, 2015. Sadly, there were three (3) fatalities on Vermont roadways this past holiday weekend. There have been fourteen (14) total fatalities in Vermont this year to date. 42% of this year's fatalities have either been unbelted or improperly restrained.

The Vermont State Police responded to; five (5) impaired related crashes, thirty-three (33) total crashes, twelve (12) DUI arrests, three hundred and eighty-nine (389) speeding tickets and assisted over forty-two (42) motorists.

The "Click it or Ticket it" enforcement campaign will end on June 1, 2015.

WCAX-TV announced today that Marselis "Div" Parsons died this morning. A WCAX report said: "It is with great sadness we report the passing of our friend and colleague Marselis Parsons. Marselis died Wednesday morning of cancer. He was 70. Marselis thanked his loyal following six years ago when he retired from WCAX News. 'We have been a guest. I have been a guest in their homes for 25 years. It has been an honor,' Marselis said in his last newscast. The former news director, reporter and anchor told stories here for 43 years. Producing stories on film was part the process when Marselis began his career here at Channel 3 in 1967."

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Vermont Business Magazine Bolstered by a strong increase in the number of workers against a steep drop in the number of unemployed, the Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for April was 3.6 percent. This represents a decrease of two-tenths of a percentage point from the revised March rate (3.8 percent). The national average in April was 5.4 percent, which experienced a decrease of one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month’s estimate. Vermont’s unemployment rate is tied with South Dakota for fourth lowest in the country. Nebraska is lowest at 2.5 percent. April represents the seventh consecutive month without an increase to the unemployment rate.

Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) announced today that Duane Peterson, founder and co-president of SunCommon, as the 2015 recipient of the Terry Ehrich Award for Excellence in Socially Responsible Business. Named for the late owner of Hemmings Motor News and a founding member of VBSR, the award is given to a VBSR member who best exemplifies Ehrich’s commitment to the environment, workplace, progressive public policy, and community.

Ski Vermont is excited to announce the winner of this season’s Vertical Challenge, the second competition stemming from Ski Vermont’s Check In to Win program. Rob Weiss from Albany, New York logged almost two million vertical feet snowboarding at Killington Resort in an impressive 85 days on the hill this season. He wins a two night ski and stay package to a Jay Peak Resort and ultimate bragging rights.

“I have a total of 152 days this season so far. I say so far because I am still going to Killington everyday they are open – Friday through Sunday until the snow is gone,” said winner Rob Weiss. “This is a normal season for me.” Ron is still racking up the vertical feet and going for 3.5 million before the season comes to an end.

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Tuesday launched his campaign in Burlington for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. In a speech this evening, Sanders will laid out the serious challenges facing the country and detail an “Agenda for America” calling for specific proposals to provide bold solutions.

In remarks prepared for delivery at the outdoor event on the shore of Lake Champlain, Sanders said (CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO WATCH ON CSPAN):

“Today, with your support and the support of millions of people throughout this country, we begin a political revolution to transform our country economically, politically, socially and environmentally. Today, we stand here and say loudly and clearly that: ‘Enough is enough. This great nation and its government belong to all of the people and not to a handful of billionaires, their Super PACs and their lobbyists.”