Current News

After a warm, dry weekend and a Red Flag warning yesterday that ended with more than 25 new reports of wild fires, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) has issued an order for all of the state's forest fire wardens to cease issuing burning permits as of 3 pm on May 5 through May 19. A Red Flag Warning means there are critical fire weather conditions including low relative humidity, high winds with little to no precipitation had fallen in the past few days. Fires that ignite during these conditions spread rapidly and with high intensity. The ban may be revoked or extended based upon weather conditions.

"We have received notification from many Forest Fire Wardens that they have stopped issuing permits in their towns," said Lars Lund, Vermont Forest Fire Supervisor, “This non-burn order supports their efforts.” This ban is a cooperative effort between FPR and the Green Mountain National Forest.

Satellite television retailers sent a letter to lawmakers today urging the Legislature to reject a Senate proposal to impose a new tax on satellite television subscribers. This tax would be an addition to the 6% tax already paid by Vermonters making the total tax among the highest in the nation.

Satellite television retailers across Vermont sell and service satellite television for about 100,000 Vermonters. They say the plan will give cable an unfair advantage. This tax hike targets Vermonters who depend on satellite television for news, emergency information and entertainment, costing them millions of dollars. In addition, the cost of doing business for this industry will go up and could lead to job losses.

Three alumni and their families have made gifts totaling $5 million to endow three head coaching positions at Dartmouth College. With these three gifts — supporting men’s soccer, women’s tennis, and men’s Nordic skiing — Dartmouth is $3.5 million away from its goal to raise $20 million in permanently endowed coaching positions to increase the school’s ability to attract and keep the best coaches and athletes in the Ivy League.

Vermont Business Magazine Following an executive shakeup involving its chief technology officer, Waterbury-based coffee company Keurig Green Mountain (NASDAQ: GMCR) issued this statement: “Kevin Sullivan, formerly Keurig’s Chief Technology Officer, remains with the company and has no plans to leave. Over the past 15 months, Kevin and Brian Kelley, Keurig’s President and CEO, have been working closely together to shift Kevin’s responsibilities at his request. Kevin will now focus exclusively on critical technology initiatives for the company. In April 2015, following a comprehensive search to find the best candidate to serve as Keurig’s Chief Technology Officer, Mark Choe assumed the position, joining Keurig from Whirlpool Corporation. Since Mark began in his role, he and Kevin have been working closely together to ensure a seamless transition. There has been no shake-up in our R&D division.”

by Morgan True vtdigger.org The Green Mountain Care Board rejected a request from the University of Vermont Medical Center to spend an additional $1.45 million on planning for a proposed $187.3 million inpatient facility still under review by the regulatory board. The board denied the request for additional planning money because the hospital wanted to proceed with “preconstruction services” that were supposed to begin after the final project was approved.

Al Gobeille, the board chair, declined to comment because the matter is still pending.

The hospital wants to build a 180,000-square-foot facility that would include 128 single-occupancy rooms and is expected to cost $187.3 million to complete. The seven-story structure would be located on the west side of the hospital’s property in Burlington above the existing emergency department parking lot.

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin attended KidSafe Collaborative’s Annual Outstanding Service Awards and congratulated the honorees for their efforts to improve child safety and wellbeing, at a luncheon held April 16 at the Sheraton Burlington.

The 2015 Awards were presented to:

Outstanding Professional: Steve McLaughlin, Social Worker, Vermont Department
for Children and Families, Family Services Division – Burlington Office.

Outstanding Promising Professional: Ashley Sargent, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
Recruiter, Lund – Family Adoptions Unit.

Gregory Packan Esq. Award for Outstanding Children’s Advocacy: Melissa
McConnell, School Social Worker, Howard Center/Orchard Elementary School

Outstanding Volunteers: Youth Councilors and Participants, Diversity Rocks!
International Youth Group.

Outstanding Collaboration: VT Child Health Improvement Program, University
of Vermont Children’s Hospital.

Each baby born at a Vermont hospital on May 29 this year will receive a $100 deposit into a Vermont 529 college savings account opened in his or her name by the Vermont Student Assistance Corp. The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems is joining VSAC, which administers Vermont’s 529 college savings plan, to help educate Vermont families about saving for college for their children.

“We are excited to partner with VSAC on 529 Day because it’s another way our community hospitals can be there for Vermonters at every stage of life,” said VAHHS CEO and President Bea Grause. “Our members are dedicated to providing high quality, affordable, accessible health care. And the health care reforms we’re working on now connect Vermonters with tools to help them succeed far beyond the walls of their local hospital.”

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Just as the state economists suggested might happen in regards to personal income tax revenues, April receipts were the largest on record in the state of Vermont at $160.76 million, in data released today. The economists made this prediction in large part because of growing corporate profits in 2014 that did not show up in typical personal income withholding, but had to be accounted for once taxes were filed. Corporate, Sales and Rooms & Meals tax receipts were also ahead of their targets, finally pushing overall tax revenues ahead of expectations.

The Hermitage Ski Club at Haystack Mountain, a private ski resort in Wilmington and Dover, Vermont, has admitted to violating land use and environmental permitting laws and has agreed to pay $205,000 in civil penalties for violations that occurred during construction and development of the ski resort. “Developers cannot ignore our permitting and environmental statutes,” said Attorney General Bill Sorrell. “Ski resorts are critical to Vermont’s tourism economy, but all development projects must meet our environmental standards,” he added.

The Attorney General worked closely with the Natural Resources Board and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources on all aspects of the enforcement action. The settlement resolves violations of Vermont’s Act 250 land use statutes and permits, Water Pollution Control statute, Dams and Wetlands Protection statutes, Public Water Supply and Potable Water statutes, and storm water construction permits.

Seventh Generation, a leading household and personal care company, based in Burlington, Vermont, today launched a new promotion in partnership with Whole Foods Market and Baby Buggy that will help make every diaper change a "change for good." For every pack of Seventh Generation Free & Clear diapers purchased at Whole Foods Market from May 1 - September 30, 2015, Seventh Generation will donate a pack of newborn or size one diapers to Baby Buggy, a national nonprofit that provides families with children in need across the country with essential gear, clothing, products and services. Baby Buggy will distribute the diapers free of charge to babies in need in local communities across the U.S.

Steve and Deb Mayfield, owners of the Shelburne Country Store, today announced the acquisition of The Christmas Loft located in Shelburne. Based in Jay, Vermont, The Christmas Loft is a privately held corporation that operates three retail locations in Shelburne and in North Woodstock and North Conway, New Hampshire. The purchase by the Mayfields includes just the Shelburne location. The Christmas Loft will continue to operate the remaining New Hampshire locations as well as their office and warehouse in Jay independently.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Heating should be cheaper next winter for 80 homes near Saint Michael's College in Colchester. A $500,000 Vermont Community Development Program grant, announced by Governor Peter Shumlin Monday morning, will help lock-in their affordability by making them more energy efficient. The apartments are part of Winchester Place, a mixed-income development of 166 apartments owned in partnership by the Champlain Housing Trust and Housing Vermont. The long-term affordability of the homes was secured through the purchase of the land for about $2 million. The land had been leased from Saint Mike's.