Current News

Norwich University’s graduating future officers will hear remarks from a fellow alum at this spring’s joint services commissioning ceremony. Brigadier General Raymond R. Descheneaux ’87, United States Marine Corps Reserve, Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation (Mobilization), returns to the Norwich campus to speak to ROTC commissioning officers during a formal ceremony to mark the occasion on Sunday, May 10 at 9 am.

Descheneaux will speak about the value of Norwich leadership in its unique setting, which embraces all four ROTC branches plus civilian students.

“The Norwich experience uniquely prepares future officers for joint, coalition, and inter-agency operations in the 21st century” says Descheneaux.

Fairfield maple sugarer Harvey Bushey is planting a new crop on his farm, a community solar array. A longtime resident of Franklin County, Bushey has meticulously tended to his sugarbush by boiling sap every spring for his business, Log Cabin Maples. On a recent afternoon, Bushey and his wife, Mary, were found enjoying the bucolic Vermont tradition alongside the state’s promising new future of solar energy. As Bushey stoked the fire and drew the syrup from this year’s maple crop, a SunCommon solar install crew planted a 150kw community solar array in the field just outside the sugarhouse window.

Political commentator and critically acclaimed author David Brooks will deliver the main address at Dartmouth’s 2015 Commencement exercises on Sunday morning, June 14, on the Green. Since September 2003, Brooks has written an op-ed column for The New York Times that has helped shape important conversations of the day, from the future of the Republican Party to the dangers of what he sees as the moral relativism of modern society.

The Vermont Arts Council is accepting applications for three grant programs: Cultural Facilities, Creation, and Project Grants. Artists, cultural/community organizations, and municipalities throughout Vermont are encouraged to apply.

Cultural Facilities Grants help Vermont nonprofit organizations and municipalities enhance, create, or expand the capacity of an existing building to provide cultural activities for the public. The deadline for Cultural Facilities Grant applications is May 1.

Creation Grants help Vermont artists purchase materials, rent equipment or space, and compensate for time in order to create new work. The deadline for Creation Grant applications is May 8.

Burlington College has announced that award-winning film director, producer, and writer Jay Craven will be the speaker and honorary degree recipient during the 34th Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 16, 2015.

by Elizabeth Hewitt vtdigger.org As the Senate Appropriations Committee hones in on a final version of the General Fund budget package for fiscal year 2016, things are tight. “Our options are very, very limited,” Senator Jane Kitchel, D-Caledonia, said Friday. The committee aims to pass the budget bill out on Monday, and plans to get the bill through the Senate by the end of next week. The House General Fund budget totaled $1.47 billion.

But committee members still have decisions to make, and Kitchel said the fate of H.490 depends on what the Senate Finance Committee does with the revenue package.

The House of Representatives has passed bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) to combat prescription drug abuse by improving the distribution process for prescription drugs. The legislation, which was unanimously approved on a voice vote, was cosponsored by Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

The Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act (H.R. 471) enhances collaboration between drug suppliers and regulators ensuring a more secure supply chain that protects the legitimate medication needs of patients.

“Prescription drug abuse is a major problem that has claimed and ruined many lives in Vermont and across our country,” said Rep. Welch. “This practical legislation will help keep dangerous drugs out of the wrong hands, while ensuring that seniors, cancer patients, and chronically ill individuals get the medications they need in a timely manner.”

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims rose again for the week of April 18, 2015, and are near 1,000 for the first time in nearly two months. The transition from the end of the winter recreation season is resulting in a seasonal increase in unemployment claims. There were 980 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont, an increase of 213 from the previous week's total, but 125 fewer than they were a year ago.

Altogether 7,014 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 66 from a week ago but 1,196 fewer than a year ago. The Department processed 0 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), the same as the previous week.

Caledonia County Republicans have registered their strong opposition to any broadening of the Vermont sales and use tax to include services. The Caledonia County Republican Committee took the action unanimously at its monthly meeting on April 20. The action was prompted by the April 15 advocacy of the sales tax extension by Democratic/Progressive Senator Tim Ashe, Chair of the Vermont Senate Finance Committee.

Such a tax extension could require Vermonters to pay a sales tax on services offered by doctors, dentists, barbers, cosmetologists, electricians, plumbers, painters, architects, lawyers, auto mechanics, small engine repair shops, butchers, seamstresses, home health aides, farm services, snow plowing and landscape firms, pet care businesses and veterinarians, and many more.

CEO, President and Board Chair of Community Bancorp. and Community National Bank Stephen P. Marsh has announced the bank’s plans to close two office locations in Caledonia County. At the close of business on Friday, July 17, 2015, the bank will permanently close the Broad Street office in Lyndonville and the Federal Street office in St. Johnsbury.

Mr. Marsh stated, “We have conducted an extensive analysis of our branch network with a particular focus on branch usage. This work led us to a more thorough examination of our four Caledonia County offices and their proximity to one another. Given the number of our customers that are choosing to bank with us electronically, we felt that a consolidation of our Caledonia County offices was warranted, and the decision was made to close two locations. We do not anticipate additional office closures at this time.”

by Elizabeth Hewitt vtdigger.org According to the secretary of the administration, fewer than 50 Vermont state employees may be laid off under the proposal cut $10.8 million in labor and personnel costs in the fiscal year 2016 budget. The labor savings target was first proposed by Governor Peter Shumlin in January, and was approved by members of the House when the body passed H490, the budget bill, last month.

“My best guess is, I doubt it will be higher than 50 and it could be lower,” Johnson said Thursday. Paul Heintz of Seven Days first reported Johnson’s revised estimate.

The Office of the Attorney General is distributing over $118,000 in settlement funds to more than 1300 Vermonters who were Medicaid beneficiary customers of McGregor’s Medicine-on-Time pharmacy in Winooski, Vermont, from 2004 through 2012. The average distribution is $85.

The distribution is the result of a settlement agreement between the State and McGregor’s that resolved allegations of Medicaid fraud. The State set aside a portion of the settlement funds to distribute to McGregor’s former Medicaid beneficiary customers who may have been improperly charged a monthly service fee or excessive copayments. The amount distributed to each beneficiary was determined based on the number of Medicaid pharmacy claims that McGregor’s submitted in the beneficiary’s name from 2004 through 2012.

Individuals receiving correspondence from the Office of the Attorney General should open the letter immediately as it may contain a check.

Source: VtAG 4.24.2015