Current News

by John Herrick vtdigger.org Six members of the Vermont Air National Guard were hospitalized Friday after toxic fuel spilled at the South Burlington base Friday morning, the Guard said in a statement. Guard spokesman Major Chris Gookin said the Guard members were given First Aid treatment and later transported to Fletcher Allen Health Care in an ambulance after experiencing a bad taste in their mouths. He said it was a precautionary measure. Gookin wrote in a follow-up statement, “The Hangar is secured while the maintenance and the Hydrazine Response Team survey the area, there is no danger to the public.”

The colorless chemical hydrazine is used in the Guard’s F-16 fighter jets’ Emergency Power Units. The spill occurred at 9:35 am Friday during normal maintenance operations at the base, the Guard said. The guard notified the media at about 10:15 am.

US Representative Peter Welch, D-Vermont, says Vermont student-loan borrowers need to protect themselves from a new breed of predatory debt relief companies targeting $1.2 billion in education loans. “Unfortunately, these types of companies prey on borrowers who may be struggling to pay their education loans. Unsuspecting borrowers could end up paying more – a lot more – without any added benefit but with the potential to suffer real consequences,” Welch said at an event with Vermont Attorney Bill Sorrell and the Vermont Student Assistance Corp.

“They charge large upfront fees for services that are available for free from the federal government. And they often convince borrowers to turn over their personal information – everything from Social Security numbers to assigning powers-of-attorney to the company.”

by Eileen Simollardes, Vermont Gas There is no doubt that the Addison Rutland Natural Gas Project will strengthen our economy, help retain and create jobs by cutting heating bills by 40 to 50 percent and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions – advantages that help Vermont transition toward a cleaner and more affordable energy future. However, one of the most challenging elements of all public infrastructure projects is their impact on landowners.

AB Acquisition LLC, which operates Albertsons stores under Albertson's LLC and ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, and Shaw's and Star Markets under New Albertson's, Inc, recently learned of an unlawful intrusion to obtain credit and debit card payment information in some of its stores, including in Vermont. The appropriate federal law enforcement authorities have been notified, and AB Acquisition is working closely with its third party IT services provider, SUPERVALU, to better understand the nature and scope of the incident. Third-party data forensics experts are supporting an ongoing investigation. AB Acquisition has not determined that any cardholder data was in fact stolen, and currently it has no evidence of any misuse of any such data.

AB Acquisition believes that the intrusion has been contained and is confident that its customers can safely use their credit and debit cards in its stores.

The partnership of Nedde Real Estate, Redstone and Youkel Architecture + Development has broken ground for the Riverrun luxury apartments located right on the Winooski River in downtown Winooski. With occupancy slated for June 2015, the energy efficient building will feature triple glazed windows and other good sustainability practices and will contain 56 high-end apartments plus luxury amenities including on-site covered parking, a combination of enclosed and climate controlled storage units, a fitness center, balconies on all apartments and walking path to the river boardwalk. The building is being constructed by Wright & Morrissey Construction.

Vermont Business Magazine New unemployment claims in Vermont have increased but are still at a relatively low level. Claims are typically low this time of year. They tend to rise in the transition from summer to back-to-school in early September. Levels this year have been running consistently lower than those of last year. For the week of August 9, 2014, there were 432 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is an increase of 79 from the previous week's total, and 93 fewer than they were a year ago.

Norwich University will welcome some 546 first-year students for the Corps of Cadets Rook Orientation and move in day on Sunday, August 17, 2014. First-year students entering into the Norwich University Corps of Cadets, called rooks, will be welcomed by President Schneider and the Norwich University leadership at 1:30 p.m. in Kreitzberg Arena and will then have seven minutes with their families before marching to the Upper Parade Ground to start their physical and leadership training in the Corps of Cadets. Rook Orientation, commonly called Rook Week, is a seven-day period of training prior to the start of classes on the Northfield, Vermont, campus.

Keurig Green Mountain, Inc (NASDAQ: GMCR), announced today a price increase of up to 9 percent on all portion packs sold by Keurig for use in its Keurig brewing systems and on all its traditional bagged, fractional packs, and bulk coffee products. This price increase will be effective beginning November 3, 2014. This price increase is in direct response to several factors affecting the cost environment in the coffee and consumer packaged goods industries, generally, including a sustained increase in the price of green coffee and cocoa, along with increases in packaging materials, energy, and transportation costs. Over the past year, green coffee prices, alone, have increased approximately fifty-five percent.

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org A legislative panel has come to an agreement with the Shumlin administration on $31.28 million in cuts to the state budget. Two senators voted against the proposal. Lawmakers, after initially voting against the cuts, ultimately approved a rescission that will remove a 1.6 percent increase in Medicaid reimbursements for health care providers. That move alone saves the state about $10 million. The $4.5 million Vermont Enterprise Fund, which is seen as a job-retention tool, was cut a million to $3.5 million.

Governor Peter Shumlin told reporters that revenues were up this year over last, it’s just that they’re up “less than we were hoping.”

by Laura Krantz vtdigger.org Despite the state’s battle against opiate addiction and its resolve to provide better supports for the children of needy families, those sectors of state government were not spared Wednesday when lawmakers finalized $31 million in budget cuts. Alcohol and drug abuse programs will lose $673,000. The budget for the Department for Children and Families was reduced by $3.8 million largely because of a lower-than-anticipated caseload for the state’s welfare program known as Reach Up. Perhaps the most widely felt cut for alcohol and drug treatment programs will be the elimination of a promised 1.6 percent increase to organizations that accept Medicaid patients.

Green Mountain Power today announced in a statement that the latest sound monitoring report finds Kingdom Community Wind on Lowell Mountain continues to meet the standards set by state regulators. The report is part of an ongoing comprehensive compliance monitoring program and the results are filed with the Vermont Public Service Board.

“We are so pleased to share this information with Vermonters,” said Dorothy Schnure, GMP’s spokesperson. “Kingdom Community Wind is important for our customers because it provides reliable power at a stable price and we are committed to operating this facility in a manner that is consistent with regulatory standards.”

Lowell wind turbines in 2013. vtdigger.org photo.