Current News

Gifford Medical Center in Randolph has been named among the nation’s top 100 performing Critical Access Hospitals by iVantage Health Analytics. iVantage has developed what it calls a Hospital Strength INDEX and for 2014 measured 1,246 Critical Access Hospitals across the nation on 66 different performance metrics, including quality, patient outcomes and satisfaction, affordability, population health and hospital financial strength.

After weighing all of those factors, Gifford for 2014 has been named among the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the nation – meaning it does well in a variety of areas as compared to its peers.

US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) on Monday said that President Obama will nominate Vermont Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Crawford to be the next judge on Vermont’s US District Court.

Leahy had recommended Justice Crawford in March to the White House, after screening by a nine-member nonpartisan Vermont Judicial Nominating Commission. Justice Crawford had been one of the panel’s two finalists, who then were interviewed by Leahy.

Leahy said, “The President sees in Justice Crawford what I, the members of the merit commission, and all Vermonters have come to know about him. He is a fine jurist in the finest Vermont tradition, and he is committed to the highest standards of public service. I look forward soon to bringing Justice Crawford before the Judiciary Committee for a confirmation hearing.”

Attorney General William Sorrell has issued guidance concerning the contribution limits applicable to candidates who do not run in a primary. For the most part, the clarification affects independent candidates and those nominated by a minor political party through the caucus process. The Attorney General’s policy stems from his Office’s examination of the impact of the Legislature’s passage of Act 90, the law that revised Vermont’s campaign finance laws.

While the law that goes into effect in January 2015 sets contribution limits per general election cycle, the law in effect through December 2014 sets limits “per election.” This approach leads to lower contribution limits for independent candidates who do not have a primary, as opposed to major party candidates who run in both a primary and general election.

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy formally opened the renovated Bentley Hall today following Green Mountain College’s 177^th commencement ceremony last Saturday. The Queen Anne-Colonial Revival house, built in 1900 and historically known as the CW Humphrey House, recently underwent substantive renovations. The college-owned building will serve as a join community center for the town of Poultney and the college. The project recently won a 2014 Preservation Trust of Vermont award for creative repurposing of a historic building.

The grand house at the northeast corner of Bentley and College Street in Poultney is remembered variously as a private home, a residence for women faculty, a college dormitory and a dean’s residence.

The 2014 Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence were recognized May 14 at a ceremony in Burlington. Environmental excellence awards have been given since 1993 to recognize efforts and actions of Vermonters to conserve and protect natural resources, prevent pollution, and promote environmental sustainability. To date, more than 200 efforts have been recognized. Thsi year's awards were presented by Justin Johnson, Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources.

“These projects contribute significantly to Vermont’s environmental quality and encourage others to take similar actions to protect our resources,” said ANR Secretary Deb Markowitz when she announced the recipients earlier this year. “They demonstrate the importance of innovation and partnerships in enhancing and sustaining Vermont’s environmental quality.

FairPoint Communications and the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET) today announced the creation of a new collaborative called VCET @ BTV, a co-working space coupled with business mentoring and networking opportunities for promising startup companies in the FairPoint Technology Hub in downtown Burlington.

The RE/MAX of New England April Monthly Housing Report shows that Vermont homes sales and median price were both down in April. Meanwhile, pending home sales in New England are up on average 15.4 percent over April 2013. Inventory in every state except Vermont shows a decrease year-over-year. Overall home sales in New England show an increase of 14.4 percent month-over-month, an expected trend in the spring market.

In Connecticut, the number of total transactions is down -7.5 percent year-over-year and median price decreased -2.7 percent. Pending sales were up 27.5 percent year-over-year, the highest in the region.

Green Mountain Power is offering free public tours of the 21 turbine Kingdom Community Wind project in Lowell, Vermont during June, July and August. This is an opportunity to experience an operating wind farm, and learn how GMP is harnessing the power of wind to generate enough electricity to power 24,000 homes.

“Green Mountain Power is thrilled to once again offer these free tours to the public,” said GMP CEO and President Mary Powell. “Connecting Vermonters directly to the energy used to power their state is just one important way we continue to our work to deliver cost effective, clean and reliable power.”

Each tour lasts approximately 90 minutes, and includes a visit to two of the turbines. The tours are free, but advance registration is required.

Green Mountain College shook off the threat of rain and awarded diplomas to 52 graduate students and 131 undergraduates during its 177th commencement ceremony Saturday morning. Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, the longest-serving member of the US Senate, was the graduation speaker. During the ceremony he received an honorary doctor of laws degree from GMC.

Among the graduates were members of the first cohort of the College’s master of science in sustainable food systems (MSFS). Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Ross was a guest of honor. On Friday he was the speaker for the graduate studies hooding ceremony held at the college.

Leahy remarked that he was the first in his family to get a college education—he received his undergraduate degree from Saint Michael’s College.

Vermont Electric Cooperative, based in Johnson, announced at its annual meeting that all three incumbents will rejoin the board following the results of director elections. A total of 1,556 VEC members cast ballots for the annual election. Results for three director elections were announced on Saturday morning at the 76th annual meeting of the VEC membership which was attended by about 200 VEC members at Smugglers’ Notch Resort in Jeffersonville.

Three positions on the VEC board of directors were up for election. In total, seven candidates vied for the director seats which each carry a four-year term.

In VEC’s District 3, incumbent Carol Maroni of Crafstbury was re-elected. Maroni received 373 votes, while Chuck Farrar received 122 votes and John Klar received 114 votes. Maroni represents members in the towns of Albany, Crafstbury, Glover, Greensboro, Irasburg, Jay, Lowell, Newport Town, Troy and Westfield.

President Karen Gross has announced that she will step down after eight years as President of Southern Vermont College effective October 1, 2014, to return to Washington, DC, where she spent 2012 working at the US Department of Education. The Board of Trustees of the Bennington college will announce a search firm and search committee within the next month, ensuring a smooth transition. A new president is expected to be named this fall.

Chair of the Board of Trustees Deborah Wiley said, “On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire SVC community, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Karen for her passionate leadership. She leaves the College in excellent fiscal shape, with innovative programs in place, remarkable faculty and staff and growing student success in terms of retention and graduation rates.”