Current News

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.”

Secretary of State Jim Condos announced today the launch of a new agency Web site. “The goal was to make it easier for the public to find the resources they need. I feel we have accomplished this by creating a website that is user friendly and intuitive,” Condos said in a statement.

Condos noted that: “We have so much information that relates to entirely different topics and divisions within the Secretary of State’s Office – from how to register your trade name, to how to register a complaint against your dentist, to how to register to vote, to how to get an Apostille or Authentication. It was really important that we took the time and created a website that was simple to use and at the same time provides significant improvements to the accessibility of agency managed content.”

Beginning May 19, T-Mobile customers in Vermont will be able to use their mobile phones to send a text message to 9-1-1 for emergency help. The addition of T-Mobile as a text to 911 provider in Vermont completes an initiative that began in 2012. In April 2012, the 911 Board and Verizon Wireless launched its first trial of this new service in Vermont. In December of that year, the four nationwide wireless carriers agreed to provide text to 911 services not later than the middle of May, 2014. AT&T launched their service in the fall of 2013, and Sprint added the service just last week. Vermont is the first state to implement this service with all four of the major wireless carriers.

Samantha Power has spent her life fighting for human rights and addressing global challenges to peace, security and prosperity, most recently as the United States ambassador to the United Nations. On May 18, at the University of Vermont's main commencement ceremony, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author told nearly 3,000 UVM students receiving diplomas that they, too, can make a difference in the world, despite having feelings of doubt about how much impact they can have on it.

The Senate public works committee has advanced a six-year, $265 billion transportation funding bill that includes almost $1.3 billion for Vermont to maintain its roads and bridges.

“It is no secret that our infrastructure needs a lot of work,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who helped draft the bill as a member of the transportation subcommittee. He cited studies showing that 32 percent of major roads in the United States are in poor or mediocre condition and 11 percent of all bridges are structurally deficient.

For Vermont, the bill adopted by the U.S. Senate panel last Thursday would provide at least $1.258 billion in federal highway aid from 2015 through 2020.

Burton Snowboards, based in Burlington, announced Wednesday that after five years in progressive leadership roles within Burton, most recently as COO, Mike Rees will officially step up to the role of CEO. With Rees now running day-to-day operations, Jake Burton Carpenter will once again become the company’s chairman, focusing on evolving the brand’s world-class product lines.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Citing as examples of what Vermont has done for renewable energy and the local food movement, Governor Peter Shumlin pushed for universal health care in a speech made at the closing of the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility annual meeting. The 24^th annual VBSR meeting was held Wednesday at UVM’s Davis Center in Burlington.

The governor, while urging VBSR members "to call your legislator" to get him to craft the necessary laws next year, also hinted at how he proposes to pay for it, which has been a major point of contention in and outside the halls of the State House all year.

“When we all pay based on our ability to pay, I guarantee you, that combined with an affordable, quality system that delivers better outcomes for less money, then we all win.”

by John Herrick vtdigger.org An environmental court judge has denied a request that Burlington obtain a land-use permit to host a fleet of F-35 fighter jets, a decision F-35 opponents are likely to appeal.

The proposed changes at the Vermont Air National Guard base that would be made to accommodate the jets do not warrant an Act 250 permit, Judge Thomas Walsh said in his decision.

F-35 opponents say they will likely appeal the lower court’s ruling to the Vermont Supreme Court because the Air Force estimated noise levels around the airport will increase with the new jets. Opponents are also concerned about public safety. They worry that the pilots will not have sufficient flight experience with the new jets to ensure there will not be an accident.

Joined by US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Green Mountain Power today announced a new initiative called "eHome," a first in the nation holistic home energy services program. The first home in the program is in Rutland and is called the Energy Home of the Future. This is the first of a 100-home pilot project. It will serve as the model for energy efficiency, weatherization, and the use of innovative new alternative energy technology tools such as high tech thermostats and smart electrical plugs. As part of the program, Green Mountain Power will work with customers to update existing homes to help them use less energy, save money, improve comfort, and reduce fossil fuel use.

Secretary Moniz was in Rutland on Friday and toured the Energy Home of the Future as part of his visit. He called the home the "pathway to the future" and lauded GMP and its partners for the important work they are doing to demonstrate the full value of energy efficiency and innovation.

by Paul Cillo, Public Assets Institute April 2008 was the high-water mark for payroll jobs in Vermont before the recession forced layoffs. This year, the number of jobs has rebounded. Employers reported 308,900 non-farm payroll jobs last month, just 200 fewer than in April 2008. Also in April, the number of unemployed dropped by 600, and the employed rose by 650—either because people returned to work or new workers entered the labor force.

Women workers hanging in