Current News

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org On Wednesday night Democrats will recommend three candidates for the state Senate seat from Chittenden County formerly held by Sally Fox.
Fox died on Jan. 10.
Gov. Peter Shumlin must appoint a new senator, and Chittenden County Democrats will offer him a selection of three candidates to choose from.
There are six candidates in all vying for the seat: Rep. Tim Jerman, D-Essex, and Jake Perkinson, the former chair of the state Democratic Party, Rep. Kesha Ram, D-Burlington, Crea Lintilhac, a philanthropist from Shelburne, Debbie Ingram, who placed seventh in the last race, and educator Dawn Ellis.
David Scherr, chair of the Chittenden County Democratic Committee, says the process will be simple ‘ candidates will give speeches and the 80 members of the committee will vote.
‘Everybody will have three votes, everyone can vote for one candidate and you can’t vote for one candidate more than once,’ Scherr said.

The Vermont Individual Income Tax Return Booklet for tax year 2013, which includes instructions and commonly used forms, is now online on the Vermont Department of Taxes website. All other tax forms will be available online by’ Jan. 31. Taxpayers also may order paper copies of the booklet and forms by contacting the department by email or phone. The booklet and forms will no longer be distributed through town offices, post offices and libraries.’
According to statistics gathered by the department, of the approximately’ 64,000 Individual Income Tax Return booklets distributed for tax year 2012, only about 18,000 forms were filed from the booklet. Many taxpayers used paper forms obtained online on the department’s website or filed electronically.’

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org Extreme temperatures ‘ deep cold alternating with freezing rain and flooding ‘ have made maintaining the state’s highways this year a challenge. So much so that the Agency of Transportation has asked for a $1.3 million increase in funding for road maintenance this winter.
A legislative panel has approved the additional spending for the Transportation Fund in addition to the Shumlin administration’s $12 million mid-year budget adjustment proposal for the fiscal year 2014 General Fund.
The House Appropriations Committee passed the Budget Adjustment Act in a 10-1-0 vote on Friday afternoon. Rep. Phil Winters, R-Williamstown, cast the only dissenting vote. His two fellow Republicans on the panel endorsed the proposal.

by Laura Krantz vtdigger.org It is too soon to increase the number of methadone clinics in the state, even though some patients travel an hour or more to get help for heroin and prescription drug addiction, a report scheduled to be discussed at the Statehouse on Thursday says
More Vermonters than ever are asking for help to battle addiction, according to state statistics, and more addicts want treatment that includes methadone and buprenorphine, two powerful drugs that can help people recover.
Experts say the key to success for recovering addicts is finding help close to home, but with only seven methadone-dispensing clinics in the state, patients often have to travel great distances.
Peter Albert, senior vice president of the Brattleboro Retreat. Photo by Randy Holhut/The Commons

If you live in Vermont and have a CAT Scan (CT) in a hospital's Emergency Department (ED), chances are the radiologist will report a positive finding. But if you live in Washington, DC, there is a significantly lower chance of having a report with a positive finding. This is according to vRad's (Virtual Radiologic) RPC (Radiology Patient Care) Indices, the first-and-only set of findings-based radiology imaging metrics, found at www.vrad.com.

Just months after announcing plans to contrbute to Green Mountain Power’s Rutland Solar Capital initiative, the College of St Joseph is helping create clean energy on its gymnasium roof.’
GMP and CSJ officials announced Tuesday the completion one of the largest rooftop projects in GMP’s service territory, an array that could become a model for future rooftop development. The 98-kilowatt project, known as the College of St Joseph Solar Farm, has a perfect southern exposure.’
‘We are thrilled to be able to put our gymnasium rooftop to good use, generating clean, renewable energy and contributing to the Rutland Solar Capital initiative,’ CSJ President Rich Lloyd said.’ ‘It will serve as a physical symbol of the connection we are making to the GMP Energy Innovation Center and will serve as an educational tool for our students and visitors.’’

by Don George, President and CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont Early in 2013, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont made a strong commitment to Vermonters. Recognizing the uncertainty associated with the transition to Vermont’s new health benefits exchange, Vermont Health Connect, we promised to ‘see you through’ the unprecedented changes that are under way in health care in Vermont.
That commitment was more than an advertising slogan. In the short-term, it reflected the determination of our employees to guide and assist Vermonters affected by the most immediate changes that are under way.’ But beyond that, it also was a statement of our resolve to continue to advocate for our customers and members as decisions are made about the future of health care in Vermont.

Gifford Medical Center in Randolph is offering three upcoming educational opportunities for kids and families. On’ Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to noon’ will be a free non-certification course on’ Infant and Child CPR. The course is aimed at new parents, families and caregivers and offered by certified American Heart Association CPR instructors from Gifford’s Blueprint Community Health Team.
On’ Feb. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to noon’ will be’ Home Alone and Safe. Designed by chapters of the American Red Cross, this course from instructor Judge Powers teaches children ages 8-11 how to respond to home alone situations, including Internet safety, family communications, telephone safety, sibling care, personal and gun safety, and basic emergency care. Children will role play, brainstorm, watch a video on the topic, take home a workbook and handouts, and earn a certificate upon completion. There is a $15 fee to attend.

by Laura Krantz vtdigger.org Less than a week after Gov. Peter Shumlin caught the nation’s attention with a speech about Vermont’s opiate addiction ‘crisis,’ addiction treatment professionals told lawmakers the largest need is for services that help people stay drug-free after detox.
The director of an opiate treatment center Tuesday afternoon urged the House Human Services Committee to spend $100,000 leftover from this year’s budget on outpatient services. Another director, of a network of recovery centers statewide, said they need more money to help people stay drug-free for life.
The committee plans to decide Wednesday morning how the money can be best spent and make a recommendation to the House Appropriations Committee for the Budget Adjustment Act. The money is left over from a plan that fell through to expand the Maple Leaf Farm residential drug treatment center in Underhill. The center recently laid off eight employees.

by Laura Krantz vtdigger.org A Burlington drug addiction treatment center this week announced it will begin studying better ways to treat youth struggling with substance abuse, including opiate addiction, thanks to a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Spectrum Youth and Family Services will partner with researchers at Dartmouth College’s medical school to study youth seeking treatment at Spectrum.
The research grant has been in the works for months and its roll-out happened to coincide with Governor Peter Shumlin’s State of the State address last week on opiate addiction, Spectrum staff said Wednesday.
In his speech, Shumlin called for immediate attention and more money for what he said is a skyrocketing number of people seeking treatment for opiate addiction in Vermont.

by Hilary Niles vtdigger.org
Insurance customers may be able to choose email over postal mail delivery for billing and cancellation notices, under a proposal being considered in the Vermont House.
Customers would be able to opt in to the paperless method. Insurance companies wouldn’t be allowed to push them to it, and could not charge a fee for paper copies.
Current regulations don’t technically prevent insurance companies from sending email notices. However, all communication must be mailed in hard copy. The new law would allow one method or another.
The concept behind H.260 was largely well-received in the House Commerce Committee on Thursday, but some legislators wanted to ensure adequate consumer protections are included.
Rep Michele Kupersmith, D-South Burlington, was particularly concerned about cancellation notices being sent by email.

by Hilary Niles vtdigger.org Vermont may actually stop shortchanging teachers’ retirement health care and pension systems next year, if Governor Peter Shumlin has anything to say about it.
In his legislative budget address Wednesday, Shumlin committed to finally fixing a perennial shortfall ‘ though administration officials say consensus on a solution hasn’t yet been reached.
‘For decades, the annual costs of retired teacher health insurance premiums have been taken right out of the state teacher pension fund itself,’ Shumlin said.
That practice is only occurring with the fund that covers health care costs for retired teachers. The state and municipal employee pensions are typically funded at the actuarially recommended levels.