Current News

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org State Senator Sally Fox, (D-South Burlington), died in the early morning hours Friday surrounded by her family. She was 62. She had struggled with lung cancer for two years. An audible gasp went up from lawmakers when House Speaker Shap Smith made the announcement in the House Chamber Friday morning. Senators wandered around in the downstairs lobby, crying and hugging one another, unable to talk about their colleague and friend.’

Champlain College announced today that Donald J Laackman, president of Harold Washington College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, will become the College’s eighth president succeeding President David F Finney who is retiring after nine years on June 30, 2014. ‘
Laackman (pronounced ‘Lock-man’) and his wife, Allyson, were formally introduced to the campus community today by Champlain College Search Committee Chair and Trustee Scott Carpenter and Chair of the Board of Trustees Mary Powell. He will begin as President of Champlain College, located in Burlington, Vermont, on July 1, 2014.

Dear Editor, vermontbiz.com: I am delighted to see the Vermont Country Store has decided to follow the community service example set by Dan & Whit's General Store in Norwich, VT.’ www.danandwhits.com’ The participation of every able business and individual is vital if we are to truly fight hunger in Vermont. For this, I of course applaud the Vermont Country Store. The most important consideration here is feeding hungry people and in the end that is the truest bottom line. But because this journal is about business in Vermont, I was surprised your article, "Vermont Country Store Fights Hunger with $20,000 and a Challenge to Other Businesses" never once mentioned the genesis of this campaign actually began in November of 2013 a little further north- in Norwich, Vermont- and by another country store icon, Dan & Whit's General Store.

Blu-Bin, Inc has opened ‘Tip Jar,’ a program which gives customers the option to have Blu-Bin donate 5 percent the revenue from their purchase to Vermont nonprofit organizations. The program is open to any Vermont-based 501 (c)(3) organizations benefiting the arts, technology education, and innovation. Two organizations customers already signed up for the program are Burlington City Arts and Generator, Burlington's new makerspace.
Blu-Bin, Inc, which recently relocated to Burlington’s Church Street, has been participating and organizing a variety of socially minded projects ever since it opened its doors in the fall of 2012. While the company itself is a for-profit corporation, its business mentality and tenets as a company encourage community minded actions like its plastic recycling partnership with Ben and Jerry's and free classes in 3D printing, 3D scanning, and 3D modelling held in its shop every Saturday.

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org The Vermont House overwhelmingly passed a campaign finance bill Thursday that will make it possible for parties to give unlimited contributions to individual candidates. The legislation, which passed 124-15 in a roll call vote, goes to the Senate on Friday for final passage.
The bill, S.82, is the result of a compromise struck by House and Senate conferees Tuesday.
Republicans and Democrats alike are concerned about the role of Super PACs on elections. The House originally passed a bill that would have set limits on Super PACs. The Senate was concerned that the provision would leave the state vulnerable to future litigation over the constitutionality of placing caps on campaign spending by independent groups.

Techie.com’s editorial staff researched some of the most exciting and innovative up-and-coming hubs for 2014. Burlington, Vermont, was one of the 10 it selected.
Needless to say, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger was happy for the news and released this statement: ‘Congratulations to’ Code for BTV, our great local tech companies, the organizers of Vermont Tech Jam, and the many people involved in the’ BTVIgnite’ initiative on the’ announcement’ that Techie.com has named BTV one of the top 10 most promising tech hubs to watch in 2014. This recognition demonstrates that all the hard work done to make BTV a great, green tech city is having a recognized, positive effect, and bodes well for the economic future of all Burlingtonians."

Mayor Miro Weinberger, Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce, and leadership from the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank (VMBB) Thursday announced at a news conference at the City of Burlington’s Main Wastewater Treatment Plant that the City and the VMBB closed on the refinancing of a $14.6 million wastewater bond.’ The transaction addresses a long-standing unfunded liability, will save Burlington ratepayers approximately $4.8 million in interest payments over the next 20 years, and signals the State of Vermont’s recognition of the City’s improved financial management.

Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott issued the following statement in response to Governor Peter Shumlin’s ‘State of the State’ address:’

According to the’ RE/MAX of New England 2014 Housing Forecast, single-family home transactions increased’ 14.6 percent in’ Vermont,’ the largest jump in sales in New England in 2013, while the median price increased 3.7 percent. Condominium transactions rose 15.2 percent with the average median price rising 2.6 percent. Multi-family home transactions were down -3.3 percent while pricing on these units climbed 19.2 percent to $207,768.
Vermont’s housing market demonstrated continued signs of recovery during 2013. Single-family homes and condominiums experienced encouraging year-over-year growth in the total number of units sold when compared to 2012. Average median price also showed stabilization, posting important year-over-year increases over 2012 figures.
According to NNEREN data, the total number of single-family transactions increased 14.6% year-over-year, the largest increase in this category in New England. Average median price increased 3.7% to $211,262.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing standards for the amount of air pollution that can be emitted by new woodstoves and heaters, beginning in 2015. Wood is a significant source of home heating in Vermont. According to the US Censue Bureau, the top five states for wood heating as a percentage of households are Vermont (16 percent), Maine (12.2 percent), Montana (8.8 percent), Idaho (8.3 percent) and New Hampshire (7.3 percent). The states with the greatest total number of households heating with wood are California, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Washington (2011 American Community Survey ACS).

When the Town of Bristol, its Conservation Commission, the New Haven Anglers Association, the Agency of Natural Resources Rivers Program, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and the Vermont River Conservancy work together to promote flood resiliency and public access to rivers in Vermont, a lot can happen.’ Partnering with local farmers and landowners, the Saunders Brothers, this team of concerned river scientists and conservationists identified how to protect the New Haven River, and the people who live and farm along its banks.
Acting as a relief valve for the high-energy waters flowing out of the steep Green Mountains and down into the low-gradient Bristol Flats area, these newly conserved 40-acres’ downstream of Bristol village allow for the river to move, flood, and change course naturally. ‘ Protecting open floodplains where river energy is high is critical to ensure these river lands remain undeveloped and people stay out of harm’s way.

The 3rd Battalion 172nd Infantry (Mountain) will be presented the Valorous Unit Award (VUA) and VUA streamer for its extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy while serving in Afghanistan in 2010.
In addition, Combat Medic SGT Michael Mulcahy will be awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor.’
The ceremony will take place on 12 January 2014 at 9 am at the Shapiro Field House, Norwich University Northfield, VT.
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