Current News

Ten restaurants have been designated as Green Restaurants in the Green Mountain State in the Vermont Business Environmental Partnership (VBEP).
Current Green Restaurants in the Green Mountain State include: Michael’s on the Hill, Waterbury; The Wayside Bakery & Restaurant, Berlin; Ye Olde Tavern, Manchester; Mio Bistro, Dorset; Cloudland Farm, North Pomfret; Restaurant Verterra & Lucy's Tavern at The Inn at Weathersfield, Perkinsville; Rira’s Irish Pub, Burlington; The Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern, Chester; Works Bakery and Café, Brattleboro and Manchester; and The Tamarack Grill at Burke Mountain, East Burke.

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org When the Vermont State Hospital was abruptly closed on August 28 after Tropical Storm Irene floodwaters inundated Waterbury, workers quickly evacuated the facility and state officials found emergency placements at local hospitals and small private mental health institutions for the 50-plus patients who were suddenly displaced.
Since the storm hit, the scrambling hasn’t stopped. For the last five months, Shumlin administration officials, lawmakers and providers have been weighing options for replacing the hospital. In the short term ‘ until lawmakers and the Shumlin administration can cement an interim plan ‘ Vermonters who need intensive psychiatric care are being treated at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Rutland Regional Medical Center, Brattleboro Retreat and several small residential mental health care facilities.

The Vermont Wood Products Marketing Councilhas released a new ten year strategic plan entitled, ‘A 2020 Vision for the Vermont Wood Products Sector,’ prepared by industry expert and International Consultant, Tom Dossenbach, from Dossenbach Associates, Inc. of North Carolina. A similar strategic plan was adopted in 2001 and stimulated many successful projects during the last ten years. As our world changes, it was time to revisit the old plan and develop a new strategic outlook for the coming ten years.
The Vermont Wood Products Marketing Council consists of representatives from the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers, Vermont Wood Manufacturers Association, Vermont WoodNet, Vermont Woodlands Association, Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development, Vermont Department of Forest, Parks & Recreation, and three outside directors.

The Government Operations Committee of the Vermont House of Representatives has been working on the reapportionment bill in a non-partisan manner since last fall. Late last week committee Democrats voted through a bill that would reduce GOP numbers in the House as currently constituted.
House Republicans voted "no" on the reapportionment bill in committee Friday afternoon, and House GOP Leader Don Turner issued the following statement:
"Our goal for reapportionment was to ensure that all Vermonters received fair representation in the House for the next decade.
"We approached this process knowing that it could become partisan at any given time. Unfortunately, this is exactly what occurred when House Assistant Majority Leader Willem Jewett proposed a plan yesterday that divided the Town of Castleton in half and will put three long time Republican legislators in the same two seat district.

Central Vermont Public Service, which recently brought its 10th CVPS Cow Powerâ ¢ project online, today announced an energy production surplus from its award-winning farm-generation program and put out a call for new customers large and small.
‘With the completion of several new CVPS Cow Powerâ ¢ projects, energy production has surpassed the level of customer demand for the first time,’ said Renewable Energy Program Manager Dave Dunn. ‘With several more projects in the pipeline for 2012 and beyond, we are looking for new supporters to help ensure that farm-based renewable energy development can continue cost-effectively for dairy farm owners in Vermont.’

Shaw’s Supermarkets on Fridaycelebrated the grand reopening of its store in Ludlow, Vermont located at 213 Main Street with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The store had been closed after being severely damaged by flooding in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene.
In addition to repairing the damage from the flooding, Shaw’s invested additional resources to remodel the store, including expanding the store to 19,000 square feet, upgrading equipment and adding to offerings in several key categories. The newly remodeled store will provide customers with a variety of the freshest produce, top-quality seafood and a large selection of local Vermont products.

John Fischer, Director of Integrated Support for Learning, High School and Adult Division at the Vermont Department of Education, has been named Interim Deputy Commissioner, the department announced today.
Fischer, a resident of Moretown, will assume the position of Deputy Commissioner of Transformation and Innovation on an interim basis, which was vacated by Rae Ann Knopf earlier this month. A major focus of his work will be ushering the department’s flexibility waiver request from the US Department of Education under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as No Child Left Behind. The waiver will be submitted for review on February 21, 2012.

More than 100 nonprofit leaders from across the state will convene at the Vermont State House on Thursday, February 9thforthe third annual Vermont Nonprofit Legislative Day.
Nonprofit leaders will be in Montpelier to testify at legislative committees on the work and positive impact of Vermont's nonprofits and to demonstrate their role as a positive economic force in the state of Vermont. There will also be a brief annual report on the work ofCommon Good Vermontand a 2:30 p.m. meeting with Governor Peter Shumlin on challenges facing Vermont's nonprofits sector.
Confirmed speakers for the day includeSpeaker Shap Smith(Vermont Legislature),Mark Larson(Department of Health Access),Jessica Oski(Sirotkin & Necrason),Floyd Nease(Vermont Association for Mental Health),Jacqueline Majoros, (Vermont Legal Aid),Sheila Reed( Voices for Vermont's Children),Peter Gilbert(Vermont Humanities Council) andLiz Schlegel(Central Vermont Community Action Council).

Thousands of working Vermonters are potentially missing out on a federal and state income tax credit that, if claimed, could result in a lower tax bill and a sizeable refund check. Last tax season, more than 45,000 Vermonters claimed the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC for a combined average refund of more than $2,000. Today, State Treasurer Beth Pearce, the Internal Revenue Service and other officials gathered to promote awareness of the credit. January 27 is EITC Awareness Day nationwide.
‘The Internal Revenue Service estimates that 20 percent of all eligible taxpayers nationwide do not file for the credit,’ said State Treasurer Beth Pearce. ‘Vermont families who earn less than $49,078 a year may qualify for this credit. In this difficult economy, working Vermonters can receive a much needed financial boost by taking the time to check for their eligibility as they complete their 2011 tax forms.’

Bad mortgages, those described as foreclosed or delinquent, rose slightly in Vermont last month to 9 percent. This continues to rank Vermont 14th best in the nation and second best in the East.
The December Mortgage Monitor report released by Lender Processing Services (NYSE: LPS) shows mortgage originations continued their decline from 2011's September peak, down 10.1 percent from the month before. At the same time, those loans originated over the last two years have proven to be some of the best quality originations on record. Likely a result of tighter lending requirements, 2010-11 vintage originations showed 90-day default rates below those of all other years, going back to 2005. December origination data also shows that recent prepayment activity - a key indicator of mortgage refinances - has remained strong, with 2008-09 originations, high credit score borrowers and government-backed loans having benefited the most from recent, historically low interest rates.

Cyma Zarghami, president of the Nickelodeon television network and an alumna of the university, will deliver the address to graduates at the University of Vermont’s 2012 Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 20.

The Vermont Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC) and The Chittenden County Continuum of Care are again joining efforts for the sixth statewide Point in Time Count on January 26, 2012. The Continuums of Care are comprised of homeless & human service organizations as well as housing agencies and other partners that strive to eliminate homelessness throughout Vermont. These efforts will be supported by the Agency of Human Services, the City of Burlington the Vermont State Housing Authority, and United Ways of Vermont.
The sixth coordinated Point-in-Time Count will collect data to be used by the Balance of State, Chittenden County, and local continuums in their funding applications to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as to provide a statewide baseline for measuring the success of housing and supportive services used to reduce the number of people who are homeless in Vermont.