Current News

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has announced that, on December 7, 2011, the Chittenden Unit of the Superior Court Criminal Division ordered Williston-based home improvement contractor Donald Bevins to pay a combined total of $79,623.08 in restitution to two of his former employees.

Campaign for Vermont Founding Officers Bruce Lisman and Mary Alice McKenzie met Wednesday with Governor Peter Shumlin, Commerce Secretary Lawrence Miller, Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding and Chief of Staff Bill Lofy at the Governor’s invitation.
‘We had a very productive meeting discussing the all-important theme of prosperity and a vibrant Vermont economy,’ said Bruce Lisman Founding Officer of Campaign for Vermont.
Mary Alice McKenzie concurred that, ‘Accountability is among the most essential pillars of a democracy and transparency informs whether our state programs are effective. It is important that Vermonters are provided with the best programs to help them reach the next rung of the economic ladder.’

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development today announced that Brent Raymond has joined the state agency as the new director of the Vermont Global Trade Partnership.
Raymond will be directing the work of the agency’s international trade office. The office assists Vermont businesses of all sizes with international trade-related educational seminars, trade show participation, technical assistance and one-on-one consulting services. The office provides funding to help Vermont businesses access international markets.

1.6 Million Children Homeless in America
Child Homelessness Increased By 38% During Recession Era
More than 1.6 million children or one in 45 are homeless annually in America’according to a
new report released today by The National Center on Family Homelessness. This represents an
increase of 38% during the years impacted by the economic recession (2007 to 2010). The 124-
page report, America’s Youngest Outcasts 2010 (see www.HomelessChildrenAmerica.org),
ranks the 50 states from best (1) to worst (50) and offers specific policy solutions.
The report, which updates a previous study by The National Center, looks at trends in child
homeless from 2006 to 2010 using data and research on the extent of child homelessness, child
well-being, risk for homelessness, and state policy and planning efforts. Data from the original

Some 15 Post Offices across Vermont, plus two service centers, will be spared elimination, saving 245 jobs, at least foSenator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) joined senators from around the country today to announce that the US Postal Service voluntarily agreed to their request for a five-month moratorium until May 15 on closing postal facilities.
The moratorium would give Congress more time to consider postal reform legislation, including a bill introduced by Sanders.

A contractor and a homeowner will pay the State of Vermont a total of over $87,000 to resolve the Attorney General’s claims for the cleanup of an illegal and unpermitted discharge of hazardous waste.
‘Contractors must follow Vermont law when disposing of hazardous waste,’ said Attorney General William Sorrell.
In the spring of 2010, Travis Smith, a contractor based in Granville, New York, discharged water containing home heating oil into soil near Tinmouth Pond. When a nearby resident noticed an oily sheen in the water and shore of the pond, he contacted the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, which undertook an immediate and full cleanup of the area. The matter was then referred to the Attorney General’s Office.

The word ‘giving’ means a lot in Vermont; it's a way of life. Individual citizens, communities, businesses and families work to help one another in creative, often inspiring ways. The rally of Vermonters for Vermonters during post Irene efforts was a clear example of our people’s natural sense to lend a hand. This willingness to help is not new; at Vermont ski resorts, the pursuit of prosperity for others has been exhibited for decades through on-mountain fundraisers, charitable giving and volunteer events.
Vermont resorts give nearly 11,000 complimentary tickets/passes and several thousand deeply discounted tickets to school children annually. There are also incentives for kids to hit the books as well as the slopes, as many resorts offer season passes to academic achievers.

TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site, today launched its inaugural TripIndex Ski ‘ a cost comparison of 20 popular ski destinations across the United States and Canada. Salt Lake City is the most affordable spot in the nation, Vail is the most expensive, and the Northeast is generally the most affordable region, with Colorado being the costliest.
Top Skiing Steals and Deals

Salt Lake City, Utah is the most affordable ski destination, with a total TripIndex Ski cost of $239.
North Conway, New Hampshire is the least expensive ski destination in the Northeast, coming in on TripAdvisor's TripIndex Ski at $240.
Taos, New Mexico topped the list for the cheapest ski destination for travelers looking to enjoy America's western slopes ($250).
Banff, Alberta came out on top for the best-value Canadian destination for winter sports enthusiasts, with a total TripIndex Ski cost of $287

Most Expensive Winter Escapes

The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) has been awarded a $30,000 Community Investment grant from TransCanada, an energy infrastructure company with operations throughout North America including eight hydroelectric stations in Vermont. The grant has been awarded to support VINS’ conservation and environmental education programs and boost the organization’s fundraising for program outreach in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene.
Through its Community Investment program, TransCanada supports local associations and organizations that serve as community assets in empowering individuals, building strong communities, and creating effective citizens.

Education Networks of America (ENA) and Sovernet Communications reported today that they have finalized an agreement to provide broadband Internet connectivity services to schools in southern, central and northeastern Vermont. The agreement allows ENA, which was recently awarded a statewide contract by the Vermont Department of Education to provide managed connectivity and communication services to Vermont’s public and private K’12 schools, to use Sovernet’s local fiber assets to help deliver the next generation of connectivity and communication services to public and private K-12 schools included in the Vermont FiberConnect project. The ENA-Sovernet agreement leverages each organization’s strengths to offer improved quality and value to potentially over 100 Vermont schools that ENA and Sovernet may jointly serve.

Vermont’s congressional delegation ‘ Senators Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders and Representative Peter Welch ‘ today announced that St Albans has been awarded a $2,088,496 federal grant for its ongoing streetscape project. The grant, awarded by the Department of Transportation, will fund continued downtown improvements.
The multi-phased project includes the comprehensive redesign of Main Street and its sidewalks; replacement of street lights, traffic signal arms, and traffic lights; replacement of street trees to better manage storm water; and the construction of signage. Street and traffic lights will be replaced with energy efficient LED lights.

Bullhorn, a national recruiting software company based in Boston, issued its Job Opportunity Report today, which found that Vermont is leading the United States in job openings. Year over year, Vermont experienced a 62 percent increase in job openings. Kentucky, North Dakota, Kansas and Oklahoma rounded out the top five. In New England, Maine had an increase of 21 percent, New Hampshire had an increase of 20 percent, Connecticut had an increase of 19 percent, Massachusetts had an increase of 11 percent, and Rhode Island came in at 6 percent.