Current News

Governor Peter Shumlin today announced the appointment of Beth Robinson to serve on the Vermont Supreme Court. An attorney with nearly two decades of experience practicing law in Vermont, Robinson is also a widely respected civil rights advocate whose work to secure marriage equality rights in Vermont earned wide national recognition. Robinson will replace Justice Denise Johnson, who is retiring.
Robinson practiced law for 18 years at Langrock Sperry & Wool in Middlebury and Burlington, with a civil practice that included workers’ compensation, family law, employment law, negligence and injury cases. She served as co-counsel in the case of Baker versus Vermont, the landmark case that led to Vermont’s passage of a first-in-the-nation civil union law, and led the successful quest for full marriage equality for same-sex couples in Vermont.

The Vermont Community Foundation and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture announced that the Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund has awarded $237,500 to 49 farmers affected by Tropical Storm Irene in the fund’s second grant round. To date, the grant committee has received 159 applications and a total of 101 farmers have received grants in excess of $540,000. The committee is currently reviewing its third round of applications. As of October 13, total contributions received or pledged to the fund exceeded $1.25 million.
‘The storm may be over but the challenges continue for our Vermont farmers,’ said Chuck Ross, secretary of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. ‘The Vermont Community Foundation has created unique opportunities for people within and outside Vermont’s borders to contribute to the Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund, and as the support continues with compassion and force, our ability to connect resources to farm needs remains strong.’

Draker Labs, the industry's leading provider of turnkey monitoring solutions for commercial and utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, was recently selected by Con Edison Development (CED) to monitor and control more than 40 MWs of grid-interconnected solar projects in the Northeast, including the 20MW Pilesgrove solar power plant. The Pilesgrove facility is the largest PV plant in the northeastern U.S. The Pilesgrove project was put in service in Q3 and is expected to generate enough clean energy to power over 5,000 homes while reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 1,900 tons per year, the equivalent of removing 3,400 cars from the road annually.

The broad Champlain Valley, including the Lake Champlain Islands and the Burlington area, joins the valleys of southern Vermont to continue the colorful display of autumn.
In southeast Vermont along the Connecticut River, the lower elevations range from mid-stage to near peak as the elevation increases, reports Forester Sam Schenski about the Brattleboro to Springfield region.
To the north, around Burlington, Chittenden County Forester Keith Thompson explains: ‘Away from the lake the rains and winds have pulled many of the colorful leaves from the trees down to the forest floors. This is not to say there aren’t still stunning hillsides. Many sheltered valleys and forest pockets are still ablaze with color, but for me, the greatest way to see the fall foliage now is on a hike through the woods. Throughout Chittenden County the forest floor is a carpet of brilliant reds and oranges.’

Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding announced today that Vermont’s General Fund revenues continued to be on target with projections, while the Transportation Fund and Education Fund fell short for the month of September. The General Fund saw a drop in the month's vital personal income tax, but was bouyed by a jump in the corporate tax.
General Fund
September is the third month of fiscal year (FY) 2012. General Fund revenues totaled $116.94 million for September 2011, and were +$0.09 million or +0.08% above the $116.85 million consensus revenue forecast for the month, essentially on target. Year to date, General Fund revenues were $293.27 million, and +$6.09 million or +2.12% above the first quarter’s target of $287.18 million for FY 2012.

The Blood in This Town,’ the documentary about Rutland, Vermont’s grassroots efforts to revitalize itself, will make its New York premiere on Friday, October 21, hosted by Pratt Institute's Programs for Sustainable Planning and Development, one of the nation’s leading city planning programs. The evening will feature a screening and revitalization forum bringing together Rutland grassroots leaders, Pratt faculty and New York urban planners for a ‘jam-session’ exchange of community-building ideas and revitalization solutions aimed at exploring new ways forward for America’s ailing towns and cities. This dynamic meeting of ‘small town’ and ‘big city’ know-how takes an innovative approach to building a stronger, more vibrant and sustainable future for all communities across the U.S.

At the Allen Brothers Farm today in Westminster, Congressman Peter Welch outlined a plan to help Vermont farmers devastated by Tropical Storm Irene get back on their feet.
‘Many Vermont farmers were knocked down by Tropical Storm Irene but they are characteristically fighting to get back on their feet,’ Welch said. ‘In recent years, our farming community has created new business opportunities through vibrant farmers markets and CSA programs that provide Vermonters with nutritious local food. These a farmers need a helping hand to restore their operations and get back to business.’

Shaw’s Supermarkets has partnered with the American Red Cross to help raise funds to support their ongoing efforts in response to Tropical Storm Irene here in Vermont as well as their local disaster relief fund. The company will also match donations up to $35,000.
‘Like many in Vermont, Shaw’s was impacted by flooding from Irene and we know firsthand that many are still dealing with the aftermath from the flooding,’ said Mike Stigers, president, Shaw’s. ‘The support that Vermonters have given to us, and to each other, has been extraordinary and we wanted to launch this program with the Red Cross to enable continued support to those still in need.’

Maria Ung, a Science teacher at Essex High School, was surprised at an all-school assembly Monday with a $25,000 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.

Joined by legislative leaders and the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, Gov. Peter Shumlin today announced a plan of action to enable towns to abate education taxes for property owners hard-hit by Tropical Storm Irene and spring flooding. The plan will authorize the Tax Department to set up procedures to reimburse towns for such extraordinary abatements.

The plan will require legislative approval when lawmakers return to Montpelier in January. Recognizing that taxpayers who have lost use of their property may petition their local boards of abatement for tax relief even before then, however, Gov. Shumlin and legislators have agreed on a plan that will guide localities as they consider these requests.

Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) and Fletcher Allen Health Care announced today at a press conference that their Boards have each given final approval to a corporate affiliation between the two organizations that took effect October 1. The affiliation was first approved by both Boards in December 2010 when an affiliation agreement was signed, and is being implemented through a new organization ‘Fletcher Allen Partners ‘ the new parent corporation of both CVMC and Fletcher Allen.
‘This is a significant step in developing a coordinated health care system in Vermont that will deliver higher quality care for Vermonters and do it more efficiently,’ said Judy Tarr Tartaglia, president and chief executive officer of CVMC. ‘This affiliation builds on existing clinical partnerships and also closely aligns with the state and federal health care reform agendas that promote enhanced integration.’

The Vermont Working Landscape Partnership will release its Investing in our Farm & Forest Future Action Plan and announce the launch of a campaign to implement the 5-point platform outlined in the Action Plan.
The "Action Plan" will be made public on Tuesday, October 18, at 10 am at the Jericho Settlers Farm. Confirmed speakers include Paul Costello, Executive Director of Vermont Council on Rural Development; Marie Audet, Blue Spruce Farm; Krista Alexander, Jericho Settlers Farm, Roger Allbee, former Secretary of Agriculture; and Peter Condaxis, Rygate Associates.
Called "Investing in our Farm and Forest Future," it is the final report of the Vermont Working Landscape Partnership. It offers five recommendations to help reinvigorate the state’s rural economy:
â ¢ Build a major campaign to celebrate the distinctiveness of the working landscape that is Vermont.