Current News

The Vermont Community Foundation recently received a three-year, $104,000 grant to build the capacity of public policy journalism in Vermont. The Foundation will partner with VTDigger.org, a nonprofit news website that provides in-depth coverage of statewide issues affecting Vermonters. The funding will allow VTDigger.org to hire a full-time investigative reporter to cover health care and energy issues in Vermont. It will also allow Founder and Editor in Chief Anne Galloway the chance to extend her energies beyond reporting.
‘VTDigger.org has grown from a very low-budget, all-volunteer operation to a funded news organization with paid staffers in just two years,’ says Galloway. ‘This generous grant will enable us to deepen our coverage of key issues that affect the daily lives of Vermonters and make it possible for us to focus on building the long-term sustainability of VTDigger.org.’

The US Small Business Administration reminds eligible Private Non-Profit Organizations (PNPs) of the August 15 deadline to submit disaster loan applications for damages caused by severe storms and flooding that occurred from April 23 through May 9, 2011.
PNPs located in Addison, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington counties in Vermont are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits are now available to help those Vermonters left jobless as a result of the severe flooding damage that occurred in Washington and Caledonia counties during May 26, 2011 to May 27, 2011. The disaster assistance period awarded for Washington and Caledonia Counties began May 26, 2011 and ends January 7, 2012. The filing deadline for individuals deemed eligible for assistance is August 15, 2011. The first payable week will be the week ending June 4, 2011.

Renewable Energy Vermont (REV), the only business trade association focused specifically on the advancement of renewable energy sources deployment, announced today the selection of Gabrielle Stebbins as the organization’s new executive director at the annual membership meeting hosted by cow power supporter, Long Trail Brewery. On the anniversary of REV’s 10th year, Stebbins steps in as the new director to lead the renewable business trade association in what is a very active time for the renewable energy economy in Vermont. The roughly 300 member organization represents businesses, individuals, colleges, utilities and others committed to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and expanding the availability of renewable sources of energy in Vermont.

The opening of a new permanent exhibit that examines the life and times of President Calvin Coolidge is being rescheduled to a later date.
‘Calvin Coolidge: His Life & Legacy’ will not open as planned next month at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. The state Division for Historic Preservation anticipates that the exhibit, which was scheduled to open Aug. 6, will debut later this year.
‘We are disappointed about the delay, but we simply need more time for an exhibit of this magnitude to be installed,’ said Vermont Historic Preservation Officer Giovanna Peebles. ‘When the exhibit opens, we’re confident that it will have been worth the wait.’

Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding released the Preliminary June 2011 General Fund Revenue results today. June marks the end of the fiscal year (FY) 2011. General Fund revenues totaled $112.82 million for June 2011, and were +$13.89 million or 14.04% above the $98.93 million consensus revenue forecast for the month. Preliminary FY 11 year end General Fund Revenues were $1,151.21 million or +$33.71 million or +3.02% ahead of target. Compared to the prior fiscal year, FY 2011 GF results are 10.9% ahead of FY 2010, but remain below the pre-recession FY 2008 results by -4.05%.

While federal negotiations continue on raising the U.S. debt ceiling, Vermont’s State Treasurer is cautioning that the seeming impasse could negatively impact Vermont’s hard-earned Triple-A bond credit rating.
‘Yesterday, we learned from Moody’s Investor Services that even the highest-rated states, including Vermont, would have their ratings reviewed next week in light of the continued U.S. debt ceiling debate,’ said State Treasurer Beth Pearce. ‘However, I’m confident Vermont’s track record of fiscal responsibility will serve us well in any rating review. Vermont has the highest credit rating in New England, one of the highest ratings in the country, a strong cash position and healthy reserves.’

Nicholas R. Clifford, Professor Emeritus at Middlebury College, will discuss The Troubled Roar of the Waters: Vermont in Flood and Recovery, 1927-1931, a seminal work on this tragedy, written by him and his late wife Deborah Clifford. It was following the 1927 flood that President Coolidge delivered the oft quoted speech Vermont Is the State I Love, which includes the phrase ‘I love Vermont because of her hills and valleys, her scenery and invigorating climate, but most of all because of her indomitable people. They are a race of pioneers that have almost beggared themselves to serve others.’

Governor Peter Shumlin today announced that the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will pave an additional 23 miles of state highway than was originally planned to occur.
‘Vermonters know our roads are in really tough shape this year and I’m pleased to announce that VTrans has made adjustments in order to fund additional paving this construction season’ Governor Shumlin said. ‘State highways have incurred serious damage from the heavy snow falls of this past winter followed by record-breaking spring rain. The additional investment into paving to the areas of greatest need will help improve road surfaces across the State,’ he said.

The Vermont Foodbank is asking the community to ‘do nothing’ about ending hunger through an innovative initiative that highlights the despair of having nothing to eat with the launch of the ‘Nothing Can End Hunger’ campaign.
Beginning today through September 30, Vermont residents will have the opportunity to purchase cans of ‘nothing’ ‘ empty cans with slots for collections ‘ at all participating Hannaford locations throughout Vermont for $2.99 each. All proceeds collected will go directly to support the Vermont Foodbank.
Governor Peter Shumlin joined representatives from the Vermont Foodbank and campaign underwriters Citizens Bank and Hannaford Supermarkets at the Hannaford store in South Burlington today to launch the initiative.

The Attorney General’s Office announced today that John Burgart of Fair Haven, Vermont pled guilty in Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Criminal Division, to one count of Home Improvement Fraud.
According to documents filed with the court, John Burgart of Burgart Roofing, Inc. entered into a contract with a couple from Underhill, Vermont to replace the roof on their home for $14,798.00. Burgart required and the couple paid a down payment of $8,525.00 in order to purchase the materials necessary to perform under the contract. However, Burgart neither purchased any of the materials nor performed any of the required work. In addition, Burgart failed to return the $8,525.00 down payment when the couple requested, in writing, that he do so.

Attorney General William H. Sorrell has announced that Danny Francis, age 48, of Colchester, Vermont, was convicted on July 12, 2011, in Vermont Superior Court, Criminal Division, Windsor County, of five misdemeanor counts of False Pretences. The convictions stemmed from Mr. Francis’s submission of falsified timesheets in order to obtain payment for services that were not rendered, while he was employed as a personal caregiver under a Vermont Medicaid Program.
Judge M. Patricia Zimmerman sentenced Mr. Francis to 55 to 60 months in jail, all suspended, and placed him on two years of probation, subject to standard conditions and a special condition that he not work as a home-based provider under a Medicare Waiver program. The judge also ordered him to pay $2,960.00 in restitution to the Vermont Medicaid Program.
The Office of the Inspector General and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Unit conducted the investigation of this case.