Current News

by Anne Galloway, www.vtdigger.org April 27, 2011 Spring is in the air, and the internal atmosphere of the Golden Bubble is a little odd at the moment. Lawmakers have finished their hardest exams (the budget, tax and health care bills), but they still have all these assignments left that must be finished in order to avoid getting an incomplete.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be changes made to bills in conference or that there won’t be differences of opinion over legislation that is still in motion on the House and Senate sides over the next 10 days.
But, Smith said, ‘I don’t think we’ve seen the bill that could blow up.’

by Anne Galloway, www.vtdigger.org April 29, 2011 The buck stops with the Senate Finance Committee. Two major bills are under consideration in the money committee ‘ H.56, the energy bill, and H.287, the jobs bill ‘ and both come with sticky language that senators were trying to make sense of on Thursday.
The energy bill contains two troublesome provisions: 1. The governor’s proposal for raising $2.7 million to shore up the Clean Energy Development Fund; and 2. The propane consumer bill passed by the House that limits certain fees on the sale of the gas. Neither issue was resolved on Thursday, but Sen. Ann Cummings, D-Washington, said she had been told that the bill had to be out of committee by 1 p.m. on Friday.

Secretary of State Jim Condos announced today that he is embarking on a ‘Vermont Transparency Tour’ to travel the state to help educate and train local and state government officials on the laws of the state regarding Access to Public Records and Open Meetings.
He said at least 12 training sessions are envisioned this summer.
‘A change of the culture and attitude towards access to public records and open meetings is necessary for both state and local government,’ Condos said.
‘Open government is good government,’ Condos stated in announcing the tour. ‘Distrust in government is not good for our democratic process ‘ the public has a right to know the truth about what the government is doing.’
Condos continues, ‘As new legislation designed to provide for greater transparency in public records and open meetings progresses in the statehouse, it has become evident that local and state officials need training to better understand the law.’

The Lake Champlain Basin Program has approved a $25,000 grant to install a retro-fitted stormwater system in the Milton plaza. The grant money was secured with the help of civil engineer Scott Michael Mapes and is expected to commence this summer.
To learn more, please contact Scott Michael Mapes:
Phone: (802) 864-8100
Email: [email protected]
Source: VEC

Mobius is pleased to announce its new partnership with Heritage Aviation in South Burlington. Heritage is a general aviation facility that offers space for private aircraft, as well as a charter service of planes that it owns and operates. It has generously agreed to host Mobius' ongoing mentor trainings and workshops, as well as a mentor pair event in one of its hangars.
"Heritage Aviation is excited to support Mobius and its mission to develop a culture of mentoring in our community. Hosting the new mentor trainings, providing site tours to pairs, and watching our own staff become mentors has been an inspiring process."
On Tuesday, April 5, Mobius held an awareness event on substance abuse at Heritage Aviation in South Burlington as part of its Mentor Support Series. Mentors from programs throughout Chittenden County gathered at the event to learn more about causes, dangers and prevention techniques for youth substance abuse.
About Mentoring

Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) reported first quarter 2011 earnings of $1.38 per share on as-reported and operational bases. This represents an increase of $.26 over the same period in 2010. Revenues for the first quarter 2011 were $2.8 billion. Net income was $213.8 million.

Operational Earnings Highlights for First Quarter 2011

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Utility’s results were higher due primarily to higher net revenue driven by increased weather-adjusted sales volumes as well as pricing adjustments from previous rate actions.

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Entergy Wholesale Commodities’ earnings declined as a result of lower net revenue and lower other income, partially offset by a lower effective income tax rate.

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Parent & Other’s results were lower due to several individually insignificant items, including higher interest expense on Parent debt.

Two days after the US Department of Justice announced that it will not challenge the proposed merger of two major low-fare air carriers, Vermont’s congressional delegation ‘ Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) and Rep. Peter Welch (D) ‘ are asking the soon-to-be-expanded Southwest Airlines to consider re-starting service to Vermont that AirTran suspended in the fall of 2009.
AirTran has maintained its gate and desk space at Burlington International Airport in anticipation of a possible resumption of service after the pending merger.
The Vermont lawmakers tout Vermont’s location, economy and facilities in their pitch to Southwest’s president and CEO, Gary Kelly. Their formal request follows informal discussions they have had with the two airlines in recent months.

Please click here to view the delegation letter.
Source: Delegation. 4.28.2011

US Housing and Urban Development New England Regional Administrator Barbara Fields today awarded $128,400 to Vermont State Housing Authority for a new homeless program in Vermont. The grant announced today is an investment in a local project which has never received HUD homeless funds in the past, providing critically needed housing and support services to homeless individuals and families. Today’s grant is in addition to $3.7 million HUD awarded in January to renew funding to 24 existing Vermont homeless housing and service programs.
‘Today, we are announcing new funds to invest in critically needed programs that will go a long way towards helping Vermont State Housing Authority assist the homeless and put families and individuals on the road to independence,’ said Fields.

Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott will recognize the owners of the Wayside Restaurant in Montpelier in a "green restaurant" award presentation on Tuesday, May 3.
Scott will join a representative from the Vermont Small Business Development Center in presenting an award to Wayside owners Brian and Karen Zecchinelli for becoming Vermont's fifth "green restaurant." An important part of this designation is the amount of local produce that goes into the menu at the Wayside. In recognition of this fact, a group of Central Vermont farmers will also be on hand at the event, which will run from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. The public is welcome to attend and stay for an a la carte dinner.

A quarter-million-dollar gift from The Grossman Family Foundation of Cos Cob, Ct. has been designated to support the priorities of the incoming dean of the University of Vermont’s School of Business Administration.
Designated to the School of Business Administration Dean's Fund, the gift is being made as an investment in the future of the School of Business Administration, according to Steven Grossman, a 1961 UVM alumnus and chair of the board of trustees of the foundation. The gift will be used at the discretion of the incoming dean, Sanjay Sharma, Grossman said.

Governor Peter Shumlin, joined by officials from Craftsbury and Pete Johnson, today announced a $300,000 award to help Pete’s Greens rebuild after a devastating fire in January.
The award, recommended by the Vermont Community Development Board, goes to the Town of Craftsbury, which will loan the money to Pete’s Greens. The loan and interest will be repaid over 10 years.
‘This award is an important step in supporting not only a significant organic farm, but a local community that also suffered as a result of that fire,’ Governor Shumlin said. ‘Pete’s Greens is a key player in Vermont’s value-added agricultural market.’
The grant is one of several recommended by the VCDP Board and approved earlier this month by Lawrence Miller, Secretary of Commerce and Community Development. The Governor announced the other awards, which included a $600,000 grant for the Samaritan House homeless shelter in St. Albans, on Monday.

The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (VSAC) will receive up to $1.3 million in additional funds to continue helping students find grants, loans and scholarships, the Vermont congressional delegation announced today.
The delegation also helped nonprofit lenders like the Winooski, Vt.-based VSAC secure a higher rate from the U.S. Department of Education for servicing student loans.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who serves as a member of the Senate education committee, led the effort on behalf of VSAC, with strong support from Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
‘At a time of soaring college costs, I have supported President Obama’s move to increase the maximum Pell grant, which enables millions of low- and moderate-income students who go to college, by ending the billions in subsidies that big banks received to issue federally-guaranteed student loans,’ Sanders said.