Current News

The e-Vermont Community Broadband Project, led by VCRD, is now active in 24 Vermont rural communities. The towns are tapping into the expertise and resources of e-Vermont’s statewide partners as the local groups develop ways to take full advantage of the Internet for creating jobs and innovative schools, providing social services, and increasing community connection. These towns, selected from a larger pool of applicants, are among the first to explore how the Internet can be harnessed as a tool for addressing local challenges.
‘We’re working with rural communities to support the best use of high speed Internet tools in business, government, and education, and help eliminate the digital divide,’ says Project Director Helen Labun Jordan, ‘Rural regions can’t be left behind in digital skills. We may be receiving high speed Internet later than more urban areas, but e-Vermont is helping our towns make up for lost time.’

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published a proposed rule that could save US businesses more than $23 million over the next 10 years by establishing an advance registration process for US employers seeking to file H-1B petitions for foreign workers in specialty occupations. The proposed electronic system would minimize administrative burdens and expenses related to the H-1B petition process’including reducing the need for employers to submit petitions for which visas would not be available under the statutory visa cap. Vermont has made much use of the H-1B program, especially in the travel and tourism sector.

The US Senate is debating legislation authored by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy to update the nation’s patent system. It has been nearly 60 years since the last comprehensive reforms were made the patent system. The America Invents Act was introduced by Leahy on January 25, and is the culmination of nearly six years of debate.
Vermont receives more patents per capita than any other state in the nation. The first US patent issued was awarded to Vermonter Samuel Hopkins of Pittsford.
Yesterday on the Senate floor, Leahy delivered the following remarks, highlighting Vermonters’ role in innovation and invention since the early days of the country.
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy,
On Vermont And The America Invents Act Of 2011
March 3, 2011

State Auditor Tom Salmon released the following statement yesterday announcing that he is forming an exploratory committee to consider a campaign for US Senate against Senator Bernard Sanders. Re-elected last November to a post he originally won as a Democrat, the now Republican has already announced he will not seek another term as state auditor.

Sanjay Sharma, dean of the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, has been appointed dean of the School of Business Administration at The University of Vermont, effective July 1, 2011.

The state of Vermont continues to have the lowest overall foreclosure rate east of the Mississippi and one of the lowest in the nation. The January Mortgage Monitor report released by Lender Processing Services, Inc. (NYSE: LPS) shows that while foreclosure starts decreased in the first month of 2011, they still outnumber foreclosure sales by almost three to one. At the same time, repeat foreclosures - loans that had cured in one way or another, but have fallen back into foreclosure - now account for more than 35 percent of foreclosure starts. As of the end of January, foreclosure inventories stood at nearly eight times historical averages (and 25 times January 2011's level of foreclosure sales), with delinquencies more than double historical norms. January's data also showed that the foreclosure process continues to drag out as the timelines for foreclosure starts, days in inventory and sales all continue to extend. Serious delinquencies continue to rise as well.

The line of mountains that etches across the sky in northern Vermont forms some of the most iconic images of our state. Mount Mansfield is part of the Vermont crest and Camel’s Hump is featured on our state quarter. These mountains are more than a scenic backdrop. They are key to the character of Vermont and a mainstay for tourism, one of our largest industries. But what happens when buildings go up along scenic roadways that obscure these views for the general public? What can we do to protect these assets? Views to the Mountain: A Scenic Resource Manual, just published for the towns of Essex and Jericho by Smart Growth Vermont, details a scenic assessment process and provides solutions towns can adopt.

The Edison Electric Institute today honored Central Vermont Public Service with the association's "Emergency Recovery Award" for outstanding power restoration efforts in the wake of a massive two-part weather event in February 2010. This is the third time CVPS has earned this honor.
The award is presented annually to U.S. and foreign companies that face untoward circumstances caused by extraordinary events and put forth outstanding efforts to restore service to the public. Winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during EEI's Spring CEO meetings.

Two of the nation's largest corporations, IBM and General Electric, are supporting a rewriting of US Patent code as led by Senator Patrick Leahy. The US Senate today continued debate on S. 23, the America Invents Act. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Leahy (D-Vt.) opened today’s debate on the long-pending patent reform legislation, speaking about the importance of transition to a first-inventor-to-file system.
‘The transition to a first-inventor-to-file system will benefit the patent community in several ways,’ said Leahy. ‘It will simplify the patent application system and provide increased certainty to businesses that they can commercialize a patent that has been granted. Once a patent is granted, an inventor can rely on its filing date on the face of the patent. This certainty is necessary to raise capital, grow businesses, and create jobs.’

Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick F Kennedy will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 4, at 2 pm to mark the official opening of the Vermont Passport Agency in St Albans. Invited guests include the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services Brenda S. Sprague, members of Congress, state and local officials, community leaders, and members of the media.
Americans with urgent travel plans will be able to apply in-person at the Vermont Passport Agency, where passport books and passport cards will be issued onsite, alleviating the need for applicants to travel to Boston for emergency services. The new agency will occupy the first floor of the historic St. Albans Federal Building, which formerly served as the city’s post office and customs house. Original brass postal boxes and two large murals painted by artist Philip von Saltza in 1939 remain on display for passport customers to enjoy.

Vermont Environmental Court Judge Meridith Wright has vacated Omya’s solid waste disposal certification, ruling that the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) must conduct a public trust analysis when issuing a waste disposal certification because the company’s marble processing activities may impact the groundwater.
Wright’s ruling, which remands Omya’s final certification to the ANR to perform this analysis, is the first interpretation of Vermont's 2008 law designating groundwater of the State as a public trust resource. The ANR must incorporate the public trust analysis required by Vermont’s groundwater protection law into the solid waste certification process, she ruled. Wright made her ruling Monday and notified the parties in the case today. Omya may appeal today’s ruling to the Vermont Supreme Court.

Vermont youth are part of an increasingly influential consumer group. A 2010 Harris Interactive Poll reports that today’s 8 to 24 year olds in the U.S. spend approximately $239 billion annually. However, despite this spending power, the same poll reports that among the top worries of this age group are not having enough money and concern that their parents will lose their jobs. How can parents and teachers help youth reconcile their spending habits with a challenging economy? That question and more will be addressed as part of the 6th annual Vermont Jump$tart Coalition personal finance conference for teachers and parents on March 17 in South Burlington.