Current News

Vermont Law School has released its inaugural Top 10 Environmental Watch List spotlighting the nation's most critical environmental law and policy issues of 2010 and how they may play out in 2011.
Below is the Top 10 list, which is produced by the nation's top-ranked environmental law school. The full report is available at http://watchlist.vermontlaw.edu/.
The report evaluates 10 judicial, regulatory, legislative and other actions that significantly affect humans and the natural world.
"We can continue our short-sighted addiction to fossil fuels or we can adopt innovative, healthier, more sustainable practices," said VLS Dean Jeff Shields. "The Environmental Watch List will help improve public understanding of how to use the law to take action on the critical issues of our time."

Governor-Elect Peter Shumlin announced today the appointment of Dr. Harold (Hal) Colston as Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on National and Community Service. The Commission, with a state-administered $2 million grant from the federal government, coordinates Americorps National service programs and other volunteer and community services across Vermont.
Colston is currently executive director of the nonprofit organization NeighborKeepers, and is an adjunct professor at Champlain College, where he lectures about building community through volunteerism. He previously serviced as diversity coordinator at the Howard Center in Burlington, and is the founder of the Good News Garage in Burlington, which has been featured in several national media outlets.

Stratford Career Institute, Inc, a correspondence school located in Mount Royal, Quebec, has entered into a settlement with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office to resolve claims that the school misrepresented its geographic location as being in Vermont. The school will pay civil penalties and costs in the amount of $10,000 to the State.
SCI offers non-accredited ‘distance education’ or correspondence programs at the high school level and in a number of vocational areas, including training for medical office, nursing and veterinary assistants. SCI does have an office in St. Albans, Vermont, but that office is used primarily for shipping, receiving, mailing and some administrative functions; and the school is actually based in Quebec. Nonetheless, SCI represented its location as St. Albans (either alone or alongside the address in Mount Royal) on its letterhead, envelopes, academic materials, diplomas, and website.

BURLINGTON--Celebrate Vermont, the inaugural committee for governor-elect Peter Shumlin, announced the musical line-up today for the Homecoming reception in Brattleboro, the Winter Village at the State House and the Inaugural Ball at Sugarbush. The committee also thanked the contributors to the inaugural committee, a list of sponsors that will be updated daily.
The inaugural ball at Sugarbush will include a collection of Vermont musical acts gathering together for the special event. The Vermont Inaugural All Stars will include: Dave Grippo, Brian McCarthy, Russ Lawton, Ray Paczowski, Bob Wagner, Lowell Thompson, D Davis and Jon Rogone. The musical lineup is complete and there will be no additional special guests announced for the evening.

Average mortgage rates fell slightly week-over-week, according to the LendingTree Weekly Mortgage Rate Pulse, a snapshot of the lowest and average home loan rates available within the LendingTree network of lenders.
On December 28, average home loan rates offered by LendingTree network lenders were 5.16 percent (5.40% APR) for 30-year fixed mortgages, 4.46 percent (4.83% APR) for 15-year fixed mortgages and 4.07 percent (4.13% APR) for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages (ARM). Rates for 30- and 15-year fixed mortgages fell slightly week-over-week, while 5/1 ARM rates rose.
On the same day, the lowest mortgage rates offered by lenders on the LendingTree network were 4.625 percent (4.82% APR) for a 30-year fixed mortgage 3.875 percent (4.12% APR) for a 15-year fixed mortgage and 3.125 percent (3.25% APR) for a 5/1 ARM.

There were 2,107 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 890 from the week before. Altogether 11,945 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 906 from a week ago and 2,169 fewer than a year earlier. The Department also processed 2,155 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 178 more than a week ago. In addition, there were 785 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is an increase of 100 from the week before. The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/. Previously released Unemployment Weekly Reports and other UI reports can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/lmipub.htm#uc

People’s United Bank based in Bridgeport, CT, is aligning all of its insurance agencies under one corporate entity: People’s United Insurance Agency. As a result, effective January 1, 2011, RC Knox, Beardsley Brown and Bassett, Chittenden Insurance Group and Bank of Smithtown Insurance Agents and Brokers, Inc will become units within the People’s United Insurance Agency and will be led by a single management team.
Daniel F Casey, former President and CEO of Chittenden Insurance Group, will become President and CEO of People’s United Insurance Agency.
‘Our new structure provides consistency and focus for employees within our companies,’ Casey said. ‘Additionally, consolidation under one management team will allow us to gain operational efficiencies as we continue to grow our profitable business.’

The state has awarded more than $417,000 in Municipal Planning Grants to forty-five communities across the state to help them plan for growth and development.
Officials at the Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development announced the Municipal Planning Grants of up to $15,000, which can be used for a variety of planning projects.
‘These grants support the planning activities that are at the heart of Vermont’s Smart Growth strategy,’ said Tayt Brooks, Commissioner of the Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development. ‘While the budget crisis has curtailed the amount available, these investments will help promote economic activity, community development, and housing in our downtowns and village centers, while protecting Vermont’s working landscape.’

MONTPELIER- A new report by Public Assets Institute highlights the toll
taken by the Great Recession and Vermont's failed efforts at job creation
leading up to it. The state's immediate task is to respond to the crushing
downturn and provide jobs for thousands of people who are out of work
through no fault of their own. But Vermont also needs to re-examine its
strategy for sustainable job creation, because current policies, especially
business tax breaks, are not working. Even before this recession, Vermont
was having its worst decade on record for creating new jobs.

The report, "State of Working Vermont 2010," recommends that Vermont
return to the kinds of public investments that have been shown to strengthen
the economy and provide working Vermonters the tools they need to support
their families and prosper.

Bennington and Manchester, Vt. ‘ United Counseling Service Human Resources Director Pam Nemlich, of Manchester Center, has been named Professional of the Year by the Vermont State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

This annual award recognizes leadership in the business community; outstanding service to the human resources community; and service to the civic community.

‘Pam represents the best in the human resources profession in Vermont. She has not only proven herself a strategic thinker and key contributor for her current employer, Pam has also demonstrated these same skills in her many volunteer roles within the community and the HR profession,’ Vermont SHRM State Council Director Ginny Champney said.

MONTPELIER ‘ Commissioner Armando Vilaseca today announced his appointment of Education Finance Manager, Vaughn Altemus, Ph. D., as the department’s new Act 153 Advisor. Dr. Altemus will be a resource to school boards and administrators in implementing the voluntary education governance consolidation components of Act 153 of 2010.

To accommodate this new position, the department will be reorganizing its school finance staff under Education Finance Manager, Brad James, according to Chief Financial Officer Bill Talbott.

‘Our education community is fortunate to have someone of Vaughn’s caliber available to us to focus on this important task,’ said Commissioner Vilaseca. ‘Act 153 has generated significant interest and action across the state, and it is imperative that we are able to provide advice, technical assistance and facilitation to Vermont’s supervisory unions and districts.

Chris Recchia will take the post of Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, and Michael Snyder as Commissioner of Forest, Parks and Recreation. Governor Elect Peter Shumlin made the announcement December 30, 2010.
"Chris and Mike are great additions to the team at the Agency of Natural Resources," Shumlin said. "They each have a strong background in environmental protection, experience in managing open and working landscapes, and the management skills needed to ensure the agency's permitting and other services are offered in a timely and smooth fashion."