Current News

During a visit to a drafty, 19th century building in downtown Barre, Rep. Peter Welch on Tuesday unveiled new legislation to improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and apartments.
Welch’s proposed Building Star legislation (H.R. 5476) would provide rebates and low-interest loans to business owners and apartment building owners who install energy saving materials and products. The program would create 150,000 jobs by spurring private investment in commercial energy retrofits. It would save business owners $3 billion annually on their energy bills.
‘Building Star will put people to work across the country, taking on our nation’s energy problem directly. At the same time, it will provide crucial support to owners of small businesses and apartment buildings, helping them cut their energy bills,’ Welch said. ‘Building Star will create quality jobs, support small businesses and cut harmful carbon emissions.’

A new rule for protecting archeological and historical sites during development under Act 250 is in place after a legislative panel signed off the changes.
Officials from the Douglas administration said the new rule would maintain the protection of archeological sites while making it easier for applicants to comply with the state’s environmental protection and development control law.
‘This new rule should make the process of applying for an Act 250 permit smoother and more predictable for an applicant under the ‘historic sites’ section of Criterion 8,’ said Tayt Brooks, Commissioner of Economic, Housing and Community Development, including the Division for Historic Preservation.
Under Act 250, the division makes recommendations to the district environmental commissions on whether a proposed development would impact ‘historic sites,’ including archeological sites.

Central Vermont Community Action Council is on track to distribute nearly $5 million in ARRA funds to train Vermonters in solar, wind-power, weatherization, and other green jobs by the end of 2011.
The $4.86 million grant awarded to CVCAC by the US Department of Labor in January, is to coordinate green-job training across the state. CVCAC has created Vermont Green, (Vermont Growing Renewable Energy/Efficiency Employment Network), a statewide partnership to identify, create, and sponsor various training opportunities. The diverse array of partners includes private businesses, education institutions, organizations working directly with job seekers, and local government officials.

The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund has awarded $334,765 in grant funds to develop local biofuels and foster the development of a viable biomass-to-biofuels industry in Vermont that uses local resources to replace petroleum with renewable alternatives.
Ellen Kahler, VSJF Executive Director, stated that the “catastrophe of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is yet another reminder of the consequences of our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels for energy. As the devastating ecological, cultural, and economic consequences of the spill unfold in the Gulf of Mexico, Vermont is continuing to explore opportunities for entrepreneurs, farmers, educators and others to develop renewable, sustainable energy alternatives. “

Attorney General William H Sorrell announced today that his office has completed its review of a special investigation conducted by the Vermont State Police into activities at the Vermont Police Academy in Pittsford, VT, to determine if any criminal misconduct occurred. Suspicion of possible misconduct came to light in late 2009, when certain inappropriate e-mails were discovered on four employees’ work computers. After this discovery, Rutland County Sheriff Stephen Benard, the Chair of the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council, ordered the seizure and examination of the four state-owned computers used by the employees.

The National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR www.napsr.org ), a non-profit organization that serves to promote natural gas and propane safety, will hold its Eastern Regional Meeting in Essex Junction on July 14, 2010. State and federal regulators will be joined by Vermont energy executives to discuss a variety of emerging issues, according to Hans Mertens, Director of Engineering Services at the Vermont Department of Public Service and current NAPSR Chairman.

With the Ethan Allen Farm as a backdrop, US Senators Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy today unveiled legislation to stabilize dairy prices and preserve the family farms that have been a fixture of Vermont culture for centuries.
Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced The Dairy Market Stabilization Act. The bill was cosponsored by Leahy (D-Vt.), the senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who serves in Senate leadership, also is an original cosponsor of the measure.
“Too many farms that have been in the same family for generations already have been forced out of business,” Sanders said at the dairy farm where John and Joyce Belter and their son Todd manage a herd of 450 Holsteins. “This is a crisis not only for our farmers and the communities that depend on them, but for consumers who demand fresh, locally-produced foods for their families.”

The world’s metals industries lost a pioneer in the field of continuous casting and Vermont lost a remarkable engineer and employer with the passing of R William (Bill) Hazelett at age 91, on June 27, 2010. Son of CW Hazelett, the inventor of the twin-belt casting machine, Bill founded the Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation and commercialized the design. The Hazelett twin-belt caster is employed extensively in nonferrous strip casting and is the heart of the Contirod continuous copper rod casting process used in the production of over 30 percent of the world’s copper wire.

Moody’s Investors Services has announced that it has downgraded the City of Burlington’s general obligation credit rating two notches from Aa3 to A2. Moody’s moved the City’s status from a ‘negative watch’ to ‘negative outlook,’ which means that the credit rating company will not review Burlington’s status until the City next pursues a bond sale. The Moody’s action follows its decision in March of this year to downgrade the City’s credit rating and place Burlington on a 90-day negative watch period. That action resulted in an A2 rating, which was subsequently raised back to Aa3 when Moody’s recalibrated all municipal credit ratings to reflect general improvements in the municipal bond arena.

Native Americans and European settlers used the ancient waterways of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) for commerce and trade. Today this 740-mile recreation trail echoes the past by providing both an economic stimulus for businesses and outdoor adventure along its path.
USDA Rural Development has supported the trail’s recreation and development efforts through three states since 2008 ‘ with Rural Business Enterprise Grants of $290,000 in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. These funds have been used to assist small businesses, create regional linkages, work on product development, promote tourism near the trail route and ensure sustainability for the future.

Play at the New England Women’s Golf Association Championship concluded yesterday with Samantha Morrell of Laurel Lane Golf Club (RI) winning with three consecutive rounds of 74 for a final score of 6 over at the Killington Golf Club. Tara Joy Connelly of Cohasset Golf Club (MA) was second at 8 over. Mary Chamberlain of Cummaquid Country Club (MA) was third at 9 over.
The Legend Champion was Nancy Chaffee of RI. The Senior Champion was Joanne Catlin (MA). The Junior Champion was Kristen Garabedian (VT) who also placed 9th overall.
Massachusetts continued their domination of the Cartin Competition winning for the 11th straight year. Massachusetts edged out Vermont by 6 stokes winning 654 to 661.

1

Samantha Morrell
NoLambert's Point GC
74
74
74
222

2

Tara Joy-Connelly
Cohasset GC
73
76
75
224

An officer with the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles today arrested Brian Wells, 26, of Boston, Massachusetts at the DMV branch office on North Avenue in Burlington and charged him with attempting to obtain an operator’s license using a stolen identity.
Vermont DMV Detective Peter Bottino responded to the Burlington DMV office after receiving a call from DMV Customer Service Specialist Sara Jelen. Wells is also suspected of obtaining two other Vermont photo operator’s licenses containing stolen identities: one from the Springfield DMV branch and the other from the Bennington office.
Wells’ photo was distributed to DMV counter staff, who were instructed to be on the lookout for him. Wells is suspected of committing numerous frauds in California and Massachusetts using fraudulently obtained Vermont licenses. Charges are also expected in those jurisdictions.