Current News

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.

The Honorable Justice Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States will speak at the Coolidge Center at Plymouth, VT on July 30 at 6:45 pm. Justice Breyer will deliver his remarks at the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation’s Annual Dinner. He will speak about his new book Making our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View.
This is Justice Breyer’s first public appearance in Vermont since named to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice Breyer was special assistant to the United States Assistant Attorney General, and assistant special prosecutor on the Watergate Special Prosecution Force. Justice Breyer became a law professor at Harvard Law School in 1967. He was Judge and later Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

The US Small Business Administration announced today that certain Private Non-Profit Organizations (PNPs) that provide non-critical services of a governmental nature may be eligible to apply for low-interest rate disaster loans. These loans are available in Caledonia County in Vermont following a Presidential disaster declaration for Public Assistance resulting from damages caused by the severe storms and flooding that occurred on May 26-27.
The SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs, such as ongoing operating expenses to PNP organizations of all sizes. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the organization suffered any physical property damage.

Green Mountain Power (GMP) hosted the first of two Jobs Fairs in the Northeast Kingdom Tuesday at the Lowell Fire Department in conjunction with the Kingdom Community Wind (KCW) project to be built on Lowell Mountain. About 60 people from the area came to learn about job openings. GMP’s General Contractor, Reed & Reed, along with three newly hired, Vermont-based contractors were on site to speak with attendees.