Vermont Business Magazine Anne Watson, currently serving as the Mayor of Montpelier, announced today that she is running for the Vermont Senate to represent the Washington Senate District in the 2022 Democratic primary election, to be held on August 9th. This announcement comes shortly after current Washington County Senator, Anthony Pollina, made it known publicly that he will not seek re-election.
Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos praised Vermont nurses on this year’s National Nurses Day. “Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system; they provide compassionate care to us and our loved ones in our times of greatest need,” said Condos. “The past two-plus years have demonstrated the essential role nurses play in caring for our communities, whether in our homes or health care systems, schools, or clinics. We are indebted to, and grateful for, the nurses who provide exceptional care and comfort to Vermont citizens. They truly make a difference in our lives.”
Vermont Business Magazine Seven Days, Vermont’s free, independent newsweekly based in Burlington, won 23 first-place awards in this year’s New England Better Newspaper Competition — including top honors in investigative, climate change and religious issue reporting, and the prize for general excellence. Staff writer Chelsea Edgar received the top reporting prize for all weekly newspapers in the region: Reporter of the Year. The contest is organized by the New England Newspaper & Press Association; winners were announced at NENPA’s annual convention in Boston on April 30. This competition is the largest and most comprehensive journalism recognition program in New England.
Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott signed bill H.629 into law giving adopted persons greater access to their adoption records. The Vermont Adoption Registry is the central point of contact for information about all adoptions that have taken place in Vermont since 1940. The registry is part of the Department for Children and Families.
Vermont Business Magazine In an email to supporters today, former Department of Financial Regulation Commissioner Michael Pieciak of Winooski declared his candidacy for the office of Vermont Treasurer. Current Treasurer Beth Pearce announced on Wednesday that she would not seek reelection because of health concerns. Pieciak has served as DFR Commissioner in both the Shumlin and Scott Administrations. VermontBiz obtained a copy of the email this morning. He has played a prominent role in the investigation of the EB-5 fraud centered at Jay Peak Resort and in the state's COVID-19 response. Pieciak has been a regular participant in Governor Phil Scott's press conferences and presented the state's COVID-19 data modeling.
Vermont Business Magazine Common Good Vermont is pleased to announce the Vermont launch of the 2022 Survey on Nonprofit Wages and Benefits in Northern New England. The survey is conducted every two years in partnership with the Maine Association of Nonprofits and the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits and is used to produce an annual report that tells an important and deeply informative story about nonprofit employment in Vermont and northern New England.
Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced that Deputy Secretary of State Chris Winters and members of his elections division attended a two-day regional conference on election cybersecurity and preparedness alongside other New England colleagues and federal partners led by the Depart of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (DHS CISA).
Vermont Business Magazine Bipartisan legislation backed by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to crack down on anticompetitive behavior by foreign oil producing nations advanced Thursday in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill now goes to the full Senate.
The No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act, or NOPEC, will let the federal government take action against price fixing by OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and its partner nations. The bill is sponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and cosponsored by Leahy and by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah). Their bill was approved in a strong vote of 17 to 4. Leahy, a former chair and ranking member of the committee, led in developing and introducing earlier versions of the bill.
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 345 cases of COVID-19 for Wednesday. There were 504 on Tuesday, 304 on Monday, 98 on Sunday, 294 cases on Saturday, 323 on Friday and 417 on Thursday. Cases have edged up in recent weeks, especially in Bennington and Washington counties, and grew 5 percent in the last week (2,317 new cases, 318 more cases compared to last week).
Vermont Business Magazine Today Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced his plans for the 2022 campaign cycle by issuing the following statement:
“I will not seek reelection as Attorney General in 2022. I have wrestled with this decision for the past few months and it feels like the right choice. After nearly sixteen years as an elected official (19 years in public service), it is time to take a break from the political world and pursue other opportunities.
Vermont Business Magazine Nick Guastamachio wasn’t sure which employers were going to be at May Job Fest: Rutland, but after learning about the event he decided to take a look. Having recently applied to a few customer-service positions, Guastamachio used the job fair to explore and reconnect.