Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was one of only seven senators recognized today with a Gold Mouse Award from the Congressional Management Foundation for his outreach to constituents using Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

The Gold Mouse Awards “provide guidance to Members of Congress on using the Internet to enhance communication and promote citizen engagement by identifying best practices that can serve as models,” according to the foundation announcement.

Jane Lindholm will deliver the address at Lyndon State College’s 102nd commencement ceremonies on Sunday, May 18, 2014. Lindholm, host of the award-winning Vermont Public Radio program Vermont Edition, has been recognized with regional and national awards for interviewing and use of sound. She was named one of Vermont’s “Rising Stars” by Vermont Business Magazine in 2013 and won a 2014 regional Edward R Murrow Award for “State of Mind,” an audio documentary piece on Vermont’s mental health care system.

Vermont Supreme Court Justice Beth Robinson, widely regarded for her work on LGBT civil rights, will deliver the 39th Commencement address at Vermont Law School on Saturday, May 17, President and Dean Marc Mihaly announced today.

In addition to honoring Robinson, VLS will confer honorary degrees upon U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, NextGen Climate founder Tom Steyer, former VLS Dean Geoffrey Shields, and artist and writer Genie Shields.

V/T Commercial announces the addition of Chris Sherman to the V/T Commercial sales team. Chris brings 15 years of sales and finance experience to the firm with a strong business and finance background. Chris was most recently with Burton Snowboards as National Sales Director, and Credit Director. An extensive family background in construction combined with a savvy business acumen makes him a valuable addition to the V/T Commercial team.

Nearly 100 National Life Group employees took time away from work on Friday to clean up trash, plant gardens, and spruce up trails.

The work was part of the company’s Volunteer Day, planned in conjunction with the Vermont’s annual Green Up Day to beautify roadsides each spring.

Many National Life Group volunteers worked on Green Up Day roadside projects. But many also fanned out to other nonprofits across central and northern Vermont to offer their labor.

The Youth Safety Council of Vermont (YSCVT) welcomes Bill Merrylees of East Montpelier to its staff. Bill will be presenting the Turn Off Texting demonstration to high schools and driver education programs across Vermont.

The thirteenth annual Rose Black Nursing Excellence Awards and the second annual Licensed Nursing Assistant Awards were recently presented to six Central Vermont Medical Center nurses who provide their patients with superior and compassionate nursing care. Edith Black Zfass and Dr. Percy Black, Rose Black’s daughter and son, welcomed everyone and gave thanks to award recipients and all of the nurses at CVMC, on behalf of their mother and the Black family.

Northwestern Medical Center earned a ninth consecutive Gold Standard Level Award from the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports and the Vermont Department of Health on March 27, 2014.

NMC was one of 99 businesses that applied for the 2013 awards and was one of just four Vermont hospitals to earn the Gold Level Award.

Attorney Alan Sylvester of the Burlington, Vermont law firm Sylvester & Brow was featured in the 2014 Best Lawyers in New England for achieving the milestone listing of 30 years inclusion in Best Lawyers in America.

As a result of the efforts of some 145 volunteers, Vermonters saved more than $4 million this tax season, as reported by AARP Vermont. About 10,500 state and federal tax filings were made by AARP Tax-Aide volunteers in this tax season at 62 sites across the state – at no charge to taxpayers. In addition, nearly $500,000 in earned income tax credits were applied to returns. These volunteer counselors also provided tax counsel and advice to hundreds more who visited free sites during the tax season but did not need to file.