Same Same: Unemployment rate down, employment too

Mon May 20 2013
by the Public Assets Institute, Montpelier May 17, 2013  Vermont’s employment picture was essentially unchanged from March to April. The unemployment rate, labor force, and non-farm jobs all ticked down, but only slightly. Comparing this April to the same month in previous years, the recent trend shows a steady decline in the number of Vermonters who report having jobs, even while the unemployment rate was dropping.

Debt adjustor sanctioned for violating licensing and consumer laws

Mon May 20 2013
American Debt Counseling, Inc, a Florida company that provides debt reduction programs and credit counseling to consumers, will refund almost $4,000 in fees to Vermont consumers and pay the State of Vermont $10,000 to settle claims that the company violated Vermont consumer protection laws.

Merchants Bank donates historic Bennington building

Mon May 20 2013
Representatives of the Merchants Bank, The Fund for North Bennington and the Preservation Trust of Vermont announced today that the Bank has donated its 1864 building in the center of North Bennington Village to the two nonprofit organizations. 

Wynton Marsalis brings a father's perspective to UVM graduation

Mon May 20 2013
Heralding the passage of a college graduation, it’s a happy circumstance to have one of the world’s foremost trumpeters in the house.

Cigna leads Vermont health insurers in denied claims

Mon May 20 2013
by Andrew Stein May 19, 2013 vtdigger.org When Cigna disclosed its claims denials and executive compensation to the state, the publicly traded health insurance company revealed the highest rejection rate in Vermont. Its 2012 filing also contained some key inconsistencies.

GMP, NRG Residential Solar announce partnership, Rutland pilot program

Mon May 20 2013
Green Mountain Power and NRG Residential Solar Solutions, part of NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG) based in New Jersey, have signed a groundbreaking agreement to pilot a central solar lease program in Rutland, Vermont.  The agreement includes the development of two 150-kilowatt solar projects by NRG in the city, adding to GMP’s Solar Capital initiative, and a new NRG office downtown. 

Blue Cross opening new information and wellness center in Vermont

Mon May 20 2013
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) was joined by Governor Peter Shumlin Monday to announce the opening of the BCBSVT Information and Wellness Center in the Blue Mall in South Burlington. The BCBSVT Information and Wellness Center is an important part of the company’s comprehensive outreach effort to support and assist Vermonters in their transition into Vermont’s new health benefits exchange – Vermont Health Connect, later this year. 

Speaker Smith highlights Vermont legislative successes in the first half of 2013-2014 biennium

Mon May 20 2013
Vermont Speaker of the House Shap Smith made the following statement at the end of the 2013 legislative session. “This week, the legislature completed a successful first half of the biennium.  We have recognized that in times of great uncertainty it is our responsibility to make investments in the state that will make it stronger.  These have included investments in our communities, in our infrastructure, and in our people. 

Some bills will just have to wait for next year

Mon May 20 2013
by Nat Rudarakanchana May 19, 2013 vtdigger.org An attempt to regulate police Taser use and training more closely stalled, despite calls from advocates and relatives of victims of Taser use. The House Government Operations Committee decided it needed more time to address the concerns of police, who feared regulators would micromanage the use of an effective weapon.

UVM hires RPI engineering dean as new provost

Mon May 20 2013
University of Vermont President E Thomas Sullivan today announced his decision to appoint David V Rosowsky, dean of the School of Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as Provost and Senior Vice President, beginning August 1, 2013.

Bailey, Ward, Westman elected Vermont Electric Co-op directors

Mon May 20 2013
Results of Vermont Electric Cooperative’s (VEC) director elections and proposed bylaw amendment were announced during the Cooperative’s 75th Annual Meeting held at Smugglers’ Notch on Saturday, May 18, 2013. Eighteen candidates vied for three seats with four-year terms on VEC’s board of directors. The results are as follows:

House committee approves Farm Bill, key Vermont priorities included

Fri May 17 2013
The US House Agriculture Committee approved a Farm Bill this week on a bipartisan vote of 36-10.  The bill is expected to be debated by the full House of Representatives this summer.  

New wireless service available in Bethel

Fri May 17 2013
Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that an innovative collaboration to address much needed wireless service is fully operational in Bethel. Working together, the State of Vermont, the Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA), the Town of Bethel, AT&T and FairPoint helped solve a challenge facing GW Plastics, a leading manufacturer of plastic injection molded products.  The lack of cell coverage was presenting challenges, and Brenan Riehl, President and CEO of GW Plastics, need

Greater Burlington YMCA awarded $250,000 Robert Wood Johnson grant to combat childhood obesity in Vermont

Fri May 17 2013
The Greater Burlington YMCA  was selected as one of 14 YMCA's across the country to lead Pioneering Healthier Communities (PHC) - an initiative that addresses the childhood obesity epidemic in its region through policy, sytems and environmental change.   Following a successful completion of a competitive application process, the Greater Burlington YMCA was awarded a $250,000 program grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). 

Weekly unemployment claims fall for third week

Fri May 17 2013
New unemployment claims in Vermont fell again last week to below 700, the lowest level this spring. For the week of May 11, 2013, there were 679 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is a decrease of 243 from the previous week's total, and 53 fewer than they were a year ago.

Vermont unemployment rate drops to 4.0 percent in April

Fri May 17 2013
The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for April 2013 was 4.0 percent. This represents a decline of one-tenth of a percent from the prior month’s estimate of 4.1 percent. The comparative national average was 7.5 percent which was down one-tenth of a percent from March. April 2013 represents the ninth consecutive month without an increase to the unemployment rate in Vermont. As of the prior month’s data, Vermont’s unemployment rate was the third lowest in the country.

ECFiber raises another $430,000, plans next phase of expansion

Fri May 17 2013
The next phase of ECFiber’s broadband deployment received a sizable boost when local investors connected to its 23 town service territory purchased $430,000 of its 2013 Series ta

2013 VAB Commercial of the Year winners announced

Fri May 17 2013
Commercials for Westaff and Allen Pools and Spas were the winners of the Best in Show awards announced May 16 at the Vermont Association of Broadcasters annual convention in Montpelier.  Mt. Mansfield Media of Colchester won the Best in Show award for television for a commercial for Westaff entitled, “SH@! Bad Employees Do.”  Mt. Mansfield also won the award for best produced agency television commercial for another Westaff commercial, “When Bad Employees Go Viral.” 

Lawmakers to examine lobbyists for publicly funded groups

Fri May 17 2013
by Anne Galloway May 16, 2013 vtdigger.org A little-known, six-paragraph provision that passed in the Senate just five hours before adjournment on Tuesday could lay the groundwork for significant changes in the way business is conducted at the Vermont Statehouse.

Dupre named new Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health

Thu May 16 2013
Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that Paul Dupre of Barre, Executive Director of Washington County Mental Health Services, Inc (WCMHS), will become the new state Commissioner of Mental Health. Dupre has worked closely with the Department of Mental Health, the Vermont Council of Developmental and Mental Health Services, consumers, families and advocates in developing and implementing a recovery philosophy in community settings. He replaces Acting Commissioner Mary Moulton, who will return to her previous position at WCMHS. 

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