Troops to get a little Vt. sweetness

The Rutland Herald reports that "the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association is asking producers to donate a gallon of dark amber or lighter maple syrup to Operation Vermont Maple Sweetness, which in turn repackages the syrup and ships it to U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq." Last year 900 gallons of syrup were shipped to troops abroad. According to Richard Green, who runs a sugaring operation in Pultney, "We got very nice feedback from Vermonters and non-Vermonters.  It kind of reminded [the troops] of home. Those who said they weren’t Vermonters said it was nice to be remembered back home.”

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Update on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 01:43PM by VCF Staff

Record set for number of pints sent to troops abroad
Vermont Public Radio reports that "for a fourth year in a row, sugarmakers have donated maple syrup to Vermont soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan." Vermonters donated 6,200 pint, a record.  "The syrup was packaged for shipment to soldiers on Saturday."

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Peace march and rally mark 5 years of Iraq war

The Burlington Free Press reports that about 200 people met in front of the Burlington City Hall on Saturday, March 22, 2008, to mark the five year anniversary of the war in Iraq. The demonstrators marched around downtown Burlington and ended in front of city hall, where a rally followed. Speakers at the event "included Vermont legislators and veterans of the Iraq War," who called for immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

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Special Olympics a success

The Bennington Banner reports that "261 athletes from across the state competed in the 2008 Special Olympics Vermont Winter Games held the weekend of March 14-16." Notably, "participation in the 2008 Games increased 32 percent over last year." The Games were "divided into three days of competition including alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoe and snowboarding."

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Community's Unsung Heroes Recognized During Special Celebration

The Caledonian Record reports that "a handful of the Northeast Kingdom's unsung community heroes" were recongized at a celebration dinner at St. Johnsbury Academy for "community service that often slips under the public radar." The awardees included: Gloria Bakker, manager of the meal site at Grace United Methodist Church in St. Johnsbury; Kim Blaisdell, program coordinator and camp counselor at the St. Johnsbury Recreation Department; Melissa Bridges, outreach and education director at the St. J. Food Co-op; Kay Clifford, meal-site manager at the North Congregational Church in St. Johnsbury; Margaret Masure, co-coordinator at Kingdom Recovery Center in St. Johnsbury; Debby Minor, a member of the grange for more than 25 years and co-chairman of the Lyndonville food shelf; Barbara Rice, basketball coach and Cub Scout pack leader; Tara Robinson Holt, program coordinator at Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium in St. Johnsbury; Tom Turek, co-founder of the town's youth lacrosse program; and Peter Wright, a faculty member at St. Johnsbury Academy, advisor, and coach."

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Williston recognizes longtime resident for community service

The Burlington Free Press reports that Williston resident Ruth Painter was "recently recognized by the town for her selfless devotion to causes such as peace and anti-hunger and for a long history of involvement in the community." Indeed, "the town's 2007 annual report was dedicated to her" and states that Painter "is truly a Williston gem." Painter currently "volunteers for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Vermont Respite House, where she visits weekly to fold laundry."

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Guard leaders expect large-scale mobilization

The Rutland Herald reports that "the commander of the Vermont National Guard says the force is preparing for a 'large-scale deployment' to the Middle East within the next two years." Notably, more than half of the 4,000 Guard members have served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other areas in the Middle East and Asia" during the past five years.

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The United Way of Southern Windsor County on the verge of closing its doors

The Times Argus reports that the United Way of Southern Windsor County, the smallest of the 10 United Ways in Vermont, "is on the verge of closing its doors after 50 years, as it struggled with the third straight year of unmet campaign goals." Indeed, "with donations shrinking, the agency is in danger of violating one of its own rules, that 25 percent or less of an agency's budget go into administration." The organization currently "serves about 18 villages and towns in the region, including Springfield, Ludlow, Andover, Chester, Baltimore, Cavendish, Weathersfield, Windsor, West Windsor, Reading, Weston and Woodstock." Its 16 partners "partners range from locally founded organizations to Vermont arms of national groups, such as the Epilepsy Foundation and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program." Earlier this week the organization received several surprise donations which makes Mary Helen Hawthorne, the part-time executive director or the organization, optimistic. Hawthorne believes "that a combination of the poor economy and changing demographics in this part of the state has created the worst year of fund-raising for the group."

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Update on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 11:27AM by VCF Staff

United Way of Southern Windsor County May Close at End of December
The Rutland Herald reports that at the annual meeting for United Way of Southern Windsor County on March 18, 2008, Board President Steve Hier said that because of "declining fund raising and volunteerism, the Board voted to cease operations on December 31, 2008, unless there is an outpouring of money." Hier also added that "he recently met with representatives from the United Ways of Bennington County and of the Upper Valley to make sure there is a continued presence in the area when and if the Southern Windsor County United Way is dissolved."

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Vt. lawmakers mull idea of same-day voter registration

The Times Argus reports that some Vermont lawmakers are considering "allowing residents to register to vote right up through Election Day" in order to boost total voter turnout by about five percent. According to Paul Burns, the executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, same-day registration could increase the youth vote by 10 percent and the low-income vote by 6 percent. Currently, "at least nine other states, including neighbors New Hampshire and Maine, allow residents to register to vote on the same day as an election, and advocates say that has led to increased voter turnout." In Vermont, however, "residents must register to vote six days prior to an election, usually the Wednesday prior to a Tuesday election." Notably, "while Vermont has a higher turnout than the national average, it still ranks 17th among the states."

According to Donna Kinville, South Burlington's town clerk, some "town clerks and other local election officials, [who] fully support the idea of increasing voter turnout, have serious logistical concerns with the proposal." Indeed, "Kinville and other clerks said they worried about the integrity of elections because same-day registration could increase the chances of voter fraud. They also worried about what some see as another unfunded mandate from Montpelier because municipalities might have to hire additional poll workers."

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Vermont Chamber Website ramps up effort to show lawmakers' voting records

The Times Argus reports that the Vermont Chamber of Commerce will launch a new website called the Vermont Prosperity Project that will list roll call votes in the Vermont House of Representatives and Senate, and votes from 2007. The site will also "include brief biographies and ways to get in touch with elected officials." Duane Marsh, presdient of the Chamber, said, "He hopes the effort will attract business owners and managers, many of whom are already involved in the chamber's advocacy work, [and] workers who may not have thought of themselves as the group's constituency."

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Idea hatched by Brattleboro Union High School students may become law

The Brattleboro Reformer reports that "an idea that started in a classroom at Brattleboro Union High School (BUHS) got a step closer to becoming a Vermont law" on Thursday, March 13th. The idea, now known as House Bill 338, "requires the state to work toward ensuring that all apparel purchases come from sweatshop-free factories." The idea for the bill was originally hatched in a special social studies class by BUHS students who are members of the Child Labor Education and Action Project or CLEA. Apparently "there was so much enthusiasm for the idea that it was taken to the high school board, which adopted it and required BUHS to seek out uniforms that were manufactured in factories that protect the human rights of the workers." Then "last year, Rep. Sarah Edwards, P-Brattleboro, heard about the movement and contacted the students about the work they were doing." The students and Rep. Edwards worked together and during the 2007 session, "the bill was introduced but never made it out of committee." Notably, "if the bill is signed by the governor later this year, purchases of uniforms for corrections workers, state police and park rangers would have to come from suppliers who certify that the goods were produced in factories that comply with U.S. workplace laws." In addition, "the commissioner of buildings and general services would have to report to the Legislature every year on the compliance of the rules."

The bill is expected to be approved by the House today. If it passes, "it will move over to the Senate Government Operations Committee."

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Update on Thursday, April 3, 2008 at 11:47AM by VCF Staff

Lawmakers near ban on sweatshop purchases
The Times Argus reports that "Vermont is on track to become the seventh state in the country to ban the government purchase of clothing and other materials that are manufactured in overseas sweatshops." Indeed, on Wednesday, members of the school's Child Labor Education and Action Project saw their proposal pass the Senate Government Operations Committee in a 5-0 vote." The proposal "is expected to easily be approved by the full Senate in less than a week before going to Gov. James Douglas for his signature."

Currently, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois and California are the only states that require "clothing and textiles – ranging from State Police uniforms to towels and sheets for prisoners – be manufactured in worker-friendly environments."

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Update on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 11:45AM by VCF Staff

Group Links Sweatshops to Vermont
The Times Argus reports that according to SweatFree Communities, a nationwide organization that works with communities to end taxpayer support for sweatshops, "at least three companies that contract with the state of Vermont for clothes and other materials are linked to overseas sweatshops with poor human rights records." Those companies include Bob Barker Co., Rocky Brands, Inc., and and Longhorn Screen Printing.

According to SweatFree Communities, Bob Barker Co., a North Carolina business that supplies Vermont with corrections uniforms, "has been linked to a Bangladesh factory that caught fire in February 2006." The fire killed 300 workers, who were mostly teenage girls." Other anti-sweatshop groups have reported "forced overtime, seven-day work weeks, low wages and physical abuse" at the factory. Notably, Bob Barker Co. "has denied any link to the Bangladesh factory." Activists have also linked Rocky Brands, which supplies the state with boots and shoes, to "alleged sweatshops in China, Mexico and Honduras, including one factory where thousands of workers went on strike in January claiming that the factory owners had embezzled their paychecks for the last six years."

In response to the findings, Robin Orr, director of internal services at the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services, said that "the state never considered if its contractors are linked to sweatshops, but is taking this information very seriously."

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Brattleboro students take STAND against genocide

The Brattleboro Reformer reports that three Brattleboro Union High School students attended a conference in Boston to "discuss the crisis in Darfur and how best to implement strategies to encourage national lawmakers to take action against genocide." The three students are members of STAND, a national student anti-genocide coalition. At the conference "attendees learned how to contact their national legislators" and "how best to urge [legislators] to help resolve the situation in Darfur." The students also "took workshops on how to make contacts" and "on how to follow through on their phone calls and letters to their legislators." According to Monique Bird, the Midwest Regional Media Coordinator and a member of STAND's national student leadership team. "the purpose of the conference was to update students on the worsening situation in Darfur so they can go back to their own communities and spread the word and advocate on behalf of appropriate legislation." Notably "to date, an estimated 400,000 people have been killed in Darfur and more than 2.5 million have been displaced."

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U.S. Army launches pilot program in Vermont to boost recruitment

The Burlington Free Press reports that in hopes of boosting recruitment, the U.S. Army has launched a new pilot program in Vermont called the Army Advantage Fund. Through the program, enlisting soldiers are now "eligible for up to $40,000 toward a new home or business if they enlist for more than five years." The program is currently in "test phase in five markets" and as of February, "39 enlistees nationwide had taken advantage of the program" with most selecting the home ownership option.

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Blanket Brigade brings comfort to sick and injured children in Afghanistan

The Burlington Free Press reports that on February 23rd, the Blanket Brigade, a group of about a dozen volunteers, "cut, stitched and sewed 40 fleece blankets" for sick and injured children in Afghanistan. "Every blanket contains two layers of fleece," measures 52-by-72 inches, and comes "in an array of colors and designs." So far "four boxes have been shipped [to Afghanistan], and another four parcels are set to go." Colchester resident Christie Fitzgerald, who formed the Blanket Brigade, has "pledged to avoid making any political statements about the war." She says that the group was "meant to help sick and injured children." Notably, Fitzgerald plans to hold another gathering to make more blankets soon.

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Record high voter turnout in Vermont on March 4

The Brattleboro Reformer reports that "about 41 percent of Vermont's registered voters cast ballots in Tuesday's voting, eclipsing the previous record of 39 percent set in 1980." Secretary of State Deb Markowitz said the record high turnout may have been "driven by the Democratic presidential primary contest between Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton." More school budgets were also passed this year. Indeed, only "nine school budgets were rejected across the state on Tuesday, down from 17 last year and a long-term average of just over 19." The associations of school boards and superintendents "credit[ed] local school officials who have not asked voters for too much and who have been working hard to make sure voters in their communities were involved in the planning process."

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Update on Monday, March 10, 2008 at 10:59AM by VCF Staff

The Times Argus reports that Vermont Secretary of State Deb Markowitz announced 46.6 percent of registered voters voted in the primary on March 4th. Markowitz commented that a total of 196,575 ballots were cast, and about "155,000 people voted in the Democratic primary"and "about 40,000 people voted in the Republican primary." Notably, the state has about 422,000 registered voters.

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Pew Center gives Vermont a B- for management

The Pew Center on the States has released its 2008 Grading the States Report which assesses the "quality of management in the fifty states." The Center gave the state an overall grade of B-minus and identified the following governmental weaknesses: contracting/purchasing, strategic workforce planning, hiring, strategic direction, performance auditing and evaluation, and online services and information. The Vermont government was credited with the following strengths: retaining employees, maintenance, and intergovernmental coordination.

The report noted that "Vermont is a national leader in handling small discrete issues and huge global ones" but "tends to fall short" in the in-between areas.  The report lauded the state for its work around child welfare and climate change, but said the government needs to formulate better long-term plans and should better utilize technology.

Link to the report