Susan L Donegan, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation announced Wednesday that the Vermont Health CO-OP failed to meet Vermont’s insurance standards and was denied a license to sell health insurance in Vermont. The Vermont Health CO-OP (consumer operated and oriented plan) is a non-profit organization funded by loans from the federal government, which submitted an application to be licensed as a mutual member-owned health insurance company.

Members of RealTalk and allies, including Dartmouth students, alums, staff, and faculty, have filed a Clery complaint with the Office of Civil Rights against Dartmouth College for violating federal regulations. The Clery Act requires colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose crime information on and near their respective campuses. The US Department of Education can impose civil penalties, up to $35,000 per violation, against institutions for each infraction and can suspend institutions from participating in federal student financial aid programs.

Marcia Oullette inducts 13 students into the National Technical Honor Society

Newport High School inducted Ten Newport Students into the National Honor Society and Thirteen Students into the National Technical Honor Society on Tuesday Night during the Annual Honors Banquet at the Newport Opera House.

Little did Sunapee residents know when Scott Hazelton became Sunapee Highway Department Director two weeks ago, they got a crime fighter too. On May 15, just after 6 am Hazelton stopped by the Town’s gravel/storage area where he found someone allegedly taking scrap metal. He blocked the unknown vehicle in and called Sunapee Police. Police arrested and charged Dallas A. Bona 33, of Somersworth NH on one charge of Theft by Unauthorized Taking or Transfer and Acts Prohibited, police also found a hypodermic needle, a spoon with an unknown substance and a prescription pill bottle. Bona appears in court on June 4 to answer charges.

NH Senator Bob O’Dell

The NH Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously voted to ban the Business Enterprise Tax on tipped wages on Tuesday. Senator Bob O’Dell issued the following statement,
“The Department of Revenue Administration’s own Business Enterprise Tax guidelines state that pass-though wages, like tips, should not be considered compensation under the BET. It appears the department decided to move in another direction on this issue by asking restaurants to collect the tax with the possibility of audits.
“Creating new taxes on employers based on dollars their businesses do not count as income is the wrong approach to take towards the state’s hospitality industry, particularly as we near the summer tourism season. Today’s vote establishes a clear statutory guideline against this sort of taxation and I look forward to a strong, bipartisan vote in support of the bill on the floor next week.”