Current News

Cornell Nutritional Expert, Vermont Baby Formula Company Urge Parents Not to Dilute Formula with Extra Water
GEORGIA, Vt., Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to press reports of parents diluting baby formula in this difficult economy, a nutritional expert and a leading manufacturer of infant formula are urging parents to breastfeed or use formula responsibly by following the instructions on the can.
"It is critical that parents refrain from diluting baby formula with extra water during these tough economic times," said Barbara S. Levine, R.D., Ph.D., director of the first NIH-funded Nutrition Information Center at Weill Cornell Medical College. "If parents choose to formula feed, they must remember it is an infant's sole source of nutrition."

MONTPELIER, Vt. The numbers are in, and the state's new job creation incentive program had a strong rookie season, creating 265 new jobs and generating nearly $600,000 in new tax revenues for Vermont in 2007.

A final report released by the Vermont Economic Progress Council and the Vermont Department of Taxes, which jointly administer the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive program, shows that the seven companies approved for activity during its first year created $10 million in new payroll.

They also made $23 million in capital investments, and the new jobs and economic activity generated an estimated $583,000 in net new tax revenues to the state, almost twice what was initially estimated.

Governor announces Career Readiness Program

NativeEnergy Partners with Cascade Sierra Solutions
Energy Efficiency Partnership Expecting To Save Over 2 Million Gallons of Fuel & Reduce Air Pollution
[December 3, 2008] South Burlington, VT- NativeEnergy, an international marketer of high quality carbon offsets and renewable energy credits (RECs), today announced its first energy efficiency project partnership, adding to its portfolio of effective climate crisis solutions. Working with Cascade Sierra Solutions (CSS), a non-profit organization dedicated to making ground freight transportation more energy efficient and sustainable, NativeEnergy continues its mission providing clients with high quality emissions reductions from new projects that have significant social value.
Cascade Sierra Solutions helps truckers to save fuel and reduce emissions from long haul, heavy-duty diesel trucks. NativeEnergy is supporting Cascade Sierra Solutions objective to upgrade and/or replace 50,000 trucks by 2013.

Public Comment period extended to Dec. 15:

Burlington Waterfront Access North Transportation Improvement Project
The City of Burlington will extend the deadline for public comment on the alternative designs focused on access to the Waterfront until Dec 15, 2008. For further details go to http://www.cedoburlington.org/waterfront/waterfront_access_north_project...
The proposed alternative designs include:

* Base improvements to Battery Street: new signals, streetlights and crosswalks

* Base improvements to Depot Street: selective restriction of motor vehicles, pavement, street lights, pedestrian connection to Sherman Street and a sidewalk connecting to Lake Street.

* Base improvements to the Lake Street and the Moran site: paving, streetlights, storm water improvements, bike path paving, sidewalks and crosswalks.
Or

First Year of New Economic Incentive Program Successful

Week Ending November 29, 2008
There were 1,823 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 261 from the week before. Altogether 10,628 new and continuing claims were filed, 1,136 more than a week ago and 2,266 more than a year earlier. In addition, the Department processed 1,144 claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008, an increase of 18 from last week.
The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/

Previously released Unemployment Weekly Reports and other UI reports can be found at:
http://www.vtlmi.info/lmipub.htm#uc

ABC FORECASTS DOWNTURN

Food Stamp Participation Reaches All-Time High in Vermont During Holiday Season
Burlington, VT, December 2, 2008 - While many in Vermont were savoring Thanksgiving treats last week, others were signing up for food assistance; 60,062 Vermonters, almost 1 in 10, now participate in the Food Stamp Program according to data released by the Department for Children and Families. This number is up by over 1,500 in just one month, up 7,000 since this time last year, and represents a record high for Vermont.

PSB approves small rate increase
RUTLAND, VT The Vermont Public Service Board has approved a small rate increase for Central Vermont Public Service (NYSE-CV), an increase of one-third of a percent.
The increase will take effect with bills rendered starting Jan. 1, 2009. In its order approving the rate increase, the PSB also opened an investigation to review CVPS's rates and could reduce rates after doing so.
The bill for a residential customer who uses 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month will rise from $73.11 to $73.35, a difference of 24 cents.
By comparison, the same customer would pay up to $83.16 elsewhere in Vermont, and as much as $117.45 elsewhere in New England, according to the Edison Electric Institute.
"We have worked hard to control costs," CVPS spokesman Steve Costello said. "Our long-term contracts with Vermont Yankee and Hydro-Quebec continue to provide us with a strong competitive advantage in the Northeast."

The Fastest ISPs in Americaand Where You Live
function setCookie(name, value) {
var expire = new Date();
var today = new Date();
expire.setTime(today.getTime() + 1000*60*60*24*4);
document.cookie = name + "=" + escape(value) + "; path=/" + ((expire == null) ? "" : ("; expires=" + expire.toGMTString()))
}
function getCookie(Name) {
var search = Name + "="
if (document.cookie.length > 0) {// if there are any cookies
offset = document.cookie.indexOf(search)
if (offset != -1) { // if cookie exists
offset += search.length;
// set index of beginning of value
end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", offset)
// set index of end of cookie value
if (end == -1)
end = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(offset, end))
}
}
}
function getMemberName(x) {
// Check for new style cookie

Time is Money: PCMag.com Names the Fastest ISPs in America