Current News

Green Mountain Power is expanding its groundbreaking heat pump pilot program to Montpelier as part of the city’s major initiative focused on making Montpelier the first net zero capital city in the country. Green Mountain Power has been running what is believed to be the first utility-sponsored heat pump rental program in the country today, a pilot effort centered in Rutland and intended to save customers money and demonstrate the comfort air-source heat pumps can provide in a cold-weather climate.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer Montpelier residents the opportunity to heat their homes with air-source heat pumps, which will save them thousands of dollars each year and help Montpelier reach its goal of reducing the use of fossil fuels in the city,” said Mary Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Green Mountain Power.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Vermont HITEC have announced that the two institutions have registered over 725 New Hampshire and Vermont candidates to attend one of two information orientation sessions scheduled on Monday, July 28th. Attending an orientation session is the first step in the applicant selection process to becoming one of 20 medical assistants or 10 pharmacy technicians to work at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

MEDIA ADVISORY

What

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Assistant / Pharmacy Technician Workforce Readiness Program Information Session

Who

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Speakers and Guests

· John Malanowski, Chief Human Resources Officer

· Dr. Ethan Berke, Director Primary Care & Population Health

· Marva Williams-Lowe, Director Inpatient Pharmacy

· Linda Sawyer, Manager Outpatient Pharmacy

PC Construction, based in South Burlington, has been awarded a $61.2 million contract to build and modernize facilities at Bath Iron Works in Maine. The expansion at the historic shipyard on the banks of the Kennebec River marks the third major contract with General Dynamics Bath Iron Works for PC Construction, which also has offices in Portland, ME. The project includes the construction of an outfitting hall measuring 311 feet long, 165 feet wide, and 110 feet high; a state-of-the-art blast and paint facility; and a new boiler building designed to increase energy efficiency.

The expansion will employ hundreds of workers from various trades over the course of the multi-building project. With more than 5,600 workers, Bath Iron Works already ranks as one of Maine’s largest private employers.

A delegation from PC Construction was on hand in April when the USS Zumwalt, the Navy’s newest and most technologically advanced destroyer – was christened at Bath Iron Works.

by Anne Galloway and Hilary Niles vtdigger.org A group of immigrant EB-5 investors are incensed that Bill Stenger, president and CEO of Jay Peak Resort, seized ownership of the Tram Haus Lodge and turned their half-million dollar equity stakes in the property into IOUs. Investors had no knowledge of Stenger’s actions until five months after they were executed. Stenger and his partner at Jay Peak, Miami-based Ariel Quiros, dissolved the company on Aug. 31, 2013, turned the investments into unsecured loans and “waived” investors’ legal rights, according to documents obtained by VTDigger. Stenger says he sent an email to investors with the promissory note on Jan. 24 of this year, but he did not mail official, paper copies until May.

by John Herrick vtdigger.org The Vermont Public Service Board late Friday ordered Vermont Gas to halt construction of its natural gas pipeline extension along certain sections of the proposed route until the company submits a soil management plan.

Pipeline opponents say construction in the VELCO transmission line corridor will release a “hazardous” chemical lodged in the soil. The wood preservative used to treat utility poles, pentachlorophenol (PCP), has already appeared in one Monkton resident’s water well near the pipeline route.

About 20 miles of the company’s proposed pipeline extension through Addison County is located in the VELCO corridor. The company has begun staging construction for the 41-mile project to connect its service areas in Chittenden and Franklin counties to Middlebury.

The House on Friday unanimously passed bipartisan legislation that would restore the ability of consumers to more easily transfer their cell phones to other wireless carriers, just one week after the Senate approved the same measure. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) coordinated with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Ranking Member John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) on the issue. The lawmakers praised Congress’s action to pass the pro-consumer bill, which now goes to the White House for signature.

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Friday told the annual convention of the National Association of Letter Carriers that the US Postal Service is not going broke, does not need to close service centers and should not end Saturday delivery service. Sanders drew standing ovations for opposing the cuts in sevices and jobs at the US Postal Service at a time of rising revenue.

Sanders is the chief sponsor of legislation to modernize the US Postal Service, save Saturday mail and prevent other unnecessary cuts in services provided by one of the most popular and important institutions in America.

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc (NYSE: BHLB) reported a 5 percent increase in core earnings per share to $0.44 in the second quarter of 2014 from $0.42 in the prior quarter. Core earnings growth reflected the benefits of the first quarter branch acquisition combined with strong second quarter loan growth. Second quarter GAAP EPS totaled $0.46 per share, reflecting the benefit of the lower GAAP tax rate. The first quarter branch purchase contributed to net non-core charges totaling $0.46 per share in that period, resulting in a $0.04 per share first quarter GAAP loss. There were no material non-core adjustments to operating revenue and expense in the second quarter.

SECOND QUARTER FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (income related comparisons are to prior quarter):

Ledyard Financial Group (Ticker Symbol: LFGP) announced today a $0.04 increase to its quarterly dividend. The dividend of $0.45 is payable September 5, 2014 to shareholders of record as of August 8, 2014. This is the second $0.04 dividend increase declared by the Company during 2014. The dividend was last increased by $0.04 for the dividend paid during March 2014. Strength in the Company’s core businesses is supporting the ability to continue with its dividend payouts and ensure that its shareholders benefit from the Company’s growth in earnings.

Vermont Business Magazine New unemployment claims in Vermont fell again to near their lowest point in recent memory. In early June, claims fell to 400, as filings have spiked and then fallen for most of the year. For the week of July 19, 2014, there were 404 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is a decrease of 180 from the previous week's total, and 124 fewer than they were a year ago. Claims have been generally lower than were at the same time last year. The summer also typically produces fewer claims.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Friday announced Vermont will receive $6.8 million in federal grants from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), up from $6.3 million last year. The grants – under a formula championed by Leahy that protects smaller states like Vermont – will help Vermont develop prevention and preparedness programs to respond to and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events. Leahy said, “First responders know that preparation and prevention plans are a must. These grants ensure that our rural and border state has the resources Vermont needs to prepare for the challenges we will face. Whether those challenges are responding to a national security incident or a natural disaster like Tropical Storm Irene, these grants will help our first responders implement improvements to help ensure that they are prepared.”

Vermont will receive grant awards from two DHS programs:

by Katie Jickling vtdigger.org A legislative committee Thursday approved funding to hire 37 staff members to help implement a massive technological overhaul for the Agency of Health and Human Services. The Joint Fiscal Committee voted 7-2 to allocate up to $600,000 for 37 short-term employees who will help oversee the development of the Integrated Eligibility project, one part of the long-term Health and Human Services Enterprise technology project. The Health and Human Services Enterprise (HSE) system will replace ACCESS, the technological mainframe for the agency that is more than 30 years old. It encompasses all of the agency’s programs and departments, which are divided into four branches.