Current News

Fitch Ratings affirms the 'AAsf' student loan notes issued by Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, series 2011-A1 (VSAC 2011-A1). The Rating Outlook remains Stable. A detailed list of rating actions follows at the end of this press release.

Fitch's Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria and Private Student Loan ABS Criteria were used to review the transaction.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

Adequate Collateral Quality: The trust is collateralized by approximately $11.79 million of fixed rated private student loans as of May 2014. The loans were originated by VSAC. Fitch projected remaining defaults to range between 15% - 17% as of the current principal balance based on data provided by VSAC. A recovery rate of 15% was applied.

Sufficient Credit Enhancement (CE): CE is provided by overcollateralization (the excess of trust's asset balance over bond balance) and excess spread. As of March 2014, the parity ratio is at 140.19%.

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has filed suit against more than two dozen of the nation’s largest refiners of gasoline for causing widespread pollution of Vermont’s groundwater with the gasoline additive MTBE. “We believe these companies knew years ago that MTBE was a uniquely bad actor in groundwater, and they ignored the risks and sold it anyway,” said Attorney General William H Sorrell. “This lawsuit is about holding them accountable and ensuring that they — and not Vermonters — pay to clean up our groundwater.”

by John Herrick vtdigger.org The Shumlin administration will consider raising taxes for the restoration of Lake Champlain. At Vermont Environmental Consortium’s third annual water quality conference in Burlington on Wednesday, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner David Mears said the administration will have a funding proposal for the cleanup in November. Mears said the state hopes to secure federal funding, eliminate inefficiencies in state government, and raise revenue to meet its commitment to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The state must reduce phosphorus loading into the lake by 36 percent and has proposed its own restoration plan, which is part of its legal obligation under the Clean Water Act.

While largely following population size, a diesel fuel group has ranked states by non-gasoline use and growth in vehicles. California, Texas and Florida lead the US with the most registrations of fuel-efficient clean diesel and hybrid passenger vehicles, according to a new analysis and data released today by the Diesel Technology Forum (http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm). The analysis covers several categories. For instance, North Dakota, Vermont and Illinois are the fastest growing diesel pickup truck states.

The analysis is based on data that includes the registration statistics of all passenger vehicles – cars, SUVS, pickup trucks and vans – that were compiled by R.L. Polk and Company in all 50 states and the District of Columbia through December 31, 2013.

The Lamoille Economic Development Corporation is expanding its contract with Elisa Clancy of 3W Promotions of Hyde Park to offer assistance with marketing planning and implementation free of charge to the business community at large in Lamoille County. This is an expansion of an initiative that the LEDC launched two years ago to offer marketing assistance to agricultural and value added food production businesses. This assistance includes, but is not limited to, researching and writing a marketing plan, preparation of advertising copy and limited graphic design services, branding advice, public relations planning and press release preparation and distribution and investigation of grant opportunities and assistance in grant application writing for funding for marketing and related purposes.

Purchasing auto and homeowner's insurance from the same company leads to an average savings of $270 per year, according to a new insuranceQuotes.com report. That's a 15% discount. The states with the highest average savings are Louisiana ($505), Oklahoma ($468), Texas ($435), Mississippi($422) and Missouri ($366). The lowest are Hawaii ($116), Florida ($147), North Carolina ($166), Vermont ($176) and Idaho ($190). However, Vermont has combined rates ($1,382) that are 22 percent below the national average ($1,775) and ninth lowest overall. Florida, despite seeing lower savings, had the highest overall combined rates ($3.024).

FairPoint Communications, Inc (Nasdaq: FRP), a leading provider of advanced communications in northern New England, has expanded broadband to more than 140 homes and businesses in Barnard, Bethel and Tunbridge. FairPoint states its new fiber-based, high-capacity network offers customers a better, faster way to communicate. It also has upgraded and expanded broadband to more than 220 homes and businesses in Lyndon, Kirby and Sheffield.

FairPoint’s broadband Internet service will reach customers along all or portions of the following streets in:

· Barnard: Angell Road, Chateauguay Road, Fort Defiance Hill, Mount Hunger Road, Old Mount Hunger Road and West Road.

· Bethel: Watts Road.

· Tunbridge: Brocklebank Road, County Turnpike, Foundry Road, Moody Road, Morrill Road, Orchard Road and Strafford Road.

With the launch of a new patient portal this month, called “MyHealthPortal,” BMH Physician Group now offers patients the option to access select portions of their health records online. MyHealthPortal, featured on the BMH Physician Group home page will launch June 2014, giving patients fast, easy access to their personal health information. MyHealthPortal is a personalized, safe, secure and completely confidential communication link between the patient and the providers. Through a secure Internet portal, patients will be able to view portions of the medical record, including lab results and medications. Patients will also be able to schedule routine appointments online, request a prescription renewal, complete patient registration and health forms, as well as view and pay bills.

by Kate McCarthy, VNRC Vermonters may think of VNRC as primarily an environmental organization: one that supports healthy land, air, water and wildlife, and clean energy. That’s all true – and has been since VNRC was founded over 50 years ago. What many people may not always realize, however, is that we also see our downtowns and villages as an essential part of sustaining Vermont’s environmental values.

In addition to being an important part of our history, heritage, and sense of place, our downtowns and villages give us all more housing options, reduce our reliance on cars, and take development pressure off our rural lands.

Start saving your flashlight batteries for recycling: On May 22, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed into law Act 139, the first battery recycling law of its kind in the country. Act 139 lays the groundwork for free and convenient recycling of most single-use batteries sold in Vermont by 2016. The law requires single-use battery manufacturers to plan, implement, and manage a statewide battery collection program by January 1, 2016.

Northern Power Systems Corp (TSX:NPS), a next-generation renewable energy technology provider based in Barre, is developing along with its Brazilian partner WEG (IBOVESPA: WEGE3) a new 3.3MW wind turbine. WEG is one of the world's largest manufacturers of electrical equipment. This new development effort will further complement WEG and Northern Power Systems' existing portfolio of utility class wind turbines currently led by a 2MW-class on-shore turbine offering. The 3.3MW turbine development is part of an agreement between WEG and Tractebel Energia (IBOVESPA: TBLE3), a company of GDF Suez Group, under the Brazilian National El ectrical Energy Agency (ANEEL) research and development program.

As part of TODAY's Shine a Light series, a campaign to support worthy causes throughout the year, TODAY anchor, Carson Daly has chosen to shine a light on childhood hunger and healthy eating in America. He’s teamed up with KidsGardening.org, a national nonprofit organization based in Vermont, that's on a mission to get a Garden in Every School® across the country.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three kids in America is overweight or obese. Additionally, the USDA reports that one in four American kids live in food insecure homes, which means that some children are going to bed hungry. School gardens provide an opportunity for children to explore new foods, while giving easier access to fresh produce. On top on these benefits, gardening allows for hands-on learning, which better enables academic success while building skills that will last a lifetime.