Current News

Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) today announced thatGary Taylor, group president of utility operations will be retiring from the companyMay 31, 2012. Taylor will continue to lead utility operations with a transition period to his successor, who will be named at a later date.
In addition,Robert (Bob) Sloan, executive vice president and general counsel announced his decision to retire as general counsel. Replacing Sloan isMarcus Brown, who was electedJan. 27by the company's board of directors to the position of senior vice president and general counsel. Brown reports toRod West, executive vice president, and chief administrative officer. Sloan has agreed to serve as special counsel during a period of transition.

The University of Vermont will become one of the first institutions nationwide to end the sale of bottled water on campus and mandate that one-third of drinks offered in vending machines be healthy options. The decision marks the advent of a long-awaited systematic sustainable beverage policy after years of lobbying by students and the greater campus community.
The announcement comes five months prior to the end of a ten-year contract with Coca-Cola of Northern New England that allowed the company to provide 100 percent of beverages in vending machines and 80 percent of bottled beverages served in retail, residential dining, and catering, totaling more than 1.1 million bottles per year.

A team of four Vermont Tech students has been chosen as finalists for the inaugural Cornell Cup, USA, a college-level systems engineering competition, created to empower students to become inventors of the newest innovative applications of embedded technology.
The Vermont Tech team, which calls itself the ‘Knights of the Workbench’ ‘ in a nod to the college’s athletic mascot ‘ is made up of: Team Leader and Electromechanical Engineering Technology major Ben Holleran, a sophomore from Chester, Vermont. Computer Engineering majors sophomore Charles Hathaway of Pawlett, Vermont; sophomore Mike Collins of Portsmouth, Rhode Island; and senior Forest Immel of Castleton, Vermont round out the team. Instead of competing on the playing field, however, these Knights will be vying with 24 teams from 19 colleges across the country, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech, University of California, Berkley, and Penn State, name a few.

Ten restaurants have been designated as Green Restaurants in the Green Mountain State in the Vermont Business Environmental Partnership (VBEP).
Current Green Restaurants in the Green Mountain State include: Michael’s on the Hill, Waterbury; The Wayside Bakery & Restaurant, Berlin; Ye Olde Tavern, Manchester; Mio Bistro, Dorset; Cloudland Farm, North Pomfret; Restaurant Verterra & Lucy's Tavern at The Inn at Weathersfield, Perkinsville; Rira’s Irish Pub, Burlington; The Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern, Chester; Works Bakery and Café, Brattleboro and Manchester; and The Tamarack Grill at Burke Mountain, East Burke.

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org When the Vermont State Hospital was abruptly closed on August 28 after Tropical Storm Irene floodwaters inundated Waterbury, workers quickly evacuated the facility and state officials found emergency placements at local hospitals and small private mental health institutions for the 50-plus patients who were suddenly displaced.
Since the storm hit, the scrambling hasn’t stopped. For the last five months, Shumlin administration officials, lawmakers and providers have been weighing options for replacing the hospital. In the short term ‘ until lawmakers and the Shumlin administration can cement an interim plan ‘ Vermonters who need intensive psychiatric care are being treated at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Rutland Regional Medical Center, Brattleboro Retreat and several small residential mental health care facilities.

The Vermont Wood Products Marketing Councilhas released a new ten year strategic plan entitled, ‘A 2020 Vision for the Vermont Wood Products Sector,’ prepared by industry expert and International Consultant, Tom Dossenbach, from Dossenbach Associates, Inc. of North Carolina. A similar strategic plan was adopted in 2001 and stimulated many successful projects during the last ten years. As our world changes, it was time to revisit the old plan and develop a new strategic outlook for the coming ten years.
The Vermont Wood Products Marketing Council consists of representatives from the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers, Vermont Wood Manufacturers Association, Vermont WoodNet, Vermont Woodlands Association, Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development, Vermont Department of Forest, Parks & Recreation, and three outside directors.

The Government Operations Committee of the Vermont House of Representatives has been working on the reapportionment bill in a non-partisan manner since last fall. Late last week committee Democrats voted through a bill that would reduce GOP numbers in the House as currently constituted.
House Republicans voted "no" on the reapportionment bill in committee Friday afternoon, and House GOP Leader Don Turner issued the following statement:
"Our goal for reapportionment was to ensure that all Vermonters received fair representation in the House for the next decade.
"We approached this process knowing that it could become partisan at any given time. Unfortunately, this is exactly what occurred when House Assistant Majority Leader Willem Jewett proposed a plan yesterday that divided the Town of Castleton in half and will put three long time Republican legislators in the same two seat district.

Central Vermont Public Service, which recently brought its 10th CVPS Cow Powerâ ¢ project online, today announced an energy production surplus from its award-winning farm-generation program and put out a call for new customers large and small.
‘With the completion of several new CVPS Cow Powerâ ¢ projects, energy production has surpassed the level of customer demand for the first time,’ said Renewable Energy Program Manager Dave Dunn. ‘With several more projects in the pipeline for 2012 and beyond, we are looking for new supporters to help ensure that farm-based renewable energy development can continue cost-effectively for dairy farm owners in Vermont.’

Shaw’s Supermarkets on Fridaycelebrated the grand reopening of its store in Ludlow, Vermont located at 213 Main Street with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The store had been closed after being severely damaged by flooding in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene.
In addition to repairing the damage from the flooding, Shaw’s invested additional resources to remodel the store, including expanding the store to 19,000 square feet, upgrading equipment and adding to offerings in several key categories. The newly remodeled store will provide customers with a variety of the freshest produce, top-quality seafood and a large selection of local Vermont products.

John Fischer, Director of Integrated Support for Learning, High School and Adult Division at the Vermont Department of Education, has been named Interim Deputy Commissioner, the department announced today.
Fischer, a resident of Moretown, will assume the position of Deputy Commissioner of Transformation and Innovation on an interim basis, which was vacated by Rae Ann Knopf earlier this month. A major focus of his work will be ushering the department’s flexibility waiver request from the US Department of Education under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as No Child Left Behind. The waiver will be submitted for review on February 21, 2012.

More than 100 nonprofit leaders from across the state will convene at the Vermont State House on Thursday, February 9thforthe third annual Vermont Nonprofit Legislative Day.
Nonprofit leaders will be in Montpelier to testify at legislative committees on the work and positive impact of Vermont's nonprofits and to demonstrate their role as a positive economic force in the state of Vermont. There will also be a brief annual report on the work ofCommon Good Vermontand a 2:30 p.m. meeting with Governor Peter Shumlin on challenges facing Vermont's nonprofits sector.
Confirmed speakers for the day includeSpeaker Shap Smith(Vermont Legislature),Mark Larson(Department of Health Access),Jessica Oski(Sirotkin & Necrason),Floyd Nease(Vermont Association for Mental Health),Jacqueline Majoros, (Vermont Legal Aid),Sheila Reed( Voices for Vermont's Children),Peter Gilbert(Vermont Humanities Council) andLiz Schlegel(Central Vermont Community Action Council).

Thousands of working Vermonters are potentially missing out on a federal and state income tax credit that, if claimed, could result in a lower tax bill and a sizeable refund check. Last tax season, more than 45,000 Vermonters claimed the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC for a combined average refund of more than $2,000. Today, State Treasurer Beth Pearce, the Internal Revenue Service and other officials gathered to promote awareness of the credit. January 27 is EITC Awareness Day nationwide.
‘The Internal Revenue Service estimates that 20 percent of all eligible taxpayers nationwide do not file for the credit,’ said State Treasurer Beth Pearce. ‘Vermont families who earn less than $49,078 a year may qualify for this credit. In this difficult economy, working Vermonters can receive a much needed financial boost by taking the time to check for their eligibility as they complete their 2011 tax forms.’