Current News

Vermont's State Health Insurance Assistance Program Ranked First in the Nation
Waterbury, VT-Vermont's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides one-on-one counseling and information to educate consumers about Medicare and other health insurance programs, has been awarded the top ranking among the nation's 54 SHIP programs in terms of overall performance in 2008.
Vermont's SHIP received a 2008 Performance Plus Award of $32,628 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in recognition of their efforts; $25,235 for a #1 ranking nationwide, and $7,393 for a #1 ranking in their "cluster." There are six clusters nationwide. Other states in Vermont's cluster include: Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

CO-OP MEMBERS VOTE TO SUPPORT EXPANSION OF LANDFILL GENERATING PLANT

Citizens Financial Group pays customers
for helping the environment

Vermont Tech Employee Named Vermont's Outstanding Older Worker
RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt - A Vermont Technical College employee has been honored as Vermont's Outstanding Older Worker for 2008. Awarded to a single older employee in each of the 50 states, the Outstanding Older Worker program recognizes the important contributions of America's working seniors while providing numerous positive examples of productive aging.
This year's Vermont recipient, James J. McNichol of Essex Junction, is a Learning Partner at Vermont Technical College who works with IBM, helping the company capture and transfer knowledge to a global internal audience.

BURLINGTON Champlain College's 2008-09 Leadership American Style lecture series opens Wednesday, Oct. 15 with a talk by historian, biographer and Champlain College professor Willard Sterne Randall

The talk, entitled Champlain Names His Lake, is based on three years of research and travel by Champlain College professors Randall and Dr. Nancy Nahra to track down Samuel de Champlain's hometown in France and the many ports of call he visited during his explorations.

The free, lecture is open to the public. It begins at 7:30 pm in Champlain College Alumni Auditorium.

The lake is so much a part of what we are here in our region, Nahra said. And through it, Samuel de Champlain's history collides with our own.

Champlain Housing Trust Representatives Accept
World Habitat Award at United Nations Ceremony in Angola
BURLINGTON, VT - Two representatives from the Champlain Housing Trust accepted a World Habitat Award today at UN-HABITAT's global celebration of World Habitat Day in Luanda, Angola. The award, presented by the Building and Social Housing Foundation in conjunction with the UN agency, recognizes the Housing Trust's permanently affordable housing programs as innovative, sustainable and transferable.

The Kiwanis Club of St. Johnsbury announced today that it has adopting Operation Holiday Cheer to provide a holiday gift to the children of military families in Vermont.

Danforth Pewter Named Addison County's Business of the Year
Middlebury, Vermont - October 6, 2008 - The Addison County Chamber of Commerce has announced that Danforth Pewter was the recipient of its Business of the Year award which was presented at the Chamber's Annual Meeting last month. Recipients for the Chamber's Citizen of the Year, Community Achievement and President's Awards were also named at the function held in Middlebury's newly renovated Town Hall Theater.

Mobius, the Mentoring Movement, expanded its Board of Directors recently, welcoming five new members including Burlington resident Joe Speidel. Joe is Director of Local Government and Community Relations, at the University of Vermont where his goal is to strengthen relationships between the University and the local community, local government representatives and organizations. He brings a deep understanding of the local educational community and expertise in public relations, fundraising, and event planning.
Mentoring involves pairing a volunteer adult with a child. The pairs spend an hour or two together every week and develop trusting relationships by exploring common interests. Programs screen volunteers, match mentors with children on their waiting lists, and provide ongoing training and support for mentors.

Lisa Harris of Husky wins HR award
Burlington, VT - The Vermont Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM) named Lisa Harris, Human Resources Manager of Husky Injection Molding Systems, Milton, as its 2008 HR Professional of the Year at the Association's annual meeting held at the Sheraton Burlington Conference Center in September.
Harris was away at a Husky training session in Canada at the time, and according to her General Manager, Geoff Glaspie, she learned of the award while seated for dinner next to company President and CEO, John Galt.
"That will be hard to top," said Glaspie, about arranging for Harris to accept the award on behalf of SHRM from Fran Mount, owner of Westaff, the sponsor of the award.

Premier Charest and Governor Douglas Announce Details of Oct. 6th Meeting
Focus on Economic Growth and Environmental Protection
MONTPELIER, Vt. - (October 3, 2008) Governor Jim Douglas and Québec Premier Jean Charest today announced the details of their Oct. 6th meeting in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
Premier Charest and Governor Douglas will discuss initiatives to enhance the economic and environmental security of both Vermont and Québec-including trade and environmental agreements, cooperation in clean energy development such as second generation biofuels, the renewal of existing power contracts between Vermont's largest utilities and Hydro-Québec and the possibility of additional renewable energy agreements.

PSB approves CVPS alternative regulation plan

Provides for automatically adjusting rates on a quarterly basis to reflect fluctuating power purchase prices

RUTLAND - The Vermont Public Service Board has approved a Central Vermont Public Service (NYSE-CV) alternative regulation plan designed to better link customer and investor interests, improve efficiency and help control costs.