Current News

by Mike Faher/The Commons Take one look at the pale-green wall covered with white gauges in the Vermont Yankee control room, and it’s clear that the panel hasn’t changed much since the nuclear plant began operating in the early 1970s. But there is something new: Blue signs carrying the word “abandoned” dot the wall, indicators of portions of the plant that are no longer active since the Vernon plant shut down on December 29, 2014.

Vermont Dept of Tourism All of Vermont is still very green and in the early stages of color development with nice early colors -- particularly yellows -- emerging in the northeast and at higher elevations, even in central Vermont. Some dry sites, roadside sugar maples, and red maples in wetlands are showing typical early splashes of red. Overall, things are shaping up quite nicely statewide, with trees everywhere beginning to distinguish themselves in the canopy and with a slight detectable change from deep, lush greens to a range of lighter green hues, signaling that the show is, indeed, beginning.

www.VermontVacation.com Sept. 16, 2015

Vermont Business Magazine Energize Vermont is pleased to announce that Pete Antos-Ketcham, formerly of the Green Mountain Club (GMC), has joined the organization as its new Executive Director. Antos-Ketcham succeeds Mark Whitworth. Pete Antos-Ketcham comes to Energize Vermont with over 22 years in natural resource and non-profit management. Antos-Ketcham is leaving his position as GMC’s Director of Land and Facilities Management. While at GMC, he oversaw the construction of the club’s new Visitor Center in Waterbury Center, Vermont. The Visitor Center consumes no fossil fuels and employs appropriately-scaled renewables to produce more electricity than it uses. It demonstrates an approach to an energy future that doesn’t require massive energy sprawl.

by Erin Mansfield vtdigger.org Vermont Business Magazine Contributed to This Story Solar is the fastest-growing source of energy in the country, and Vermont’s solar industry is growing dramatically. The solar industry is booming nationwide because of multibillion-dollar federal tax breaks, and developers have their eyes on Vermont because of its additional cash incentives. In 2014, the state ranked at 22 out of 50 states for total solar capacity nationwide and 8th highest in solar per capita. Rutland itself is now the 'Solar Capital of New England.' Vermont’s industry employs about 1,500 people at 72 companies, and produces $76 million in output, making it the state with the most solar jobs per capita.

Vermont Business Magazine Revision Military, a world leader in integrated, purpose-built soldier solutions, with operational headquarters in Essex Junction, is establishing a new UK facility not only to support the ongoing delivery of the VIRTUS Programme UK Head Sub-System (the Cobra Plus protective head system) but also to facilitate closer communications and support for Revision’s UK and European customers. With Revision’s industry-leading integrated soldier systems capabilities, which now include power provision and management, the Company believes there are numerous opportunities that will benefit from this local resource support. The facility, which is scheduled to open in Q4, 2015, will be located in Bristol near the Ministry of Defence’s Abbey Wood site that houses the Defence Equipment and Support procurement organisation.

by Hilary Niles Vermont Business Magazine An agreement between the state and FairPoint Communications to deal with the company’s longstanding service quality issues will be presented to the Public Service Board Thursday morning. The quasi-judicial board has final say over whether to allow the settlement to go through. The accord arguably is more about securing federal funds for network upgrades than putting service quality problems to bed. In exchange for a possible future compromise on service quality, FairPoint has accepted federal money for broadband build-out — and certain obligations tied to that cash.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today joined Drive Electric Vermont in celebrating the launch of DRIVE THE DREAM VERMONT, a campaign to increase the use of electric vehicles (EVs) in the State. As part of the campaign, a diverse group of leading Vermont employers, including businesses, hospitals, and schools met with Governor Shumlin at Vermont Teddy Bear Company in Shelburne to announce their commitments to advance EVs in Vermont. The DRIVE THE DREAM VERMONT campaign will spur the growth of EVs by asking participating businesses to commit to installing new EV chargers for employees in the workplace; increasing the number of EVs in corporate fleets; and/or providing workplace incentives to encourage employees to purchase or lease EVs. For example, employers such as Vermont Foodbank, Sun Common, Northwestern Medical Center and many more are committing to add EV chargers for their employees.

Vermont Business Magazine Kyocera Solar, Inc of Arizona announced Tuesday a partnership for an innovative Community Solar Array (CSA) Program in Vermont that offers a new and cost-effective way to participate in solar. This unique program is a group effort coordinated by Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure (KSI), an impact investment firm and principal sponsor; Kyocera, a leading solar manufacturer providing solar panels and additional capital; and SunCommon, Vermont’s largest residential solar company heading project development, EPC and ongoing support. Kyocera’s solar panels and equipment installed on the ground within Vermont communities will allow consumers to take advantage of solar power without needing to install their own rooftop systems.

Vermont Business Magazine To celebrate its new solar-powered branch on Putney Road, Brattleboro Savings & Loan has launched Brattorama, a community-based game that charges area residents with collecting game pieces from various businesses to win prizes, now through Wednesday, September 23. The new location in Black Mountain Square on Putney Road, Brattleboro opened on Monday, Aug. 31, and is the latest entirely solar-powered bank branch operated by BS&L, which became the first completely solar-powered bank in Vermont earlier this year.

Vermont Business Magazine Working adults looking to finish their undergraduate college degree now have two new programs to choose from through Norwich University’s online programs. Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) has launched two online degree completion programs, the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Bachelor of Science in Management Studies. Set to begin their first trimester in January, the programs spotlight both Norwich’s commitment to academic excellence and meeting the student demand by expanding its online degree program offerings.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Governor Peter Shumlin announced a number of staff changes across his Administration. Department of Finance and Management Commissioner Jim Reardon will be retiring from state service after almost 30 years. Reardon has served as Finance Commissioner since February 2005. Prior to that he served as Deputy Finance Commissioner and Financial Operations Manager for the Agency of Human Services.

Current Department of Corrections (DOC) Commissioner Andy Pallito will replace Reardon as Finance Commissioner. Pallito has over 20 years in State government experience. He joined the Agency of Human Services in 1992, DOC in 2001, and became Commissioner in 2008.

Jim Reardon. VBM photo

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power CEO Mary Powell was joined today by Congressman Peter Welch, Governor Peter Shumlin, Rutland Mayor Chris Louras, and community leaders to announce that Rutland, Vermont is the Solar Generation Capital of New England. More solar power is generated in Rutland per capita than in any other New England city. This has been a goal years in the making as the community has come together to make energy innovation a key to economic development and Rutland’s revitalization.