Current News

The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (VSAC) recently issued
$112.5 million in revenue bonds to meet the demand for new education
loans.
Most of the bond proceeds will be used to finance conventional
federal education loans, primarily Stafford loans for students and PLUS
loans for parents. A smaller share will be used to cover what are known as
alternative or supplemental loans. Increasingly, education expenses exceed
what students are able to cover using government grants and loans, forcing
students to turn to more costly alternative financing. "We remain
concerned about the amounts families are having to borrow to pay for
college, whether through the federal loan program or other sources," said
VSAC President Don Vickers said. "As a result, we will continue to
advocate at both the federal and state levels for more grants and
scholarships, which, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid."

Six Vermonters, representing state-wide tourism
organizations and private businesses, will join representatives of the
other five New England states at the World Travel Market in London,
England, November 11-15.
"For the first time, the six New England states will have a unified
presence under the umbrella of Discover New England," said Fredrik deJong,
International Marketing Director for the Vermont Department of Tourism and
Marketing. The World Travel Market is the largest travel trade show in the
United Kingdom, the major European market for both New England and
Vermont.
Joining deJong in the Vermont delegation are: Valerie Rochon, Stowe Area
Association; Linda Seville, The Inn at Essex and Lake Champlain Regional
Chamber of Commerce; Sue Kruthers, Vermont Chamber of Commerce, Vermont
Attractions Association, and Vermont Farms! Association; Julie Howell,

Vermont-based Northern Power Systems, Inc., announced today that it has been commissioned to deliver an energy efficient, on-site power system to the One Market Street office complex in downtown San Francisco, owned by Equity Office Properties Trust (NYSE: EOP).
Equity Office is the nation's largest publicly held office building owner and manager with a portfolio of 767 buildings comprising 127.4 million square feet in 21 states and the District of Columbia. With 1.5 million square feet of commercial space occupying an entire city block, One Market is one of the premier office buildings in San Francisco's financial district.
When the 1.5 megawatt system is completed early next year, it will become what is believed to be the first commercial on-site electric power system to be fully interconnected with Pacific Gas & Electric's downtown San Francisco electricity grid.

Six lawyers in the law firm of Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP, with offices in Burlington and Middlebury, Vermont, have been named in the 2003-4 edition of “The Best Lawyers in America”®. The Best Lawyers in America ® is considered the pre-eminent guide to the legal profession in the United States. The “Best Lawyers” lists are compiled through an exhaustive peer review survey in which thousands of the top lawyers in the United States confidentially evaluate their peers.
In Vermont, there are approximately 2,700 lawyers and only 60 lawyers in Vermont are listed in “The Best Lawyers in America”®. The six Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP attorneys named are:
Peter F. Langrock (Criminal Defense, First Amendment Law, Personal Injury).

Mark L. Sperry (Real Estate)

John L. Kellner (Personal Injury)

Liam L. Murphy (Real Estate)

Susan M. Murray (Family Law)

Winter brings delicious comforts and exhilarating pleasures to Vermont. There’s no better way to celebrate the season than a well-planned visit to the Green Mountain State, using the Vermont Chamber 2003 Vermont Winter Guide and the Ski Vermont Map.
The dynamic combination of the Guide and the Map points the way to Vermont’s hot spots, on and off the slopes. A variety of visitors will find the Guide invaluable, to learn where to feel the freedom of Vermont’s most thrilling trails, the best places to shop for everything from treats to antiques, and to locate the spas services winter bodies crave.

The Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association (NNECAPA) announced the recipients of their 2002 Awards Program at their annual meeting held recently in Providence, RI. The following northern New England planners and projects were recognized for their hard work and dedication to the field of land use planning and the communities of northern New England:
“2002 Professional Planner of the Year” – Gregory Brown, Commissioner, VT Dept. of Housing & Community Affairs.
Gregory Brown, was recognized for his many years of professional service as an educator at Landmark College, regional planner with the Windham Regional Commission, and Planning Director, and later Commissioner, of Housing and Community Affairs.
“2002 Citizen Planner of the Year” – John Ewing, Board Chair, VT Forum on Sprawl, Burlington, VT.

Robert F. Cooper, owner and CEO of Burlington Foodservice Company, Colchester, Vermont, and Mario Bonacorsi, President of Bonacorsi & Sons, Inc, Barre, Vermont, announced the signing of a Letter of Intent for Burlington Foodservice Company to acquire the stock of Bonacorsi and Sons, Inc.
Burlington Foodservice Company, a Vermont based company, is the largest, independent, broadline foodservice distribution company in Northern New England with projected sales in 2002 of $47 million. Bonacorsi & Sons anticipates sales of $8.5 million in 2002. With this acquisition, Burlington Foodservice Company is projecting sales of $61 million for 2003.

The Main Street Landing Company, located in Burlington, VT, is preventing pollution at a profit. And for their efforts, the company has won a national 2001 ENERGY STAR® for Small Business Award, presented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The ENERGY STAR for Small Business Awards recognize small businesses that effectively reduce their operating costs by increasing the energy efficiency of their business. EPA regional representatives are coordinating local awards ceremonies.

Northeast Cooperatives’ Board of Directors announced that it is recommending to the membership that Northeast Cooperatives be combined with United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) through a merger. The agreement is subject to approval of Northeast Cooperative’s members. Terms of the merger agreement are private.

Thinking about changing careers? Interested in learning more about the health care field? If so, the Champlain Valley Health Careers Showcase has just the information you need to get started.
Scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Champlain Mill in Winooski, this free event will offer information about dozens of health occupations, many of which are currently experiencing staffing shortages. Employers, educators, health care workers, and representatives of professional organizations will be on hand to discuss the requirements for entering various health care careers and the rewards and challenges of working in this growing field.

Vermont farmers have always been eager to try new crops and ways to
produce them. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education program (SARE), wants to help by providing funds to
assist with on-farm experimentation by farmers.
This year, there are two groups of grants available from SARE that are
aimed at helping farmers explore new ideas. The Farmer/Grower Grant
program awards funds directly to producers to test new crops, practices,
and systems in on-site experiments and to share their results with other
farmers. Since 1993, the Northeast SARE has awarded 58 grants to Vermont
farmers, totaling more than $245,000 over the years. Capped at $10,000,
the grants average $5,200.
New for 2003, Partnership Grants apply to on-farm research and
demonstration projects developed by agricultural professionals who work

Green Mountain
Power Corporation (NYSE: GMP) announced today that it has commenced a
"Dutch Auction" self tender offer to purchase up to 800,000, or 14%, of
its common shares (including the associated common stock purchase rights).
Under the terms of the offer, Green Mountain Power shareholders may offer
to sell to Green Mountain Power all or a portion of the shares they own
within a price range of $17.00 to $21.00 per share in cash. The offer
begins today and will expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on
November 19, 2002, unless the offer is extended by Green Mountain Power.
As of October 17, 2002, Green Mountain Power had 5,728,340 shares of
common stock outstanding. The closing price for Green Mountain Power
common stock on the NYSE on October 17, 2002, the last full trading day on
the NYSE prior to this announcement of the offer, was $16.17.