Current News

Rock of Ages Corporation (NASDAQ:ROAC) has announced the completion of its previously announced pending merger with a wholly owned subsidiary of Swenson Granite Company LLC, of Concord, NH, whereby Swenson acquired all of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company that it did not previously own for $5.25 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at $25.2 million. The company is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Swenson. The Swenson family has controlled Rock of Ages for many years and Kurt Swenson has been Rock of Ages' CEO and chairman.
As a result of the merger, the Company's Class A common stock ceased trading on the NASDAQ Global Market at the close of business on January 19, 2011, and the company expects to deregister and suspend its reporting obligations under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D) has named John Tracy as his State Director, overseeing his activities and staff in Vermont. Tracy replaces Chuck Ross, Vermont’s new Secretary of Agriculture in the administration of Governor Peter Shumlin.
Tracy, a graduate of UVM, is in his fifth year as Field Representative for Leahy, traveling the state and helping Vermonters and their communities in their dealings with federal programs and agencies.
Leahy said Tracy brings timely experience and leadership skills to his new post. ‘With health reform topping agendas in both Vermont and the nation, John is perfectly suited to help advance our work in improving health care in Vermont.’

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce are accepting nominations until March 3rd for the Deane C Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award that honors an outstanding Vermont business. The deadline for nominating a business is March 3, 2017.

US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded more than $3.6 million in funding to keep 24 of local homeless assistance programs in Vermont operating in the coming year. The grants announced today form a critical foundation for the Obama Administration’s Opening Doors strategy, the nation’s first comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness. For a summary of the Vermont grants announced today, visit HUD’s website.
Today’s announcement also comes just a week before thousands of volunteers in nearly every city and county conduct a national one-night count of homeless persons and families. HUD’s Let’s Make Everybody Count! campaign is intended to document trends in homelessness that are crucial to local planners’ efforts to prevent and end homelessness in their areas.

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra announced today (Wednesday, January 19, 2011) that it has successfully reached its ambitious endowment goal to raise $3.5 million.
At a State House press conference, Honorary Campaign Chair Ed Colodny stated, ‘In a time when cultural organizations around the country face hard times, the VSO’s audiences have been loyal and dedicated, and our programming has been innovative and rich. Now this fabulous endowment ensures stable funding for the future. We are especially grateful for the hundreds of donors who have stepped forward to allow us to reach this incredible milestone.’

The American Lung Association released its State of Tobacco Control 2010 report today, which tracks progress on key tobacco control policies at the federal and state level, assigning grades based on whether laws are adequately protecting citizens from the enormous burden caused by tobacco use.
This year, the Lung Association applauds the federal government for major advances in protecting citizens from tobacco-caused illnesses but faults most states for lagging behind and failing to enact much-needed laws and policies.
Tobacco continues to take a devastating toll. Each year, 443,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses and secondhand smoke exposure, making tobacco the leading cause of preventable death. In addition, it costs the economy more than $193 billion annually in healthcare costs and lost productivity.

Union Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ ‘ UNB) has announced Net Income for the fourth quarter 2010 of $1.38 million or $0.31 per share compared to $1.28 million or $0.29 per share for 2009. Net Income for the year ended December 31, 2010 was $5.59 million or $1.25 per share compared to $5.23 million or $1.17 per share for the same period in 2009. Results for 2010 reflect a year-to-year increase in net interest income of $868 thousand or 4.84% and in net income of $360 thousand or 6.9%. The increase in net interest income was mainly driven by the reduction in interest expense despite the 8.4% growth in average core deposits, including noninterest bearing demand deposit accounts during 2010, while interest rates paid on renewing time deposits continued to decrease and volume dropped 5.6% on average for 2010.

Tennis champion Billie Jean King, a pioneer in women's sports, will deliver the address to graduates at the University of Vermont's 2011 Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 22.

The Avon Breast Health Outreach Program has awarded a $40,000 grant for 2011 to Gifford Medical Center to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer.
The Avon Breast Health Outreach supports community-based, non-profit breast health programs across the country and is part of the Avon Foundation for Women, the largest corporate philanthropy dedicated to women’s causes globally.
This is the 10th consecutive year that Gifford’s Breast Health Program has received funding from the Foundation, resulting in a total of more than $380,000 invested regionally to increase awareness of the life saving benefits of mammograms and clinical breast exams.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of product: Propane (LP) Gas sold in portable cylinders and delivered to storage tanks
Units: About 700 rail cars
Manufacturer: Aux Sable Liquid Products, of Morris, Ill.
Hazard: Some of this propane does not have sufficient levels of the odorant that is added to propane to help alert consumers to a gas leak. Failure to detect leaking gas can present fire, explosion and thermal burn hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronics and e-waste, has been named an official Advisory Member of the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC).
NERC is a non-profit organization focused on the 10 Northeastern states. Its mission is to advance an environmentally sustainable economy by promoting source and toxicity reduction, recycling, and the purchasing of environmentally preferable products and services. Part of that mission, for more than a decade now, has been for NERC to dig deeper on a national scale regarding the problems surrounding electronic waste. NERC was responsible for extensive national research regarding government attitudes toward electronic waste and has worked directly with various state government agencies, manufacturers and the recycling industry to help develop a better understanding and solutions to the problem.

One month from today, Brattleboro, Vermont will be jumping with excitement at the annual Harris Hill Ski Jumping Competition presented by Pepsi, slated for Saturday and Sunday, February 19 and 20.
Ski jumping at Harris Hill is one of Brattleboro's much loved traditions that dates back to 1922. Over the years the event grew to draw jumpers and spectators from around the world to this small Vermont town. After the 2005 event, the jump had to be shut down due to the wooden structure falling into disrepair and safety concerns for the jumpers. After an intensive fundraising campaign and the generosity of local and regional businesses and residents, a new 90-meter ski jump reopened to a record crowd in 2009.