Current News

The State of Vermont is awarding $57,000 in grant funding to nine communities dedicated to local historic preservation and restoration efforts. Twelve applications were awarded funding for the current fiscal year.

by Alan Panebaker vtdigger.orgIn a filing with the Vermont District Court in Brattleboro, Entergy Corp appealed to Judge J Garvan Murtha to ensure the state does not shut down the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant on March 21.

Just down the hill from the science center at Middlebury College, known nationally for its environmental mission and academic programs, AllEarth Renewables' 1,000thAllSun Tracker was installed this week as part of the 148kW system.

In a little over 2 years, more solar systems have been installed in Vermont using the AllSun Tracker than any other solar technology.Nearly 4.9 MW of AllSun Trackers have been installed regionally in residential and small commercial systems to-date, mostly in AllEarth’s home state of Vermont.

Now, after establishing a state-wide dealer network in Vermont, the company is establishing local installer partnerships in new solar markets.

Draker Laboratories, the industry's leading independent provider ofturnkey monitoring and asset management solutionsfor commercial and utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, today announced it is entering the Japanese market through a strategic partnership with EKO Instruments Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan. This partnership is an important step in Draker’s ability to serve customers in key solar PV markets around the globe. In 2011, the Japanese solar PV market was the 6th largest in the world, and is expected to grow larger as its solar feed-in-tariff (FIT) program is introduced in July of this year as part of the country’s renewable energy strategy.

Newman's Own Foundation recently announced that Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sportsis one of the nine nonprofit finalists in the third annual Newman's Own Foundation Campus Community Service Challenge. The selected nonprofits, nominated by and paired with a student group from each of the America East's nine member universities, are eligible to receive the Challenge's top grant of $25,000. In total, $80,000 will be awarded to nominated nonprofits.
"The Campus Community Service Challenge represents an opportunity for us to encourage the practice of philanthropy," said Bob Forrester, president and CEO of Newman's Own Foundation. "We are proud to support the work of these exemplary students with their community partners and to recognize their commitment to make the world a better place."

An upslope snowstorm whirled throughBolton Valleythis past weekend, beginning on Friday and not letting up until late Saturday night but not before dropping two feet of new snow on the ski area’s 70 trails. The first big snowstorm of the season provided fresh tracks and powdery tree skiing on Sunday and has laid the groundwork for mid-winter conditions for skiers and riders right into March.

‘This storm was long overdue for sure,’ said Josh Arneson, director of sales and marketing at Bolton. ‘We had a very strong Presidents’ Holiday Week. Having this storm on the back end was icing on the cake and a great way to lead into Vermont’s vacation week. We’re offering powder and packed powder conditions. For those who thought winter was over, think again. Even if it has left the valleys, it’s alive and well in the mountains.’

Vermont might now be the world's largest domicile for thecaptive insurance industry. Since the beginning of 2012, Vermont has already licensed five captives, with more applications in process.
Recent trade press has published that our gross written premium volume is projected to have outpaced Bermuda making Vermont the largest domicile in the world in terms of premium volume.For the 6th year in 2011, Vermont surpassed the 40 new captives licensed mark with 41 new captive insurance companies bringing the total number of licenses to 952, according to data released by the Vermont Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA).
Thirty were single parent captives, with six risk retention groups (RRG), three sponsored, one industrial insured, and one association. 2011’s new captive insurance licensees brings Vermont overall total to 952 with 590 active captive insurance companies.

Secretary of State Jim Condos is pleased to announce a pilot program to provide unofficial election night results for the 2012 election cycle. The results will be posted as they are received from towns on the following website:http://vtelectionresults.com
‘When fully implemented, this will provide more accurate and up to date election night results to Vermont’s public, the media, and candidates,’ said Secretary Condos.

People's United Financial, Inc (Nasdaq: PBCT), the holding company for People's United Bank, announced today a definitive agreement by which People's United Bank will acquire 56 branches from Citizens Financial Group, Inc. and assume$325 millionin deposits associated with these branches. Fifty-two of the branches are situated in Stop & Shop supermarkets and four are traditional branches. All of the branches are located in the state ofNew York, with 29 onLong Island, eight inWestchester Countyand six in the boroughs ofNew York City, all areas of key focus for People's United. People's United, which currently operates 87 Stop & Shop branch locations inConnecticut, will pay Citizens a 1% premium on the assumed deposits.

The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has approved business and agricultural financings totaling $11 million, helping stimulate $25 million in economic development activity throughout the state, including Appalachian Engineered Flooring in North Troy ($1.2 million); Northeast Kingdom Human Services in Derby ($3.9 millioin); and theFranklin County Industrial Development Corporation for Peerless Clothing International, Inc, in St. Albans ($4 million). In addition, there was $960,000 for farmers through the Vermont Agricultural Credit Corporation; $204,000 forVEDA'sSmall Business Loan Program; and$433,737 from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund, upgrading privately-owned drinking water systems.
Recent financing approvals:

Famous for his deadpan television commercials, the Vermont Lottery Commission has announced that longtime Executive Director Alan Yandow would not seek another biannual appointment to theposition. After nearly 14 years as Executive Director, and working with threegovernors, Yandow will leave state service.
Yandow said, ‘I step down from one of the most interesting positions in state government. It hasbeen an honor and pleasure to serve the State of Vermont and lottery players over the lastfourteen years’.
Governor Peter Shumlin stated, ‘I am grateful to Alan Yandow for his 14 years of service toVermont. As all profits from the state lottery go to the Education Fund, an efficient and effectivestate lottery provides crucial resources for educating Vermont’s students, and I thank Alan forhis dedication over those many years’.

Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc. (VITL) has exceeded its target for signing up Vermont primary care practitioners to receive assistance with implementing electronic health records (EHR) systems. More than 85 percent of Vermont’s primary care providers are now working with VITL to either install an EHR or to use their existing system to further improve patient care.
VITL is an independent non-profit organization that assists Vermont health care providers with health information technology. VITL has been designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a regional extension center for health information technology, the only such center serving Vermont. VITL receives federal and state funding to assist Vermont primary care providers with EHRs.