Current News

With about 27,800 low-income Vermont families dependent upon heating assistance to stay warm this winter, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin today directed an initial $13.5 million LIHEAP payment to assist families in need of heating assistance, and called on Congress and the White House to boost heating aid to northeastern states.
‘We can’t make low-income Vermont families put off heating their homes until Washington takes action on this critical issue,’ Shumlin said. ‘And these families cannot be asked to choose between basic human needs - heat, food, health care and housing. Vermont and other states will push hard to ensure all families can afford to stay warm this winter.’

Patrick Moore was among the first of an idealistic generation to join Greenpeace. He was on its first trip to stop nuclear bomb tests by the United States in the Aleutians in 1971. The US stopped nuclear testing shortly after. He later was among those who intervened against Soviet whaling. He was aboard the Rainbow Warrior when she was sunk by the French during another nuclear test intervention. One of Moore’s colleagues died in that event in 1985.
Moore left Greenpeace as a director in 1986 after he felt the movement moved away from sound science. It’s fair to say he is now a foe of Greenpeace.

The Vermont State Treasurer’s Office recently accepted $282,056 in unclaimed property as a result of a breakthrough agreement with national insurance giant John Hancock. This first receipt of funds is expected to be followed shortly by another estimated $300,000, as Vermonters gain access to money unclaimed from life insurance and annuity contracts.
‘Vermont was one of the first states to initiate an audit of John Hancock to determine whether money was due to Vermonters from previously unreported life insurance accounts,’ said State Treasurer Beth Pearce. ‘These accounts include ones that the owners had lost track of and accounts where money was due beneficiaries who were unaware of them.’

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) today opened the small stretch of Route 14 in East Montpelier that had been closed since early October. The closure, which ran about a quarter of a mile from Route 14’s intersection with Route 2 to Northstar Fireworks, was initiated on October 6 due to complications stemming from Tropical Storm Irene.
VTrans on September 26 first restricted this section of Route 14 to one lane when the roadway began sliding into the Winooski River. Engineers originally believed the road could be repaired while maintaining one lane of traffic, but the undermining accelerated, forcing a total road closure on October 6.

Governor Peter Shumlin today announced he will appoint Burlington attorney Thomas G Walsh to the Environmental Division of the Superior Court. Walsh, who has practiced environmental law for 18 years, will replace retiring Judge Merideth Wright.
‘It is a great honor to be appointed by Governor Shumlin as an environmental judge,’ Walsh said. ‘The Environmental Division is important to our State's natural resources and our economy. I look forward to serving our State and applying my energy and experience to ensure that the Environmental Division is regarded with integrity and fairness."
‘Tom will bring strong experience in all facets of environmental practice and a common sense approach to the bench,’ Shumlin said. ‘I’m sure that he and Judge Durkin will ensure decisions are issued in a timely manner and are consistent with the law.’

Ledyard Financial Group, Inc. (ticker symbol LFGP), the holding company for Ledyard National Bank, today reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2011. Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, was $576,597, or $0.56 per share compared to $632,276 or $0.62 per share for the same period in 2010, a decrease of $55,679 or 8.81%. Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, was $1,918,738, or $1.86 per share compared to $1,927,036, or $1.88 per share for the same period in 2010, a decrease of $8,297. The Company continues to be impacted by a slowdown in lending activity due to general economic conditions. In addition, the third quarter results in 2011 were impacted by an addition to the allowance for loan losses (’Allowance’), increased expenses associated with non-performing loans, and the charge off noted below relating to a single loan taken this quarter.

Central Vermont Public Service has asked the Vermont Public Service Board to authorize a 4.8 percent rate increase under the company’s alternative regulation plan. If approved, the increase would take effect on Jan. 1, 2012.
‘We have worked very hard to control operating costs, which are virtually flat overall,’ CVPS President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Reilly said. ‘The rate change is being drive by a variety of factors, which include new power contracts at competitive, yet slightly higher costs, and investments in our system to improve reliability for customers. Meanwhile, the rate impact was mitigated by a reduction in our allowed return on equity, which will drop from 9.45 to 9.17 percent.’

The Vermont State E-Cycles Program provides free drop-off for the collection of computers, monitors, televisions, printers, and computer peripherals (e.g., mouse, keyboard, scanner) from Vermont Households, 501c3 Charities, School Districts and Small Businesses with 10 or fewer employees.
As of today, over 85 collection sites and special collection events have partnered with the Program, with more expected to sign up to offer a convenient set of collection locations as required by the State Standard Plan. To date, the Program has collected more than 1.5 million pounds of recyclable electronic devices, with a goal of collecting over three million pounds by the end of next June.

Otter Creek Brewing Co, LLC of Middlebury, Vermont is pleased to announce that an agreement is in place with Ken and Kathleen Strong, the founders of the legendary The Shed Restaurant in Stowe, VT- to have Otter Creek Brewing acquire The Shed Brewery and the award winning Shed brand family of ales. The change is effective immediately. Plans are underway to transfer The Shed’s existing brewing equipment to Middlebury, Vermont- home of the Otter Creek Brewery and Wolaver’s Organic brands, so that there is no interruption in supply to the marketplace.
Brian Walsh, President of Otter Creek Brewing Co. said, ‘We are extremely proud that Ken and Kathy Strong have entrusted their beer brands and the rich heritage of The Shed Brewery to us. We look forward to working with them as ongoing ambassadors for Shed Mountain Ale and the entire brand family.’

The combined Boards of Trustees of Dartmouth-Hitchcock today announced the appointment of Dr. James Weinstein as Chief Executive Officer of Dartmouth-Hitchcock. This new position consolidates the leadership of Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital (MHMH) and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic. Dr. Weinstein will also assume the presidency of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health.
The decision to combine the leadership of these institutions into one position follows a lengthy strategic review process by the Boards, and is designed to streamline the leadership structure and allow the organization to best meet the needs of the patients and communities it serves in today’s rapidly evolving health care environment.
Dr. Weinstein will take on strategic and operational leadership of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock health system, which includes New Hampshire’s academic medical center and a network of clinics across two states, serving a patient population of 1.4 million.

The US Senate Tuesday approved a transportation budget bill that includes crucial cost waivers included in the bill by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), which Governor Shumlin and others consider to be crucial to the repair and rebuilding of roads and bridges damaged by Tropical Storm Irene.
The vote on the bill was 69 to 30.
The bill also includes Leahy’s truck weight provisions for Vermont, to move heavy trucks from smaller state roads, including roads crossing through the downtowns of several Vermont communities.
Following is a summary of the Leahy waiver provisions:

On the heels of the first winter storm of the season, Vermont’s congressional delegation ‘ Senators Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders and Representative Peter Welch ‘ today announced the immediate release over $11 million in heating assistance to eligible Vermonters.
The funds will provide assistance through the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP). With continued uncertainty over the final FY2012 funding levels for LIHEAP, Leahy, Sanders and Welch have pushed in recent weeks for the funds to be released immediately so states have the opportunity to help those with greatest needs now.
Leahy said, ‘Winter is setting in early across Vermont this year, and this initial infusion of heating aid is welcome, but it will not be enough. We are working on several tracks to press for adequate heating assistance for this season, and we are pointing out as forcefully as we can that time, and funding, are running short.’