Current News

Governor Peter Shumlin today announced that FEMA approved an Individual Assistance Declaration for Franklin, Lamoille and Orleans Counties, enabling homeowners and business owners to apply for federal financial assistance for everything from rebuilding costs to temporary housing expenses.
‘I appreciate the Obama administration moving so quickly to approve this request,’ the Governor said. ‘This assistance will help Vermonters who have suffered damage or the loss of their homes and businesses get back on their feet.’
Gov. Shumlin also thanked Vermont’s congressional delegation ‘ Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch ‘ for continuing to press Congress to replenish FEMA’s disaster assistance fund.

Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) hailed this week's release of the draft Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP). With a call for 90 percent renewable energy by 2050, the draft plan sends a clear signal that the Green Mountain state is taking bold steps to open its doors for robust economic development and job creation by deploying 21st century energy infrastructure.

Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today hoped for quick House approval next week of a Senate-passed bill to provide $6.9 billion in additional federal disaster relief funds for Vermont and other states.
The measure includes $5.1 billion in funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund. Of that, $500 million would be available immediately. The rest would go to other departments and agencies that have seen their coffers dwindle in a year when there have been more natural disasters than usual. The Department of Agriculture would receive $266 million for emergency programs. Additional resources are allotted to the Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Commerce, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

By Bruce Lisman. I was disappointed to read the editorial ‘Ethan Allen’s Legacy,’ on September 10 in both the Times Argus and Rutland Herald, which continues a harmful trend of divisiveness over politics and our economy. The editorial revived old liberal versus conservative arguments and then for good measure threw Wal-Mart under the bus as an example of a corporation weighing on small businesses while ignoring that some people prefer to shop there. Not only was the editorial badly timed, while we collectively recover from Irene, but these sentiments leave little room for finding unity and common ground.

Forty research universities, including the University of Vermont, today revealed details about how they are working to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization of research results leading to economic growth and job development in their states.

Vermont Business Magazine and KeyBank celebrated the achievements of the five fastest growing businesses in five categories over the last five years in Vermont at a ceremony Thursday night at the DoubleTree in South Burlington.
The 25 extraordinary companies are listed below. AllEarth Renewables had the distinction of being the fastest overall company with 5,250 percent growth over five years.

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy witnessed the signing of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act at an event in Alexandria, Virginia, today. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law, capping a six-year bipartisan effort led by Leahy to enact the first comprehensive reforms to the nation’s patent system in nearly six decades. Vermont has the highest number of patents per capita in the nation.
‘Vermonters have a long legacy of innovation and creativity. With the improvements included in the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, that legacy is sure to continue.

Vermont Energy Education Program (VEEP) is teaming up with the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) to help Vermont high school students learn more about climate change and do something about it. This month, ACE is bringing their award-winning, all-school assembly program to eight high schools throughout the state. The one-hour multimedia presentation is designed to inspire individual actions and school-wide efforts that will reduce energy use, shrink the school’s carbon footprint, and save the school money.
‘The ACE presentation is an extremely effective way to educate students about climate change and inspire them to take action,’ notes Wendy McArdle, Managing Director of the Vermont Energy Education Program (VEEP). ‘The fast-paced presentation includes colorful images, pop music, current events, humor, and even the opportunity to text. It really keeps the kids interested and engaged. I’ve never seen 500 teenagers so riveted!’

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin today joined hundreds of Rutland County residents in Killington to celebrate the opening of Route 4, a critical east-west roadway that until today was closed to through traffic due to damage from Tropical Storm Irene.
Route 4 between Rutland and Killington on August 29, 2011. Photo courtesy Steve Costello, CVPS.
Governor Shumlin was joined by Vermont Agency of Transportation Secretary Brian Searles and Department of Tourism and Marketing Commissioner Megan Smith to celebrate the pride everyone has that road crews repaired Route 4's severe damage in just 19 days, and to spread the message that Vermont has recovered significantly, and just in time for foliage season.

The Vermont Department of Labor announced today the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for August 2011 was 5.9 percent, an increase of two-tenths of a percent from the July rate. Compared to a year ago, the rate is lower by one-tenth of a percentage point. Despite the increase, Vermont still has one of the lowest state unemployment rates in the country and is well below the national average of 9.1 percent. Additionally, the current state rate is well below Vermont’s recent high of 7.3 percent percent in May of 2009 which was during the height of the last recession.
The employment numbers do not include the bulk of Hurricane Irene-related impacts, as the storm hit on August 28. However, the first two weeks of September saw a spike in unemployment claims.

Philip A Conroy, Jr, EdD, will be inducted as the 18th president of Vermont Technical College on Friday, September 30, 2011 at 2 pm in Judd Hall on the Randolph Center campus. Delegates representing colleges and universities from all of New England will join VTC faculty, staff and students in the academic procession and investiture ceremony.
Dr. Conroy comes to Vermont Tech from Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts, where he served as vice president of enrollment management and marketing, responsible for admissions, financial aid, marketing, publications, the web site, public relations, and retention related activities.
President Conroy, who has served in a variety of roles at Mount Ida since 1997, is an internationally recognized expert on higher education management, particularly in the areas of strategic enrollment management and institutional advancement.

Vermont hospital budgets will increase by a system-wide total of 3.8 percent for fiscal year 2012 beginning October 1, 2011, after excluding this year’s increased taxes on hospitals, according to individual hospital budgets approved today by Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration Commissioner Steve Kimbell.
‘Compared to the average annual system-wide increase of 7.2 percent over the span of the past five years, the rate of increase is definitely moving in the right direction,’ said Kimbell.
Budgeted increases ranged from $1,193,974 for Gifford Hospital to $43,324,991 for Fletcher Allen. Meanwhile, Mt Ascutney Hospital's budget shows a decrease of -$1,465,403. The approved system-wide rate increase last year was 5.44 percent.
Information about individual hospital budgets is below. Also included are the FY 2012 and 2011 budgets.