Current News

The Vermont Investors Forum is seeking applicants for their 19th annual event to be held at the Stowe Mountain Resort, on October 21. Each year angel and institutional investors from around the region hear from a select group of companies seeking to raise equity capital and expand their networks at VIF.
Over the years, the Forum has proven itself as one of the best ways to connect companies with capital. Stephen Luhr, Founder and CEO of Hammerhead Sleds commented, ‘We found our first real investor at the Vermont Investors Forum, which lead to his angel group and our biggest investment to date. Any one investment group pitch is not the answer; it’s the culmination of fine tuning, practice and vetting your idea. VIF is a real good way to catch a wide variety of people in the 'circle'."

Bret Williams, President and CEO of Green Mountain Beverage, recently announced that the hard cider company is changing its name to Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC effective August 1, 2011.
The name change comes at a time when the hard cider category is experiencing significant growth in the United States. The company produces the nation’s number one cider ‘ Woodchuck Hard Cider, which is available in all 50 states and is currently celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2011!
In June 2003 when Williams put together the deal to buy the company, the legal name became ‘Beverage Acquisition Group, LLC’ with Green Mountain Beverage as the d/b/a. At the time, it was uncertain if the company would survive, let alone be able to sell hard cider exclusively. Over the years, the Woodchuck Brand has grown three-fold and has enabled the company to remain solely focused on the hard cider category.

Secretary of State Jim Condos, in continuing his focus on access to Vermont’s public records, announces the launch of a new web presentation on the history of the Vermont’s public records law. This is part of an ongoing effort by the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA), a division within the Secretary’s office, to create greater understanding of the laws governing access to public records and, by extension, our right to know.
Secretary Condos noted that ‘VSARA initially focused on the origins of the various exemptions to the public records act. This should assist the legislative study review of those exemptions ‘ the committee begins its work on Wednesday July 27. We hope, as resources allow, to keep adding to the information on not only exemptions, but also the other sections within 1 V.S.A. §§ 315 ‘ 320.’

At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of the College of St Joseph, President Frank G Miglorie announced that he will resign at the end of the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Miglorie came to CSJ in 1970 and served on the faculty for nine years. He was then appointed Academic Dean, a position he held for four years. In 1983, the board of trustees installed him as the college’s fourth president. Miglorie was the first lay person and the first male to serve in this position at the Catholic college founded by the Sisters of St Joseph. Now entering his twenty-eighth year as leader of the College, Miglorie is perhaps best known for his entrepreneurial spirit, expansion of the college’s programs and campus, and his conservative financial management of the college’s resources.

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BHLB) reported second quarter 2011 core earnings per share totaling $0.35, increasing by 40 percent compared to $0.25 in the second quarter of 2010. This increase resulted from strong ongoing organic growth together with the benefits of the acquisition of Rome Bancorp, which was completed on April 1, 2011. Diluted earnings per share was $0.11 for the second quarter of 2011 compared to $0.25 in the second quarter of 2010.
Berkshire also completed the acquisition of Legacy Bancorp on July 21, 2011. This event will be reported in Berkshire's third quarter financial results. Berkshire incurred non-core merger related expenses in the second quarter for both the Rome and Legacy transactions. Net of these expenses, which totaled $0.24per share after-tax, GAAP earnings per share were $0.11 during the quarter.

More than 6,700 Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) members cast ballots during a special election completed on Tuesday, July 26th. Results for 3 ballot items and a director election in VEC’s District 3 were announced on Tuesday evening at a special meeting of the VEC membership which was held at VEC headquarters in Johnson. A proposed transmission line upgrade from Lowell to Jay passed with 5,340 votes in favor and 1,379 opposed; an agreement to purchase power from Hydro-Quebec passed with 5,970 votes in favor and 700 votes opposed; and a bylaw amendment allowing the board of directors to set methods allowing for the retirement of patronage capital passed with 5,572 in favor and 991 opposed.

The Goddard College Health Arts and Sciences Program and the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism (VCIH) are pleased to announce a new learning partnership. VCIH students can now apply their learning (and transfer credits at the undergraduate level) to their individualized program of study in Health Arts and Sciences. This is the only independent clinical herbalist training program in the country that can be applied towards completion of education at a regionally accredited institution.
Health Arts and Sciences is a low residency BA and MA program. Students spend eight days each semester in residency at Goddard and otherwise study from home in partnership with their academic advisor. The Health Arts and Sciences vision, founded on the principle that personal and community health are two dimensions of the same whole, helps students develop their wisdom and skills to cultivate wellbeing within a matrix of social and ecological health.

Governor Peter Shumlin and Vermont's Congressional delegation announced this evening that FEMA has approved public assistance for Washington, Orange, and Essex Counties for flood relief. This is an amendment to FEMA's earlier declaration of disaster relief for affected Vermont counties.

Just four miles from where they were designed and manufactured, 382 solar trackers composed of more than 9,000 individual panels make up Vermont’s largest solar installation -- which will be commissioned tomorrow, July 27 with the touch of an iPhone. The project is the largest solar farm of its kind in all of North America.

Thanks to a successful collaboration of public, private, and community based organizations, a safe and accessible pedestrian connection between downtown Montpelier and the National Life complex and adjacent residential neighborhood will soon become a reality. On Tuesday, July 26, 2011 the commencement of this much awaited project will be celebrated at a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony, co-hosted by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC), the City of Montpelier and the National Life Group.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) announced today that construction on the Danville Village reconstruction project will resume on Wednesday, July 27th.
‘We are getting back to work on our Danville project this week,’ said Richard Tetreault, VTrans Director of Program Development. The announcement comes nearly two weeks after the Agency issued a stop work order following concerns over traffic management challenges for the project.
Beginning Wednesday, project work will begin along US Route 2 east of the village green. Limited work is also expected to take place on and around the village green.

Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell announced today that letters have been sent to fourteen Rutland landlords requesting that all of their rental housing be brought into compliance with Vermont's lead law. The Rutland letters mark the latest effort in the Attorney General's ongoing campaign to reduce exposure to lead hazards in rental housing across the state.
"Because Vermont has one of the oldest housing stocks in the country, it is imperative that landlords take necessary steps to reduce the risks of lead exposure for their tenants," said Attorney General Sorrell. "Our hope is that by bringing this issue to the attention of these landlords, we can work together to get the properties into compliance quickly and make renting in Vermont a safer experience for everyone."