Current News
by intern
The Honorable Justice Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States will speak at the Coolidge Center at Plymouth, VT on July 30 at 6:45 pm. Justice Breyer will deliver his remarks at the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation’s Annual Dinner. He will speak about his new book Making our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View.
This is Justice Breyer’s first public appearance in Vermont since named to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice Breyer was special assistant to the United States Assistant Attorney General, and assistant special prosecutor on the Watergate Special Prosecution Force. Justice Breyer became a law professor at Harvard Law School in 1967. He was Judge and later Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
by tim
The US Small Business Administration announced today that certain Private Non-Profit Organizations (PNPs) that provide non-critical services of a governmental nature may be eligible to apply for low-interest rate disaster loans. These loans are available in Caledonia County in Vermont following a Presidential disaster declaration for Public Assistance resulting from damages caused by the severe storms and flooding that occurred on May 26-27.
The SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs, such as ongoing operating expenses to PNP organizations of all sizes. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the organization suffered any physical property damage.
by tim
Green Mountain Power (GMP) hosted the first of two Jobs Fairs in the Northeast Kingdom Tuesday at the Lowell Fire Department in conjunction with the Kingdom Community Wind (KCW) project to be built on Lowell Mountain. About 60 people from the area came to learn about job openings. GMP’s General Contractor, Reed & Reed, along with three newly hired, Vermont-based contractors were on site to speak with attendees.
by tim
Williston, Vermont-based AllEarth Renewables has announced a new Vermont dealer- installer partnership, making their innovative solar tracker systems available around the state.
The dealer network expansion coincides with Vermont’s new statewide solar customer benefit, enacted as part of Act 47, which assures net metered solar installations receive at least $0.20 per kilowatt hour from utilities for the energy produced.
AllEarth Renewables, the local manufacturer and installer of the AllSun Tracker, will partner initially with four local solar installers to cover the state:
Solar Tech, of Sutton, will serve the northeast
ReKnew Energy Systems, of White River Junction, will serve the east-central region
BackSpin Renewables, of Middlebury, will serve the western central region
Integrated Solar, of Brattleboro, will serve the southern region
by tim
This summer, EPA will be continuing its work at the Pine Street Canal Superfund Site in Burlington, by gathering public input on plans to enhance part of the site’s remedy and by conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the cleanup.
by intern
In the East region midsize utility segment, Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS) ranked third in customer satisfaction. This reflects an overall upwards trend in the number of customers pleased with their electric utilities in 2011.
Although residential electric utility customers are less satisfied with power quality, reliability and price than in 2010, improvements in operational-related aspects have largely mitigated the negative effects on overall satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.
The study measures customer satisfaction with electric utility companies by examining six key factors: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications; and customer service.
by intern
On Tuesday, July 12, Mayor Bob Kiss sent a memorandum to the Director of Parks & Recreation Commission stating his approval of the Vermont Air National Guard Charitable Foundation’s air show staged for the Summer of 2013.
Due to the number of complaints sent to Kiss regarding the 2006 air show over Burlington’s waterfront park, a public forum was promised before another show was approved. This forum took place on April 26 of this year. Many showed up to the forum to speak both against and in favor of the 2013 air show.
Supporters lauded the show as a way for Vermonters to demonstrate their appreciation for the Vermont Air National Guard, it’s charitable efforts, and the business it brings to Burlington.
by intern
The Town of Killington has installed colorful new street pole banners to welcome travelers and promote a new municipal brand.
The banners, which are displayed along the Route 4/Route 100 access corridor in Killington, help establish a point of arrival for the resort community, and signal a broader re-branding of the entire community.
‘These banners and the new design they display are the first of many steps we are taking to unify our Town’s branding’ says Seth Webb, Killington’s Economic Development and Tourism Director. ‘We’ve elected to build on the equity of Killington Resort’s strong brand for synergy, using similar colors and characteristics, but we’ve also made sure we create something that is uniquely distinct. We believe the new look will help tie us together visually as a community.’
by tim
The University of Vermont had its best fundraising year in history for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, raising a grand total of $29,069,046 in support of UVM people, programs, and facilities.
The total, a 4.5 percent increase over 2010, marks four consecutive years of growth in private giving to UVM. It exceeds the previous record-of $28,615,707 set in 2007, the final year of UVM’s last comprehensive campaign, which raised more than $278,000,000 in support of UVM priorities.
‘This is a remarkable result for us even in the best of times,’ said President Daniel Mark Fogel. ‘Given what the national and world economies have gone through in recent years, four consecutive years of growth is an extraordinary vote of confidence in the university, and we’re very grateful to our donors for their support.’
by tim
U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Karen G Mills issued the following statement after the announcement of the Presidential disaster declaration for several counties in Vermont that were affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred on May 26-27.
"The US. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the people of Vermont with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist homeowners, renters, and businesses with federal disaster loans. Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA."
by tim
To meet the challenges of an ever-changing 21st century workforce and to support the new economic realities of doing business in Vermont and elsewhere, Champlain College will bring together students, alumni, faculty, staff, trustees, businesses, government officials and others to envision a new educational career model at The Champlain College Summit: ‘Building Partnerships for a Thriving Workforce’ on August 10-11.
The urgency to create a new way of thinking about work and how we educate people for their professional life is reflected in Vermont’s projected demographics, organizers say. According to the Vermont Workforce Development Council’s Annual Report 2010, ‘The available workforce in Vermont has shown little growth in recent years and will begin to shrink in 2012.’
by tim
by Kate Duffy,
Vermont Business Magazine
Breaking up is hard to do. Central Vermont Public Service will pay $19.5 million to Fortis Inc, a Canadian company that had sought to acquire the utility in a $700 million deal announced in late May. The deal dissolved when Gaz Metro, the Montreal-based parent company of Green Mountain Power, bested it with a $702 million offer to merge the two Vermont utilities.
CVPS shareholders will receive $35.25 per share, a 45 percent premium over the closing price of $24.32 immediately before the Fortis deal was announced, and 15 cents higher than the $35.10 Fortis had offered for each share.
Fortis declined to submit a counter offer. Instead, it will collect on a sort of corporate pre-nuptial agreement, receiving a $17.5 million ‘break-up fee’ and $2 million from CVPS to cover expenses associated with the failed acquisition.