Current News
by tim
US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) learned today that the U.S. Department of Justice has no plans to intervene in a legal fight over the fate of the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor at this time.
Sanders had urged Attorney General Eric Holder to stay out of a lawsuit filed in federal court in Vermont by Entergy Corp. The plant owner sued after the Vermont Senate last year voted 26-to-4 not to renew a state license for the 40-year-old, problem-plagued reactor.
‘While I recognize that it is the responsibility of the Department of Justice to monitor developments in all ongoing litigation, I am pleased that they have no plans to intervene and I am confident that the Department will see no reason to intervene in the future,’ Sanders said.
by tim
Winstanley Enterprises of Concord, Mass., has formally notified local officials of its plan to apply for a Certificate of Public Good to build a 25 to 35 megawatt renewable woodchip-burning electric generating plant at its existing industrial site located in North Springfield. The filing plan was announced on Monday in a letter from Chan Morgan, the project’s manager, to local officials. The Winstanley development team is targeting early October to file its petition with the Public Service Board.
by tim
NativeEnergy, one of the nation’s leading providers of carbon offsets, has moved into the Main Street Landing CornerStone Building at 3 Main Street in Burlington. The company was drawn to Main Street Landing’s commitment to sustainable development and corporate responsibility. NativeEnergy had previously occupied locations in South Burlington and Charlotte.
‘3 Main Street is an ideal fit for NativeEnergy,’ said Jeff Bernicke, President of NativeEnergy. ‘Our new space in the Cornerstone Building is energy efficient and features sustainable building materials. It allows a number of us to reduce our carbon footprints by walking or biking to work or commuting by public transportation. We are excited to join a vibrant downtown Burlington community.’
by tim
On June 30, 2011 the Central Vermont Public Service Corporation (NYSE: CV) Board of Directors approved the following resolution:
RESOLVED: That out of reserved and unrestricted earnings of the Company a quarterly dividend at the rate of twenty-three cents ($.23) per share is hereby declared on the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock, $6 Par Value, payable August 15, 2011 to stockholders of record at the close of business August 5, 2011.
Payable Date: August 15, 2011
RUTLAND, VT--(Marketwire - June 30, 2011) -
by tim
Central Vermont Public Service received the Vermont Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence today for its first-in-the-nation switch to biodegradable oil.
Last June, CVPS switched from fossil-based chainsaw bar and chain oil to oil made from animal fat, removing thousands of gallons of traditional oil annually from Vermont’s environment. CVPS was the first electric utility in the nation to make the switch.
‘Every gallon of bar and chain oil ultimately ends up in the fields and forests,’ CVPS spokesman Steve Costello said. ‘Our action essentially removed 5,000 gallons of fossil-based oil from Vermont’s environment over the past year, and will continue to do so every year going forward. That’s a benefit to Vermont plants, birds, animals and amphibians.’
by tim
In 2010, drivers in Arizona paid the most in the nation for car repairs at an average cost of $421.49, according to CarMD.com Corporation, which analyzed roughly 80,000 repairs made on vehicles with "check engine" light problems in 2010. Vermont ranked 33rd.
Arizona's no. 1 ranking is 18% more than the U.S. average for overall costs and 23% more for parts. Drivers in theDistrict of Columbia, which is one of the wealthiest areas in the country (according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau), paid the least at $265.29 per transaction. CarMD also found that drivers in New Jersey pay closest to the national average for car repair costs at $357.32, just a dollar more than the U.S. average. According to the first annual CarMD® Vehicle Health Indexâ ¢, the average cost of U.S. "check engine"-related auto repairs in 2010 was $356.04, including $212.44 in parts and $143.61 in labor costs.
by tim
Vermont home prices increased 3.9 percent in May, the second fastest increase in the nation next to New York. CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX), a leading provider of information, analytics and business services, today released its May Home Price Index (HPI) which shows that home prices in the US increased on a month-over-month basis.
According to the CoreLogic HPI, national home prices, including distressed sales, increased by 0.8 percent in May 2011 compared to April 2011, the second consecutive month-over-month increase. On a year-over-year basis, home prices declined by 7.4 percent in May 2011 compared to May 2010 after declining by 6.7 percent* in April 2011compared to April 2010. Excluding distressed sales, year-over-year prices declined by 0.4 percent in May 2011 compared to May 2010 and by 0.8* percent in April 2011 compared to April 2010. Distressed sales include short sales and real estate owned (REO) transactions.
by tim
State Director, Lenae Quillen-Blume, announced that Dave Rubel has been selected as the 2011 State Star of Vermont Small Business Development Center. Dave Rubel is the Area Business Advisor for Washington and Lamoille Counties and the Export specialist for the team.
‘I am pleased to make this announcement and to recognize Dave for extraordinary contributions to our organization’ said Quillen-Blume. ‘Dave was chosen by VtSBDC for his excellent work with clients and his development of the export and international trade program offered by VtSBDC. He is generous with his time for clients as well as peers and is a professional and valued representative of the organization.’
by tim
The Vermont Superior Court, Washington Unit, issued a decision yesterday in favor of the State in its campaign finance law enforcement action brought against Green Mountain Future, an advocacy organization primarily funded by the Democratic Governors Association. The Court found that GMF spent over half-a-million dollars in September and October 2010 on political advertisements attacking candidate Brian Dubie in the gubernatorial race, but did not register with the Secretary of State’s Office or file required disclosure reports, and also failed to include proper identification information on its advertisements.
by tim
Copley Health Systems recently completed attestation to the federal government that Copley Hospital has met ‘meaningful use’ criteria for the Phase One implementation and use of its electronic health record (EHR) and is eligible for Medicare EHR incentive payments. Copley completed attestation on June 27, 2011; the first hospital in Vermont to do so. The attestation demonstrates to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that Copley Hospital has met requirements for EHR Medicare incentives under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
‘Our focus has been to improve the quality of patient care and patient safety in addition to improving the exchange of information among healthcare providers and patients through our EHR,’ said Mel Patashnick, President of Copley Health Systems. ‘Our being at the forefront of implementing this vital technology is indicative of our commitment to providing outstanding patient care.’
by tim
Town of Hartford and The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) will be awarded a $255,000 Vermont Community Development Program Implementation Grant to launch the Inky Solomon Center, a state-of-the-art industry center designed to help CCS alumni launch projects, incubate start-up companies and create jobs.
Leveraging the world-class talent already attracted to Vermont by The Center for Cartoon Studies, the Inky Solomon Center will produce comics, graphic novels, and other visual narratives for print and digital industries. Public lectures and events will highlight collaborative projects, alumni and student work.
‘So many of our alumni are already producing inspired work. I’m thrilled that with The Inky Solomon Center we can support our alumni and faculty in an even more robust way,’ says CCS director, James Sturm.
by tim
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce announces the highly anticipated 2011-2012 Top Ten Winter Events. Each year, a panel of independent judges chooses Vermont’s best activities, selected for their diversity, wide appeal, and consistency with Vermont's brand.
Vicky Tebbetts, Vermont Chamber Senior VP, noted, ‘Vermont is known for being a destination in which to relax, reconnect with friends and family, get outdoors, and get back to basics. This year's Vermont Chamber Top Ten Winter Events feature time-honored traditions as well as contemporary experiences from all regions of the state.’
The Vermont Chamber Top Ten Winter Events take place from November 2011 through March 2012.
The winners in chronological order are:
Thanksgiving Weekend at Billings Farm & Museum
Woodstock, November 25 ‘ 27, 2011, 10 am ‘ 3:30 pm