Current News

FairPoint Communications has released information regarding its expansion of broadband Internet coverage to several more neighborhoods across Vermont as part of its commitment to bring total high-speed Internet coverage to half of its exchanges this year.
Here is the latest availability report. FairPoint’s high-speed Internet service will reach customers along all or portions of the following streets:
Bakersfield and Enosburg Falls: Bakersfield, Cold Hollow, Cook Brook, Hill, Peaked Hill, Town Road 3 and Witchcat.
Derby: Allendale, Beebe, Can-American, Cottage, Cousen’s, Dairninaka, Darling Hill, Derby, Jayview, Johns River, Lake, Lake Circle, Lake View, Nield’s, Pinewood, Pleasan, Poulin Farm, Prevost, Roberts, Sunset Acres, Upper Quarry, Whispering Pines, White Pines, White Birch and Woods Farm.
Duxbury: Camels Hump, Mountainview, Ridley, Scrabble Hill and Vilcins.

Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB) today announced that it has acquired seismic survey software provider Dynamic Survey Solutions, Inc of Essex. The acquisition is expected to expand Trimble's presence in the seismic survey industry. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Dynamic Survey Solutions' GPSeismic suite of software applications are designed specifically for the seismic survey industry to process and manage data. The applications run on the Windows XP, Vista, and 7 operating systems (both 32 and 64 bit). GPSeismic supports more than 50 types of survey instruments ranging from GPS to inertial and conventional survey systems and offers a comprehensive set of tools for the land seismic surveyor. The software suite is used worldwide by geophysical contractors, seismic survey companies, oil companies and survey audit companies.

FairPoint Communications will donate a combined $3,000 to three Vermont nonprofit organizations based on a corporate financial match program for FairPoint employees who are actively involved in community activities.
The FairPoint Volunteer Incentive Program recognizes employees’ contributions of time and talent to nonprofit organizations near where they live and work. Employees who volunteer at least 50 hours per year can ask that FairPoint reward the organization with a $750 grant. Any northern New England FairPoint full-time employee can request donated funds on behalf of two separate organizations for a total of $1,500 year.
Favorite nonprofits of FairPoint employees include:
· Little League Baseball ($750), made possible through the generous contributions of time and talent from FairPoint employee Rene DeLaricheliere of St. Albans.

by Anne Galloway, www.vtdigger.org May 13, 2011 Terry Rowe, executive director of the Vermont State Hospital, announced her resignation Thursday. She has served as head of the state facility for severely mentally ill patients for seven years.
In an e-mail, Rowe told the 240 staff members of the hospital that she decided she will leave her position this summer because of ‘major shifts’ in the new administration’s vision for mental health service.
Rowe said in an interview that the Shumlin administration officials are ‘good people’ and ‘there’s a lot of energy and optimism in the air ‘ I’m just really tired.’

Several members of the Southern Vermont College community were named finalists or award recipients for the 2011 Vermont Campus Compact (VCC) Higher Education Conference, as a result of their commitment to service-learning. VCC is a consortium of Vermont’s colleges and universities committed to the civic purposes of higher education. In April, two SVC students, an SVC faculty member and the SVC Provost were honored for their accomplishments at a statewide Recognition Reception and Ceremony at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Montpelier.
Andrea Stoddard of Kerhonkson, N.Y., received the Commitment to Service and Engagement Award for her community involvement. Currently a sophomore majoring in Entrepreneurship and Management at SVC, she is a founding member of MooseCorps, a campus community service club where she provides leadership to the group. She is also Vice President of the Student Government Association and a member of the Student Activities Squad.

As part of its ongoing effort at resource conservation, and to explore and deploy clean, fuel-efficient vehicles, Casella Waste Systems today opened a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station in Chittenden County, its first facility companywide.
Natural gas-powered trucks and vehicles are among the cleanest vehicles available and, with the discovery of new natural gas in North America, natural gas prices have decreased significantly. In addition they also have significantly lowered tailpipe emissions.

On May 11, 2011, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee expressing concern over the recent AT&T/T-Mobile merger. He emphasized the importance of the company to follow through with its proposals. The speech reads as follows:
Today, we examine the competitive impact of AT&T’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile. This acquisition would combine the Nation’s second and fourth largest providers of wireless communications, and will have a lasting impact on the wireless industry. At present, four companies control nearly 90 percent of the national wireless market. The proposed acquisition would further consolidate an already concentrated market for wireless communication.

Today, Bruegger's announced the first ever "Skinny Bagel," with the same taste and texture as a classic bagel, but with 100 fewer calories.
Just in time for summer, Bruegger's Skinny Bagel will be offered in all of the bagel leader's 300 locations. Guests can order any of Bruegger's 15-plus varieties "skinny," due to Bruegger's unique process. Instead of changing the recipe of its time-tested, New York-style bagel, Bruegger's cuts the bagels using a patented knife, removing approximately one-third of the bagel's center but preserving its unique eggshell crust and delicious toppings. The result? Guests have a lower calorie option without sacrificing variety or taste.
"With 62 percent of national consumers planning on eating healthier in 2011," said CEO Jim Greco, "Bruegger's is excited to offer our guests a healthier option without sacrificing any of the flavor they have come to expect from our bagels."

Six of Vermont’s State-owned Historic Sites will open for the 2011 season on Saturday, May 28.
‘These beautifully preserved gems allow us to see history where it happened,’ says John Dumville, Historic Sites Operations Chief at the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. ‘They tell us the exciting story of Vermont and our nation--from the first inhabitants to the Vermonter who became our 30th president.’ A full schedule of special exhibits and events are planned for the public’s enjoyment.

Concentra, a subsidiary of Humana, announced today it has expanded its customer base and reach in the Burlington, Vt. market with the acquisition of assets of the Champlain Valley Urgent Care, P.C. (CVUC) location in South Burlington.
Concentra consolidated its existing operations in Burlington, located at 110 Kimball Ave, into the CVUC location immediately upon the transaction closing. Many of the existing medical staff, providers, and non-medical personnel have been retained, building on their tenure with the organization and the long-standing relationships they have developed within the surrounding communities. This acquisition supports Concentra's extensive client base, its long history as the leading provider of occupational medicine to employees, and a growing demand for urgent care, comprehensive health, and wellness services.

On May 3rd, the Community-University Partnerships and Service-Learning Office (CUPS) announced the recipients of its Engaged Scholarship Awards at the 7th Annual CUPS Recognition Reception. Nominations were judged on the quality of engaged scholarship demonstrated in courses between Spring 2010 and 2011 semesters. The Outstanding Service-Learning Student Award was presented to Alex Finn, an active member of the Dewey House for Civic Engagement. As a student in the Civic Engagement and Self-Reflection course, Alex has demonstrated outstanding commitment to service beyond course expectations. The Outstanding Community Partner Award was awarded to Peter DeGraff of Otter Creek Engineering, who worked enthusiastically with students from CDAE 171 ‘Community and Economic Transformation’ to create successful community-based water systems projects in Honduras.

Ken Gibbons, Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank is pleased to announce that Jeffrey S. Ciochetto of East Aurora, New York has been appointed Senior Vice President and Senior Loan Officer of the Bank. Ciochetto brings 28 plus years in commercial and retail banking to the position with a focus in Commercial Lending, Credit and Treasury/Cash Management as well as senior managerial, mentoring and leadership experience.
Ciochetto fills the Senior Loan Officer position vacated by David S. Silverman who was named President of Union Bank on April 1, 2011. Ciochetto’s responsibilities include overseeing all lending areas within the Bank, directly supervising the retail loan manager and commercial loan officers throughout northern Vermont and northwestern New Hampshire, and maintaining risk management strategies for all aspects of the Bank’s $540 million in serviced loans.