Current News

The US Small Business Administration reminds small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes in six Vermont counties of the May 2 deadline to apply for economic injury disaster loan assistance. The loans are available due to frost and freeze that occurred from May 9 through May 13, 2010.
Under this declaration, SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. These loans can be up to $2 million with terms not exceeding 30 years. Interest rates are 4 percent for businesses and 3 percent for non-profit organizations. Farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers are not eligible to apply to SBA.
The disaster loans are available in Addison, Chittenden, Orange, Rutland, Washington and Windsor counties in Vermont.

Otelco Inc. (NASDAQ: OTT)(TSX: OTT.un), a wireline telecommunications services provider in Alabama, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire and West Virginia, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Shoreham Telephone Company, Inc. for approximately $4.5 million in cash, subject to certain purchase price adjustments.
‘The acquisition of Shoreham is a strategically important opportunity for Otelco to continue the expansion of our footprint in New England,’ said Mike Weaver, President and Chief Executive Officer of Otelco. ‘While Shoreham has similar roots to Otelco as a rural wireline telephone provider, its existing network in Vermont provides an excellent point from which our CLEC (OTT Communications) can begin serving our fourth state. We are very excited about this transaction and its impact as a catalyst for future growth.’

Lewis R. First, MD, MS, University of Vermont professor and chair of pediatrics, was elected chair of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) at the organization’s annual meeting on April 1, 2011. He will serve a two-year term effective immediately.

The Vermont Attractions Association (VAA) has accepted seven prestigious Vermont businesses into membership for 2011. New to VAA this year are: the Norman Rockwell Exhibition / Sugar Shack in Arlington, the Chocolatorium/Village Peddler in East Arlington, Hathaway Farm & Corn Maze in Rutland, the Timber Ripper at Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow, ArborTrek Canopy Adventures at Smugglers’ Notch, Artesano Meadery in Groton, and Sharp Park in Milton.
Members of VAA enjoy many benefits, including a presence on 1.15 million copies of the Official Vermont Road Map & Guide to Vermont Attractions, which is widely distributed across the country and internationally as the State of Vermont highway map.
Focusing on education as a component of the visitor experience, VAA members meet high standards while offering unusual experiences in the areas of agricultural tourism, art, excursions, galleries, guided tours, history, museums, recreation, shopping, and specialty foods.

At the same time that Saint Michael's College has instituted a new Environmental Studies major, the college has made an arrangement that will help graduates enter Vermont Law School upon graduation. And, Vermont Law School was just re-named as having the top environmental law program in the country by U.S.News & World Report.
On March 17, 2011, SMC President John Neuhauser and Vermont Law President Geoffrey Shields signed an Articulation Agreement between the two institutions, which states the purpose to be
‘To guarantee admission into Vermont Law School’s JD, MELP, or Joint JD/MELP degree programs to Saint Michael’s College students who successfully complete Saint Michael’s requirements for the bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) and who also meet the entrance requirements stated below.’ The requirements are essentially to match the standards applied to current Vermont Law students.

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin joined governors from across the northeast today in urging the federal government to increase its investment in the nation’s most extensive high speed intercity passenger rail network.
As the current lead governor for Transportation Policy on the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG), Gov. Shumlin signed a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, signifying that the group collectively supports a set of rail infrastructure projects being submitted by nine states, the District of Columbia, and Amtrak for the recently available high speed intercity passenger rail grant funds. The eight CONEG Governors* were joined by Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett.
‘The projects that our states and Amtrak are submitting today will contribute to more reliable and improved passenger rail service in the near term,’ said Gov. Shumlin.

Maple Landmark Woodcraft’s Standard Chinese Checkers and the Montgomery Schoolhouse Rattles were selected among hundreds of entries as this years’ Best Classic Toys by Dr. Toy a.k.a. Stevanne Auerbach, PhD.
‘A classic toy is simple to enjoy, has a lot of play value, and its desirability has been proven over many years. There are other attributes that give a classic toy its value, such as durability, consistency, and creativity,’ stated Dr. Toy.
The traditional Chinese checker board was selected based on its education component. Through board game play, like Chinese checkers, children learn how to take turns, think ahead, plan strategy and follow the rules. By practicing these components, children gain basic skills that can be transferred on to more complex problems or situations as the child grows.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced the first installment of funding to the Vermont State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to help Medicare beneficiaries in Vermont receive information and counseling about their health care choices. These grants are available to the 54 SHIP organizations in the United States and its territories for the funding year that runs from April 1, 2011, through March 31, 2012.
The Vermont State Health Insurance Assistance Program will receive $296,500, part of the nearly $46.5 million being distributed to SHIPs today as part of the total $50 million that is available to SHIPs in 2011 for direct grants and support contracts. Performance awards will be distributed to SHIPs in September.

State Representative George Till (D-Jericho) today released the results of the 2011 Vermont Physician Legislative Survey. The survey results indicate that physicians themselves are split on "single-payer" insurance, but that many specialists would consider leaving the state if it were instituted. This may be because of compensation, where the survey shows that Vermont would be a more attractive place to practice if reimbursement rates were higher. The survey respondents favored physician-assisted suicide legislation. They also overwhelmingly supported "no fault" malpractice insurance and believed that it would make Vermont a more attractive place to practice.

An affordable housing revolving loan program in West Rutland that provides Vermonters with services, technical assistance and loans to rehabilitate their homes will receive a $1 million grant from the state, Governor Peter Shumlin announced today.
The West Rutland program was one of 10 Vermont Community Development Program grants totaling $2.4 million announced by Gov. Shumlin during an awards ceremony Monday at Forest Park in Rutland.
The grants are funded through the state Community Development Block Grant Program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The U.S. House recently voted to cut the Community Development Block Program by 62 percent, which puts the program at risk of losing federal funding next year.

On March 30, Washington County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford issued a decision to award attorney’s fees ‘in the amount of $5,400 plus costs of $626.44’ to the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA). The decision stems from a January 6 decision by Crawford, ruling then that the State of Vermont was in violation of the law when it attempted to charge the union approximately $1,300 to view public records.
Judge Crawford ruled that the State's inspection fee "is plainly a financial impediment placed in the way of persons seeking access to records." In determining that the union was entitled to an attorney’s fee award, the Court noted, "The state’s position was not supported by the language of the statute, by its history, or by subsequent case law. It represented a statement of what the administration wished the statute to say rather than what it actually says.’

Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) officials responded to a press release issued by Entergy Corporation on March 30, 2011. In this press release, Entergy implied that there was an agreement with VEC. Although negotiations to purchase power from Vermont Yankee have ended, at the present time there is no agreement to purchase power from Entergy beyond March, 2012.
‘VEC has been negotiating with Entergy, which has offered VEC a 20-year contract that is below market; however there is presently no agreement,’ said CEO Dave Hallquist. ‘To be clear, entering into a contract with Entergy would be contingent on two additional factors: approval by VEC’s twelve member board of directors and support by the state of Vermont for the continued operation of Vermont Yankee beyond March of 2012,’ continued Hallquist.