Current News

A small group of local, veteran business leaders has launched Bristol Works! LLC and recently closed on the purchase of approximately 6 acres and 55,000 square feet of commercial buildings in the heart of the Bristol village. The partners have begun the transformation of the former Autumn Harp manufacturing site into a new, mixed-use redevelopment project that will focus on health and wellness, educational services, light-manufacturing and housing.
‘We care deeply about this community, and want to keep working families in Bristol,’ says Kevin Harper, founder of Autumn Harp. Harper was the Managing Partner of the Mountain Greens Market redevelopment project, is currently the lead partner of the Bristol Bakery and Café, and now manages Bristol Works! LLC. ‘We want to use our resources and skills to re-purpose this site to be a focal point for the creation of livable wage jobs, and to enhance the health, well-being, and economic security of the region.’

Chuck Ross, Secretary of Agriculture, has announced the appointment of Diane Bothfeld as Deputy Secretary of Dairy Policy, Director of Administrative Services and Agriculture Development. Bothfeld has served as interim Deputy Secretary of the agency for the past year.
Diane Bothfeld has a deep understanding of the dairy industry and its importance to the economic stability of the state. Growing up on a dairy farm in Cabot, she learned the importance of animal care, environmental protection and diversification. She has used that knowledge and experience to be a tireless and dedicated advocate and supporter for the diary industry.

The University of Vermont Medical Group at Fletcher Allen announced the winners of four new Medical Group awards at the practice’s annual holiday reception held December 7, 2010. The awards, newly created to highlight Fletcher Allen’s academic mission and recognize the outstanding work of UVM/Fletcher Allen faculty, each carry a $1,500 cash award and $6,000 block grant related to the award’s focus.
Allyson Bolduc, M.D., associate professor of family medicine, was named CME (Continuing Medical Education) Educator of the Year in recognition of her role of course director for the long-standing and highly successful Family Medicine Review Course from 2006 through 2009. Under Dr. Bolduc’s direction, attendance at the longest-running family medicine conference in the country grew by approximately 30 percent.

Flanking Governor Peter Shumlin at a Statehouse press conference, the Vermont congressional delegation today announced federal legislation to let states in 2014 provide better health care at less cost.
A provision by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the new federal health care law allows states to propose pilot programs in 2017. Now Vermont's congressional delegates ‘ Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch (D) ‘ have drafted a bill to authorize federal waivers three years sooner. Sanders will introduce the bill in the Senate for himself and Leahy, and Welch will introduce the bill in the House.

Toppan Printing Co, Ltd of Japan has announced that it has extended a joint development agreement with IBM for leading-edge photomask process, covering the 14 nanometer technology node for logic devices. The development work will take place at IBM’s photomask facility in Essex Junction, VT, and Toppan’s Asaka photomask facility in Niiza, Saitama, Japan, from January 2011 through 2012.
This new agreement represents the continuation of a partnership that began in 2005 with 45nm photomask process development, and has progressed through the 32nm, 28nm, 22nm, and 20nm technology nodes. The jointly developed photomask manufacturing processes have been essential contributors to advanced wafer process development by IBM and its partners in East Fishkill and Albany, NY.

From meager beginnings, to national prominence to global awareness the two kids who met in Junior High School and took the American dream of developing their own successful business had thought they’d seen it all. More than thirty years after they opened their first ice cream scoop shop in a dilapidated gas station in one of the coldest states, Vermont, Cofounders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield found themselves humbled and honored this weekend as they accepted The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center Annual Salute to Greatness Award.

This report is the fifth ‘Pulse of Vermont: Quality of Life Survey’ conducted since 1990. Each has used the same methodology of conducting 20 to 30 minute phone-based interviews with a statewide random sample of adult Vermonters. The interviews addressed questions about personal well-being and perceptions of various issues related to ‘quality of life.’ Many of the questions also focused on issues related to life in Vermont, such as confidence in Vermont-based institutions, trust in other Vermonters, aspects of life that seem to be ‘under threat,’ and public priorities. Each of the studies was conducted by the Center for Social Science Research at Saint Michael’s College under the sponsorship of the Vermont Business Roundtable. Since the first study was conducted in 1990, more than 2,000 people have been interviewed, allowing analysts to document various longitudinal trends.

Trends and Historical Context
The interviews were conducted in the spring of 2010,

As the new administration takes office, Governor Shumlin and his team of economic advisers are dealing with upwards of a $150 million budget deficit. Twice a year, a panel known as the Emergency Board, comprised of the governor and key lawmakers, is notified about the state’s tax revenue projections. In recent years, Vermont tax collections and state finances have been affected by a troubled economy, but economists say there may be signs of improvement.
Both Jeff Carr, for the administration, and Tom Kavet, for the Legisalture, said last Thursday that modest gains can be seen in economic indicators, including in tax receipts. However, these gains will have only a slight positive effect on the state’s deficit in the near future.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has confirmed that Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates will continue funding for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) F136 competitive engine, by releasing $56 million in funds provided by Congress in a short-term budget bill in December, which runs to March 4.
David Carle, Leahy’s spokesman, said, ‘Senator Leahy has been assured by Secretary Gates that the Defense Department will carry out the will of Congress in funding the competitive engine without interruption. As Senator Leahy had asked, the department is following both the letter and the spirit of the law that he and his allies had written. This averts problems that would have been caused by a letup in work in the project, and this lays the foundation for Senator Leahy’s efforts to seek continued funding of the alternate engine program in the year ahead.’ Leahy is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which handled the bill.

Governor Peter Shumlin and key lawmakers today unveiled a comprehensive plan, involving both the executive branch and the Vermont Legislature, to ensure that access to government documents remains open and available to the public.
Among the significant provisions, the legislation would give the public records law more ‘teeth’ by designating a state office to enforce the law, and make it easier for those wrongly denied public records to recover attorney fees if they have to go to court to get access.
Government transparency has been a priority issue for the Governor on the campaign, and even during his tenure in the state Senate. Governor Shumlin has been working with lawmakers in recent days to find ways to strengthen the public records law and improve public agency compliance with those laws.

With her 20th anniversary as the Executive Director of the United Way of Chittenden County (UWCC) just six months away, Gretchen Morse today announced that she plans to retire by the end of June 2011. In a letter to the Board of Directors of United Way, she said, ‘It is with a strong sense of humility and gratitude that I announce my retirement from the United Way of Chittenden County. I am fortunate to work with an amazing board and staff who are faithful stewards of United Way’s mission. There is an exceptional network of member agencies and community partners, as well as thousands of volunteers who exemplify the true meaning of service to community. I am, therefore, confident in a bright future for United Way and know that this is the time for me to move on with other aspects of my life.’

Attorney General William H. Sorrell announced today that Vermont will receive approximately $136,000 as part of a settlement with pharmaceutical manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) of allegations that the company manufactured and sold defective drugs. According to the terms of the settlement, GSK will pay the states and federal government $600 million in civil damages and penalties, and a GSK subsidiary, SB Pharmaco of Puerto Rico, where the adulterated drugs were produced, will plead guilty to a felony violation of misbranding, and pay $150 million in criminal fines and forfeitures.
The settlement resolves allegations that arose out of a whistleblower complaint that, at different times between 2001 and 2005, GSK knowingly manufactured, distributed, and sold four products whose strength, purity and/or quality fell below standards required by the FDA: