Current News

Vermont’s State Historic Sites posted a one-and-a-half percent increase in attendance for the 2010 season, with officials crediting more family-oriented events and improved promotion.
A total of 66,900 people visited the state’s 10 historic sites during the 2010 season, which ran from May to October, up 1,012 from last year’s 65,888 visitors.
The increase would have been even bigger had the state not been forced to close one site due to construction activity; when adjusted for that, the total attendance at the remaining sites was up six percent.
‘We had a number of interactive and innovative special events at the sites ‘ like the star-gazing at the Hubbardton Battlefield ‘ that really appealed to families,’ said John Dumville, historic sites operations chief at the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. ‘And we also expanded our efforts to publicize them, including radio ads in partnership with the Tourism Department and on Facebook.’

A new survey conducted recently by Harris Interactive for The Vermont Country Store shows what classic toys and candy people remember most when they were young. Of the 2,104 adults age 18 or older who were surveyed online, more than a third (39%) responded that chocolate bars were their top candy choice when they were a child. Also, more than a quarter of the respondents (29%) noted that a doll or stuffed animal was their favorite childhood toy.
‘In the current era of electronics and always wanting ‘the next best thing,’ it’s nice to travel back in time and remember when life was simpler and products were more memorable,’ said Cabot Orton, proprietor of The Vermont Country Store. ‘Toys and candy especially are the iconic childhood products that many people recall easily as adults. This survey gives us great insight into those products that make people feel nostalgic and reminiscent of their youth.’

DEW Construction Corp was among five companies awarded an Associated General Contractors of Vermont (AGC-VT) Best Builders Award for Outstanding Quality of Work and Effort at the AGC-VT Annual Meeting held at the Sheraton Hotel on December 7, 2010.
DEW received recognition under the New Construction category for using Innovative Construction Technologies on the Tram Haus Lodge project at Jay Peak Resort in Jay, VT. The Tram Haus Lodge is a five ‘story, 57-suite hotel that offers a mix of studio, 1 and 2 bedroom units along with a bar and restaurant with seating for up to 180, a fitness studio and spa, coffee shop and bakery, a small retail store and a rental and repair shop. The project also includes an underground heated parking garage for hotel guests.

With this week’s debut of a $10 million base-area expansion, Sugarbush Resort has once again strengthened its commitment to lifelong learning and the creation of new snowsports enthusiasts.
Devoted to ski school and family-friendly guest facilities, the two recently completed structures are part of Phase 2 of the Lincoln Peak revitalization; the other component being an upgrade of 2.5 miles of snowmaking pipe servicing both Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen.
Sugarbush’s Phase 2 improvements were financed through NBT Bank, VEDA, and EB5 funding, a federal program that uses foreign investment capital to put Americans to work. Sugarbush president Win Smith will host a grand opening celebration for the new facilities this Friday at 9 a.m., officially opening both ‘The Schoolhouse’ and ‘The Farmhouse’ to the public.
Governor Douglas as well as other local and state officials are expected to attend.

Governor-elect Peter Shumlin today announced the appointments of Vermont’s next Tax Commissioner, Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and Commissioner of Human Resources. Mary Peterson will be Tax Commissioner, Kate Duffy will be Commissioner of Human Resources and Robert Ide will remain as Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
‘Mary has the skills and experience to ensure that we implement a tax system that grows wealth and grows jobs,’ said Shumlin. ‘I am grateful that she has agreed to take on this important challenge.’
YouTube Video courtesy of vtdigger.org (story and more videos)

At the December 6, 2010 Newport City Council meeting, Newport became the first municipality in the state of Vermont to adopt form-based code into its zoning by-law. Form-based code is graphic form standards that regulate form of building rather than use of building. It has a positive approach illustrated by its language of ‘build to lines’ rather than ‘set backs.' Form-based code defines desired development patterns.
‘Form-based code is a three-pronged approach to zoning,’ stated Paul Dreher, Newport City Zoning Administrator. ‘It benefits the city with increased tax base, business benefits from expedited predictable permitting and it benefits the community with better public realm.’

Governor-elect Peter Shumlin sent a letter to Entergy’s Vermont Yankee Site Vice President, Michael Colomb today. Shumlin requests in the letter that Entergy return its extraction wells to service and repeated his request to increase the number of wells to prevent contaminated water from harming Vermont’s aquifers.

For the fourth year in a row Vermont has been named the healthiest state in America, Governor Jim Douglas announced today. The 21st annual America’s Health Rankings, which was released at a press conference at the Hall of States in Washington, DC, this afternoon, showed the Green Mountain State in a familiar position leading the nation when it comes to health.
‘Over the last eight years we have worked hard to improve the health and wellbeing of Vermonters,’ said Governor Douglas. ‘Policies like the Vermont Blueprint for Health, Choices for Care and Global Commitment to Health, and our groundbreaking 2006 health care reforms have contributed significantly to our success. But most importantly, it is the people of Vermont, who have taken responsibility for their health, that deserve credit for this distinction.’

Today, renewable energy advocate Tom Weis completed his 10-week "Ride for Renewables" at the Jefferson Memorial after traversing 11 states in his futuristic-looking "rocket trike." He is promoting 100% renewable electricity for the U.S. in ten years, a goal first proposed by former Vice President Al Gore.
"Almost everyone I met during this ride wants to see a modern day, green energy moon shot for America," said Tom Weis, President of Climate Crisis Solutions. Citing massive unemployment, energy dependence, economic turbulence and climate instability as top concerns driving this public desire, he said, "The solution is an American-led green industrial revolution."
Ride backer Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org and author of Eaarth, said, "Politicians won't lead until we build a citizens movement powerful enough to challenge the might of the fossil fuel industry. That's what this ride is building towards."

Northern Power Systems, Inc, a leading manufacturer of next-generation direct-drive wind turbines, has announced a few key highlights and milestones achieved in its Community Wind business in 2010.
‘This past year has continued to demonstrate the strength of the on-site wind industry and our own Community Wind business, in particular’ said Parthiv Amin, President of Community Wind at Northern Power Systems. ‘This year we more than doubled our orders and installed base and now have over 60 cumulative years of field operating experience across our fleet.’ We now have Northern Powerâ ¢ 100 customers in 24 U.S. states and four countries, with global exports increasing to 40% of our business as we continue to grow our network of sales, installation, service and financing partners across North America and Europe.’
Additional 2010 Northern Power Community Wind highlights included the following:

What do the Northfield Savings Bank, Johnson Woolen Mills, and the National Life Group have in common? All three were recipients of the Vermont Centennial Business Award. This program is a joint project of the Secretary of State’s office, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and the Vermont Business Magazine and honors businesses that have operated in Vermont for at least 100 years.
Secretary of State Deb Markowitz said, ‘We are currently seeking nominations for the 2011 ceremony. Any business that has been in operation in Vermont for 100 years or more can participate by filling out an application and providing verification of its business start date." Vermont's centennial businesses will be presented with a plaque at an awards ceremony in the spring.

As President Obama took to the airwaves Monday night to announce a deal to extend President George W Bush's tax cuts, Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) called the plan ‘fiscally irresponsible’ and ‘grossly unfair.’ US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) comments were even stronger, calling it a "moral outrage."
Sanders issued the following statement today on the agreement announced Monday between the White House and congressional Republicans: