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Among the variety of improvements at Vermont’s ski resorts, a certain theme rings clear. Each ski area listens to its guests and is creating the best possible experience for their extended family of snowsports enthusiasts. According to the Vermont Ski Areas Association, here are the latest upgrades for the coming season:
Bromley Mountain ResortBromley went on a shopping spree and brought home about $675,000 worth of goods, systems and equipment to enhance the experience of skiers and riders:
· A Prinoth Bison winch-cat will groom the steepest terrain with relative ease, providing a better, more consistent product for the most advanced skiers and riders.

Vermont Public Interest Research Group has partnered with AllEarth Renewables to help streamline the process of installing solar generation in communities across Vermont. With pilot projects launching in Williston and Waterbury, the Solar Communities campaign will be using VPIRG’s proven organizing and outreach abilities to reach residents and help them navigate the process of installing solar capacity in their towns.
“We at AllEarth Renewables are really excited for the VPIRG Solar Communities campaign,” said Regina McCarthy Farrell, Director of Sales and Marketing for AER. “There is a positive buzz that comes when you install an AllSun Tracker in your backyard. We’ve seen first-hand how contagious going solar can be, and VPIRG has found a proven and efficient way to leverage that local, grassroots enthusiasm to make a meaningful contribution to the renewable energy economy in Vermont.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced the award of a $50,000 grant to help the Vermont Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program fight Medicare fraud. The grant went to the Community of Vermont Elders and it is part of President Obama’s mandate to educate seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries about how to prevent fraud in Medicare.
‘This grant is one of more than 50 awarded throughout the country to put more feet on the ground in the fight against Medicare fraud,’ said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, M.D. ‘We are concerned about Medicare fraud and activity by criminals seeking to defraud seniors ‘ and we want to ramp up our local community resources to educate seniors and people with Medicare about how they can help us stop it.’

Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery owners, Bob Reese and Allison Hooper, have been given the 2010 Foodshed Champion Award from the Chefs Collaborative at the second annual Chefs Collaborative National Summit at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. This award acknowledges a food producer dedicated to working with professionals in this field and who represents principles such as environmentally sustainable farming, human animal husbandry and good partnerships with chefs.
The Chefs Collaborative is a nonprofit network of chefs that work to maintain a food system using advocacy, education and collaboration with the food community. This year’s National Summit was called ‘Redefining Our Culinary Traditions.’ It called on culinary professionals and food community members from around the country to share ideas and a vast knowledge in the area of creating a solid food system.

Hospitals in Vermont contribute significant dollars to the State general fund. This year, hospitals will pay $94 million in hospital provider taxes to the State. The State spends these tax dollars on the Medicaid program, qualifying the revenues for an additional $169 million in Federal matching funds. In addition, as a result of the 14,718 jobs created by hospitals, hospital employees contribute more than $34 million to the State in tax revenues.

Vermont towns can get free help in learning how to take full advantage of the Internet to create jobs, drive school innovation, provide social services, and increase civic involvement. Twelve communities are already seeing free benefits from the e-Vermont Community Broadband Project, which include consulting for businesses that want to grow their e-commerce, a digital forum to connect neighbors, computers for selected school classes, expanded access to the Internet at town libraries, and training in computer skills.
Twelve more communities statewide will be selected to participate, but local groups must apply no later than November 17 to be considered. The complete guidelines are now posted online at www.e4vt.org.

The Vermont Fine Furniture & Woodworking Festival ended their 7th annual show in late September with success and the 2011 event planning is already underway. The Vermont Wood Manufacturers Association (VWMA), which manages the event every year, was just notified that they received a 2011 Top Ten Fall Event designation by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. The show is already accepting 2011 exhibitor applications and woodworkers are eagerly signing up to get their favorite booth.

Vermont Business Magazine is posting emails it receives from the major party candidates for governor. The emails are from their chief spokesmen, Kate Duffy for Republican Brian Dubie and Alexandra MacLean for Democrat Peter Shumlin. While we also receive emails from other supporters, the principal discourse via email has come from these two. They are presented in the order VBM received them, with the most recent first. The Blue items are from the Shumlin campaign; the Red are from the Dubie campaign.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 31, 2010

Vermont was recently named one of the best run states in the nation according to an analysis by the website 24/7 Wall St. The report considered fiscal data, such as GDP per capita, debt per capita and credit rating, as well as indicators of individual wellbeing. Vermont was number 4; Wyoming, North Dakota and Iowa were 1,2,3.
“I am not surprised that Vermont is consistently recognized for being well run,” said Governor Jim Douglas. “We’ve worked hard to improve our fiscal outlook and increase the economic security of Vermonters. From helping more Vermonters access to high quality, affordable health care to ensuring that our bond rating is strong and our budgets balanced, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished for the people of Vermont.”

The Central Vermont & New Hampshire Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross will be re-opening its doors to the public, but thankfully not in response to a disaster. On October 22nd, from 11:00am - 1:00pm, the Red Cross will host an Open House to mark the opening of its 117 Strongs Avenue property in Rutland as the new headquarters of its Central Vermont & New Hampshire Valley Chapter. The Red Cross will also demonstrate its revitalized presence in the Rutland community by providing free training in adult CPR and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) to a total of 100 people over the course of that weekend.
The programmed portion of the event, including the presentation of a proclamation from Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras and remarks by former National American Red Cross President Jack McGuire, will take place during the October 22nd Open House at 12:15pm.

Ninety-two nonprofit organizations from around the country received $8 million in grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration, including one to the Central Vermont Community Action Council for $67,000, to help low-income and very low-income entrepreneurs with training and technical assistance to start, operate and grow their businesses. The grants, delivered under the Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME), also will provide capacity-building services to microenterprise development entities to strengthen the quality of their programs.
Competition for PRIME grants was open to applicants in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. Last year, SBA funded 58 grants in 32 states on a highly competitive basis. This year, SBA received 215 applications. A total of 92 grants were awarded this year to 57 second-year recipients and 35 new participants from 43 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Attorney General William H Sorrell announced yesterday that Vermont will receive approximately $196,000 as part of a $422.5 million settlement with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation that involved all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the federal government.