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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.

The Vermont congressional delegation today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will postpone a pending reduction in food stamp benefits for 16,000 Vermonters for at least three months. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) pledged to continue to fight for a long-term solution to this problem.
Sanders authored a letter signed by Leahy and 13 other senators asking Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack to reconsider his department’s plan cut to nutrition assistance benefits under Vermont’s ‘3SquaresVT’ program. Welch strongly supported a similar letter from members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

US Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), and US Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt) Monday announced that Vermont has been awarded $8.8 million in federal transportation grants for public transit providers across the state to purchase new buses.
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) was awarded $6,392,000 to distribute to transit agencies statewide, and the Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA) was awarded its own $2,475,305 grant.
The grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration under its new State of Good Repair Program. This is a $775 million nationwide account for competitive grants for public transit providers to finance capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to build and rehabilitate bus-related facilities.

Vermont Business Magazine (VBM) has announced the winners of its inaugural Rising Stars Award. The list is comprised of 40 winners under the age of 40. Award recipients were selected by a panel of judges for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence and involvement in their communities.
SLIDE SHOW OF WINNERS
PHOTOS, BIOS & MORE
‘We are thrilled by the response to this initiative to recognize these up-and-coming leaders,’ said VBM Publisher John Boutin. ‘We received many outstanding nominations and the judges had a difficult time getting it down to only 40. Those who believe Vermont is losing its young talent need only look at these incredible individuals. It’s not just about business. It’s also about them making a difference in their communities.’

Burlington marketing firm Brandthropology has teamed up with Emphase, an engineering firm and a division of Logic Supply based in South Burlington. Brandthropology will revamp the Emphase image, including a logo redesign and a website overhaul.
‘We’re really excited to have another great tech client, especially one located here in Vermont. Our firm's process-driven approach to helping brands evolve is a great match for Emphase's progressive, innovative product offerings. It’s really a win-win.’ said Matt Dodds, founder and Chief Brandthropologist at Brandthropology.
Emphase serves the embedded computing market, coupling internal component design capability with streamlined manufacturing in order to offer both custom and pre-engineered solutions to OEM clients. They focus on custom component design, solid state storage, and hardware and software development.

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) has awarded filmmaker Caro Thompson of Walden, Vt., its History Medal for her documentary “Champlain: The Lake Between.”
The film, which premiered on Vermont Public Television as part of the Champlain quadricentennial, explores the diplomacy and trade between Native nations and Europeans that flourished in the region during the 17th and 18th centuries. It details how Frenchman Samuel de Champlain arrived in what became known as the Champlain Valley in 1609 and changed the course of history.