Current News

The top renewable energy integrator in the northeast United States, Alteris Renewables, Inc., has introduced new financing options available to homeowners throughout the region that offer solar power systems with no money down. As the first renewable energy integrator to offer residential customers in Vermont and eight other states the opportunity to install high quality solar power systems with no money down, Alteris is committed to bringing reliable, sustainable power to the masses.

As over 7,000 students start classes at the Community College of Vermont’s 12 locations this month, CCV is marking its 40th anniversary.
In 1970, CCV’s founders imagined a place of open access to education and opportunity for all Vermonters, especially those working adults who at the time had very few options for attending college. In its 40-year history, CCV has not only experienced dramatic enrollment growth but has also expanded the programs and services it offers to students of all ages. As a critically important resource to the state, CCV has helped tens of thousands of Vermonters enter college, earn a degree, continue their studies at four-year institutions, and achieve secure employment. To fulfill its mission of access, affordability, and student success, the college has developed an extensive network of partnerships with employers, state agencies, high schools, other colleges, and community organizations across the state.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) today launched VTransparency, a new on-line tool designed to help Vermonters easily access information regarding roads, bridges and culverts.
Whether a bridge, culvert or roadway is in fine shape, being designed for improvement or under construction, VTransparency allows users to access information about transportation assets they will find useful. With just a few clicks of a mouse, Vermonters from their own computers can now access bridge inspection reports, pavement condition reports, and find out where in the process a future project in their neighborhood now stands.

Nearly six months after President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590), Rep. Peter Welch on Monday announced new provisions of the health care law set to take effect this Thursday.
Passed by Congress and signed into law in March, H.R. 3590 will extend access to 32 million Americans, end abusive insurance company practices and cut the deficit by $138 billion over the next ten years.
“The health care reform provisions taking effect this week will give Vermont families peace of mind. No longer will they be subject to the abusive practices of the insurance industry, like being denied coverage because of a preexisting condition or being dropped from a plan after becoming sick. No longer will families with uninsured young adult children stay up at night worrying about what will happen if their loved ones become ill,” Welch said. “This legislation provides much-needed health care security and affordability to all Vermont families.”

The Vermont Workers Center, Vermont Early Educators United, and the Vermont Center for Independent Living will host 15 legislative events called ‘People’s Forums’ around Vermont, calling on incumbents and candidates for the State House and Senate to address pertinent issues affecting Vermonters.
Candidates will be expected to discuss their plans for developing a health care system that works for all Vermonters, ways to ensure affordable child care and access to quality early education for Vermont’s young children, job growth, and the impact of cuts to public services.
Every event will be open to the general public and venues will be handicap-accessible.
EVENT: 15 ‘People’s Forums’ to connect Vermont voters to their legislative candidates. The events are hosted by the Vermont Worker’s Center, Vermont Early Educators United’AFT, & the Vermont Center for Independent Living.

When John Crabbe began what is today one of the most successful event rental businesses in Vermont, he looked to a national business leader for his inspiration. One quote in particular from Lee Iacocca resonated with Crabbe, ‘people do business with people, not businesses.’ Crabbe knew early in his career that he wanted to personalize the service that he gave his customers and to also become a significant contributor to his community. These two guidelines helped to shape his leadership style and earn him the recognition by his peers with the 2010 Vermont Chamber of Commerce’s Allied Member of the Year award.

Ibex Outdoor Clothing, innovators of year-round merino wool apparel and accessories for men and women, today announced that it opened its first brick and mortar store in the Back Bay area of Boston. The new 1,000 square foot store, which opened on historical Newbury Street, gives Bostonians and visitors the opportunity to fully experience the unique, fun-loving culture of the leading wool apparel brand designed to meet the needs of the everyday adventurer.

In the middle of winter when the temperature drops in Vermont, the woodshop at Yestermorrow Design/Build School will be warming up. On January 30, 2011, the school will be kicking off its second annual 11-week Woodworking Intensive program. The program is designed to give aspiring professionals, career changers, and hobbyists alike a solid grounding in woodworking and furnituremaking techniques.

Senator Patrick Leahy says a new $5,765,474 US Navy contract with Goodrich for additional units of the company’s groundbreaking helicopter maintenance diagnostic system, produced by the firm’s facility in Vergennes, shows the advanced system has quickly taken its place as a key maintenance feature of US military helicopter programs.
Goodrich’s Health and Usage Management Systems (HUMS) give mechanics feedback on a helicopter’s engine performance, structural performance, and rotor function and wear, allowing a helicopter to be serviced before major systems fail. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and of its Defense Subcommittee, Leahy led as the panel’s early promoter of the concept and technology behind HUMS. Enabled by his work, HUMS units have become standard equipment on military helicopters.

Vermont's tax revenues exceeded targets for the General Fund and Transportation Fund, but the Education Fund fell below its target for the month as revenues, in general, continue to show a slow recovery from the severe, three-year-old economic downturn.
General FundSecretary of Administration Neale F. Lunderville released the August 2010 General Fund Revenues today. August is the second month of fiscal year (FY) 2011. General Fund revenues totaled $81.70 million for August 2010, and were +$7.30 million or +9.81% above the $74.41 million consensus revenue forecast for the month. Year-to-date General Fund performance of $163.92 million was +$3.69 million, or +2.30% ahead of year to date target of $160.24 million.

In Vermont the annual direct costs to the economy attributable to smoking were in excess of $652 million, including workplace productivity losses of $138 million, premature death losses of approximately $221 million, and direct medical expenditures of $293 million, according to a new study by the American Lung Association.

The City of Burlington announced today that a GIS (’Geographical Information System’) feature is available on the City’s Website. GIS integrates a variety of informational categories, or ‘layers,’ with an interactive map of a particular geographic area. For example, within Burlington’s GIS feature, one can choose to show all of the real estate transactions in the City over the last 12 months; clicking on a specific property will show the property address, sale date, and sale amount. ‘Layers’ on Burlington’s GIS feature include Census block tracts, current building permits, ward boundaries, the City’s FY11 street paving plans, and the location of parking garages, parking lots, and electric vehicle charging stations, among many other categories of information.