Current News

A looming disaster threatened by the combination of early-maturing apples and a hitch with visas for the guest workers to pick them has been averted, according to Senator Patrick Leahy and Vermont apple growers.
With apple crops ripening 10 days to 14 days early this year, at least 19 orchards in Vermont and New York, and many more throughout the Northeast, had encountered an extra form-filing step in the annual process of recruiting temporary workers from Jamaica. The added step – Request For Evidence (RFE) process requirements – comes in the aftermath of an 18-month investigation of the Jamaican Central Labour Organization.
The process of approving visas for seasonal workers, under the longstanding H-2A guest worker program, is handled by two federal agencies: the U.S. Department of Labor, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a unit of the Department of Homeland Security.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation on Friday will reopen the I-89 northbound entrance ramp at Exit 8 in Montpelier. The exact time has not been fixed, but it likely will be sometime after the morning rush commute. But by the end of the day, VTrans anticipates having the ramp open. The ramp was not scheduled to be reopened until September 3, so opening the ramp tomorrow means it will open a week ahead of schedule.
The detour signs will remain up until after the ramp is opened, so there will be a very short time when the ramp is open but some detour signs are still in place. VTrans anticipates traffic patterns regarding the Interstate to be back to normal by the weekend.
Source: VTrans. 8.26.2010

Burke Mountain Ski Area received partial findings yesterday for their Act 250 Master Plan application, a detailed roadmap for future development at the resort. The findings are a culmination of several years of studies, assessments, and designs completed by Burke Mountain beginning in late 2005 which provide the State with an overview of the project and compliance with the environmental standards of the State of Vermont. The proposed project includes the development of up to; 1000 residential units, commercial space, 155 acres of additional ski terrain, 3 new ski lifts, snowmaking improvements, additional summer recreation facilities, and expanded infrastructure to support the project.

A major utility trade publication has listed Central Vermont Public Service (NYSE-CV) as one of the 25 most intelligent electric utilities ‘ just as the Vermont Public Service Board has approved the company’s CVPS SmartPowerâ ¢ plan.
Intelligent Utility, a publication of Energy Central, a leading utility information resource that produces numerous magazines, events, newsletters and direct marketing resources, named CVPS No. 16 on its annual list of the top 25 intelligent utilities. ‘The Intelligent Utility rating is another acknowledgement that our employees continue to do what is necessary to stay on the forefront of good utility operations for the benefit of customers and shareholders alike,’ CVPS President Bob Young said. ‘The PSB approval of our plan highlights that as well.’

Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin (D-Windham) says it looks like he's won, while state Senator Doug Racine (D-Chittenden), only 182 votes back, is not ready to concede in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor of Vermont. Even when the official results are posted it might not be over. Both Racine and Secretary of State Deb Markowitz are less than 2 percentage points behind Shumlin, which would allow either to call for a recount. According to Vermont Public Radio, with all precincts reporting, the unofficial results show Shumlin with 18,239 votes to Racine's 18,057. Markowitz is more than 600 votes back in third, with Matt Dunne of Hartland in fourth and state Senator Susan Bartlett (D-Lamoille) in fifth.

The US Army, Army Contracting Command, Joint Munitions and Lethality, in Picatinny, NJ, has awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products an order valued at approximately $48 million to produce reactive armor side skirt tiles for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle System. Deliveries are expected to begin in February 2011 and be completed in September 2011. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
The reactive armor system is composed of tiles that fasten to the exterior of a vehicle, allowing it to better withstand direct hits from a variety of anti-armor munitions.
Production work will be performed at the General Dynamics facility in McHenry, Miss., and the program will be managed from General Dynamics' Burlington Technology Center in Vermont. A strategic partner, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Ordnance and Protection Division, will share the production workload in Haifa, Israel.

At 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 26, 2010, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will preside over a Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing in the Vermont State House in Montpelier, Vt. on the need to expand worker-owned businesses in the United States in order to create a more productive and democratic economy.

Saturday’s Last Mile Ride – Gifford Medical Center’s annual charity motorcycle ride – attracted more than 180 riders and raised approximately $40,000 for end-of-life care at the nonprofit Randolph medical center.
Started in 2006 by Gifford nurse and motorcyclist Lynda McDermott of Randolph, the ride has grown significantly in the five years since in both the number of riders it attracts and the money it raises.
This year’s ride took motorcyclists through about 100 miles of central Vermont countryside through Randolph, Northfield, Montpelier, Middlesex, the Mad River Valley, Rochester, Bethel and more. Orange County Sheriff Bill Bohnyak led the ride and combat veterans provided “road guard” services.

As the economic downturn continues to take its toll on entrepreneurs nationwide, six small businesses in the Upper Valley region of Vermont are pushing ahead with plans to expand their business prospects using technical assistance grants secured by the Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation (GMEDC).
The six businesses, located in five towns of the GMEDC’s 30-town region, are leveraging the money to explore new markets, focus on financial controls, enhance visibility, and ultimately to expand and add jobs.

Governor Jim Douglas today announced that the Administration will begin implementing eProcurement for the State of Vermont after recently receiving approval from the Joint Fiscal Committee. The Department of Buildings and General Services and the Department of Information and Innovation, through the Office of Purchasing & Contracting will work with Vermont Interactive Consortium (VIC) ‘ the State’s web portal company ‘ to implement an eProcurement System for Vermont procurement and purchasing, with first use of the system scheduled for the beginning of calendar year 2011. A phased implementation of the system is planned.
‘Implementation of an eProcurement system will not only streamline the bid and response process, but also to increase competition among vendors,’ said Governor Douglas. ‘A larger market means more competition which will ultimately lead to cost savings for taxpayers.’

Secretary of Administration Neale F Lunderville announced today that Vermont’s July revenue figures for the General Fund and Transportation Fund fell below targets, while the Education Fund exceeded its target.
General Fund
Secretary of Administration Neale F Lunderville released the July 2010 General Fund Revenues today. July is the first month of fiscal year (FY) 2011. General Fund revenues totaled $82.22 million for July 2010, and were -$3.61 million or -4.21% below the $85.83 million consensus revenue forecast for the month. July is the first month of the fiscal year; therefore the monthly and year to date results are the same.

Champlain College will honor Major General Michael D. Dubie as this year’s Distinguished Citizen at the Convocation ceremony for incoming first-year students on Friday, August 27, 2010, at 3 pm at Skiff Hall.
Dubie was born and raised in the Burlington area and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics at the University of Vermont and a Masters of Arts degree in International Relations from Norwich University. He has studied national and international security at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Dubie serves as the Adjutant General of the State of Vermont, responsible for the 4,000 members of the National Guard and a $220 million annual budget. Leading the Guard during the largest deployment since World War II presents many unique challenges, including ensuring the wounded get the very best medical care and taking care of the families who have lost loved ones overseas.