Current News

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Wednesday that an $81 million broadband stimulus grant and a $35 million government backed loan to Springfield-based Vermont Telephone Company (VTel). The $35,166,081 loan and $81,664,754 grant to VTel Wireless, Inc for their Wireless Open World (WOW) project is one of 49 broadband infrastructure projects announced nationally. The broadband investments will give rural residents in 29 states access to improved service that will expand economic, health care, educational, and many other opportunities to underserved rural communities. Today’s announcement is part of the second round of USDA broadband funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act).

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. today announced it is partnering with leading self-service provider EDC to brand nearly 600 ATMs at Cumberland Farms convenience store locations in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, as well as some locations in Florida, including 24 in Vermont. The ATMs will be surcharge-free for all Citizens Bank and Charter One customers.
The breakdown of Cumberland Farms ATM locations is: Connecticut (60), Delaware (10), Florida (62), Maine (37), Massachusetts (194), New Hampshire (49), New Jersey (16), New York (75), Pennsylvania (12), Rhode Island (44), and Vermont (24).

Vermont’s Chief Marketing Officer, Christine Werneke, with the Department of Tourism and Marketing and the Vermont Ski Area Association recently completed a research project to study the perceptions of Vermont and how these perceptions affect decision making for choosing a vacation destination. The goal of this research is to better understand Vermont’s unique strengths and areas of opportunity to enable the state and Vermont businesses to fully leverage Vermont’s brand and increase market share.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation on Monday, August 9, 2010 will close the northbound Interstate 89 onramp at Exit 8 (Montpelier) so that crews can repair an Interstate bridge. Northbound traffic emanating from the City of Montpelier looking to access the Interstate will be detoured along Route 2 towards Middlesex, where motorists can enter the Interstate at Exit 9.
The detour is expected to be in effect until the first weekend of September.
During this time, I-89 will be restricted to one northbound lane at the bridge, which is located just north of Exit 8. The repairs, which involve replacing the bridge's deck membrane, have been long planned and are part of VTrans' regular construction schedule.

SBE Inc. (DBA SB Electronics) has announced today that they will be partnering with the nonprofit Vermont HITEC and the Vermont Department of Labor to educate and train unemployed and underemployed Vermonters.

Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) on Tuesday announced that the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is accepting applications for $1.3 million worth of federal assistance.
Created and funded by Congress, the NBRC is a federal-state partnership devoted to economic development in the northernmost regions of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and New York. Today’s announcement marks the first time the NBRC, which was first funded last year, will be accepting grant applications.
The NBRC plans to award this round of grants by Sept. 30, 2010.
‘As northern Vermont communities work to create jobs and strengthen their local economies, the Northern Border Regional Commission presents important opportunities,’ Leahy, Sanders and Welch said. ‘We encourage Vermont organizations to explore whether NBRC funding makes sense for them.’

NBT Bank Regional President Matt Durkee announced that the bank will build an office in Williston, Vermont.
NBT Bank of Williston will be located adjacent to the Ninety Nine Restaurant in the Tafts Corner Shopping Center on Route 2 in Williston. The building formerly on the site has been demolished, and construction of the new office is underway. The full-service branch is scheduled to open this fall and will include two drive-ups and an ATM.
We are very excited to be joining one of the busiest retail hubs in Chittenden County,’ Durkee said. ‘This is the next step in our plan to grow our unique brand of community banking here in Vermont.’
NBT Bank provides personal banking, asset management and business services. The independent community bank, based in Norwich, N.Y., has 85 offices in upstate New York and one office in Burlington, Vt. NBT Bank’s parent company, NBT Bancorp Inc., had assets of $5.4 billion as of June 30, 2010.

Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) today reported second quarter 2010 as-reported earnings of $315.3 million, or $1.65 per share, compared with $226.8 million, or $1.14 per share, for second quarter 2009. On an operational basis, Entergy's second quarter 2010 earnings were $325.7 million, or $1.71 per share, compared with $244.0 million, or $1.23 per share, in second quarter 2009.
Operational Earnings Highlights for Second Quarter 2010

To continue to stay ahead of rising demand for wireless voice, 3G multimedia and Internet access in Chittenden County, Vermont, Verizon Wireless has expanded its local network. Since 2000, the company has invested $2.6 billion into its New England network, including $192 million in 2009, and recently earned recognition from J.D. Power and Associates for “Highest Call Quality Performance among Wireless Cell Phone Users in the Northeast” *.
New cell site provides increased wireless voice and 3G data coverage to downtown Richmond, including along East Main Street/Route 2, Route 117 and I-89 near exit 11, as well as the surrounding area

Expanded 3G data coverage in Richmond lets more customers using notebook computers or smartphones:

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) today announced that the US Department of Veterans Affairs will open a new community-based health clinic in Newport this month.
The clinic will provide veterans in the Northeast Kingdom greater access to primary health care without having to travel long distances.
“People who have put their lives on the line for our country deserve the best health care we can provide and that means providing care where they live,” Sanders said. “The Newport clinic should save veterans who live in the Northeast Kingdom a lot of time and trouble traveling to White River Junction to get the care they deserve.”
Sanders is a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. To address health care needs of veterans in rural areas, Sanders urged the VA to open another Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in the Newport area after hearing from Northeast Kingdom veterans.

Online advertised vacancies rose 139,200 in July to 4,293,300, including a strong showing in Vermont of 1,300 jobs, following a very small increase in June, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine (HWOL) Data Series released today. The gap between the number of unemployed and advertised vacancies (supply/demand rate) stood at 3.52 unemployed for every advertised vacancy in June (the last available unemployment data) but is down from its peak of 4.73 in October 2009.

Sandy Blitz, the Federal Co-Chair of the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), announced that a grant award process has been put in place to begin to accept applications for federal assistance. Chairman Blitz stated that “It is our goal to award approximately $1.3 million in grants by September 30, 2010”.
The NBRC, created by the Congress, to alleviate economic distress, and to save and create job opportunities throughout a thirty-six county region in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, became operational on April 29, 2010 upon Mr. Blitz officially assuming his duties. The Commission has responsibility for fourteen counties in New York; six counties in Vermont; four counties in New Hampshire, and twelve counties in Maine. The NBRC is governed by a Board consisting of the Federal Co-Chair and the Governors of the four states.