Current News

The National Governors Association (NGA) has selected Vermont, as one of only six states, to develop high-quality, comprehensive state early childhood systems through a new initiative, Ready States: A Project to Develop Key Components of State Early Childhood Infrastructure. With a history of successful investments in early childhood systems and a high rating for child health and wellbeing, Vermont has the vision, team, and commitment to use this technical assistance to help ensure that all Vermont’s young children get what they need to grow, learn and thrive.
“This opportunity comes at a perfect time,” Governor Douglas said of the award. “Vermont is committed to redesigning how we provide government services with a focus on performance-based measures and greater accountability using data to improve outcomes and service delivery. The NGA’s “Ready States” initiative will help us develop a much needed early childhood data system.”

The Vermont Farm Women's Fund (VFWF) is offering its next round of grants to help women farmers improve their businesses or become more involved in agricultural policy development. The proposal deadline is May 15, 2010.
VFWF will also offer two free workshops – an in person session and another via conference call. These workshops are designed to answer questions and help prospective applicants understand the elements of a successful proposal. Both workshops will be held on April 27, and registration information is available at http://www.uvm.edu/~vfwf.

TruexCullins Architecture and Interior Design and Heritage Aviation received the Burlington Business Association's Hertzel N Pasackow Architectural Excellence Award for the General Aviation facility project in South Burlington, Vermont. The total renovation of this vacant 60,000 SF 1955-era Army National Guard hangar, located at the south end of the Burlington International Airport, stripped the existing building of all exterior walls and windows to expose the underlying steel and concrete structure. A 25-foot wide addition at the runway-side of the building increased the size of the existing hangar space and includes a two-story passenger lobby with views to the airport and Vermont landscape through two-story glass windows. The exposed structure was outfitted with a high-performance exterior envelope including insulated metal panels, thermally efficient windows and a new high-insulation-value roof.

During a Friday afternoon press conference with Vermont dairy leaders in Fairfax, Representative Peter Welch outlined new legislation to prevent volatility in the dairy industry and help Vermont farmers. At the McNall family farm in Fairfax, Welch announced he will introduce the Dairy Price Stabilization Act next week with Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA). The bill seeks to stabilize the milk market by creating a disincentive for farmers to rapidly increase their herd size when prices increase.
“Following last year’s devastating dairy price crisis, the need for a plan to match supply with demand is clear. To delay in addressing the enduring challenges of price volatility is to leave Vermont farmers vulnerable to a system that simply is not working,” Welch said. “Introducing this bill is just a first step, but it is an important step. Working together, we will refine it to ensure that it works for dairy farmers – in Vermont and throughout the country.”

(Vermont Business Magazine) The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March 2010 was 6.5 percent, down one tenth from the revised February rate and down five tenths from a year ago.

Shelburne Shipyard has been recognized by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation as the First Vermont Clean Marina. This recognition is for the Marina’s ongoing efforts in protecting and enhancing the quality of Vermont’s environment...”We made a commitment to be Vermont’s First Clean Marina and our staff made it happen” said Mary Griswold Shelburne Shipyard’s President.

SBE Inc. (dba SB Electronics), will officially break ground on its new high-volume manufacturing facility on Saturday, April 17. The groundbreaking ceremony is slated to begin at 10 am in the Wilson Industrial Park in Barre, Vermont. Event speakers include Governor Jim Douglas, Lt Governor Brian Dubie, Representative Peter Welch, the US Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi and Sam Matthews, Executive Vice President of the Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation.

As of 4 pm, today, Vermont Yankee is operating at 94 percent power with a net electrical output of ~589 megawatts. The plant has been operating continuously for 522 days since the last refueling outage back in 2008. The reduced power output indicates the gradual depletion of the fuel as this operating cycle winds down. The main activity on the plant site is the preparation for the refueling and maintenance outage.
Vermont Yankee is bringing in workers from other Entergy plants in the fleet and 800 specialized contractors. Temporary office trailers and cargo containers for such materials as scaffolding are being set up around the site. The construction of the new VELCO switchyard just to the north of the plant site required VY to make some changes to the parking plan for this outage. A temporary parking lot has been set up for more than 700 cars across Route 142 by the town hall in Vernon in the Cersosimo lumber company storage area with service by shuttle buses.

People's United Financial, Inc.(PBCT 16.64, -0.01, -0.08%) today announced net income of $13.6 million, or $0.04 per share, for the first quarter of 2010, compared to $24.9 million, or $0.07 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2009, and $24.2 million, or $0.07 per share, for the first quarter of 2009. Included in this quarter's results are $23.4 million of merger-related and system conversion expenses. The net impact of these items reduced first quarter 2010 net income by $15.6 million, or $0.04 per share. Excluding the effect of these items, net income would have been $29.2 million, or $0.08 per share, for the first quarter of 2010. As previously reported, People's United Financial completed its acquisition of Financial Federal Corporation on February 19, 2010. Accordingly, Financial Federal's results of operations are included as of the acquisition date, and prior period results have not been restated to include Financial Federal Corporation.

Vermont's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund has been operating in a deficit since January. The federal government is lending the state money - at zero percent - since that time. Estimates are that before the economy recovers and the UI fund begins to recover on its own as fewer and fewer people file unemployment claims, the UI fund deficit could reach $300 million or more. While the federal government ensures that unemployment compensation is paid, there is also no guarantee that the federal government will continue to loan states money interest free.

According to Green Mountain College's official history, students living in the school's original academy building in 1837 were warmed by wood-burning stoves. Each student was responsible for toting wood up the stairs to his room in the evening, and each was required to keep a pail of sand nearby in the event of a fire.

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas, chairman of the National Governors Association, testified today before the Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. The hearing, titled State Taxation: The Impact of Congressional Legislation on State and Local Government Revenues, focused on the impact of federal actions on state and local taxing and spending decisions. Douglas told the panel that, unlike the federal government, states need to balance their budgets. To that goal, congressional attempts to stimulate the economy must keep in mind that the states will play a vital role in the recovery effort and that Congress must first "do no harm." Douglas went on to say that the states as a whole saw a 7.5 percent drop in revenues in the last fiscal year. And even though the downturn started in late 2007, the negative cumulative effect on state budgets will continue through 2010 and 2011.