Current News

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that the State of Vermont is being awarded a $250,000 grant to produce new affordable, energy efficient, green housing. Vermont will use its grant to support a local community-based affordable housing developer to create these new homes which will feature a sustainable site design, water-conserving fixtures, energy-efficient appliances/lighting, and environmentally friendly building materials.
The funding announced today is awarded through HUD's HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), the nation's largest block grant program to support the production of affordable housing.

Logging and milling has begun on the post and beam frame of the future Putney General Store. In an empty lot off of Route 5 in Putney, volunteer mill operator Mark Bowen is busy sawing large oak and pine logs donated by Putney land-owners that will become the frame of the new store to be built by the Putney Historical Society.

WCAX-TV News has won a series of Edward R. Murrow Awards sponsored by the Radio Television Digital News Association or RTDNA. The station received four Murrow awards, including overall excellence for its 6 pm news broadcast. The judges recognized WCAX-TV for its continuing coverage of Vermont captain Richard Phillips who was held hostage by Somali pirates and for investigative journalism for a report concerning harassment at the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
Senior Producer Christine Hinkel said, We are honored to receive these prestigious awards for our in-depth journalism.
WCAX-TV also garnered honors for story telling and stellar photography for its popular series Destination Recreation.
We thank the judges for recognizing our efforts to tell compelling stories that are important to our community. said WCAX-TV Vice President Alex Martin.
The station will receive its awards on April 16th at a ceremony in Boston.

Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has received a grant of $23,700 from the State of Vermont in support of its efforts to pursue a new transformational project to define, implement and evaluate an innovative model of resident care.

(Vermont Business Magazine) At a news conference today at Highgate Elementary School, US Senator Bernie Sanders announced energy efficiency grants and after-school program funding for Highgate Center.
The town and elementary school received stimulus funding totaling $124,405.88 through the Sanders-authored Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants program at the US Department of Energy. Sanders also secured $25,000 for summer school and after-school programs at the elementary school.

(Vermont Biz) In the twelve months before July 1, 2009, 85 pharmaceutical manufacturers paid $2,599,589 to Vermont doctors, hospitals, universities and others for the purpose of marketing their drugs. This was a drop from nearly $3 million the previous fiscal year. “This amount includes over $800,000 in gifts of food, which are now outlawed in Vermont,” said Attorney General William H. Sorrell. “Starting next year the public will be able to see who is getting what from the manufacturers.”

(Vermont Biz April 6, 2010) The number of Green Mountain Power customers using small-scale renewable energy sources to generate their own electricity has more than doubled since 2008, with the largest growth coming from customers who generate electricity with solar. Currently, close to 300 GMP customers have applied for and received state permission for net metering. Since net metering began in 1998, GMP customers' projects account for nearly 3 megawatts (or 3 million watts) of renewable power.
"Clearly many of our customers are taking advantage of technologies that have increased the amount of renewable energy on Vermont's power grid," said Mary Powell, Green Mountain Power president and chief executive officer. "We have a strong commitment to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels during times of peak demand. Net metering allows customers to produce renewable energy, which has long-term environmental benefits for all of us."

Dan Feeney, President of North Star Leasing in South Burlington, has announced the acquisition of Nordic Funding s book of business in late January. Nordic Funding s lease originator, John Desrochers, brings his 18 years of experience to the North Star Leasing team. North Star Leasing provides equipment financing across the country to small and medium sized customers from it s Burlington headquarters since its inception in 1979.
North Star Leasing adds Employees

Susan Stevens formerly of Double Tree Hotels joined the North Star Leasing team as a Documentation Specialist. Prior to joining Double Tree, Stevens worked for Merchants Bank and FiServ in the operations department. Stevens lives in South Burlington with her husband Stuart and two sons, Taylor and Gregory.

(Vermont Biz April 6, 2010) – Comcast, a leading provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services, today announced it has made the leap from broadband to wideband with the launch of next-generation DOCSIS 3.0 in 29 communities across Vermont. With wideband, Comcast has introduced a new echelon of Internet speeds, redefining the customer experience online and creating a platform for Internet innovation in the years ahead.
Comcast now offers among the fastest speeds available today with wideband, including the Extreme 50 tier with download speeds of up to 50 Mbps. Wideband has also enabled Comcast to double speeds for the majority of its existing residential high-speed Internet customers.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) of Waterbury, Vermont, has announced that Pebbles Acquisition Sub, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of GMCR, has extended its previously announced $35.00 per share cash tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of common stock of Diedrich Coffee, Inc. (NASDAQ: DDRX). In accordance with the terms of the merger agreement among GMCR, Purchaser and Diedrich Coffee, the tender offer has been extended 20 business days (the maximum number of days permitted under the merger agreement) to expire at midnight, New York City time, on Monday, May 3, 2010, unless further extended. The tender offer previously was scheduled to expire at midnight, New York City time, on Monday, April 5, 2010. All other terms and conditions of the tender offer remain unchanged.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced the first installment of funding to the Vermont State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to help Medicare beneficiaries in Vermont get more information about their health care choices. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 grants are continuation funds available to 54 existing SHIP organizations in the United States and its territories. The funding is available to SHIPs for the grant year starting April 1, 2010 and ending March 31, 2011.
The Vermont State Health Insurance Assistance Program will receive $269,120, part of the nearly $41.6 million being distributed to SHIPs today as part of the total $45 million that is available to SHIPs in 2010 for direct grants and support contracts. Performance awards will be distributed to SHIPs in September.

Representative Peter Welch on Monday announced a $450,000 federal grant for Vermont Law School to conduct Smart Grid research and analysis aimed at updating the US power grid. The grant, which was secured by Welch, will help VLS Institute for Energy and the Environment become a national leader in Smart Grid implementation standards. It will further the Institute s efforts to address the reliability, cost and environmental impact of the nation s energy policy.
Vermont Law School has long led the nation in addressing challenging questions related to energy and the environment, Welch said. This grant will bolster VLS leadership in the field and empower students to tackle the next generation of energy challenges. Most importantly, it will lay the regulatory and legal groundwork for Vermont s coming deployment of Smart Grid technology.