Current News

The Lake Champlain Transportation Company (LCT) today resumed ferry service at the Essex-Charlotte crossing. The ferry will operate Monday through Friday until April 5, at which point service will be expanded to seven days per week. The ferry begins service from Vermont at 7 a.m. and from New York at 7:30 am each day. As has been the standard practice, the LCT charges for use of their privately-owned ferry. Their current rates start at $9.50 per vehicle for a one-way trip.For more detailed schedule and rate information, visit the Lake Champlain Transportation Company web site at http://www.ferries.com/temporary_schedule.asp . Year-round temporary ferry service will continue to operate 24 hours a day, free of charge to travelers between Crown Point, NY, and Chimney Point, VT during the time it takes for a new Lake Champlain Bridge to be built and to open.

Katy Lesser, Owner of Healthy Living Market, South Burlington, has been named the US Small Business Administration s (SBA) 2010 Vermont Small Business Person of the Year. Nominated by David Blow, Jr, Vice President, Granite State Development Corp., Burlington, Lesser was selected for outstanding leadership related to her company s staying power, employee growth, increase in sales, innovative ingenuity and contributions to the community.
Lesser s business is a full-service, natural and organic food store abounding with grocery, wine, cheese, local meats, organic produce, a café, a bulk section, and natural health and beauty products. From humble beginnings in a 1,200 sq. ft. space with only one employee and average earnings of $300 a day , Lesser grew Healthy Living Market over a period of 23 years into a spacious, 33,000 sq. ft. market, a staff of 130 employees, and average daily sales of $50,000. Lesser s sales for 2009 were more than $17 million.

John Mandeville of East Hardwick has been appointed Executive Director for the Lamoille Economic Development Corporation based in Morrisville. He replaces Art Sanborn who is retiring effective April 1, 2010.

The US House on Sunday passed historic health care reform legislation with the support of Rep. Peter Welch. A pair of bills approved by the House will extend access to health care to 32 million Americans, end abusive insurance company practices and cut the deficit by $138 billion over the next 10 years and by $1.2 trillion the following decade.
The House passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) by a vote of 219 to 212 and the Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872) by a vote of 220 to 211. Having already been approved by the Senate, H.R. 3590 will be sent to President Obama for his signature, while H.R. 4872, which makes immediate improvements to H.R. 3590, will be sent to the Senate for consideration.

Vermont s iconic ice cream makers, known for progressive social action as much as for the big chunks and swirls in their ice cream, have announced their newest leader from the home office. Jostein Solheim was appointed CEO of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and VP Global Brand Development, effective immediately. The new CEO, supported both by Unilever and the Ben & Jerry s Board of Directors, was introduced at the company s South Burlington headquarters during a town-hall style site meeting.

KeyBanks’ Vermont District has been named the 2009 District of the Year among KeyBank N.A.’s 22 districts nationwide. The award recognizes the highest ranking district based on overall financial performance, service to clients and commitment to community.
“Our employees are incredibly dedicated to our clients and the communities we serve,” said Scott Carpenter, president, Vermont District, KeyBank N.A. “Our bankers work as a team to provide strong financial solutions and advice, and Vermonters and Vermont companies have rewarded us with their business.”
KeyBank Vermont District’s performance highlights include increasing loans and deposits over 2008, achieving excellent customer services survey scores, and demonstrating a commitment to the community through volunteerism and charitable support efforts.
Key provides commercial banking, private banking, consumer banking, investment services and mortgage services through its 13 branches across Vermont.

The Vermont State Colleges (VSC) Board of Trustees has named Joyce M Judy as president of Community College of Vermont (CCV). Currently serving as interim president of CCV, Judy was selected as permanent president following a national search that began last November. Judy's appointment was a unanimous decision of the board and it is effective immediately.VSC board chair Gary Moore said that, “The VSC trustees are excited about Judy's selection and are impressed with her capacity to lead CCV in its role in delivering excellent, affordable education for Vermonters.” Tim Donovan, Chancellor of the VSC, concurred, stating ”Judy brings an excellent track record in partnership-building, organizational development and energetic leadership. CCV has a bright future ahead.”VSC Trustee Gordon Winters, who chaired the search committee, said that the committee‚s nation-wide recruitment efforts brought in an excellent pool of more than 50 candidates.

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas today released the list of appointments made in January and February, 2010.
Board of Public Accountancy
Joshua Wayne Partlow, Saint Albans
Board of Allied Mental Health Practitioners
Tammy Austin, Middlebury
Committee on Alzheimer's Disease & Related Disorders
Karen Peplowski, Moretown
Apprenticeship Council
Wayne Vanasse, Corinth
Vermont Board of Architects
Edward Wolfstein, Burlington
Board of Barbers & Cosmetologists
Marsha Descheneau, Charleston
Donna Hendee, Rutland
State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Heidi Viens, South Burlington
Board of Chiropractic
Dr. Palmer Peet, Hinesburg
Vermont Communications Board
Francis Aumand, Stowe
Al Barber, Hinesburg
Bradley Curtis, St. Albans
Paul Duquette, Newport
William Elovirta, Winooski
Barbara Farr, Montpelier

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Thursday that the final health reform package that is now headed for House and Senate votes will recognize the early investment Vermont has made in its Medicaid program, meaning more than $100 million in added funding for Vermont’s Medicaid programs over the next ten years.
The Medicaid solution for Vermont – one of the last issues to be resolved in final work on the plan -- was chiefly negotiated by Leahy with strong support from Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.). The remedy fixes underfunding for Vermont as an “early leader” state that offers more generous Medicaid programs than much of the country.
Leahy said, “My argument throughout these negotiations was clear. Vermont should not be punished for doing the right thing. It was also a compelling argument because it is widely known that Vermont has been a leader in expanding health insurance coverage over the last 15 years.”

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas as well as federal, state and local officials will join Commonwealth Dairy officials at a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the company s Brattleboro, Vermont plant today. The company is planning a $32 million, state-of-the-art, LEED compliant, Class II dairy processing facility that includes alternative energy sources and will be designed to accept milk from the open market as well as segregated milk streams, such as organic and local. The 39,000-square foot production facility will be built on 5.9 acres of land in the Delta Campus. The facility is expected to create at least 24 jobs within 3 years.
This is a key milestone for our vision of a world-class yogurt facility here in Vermont, said Dieter Dobousek, Commonwealth Dairy s Vice President and Chief Technical Officer. We are looking forward to being an important part of the Brattleboro and Vermont family, and you have made us feel very welcome.

Net sales of Nokian Tyres Group amounted to EUR 798.5 million (2008: EUR 1,080.9 million), down by 26.1% compared to 2008. Operating result was EUR 102.0 million (EUR 247.0 million). Earnings per share were EUR 0.47 (EUR 1.12), and result for the period was EUR 58.3 million (EUR 139.9 million). The North American operation, headquartered in Colchester, Vermont, was one of the brightest spots for the Finnish company. Net sales in North America were EUR 84.5 (EUR 80.7). Sales in North America have been helped by a recent law in Quebec requiring snow tires in winter. Nokian suffered in Scandinavia, but mostly in the Russian group, where sales were off more than EUR 200. Nokian is best known for its Hakkapeliitta brand.

Collapses in the banking sector were a major cause of the current recession. Now Congress is entertaining sweeping proposals for additional banking regulation that may have large effects on Vermont s economy. Prof. Meir Kohn of Dartmouth College will speak on Regulating the Banks: Lessons from the Recent Crisis at the Sheraton Burlington s Emerald Ballroom today, Thursday, March 18, at 5 pm.
An internationally known expert in finance, markets, banking and regulation, Prof. Kohn will autopsy the bodies left from the Crash of 2008 and answer questions from the audience. He will also address the regulatory proposals currently before Congress, and look ahead to what those changes are likely to mean for financial markets, banks, brokerages, and the economy as a whole.