Current News

Average retail gasoline prices in Vermont have fallen 2.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.77/g today. This compares with the national average that has stayed flat, moving just 0.4 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.66/g, according to gasoline price website VermontGasPrices.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Vermont during the past week, prices today are 86.9 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 1 cent per gallon flat than a month ago. The national average has decreased 6.0 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 76.1 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago.
About VermontGasPrices.com
GasBuddy.com operates over 200 live gasoline price-tracking websites, including VermontGasPrices.com. GasBuddy.com was named one of Time magazine's 50 best websites and to PC World's 100 most useful websites of 2008.
Source: Vermont, VT, February 8, 2010, VermontGasPrices.com

Tuesday February 9th is National Bagel Day, a day that Bruegger's Bagels, founder of the retail bagel concept and holder of the Guinness Book of World Records' title for largest bagel, takes very seriously. Americans take bagel eating seriously, too. Americans eat an estimated 3 billion bagels annually, an average of about 11 per person, according to the New York Times.
In honor of National Bagel Day, Bruegger's surveyed approximately 75,000 fans, via Facebook and email. More than 60 percent of respondents said they have a bagel for a snack, breakfast or lunch at least once per week. Five percent of the respondents are hardcore bagel eaters - they eat them every day!
In the category of favorite bagel flavor, the winners are:
- The Everything Bagel. 22.8% of respondents chose this flavor as their favorite.
- Cinnamon-Raisin. 12.5% of respondents liked it a little sweet.
- Sesame. 10.8% of respondents liked bagels on the seedy side.

Green Mountain United Way received a donation of $40,978.56 from Northfield Savings Bank. This total represents the combination of Northfield Savings bank employee pledges, as well as NSB’s 100 percent matching gift. The donation increased 7 percent from last year, and employee participation increased 24 percent.
Green Mountain United Way seeks to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another and to improve the overall quality of life in the communities they serve.
About Northfield Savings Bank

The nation s governors will gather in Washington, DC, February 20 for the 2010 National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting. Vermont Governor Jim Douglas is the NGA chairman this year. Among the topics will be health care, the economy, and trade and border security with Canada. The governors will also meet with President Obama and members of his cabinet.
Beginning Saturday, February 20, a bipartisan group of governors from the US states, commonwealths and territories will come together for three days of meetings at the JW Marriott Hotel. Nearly 50 governors are expected to participate in the meeting, which will include sessions with the President, members of his Cabinet, academic leaders, business executives and other experts for discussions on a host of issues and challenges facing states.

FairPoint Communications announced today that it has resolved issues involving unsecured creditors and has filed a restructuring plan with the US Bankruptcy Court that will get rid of $1.7 billion of its $2.7 billion debt in exchange for giving most of its common stock to secured creditors. FairPoint announced October 26, 2009, that it was filing chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a pre-negotiated deal with creditors. However, the 2,500 unionized workers and unsecured creditors continued to press the company to reach a more favorable agreement. Workers reached a new deal last week, setting the stage for today's announcement. FairPoint has also reached agreements with regulators in Vermont and New Hampshire, but it is still in negotiations with regulators in Maine. Service will not be effected by the filing.

Governor Jim Douglas, along with NGA Vice-Chair Governor Joe Manchin (D-WV), sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to extend the federal Medicaid match (FMAP) for two additional quarters, while modifying the maintenance of effort requirements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Governors and state legislators across the country are working hard to fill budget gaps and invest in a robust economic recovery, Governor Douglas said. While additional federal assistance will help in the short term, my colleagues and I are seeking greater flexibility to invest in strategic efforts to make state budgets sustainable for the future.
The recession has created enormous fiscal challenges for states. Between fiscal year 2009 and fiscal year 2011, states will have faced a cumulative $256 billion in budget gaps. This year alone, Vermont is addressing a $150 million gap in the State General Fund budget.

As part of its continuing network investment to support growing demand for advanced mobile devices and applications, AT&T* today announced the activation of a new 3G cell site in Waitsfield serving nearby Fayston and the Mad River Glen ski area that will enhance coverage for area residents, tourists and businesses. With 3G speeds, AT&T customers can surf the Web, download files faster, and enjoy the very latest interactive mobile applications.

Governor Jim Douglas has been appointed by President Obama to co-chair the Council of Governors, a bipartisan group of 10 governors who will work closely with the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security, as well as other defense and national security officials to advise on matters related to the National Guard and civil support missions.
“It is a great honor to be asked by the President to co-chair the Council,” said Governor Douglas. “Ensuring that the state and federal governments are coordinated in response to domestic military operations and disasters is critical to the safety and security of our Vermont residents, and citizens across the country.”

Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway (MMA) said today that it has filed a "Notice of Intent " with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to abandon certain of its lines. This notice is required by the STB as a preliminary step in the abandonment process. MMA continues to provide regular rail service and is continuing to work with Maine DOT in order to find a solution that would permit continued rail operations on these lines. Last summer when the company first announced it wanted to abandon some of its track, it put the value of that section at $17 million for the track and the land. MMA has an interchange in Newport, Vermont.

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), chairman of the Senate s green jobs subcommittee, today introduced legislation with nine cosponsors to encourage the installation of 10 million solar systems on the rooftops of homes and businesses over the next decade.
At a time when we spend $350 billion importing oil from Saudi Arabia and other countries every year, the United States must move away from foreign oil to energy independence, Sanders said. A dramatic expansion of solar power is a clean and economical way to help break our dependence on foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, improve our geopolitical position, and create good-paying green jobs.

Vermont s second largest municipality is one step closer to developing a new downtown after getting a key designation that will allow it favorable tax treatment on development there. The Vermont Downtown Board recently approved the City of South Burlington s application for New Town Center designation, paving the way for the establishment of a multi-story downtown area on undeveloped lands surrounding the new Market Street across from University Mall, including the San Remo Drive area.
This decision formalizes the state s recognition of the city s long-standing desire to create a new downtown, said Kevin Dorn, Vermont Secretary of Commerce and Community Development and chairman of the Downtown Board.

The University of Vermont is taking steps toward identifying “spires of excellence,” or academic areas where the University will focus its resources in order to create renowned programs.
Eight faculty committees, organized based on “transdisciplinary topic areas,” are investigating the possibility of developing “spires” within that academic area and submitting proposals explaining why the university should invest in it. The broad topic areas were grouped according to information gathered at a dean's retreat in August 2009, and faculty nominated themselves to the committees in the fall.
After preliminary recommendations made by reviewers from within the UVM community and beyond, the “spires” will be selected by university officials in April and May.
(Source: University of Vermont)