Current News

Following four consecutive weeks of decline, weekly unemployment rose slightly. For the week of January 30, 2010, there were 1,072 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 50 from the week before. Altogether 14,961 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 126 from a week ago and 1,287 fewer than a year earlier. The Department also processed 5,059 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 127 more than a week ago. In addition, there were 3,370 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is an increase of 162 from the week before. The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/. Previously released Unemployment Weekly Reports and other UI reports can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/lmipub.htm#uc

According to an Associated Press report filed yesterday, Entergy Nuclear has removed a Vermont executive responsible for inaccurate statements made last spring under oath regarding the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. The AP quotes Entergy CEO J Wayne Leopold that the executive was "permanently relieved of his duties in Vermont and placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the full investigation." The AP has identified the executive as Jay Thayer, a former plant manager who was brought back last year to help the Vernon plant get approval for a license extension. He was removed for the inaccurate statements regarding underground piping systems at the plant and then for not following up to correct those statements.

Verizon Wireless Executive Director for State Public Policy, Daniel Mullin, said the company supports efforts by the state of Vermont to ban texting and e-mailing while driving.
Mullin made the following statement today:
“Verizon Wireless commends Governor Douglas and the Vermont General Assembly for supporting a law to not text and drive. With the issue of texting and driving on the minds of many Americans lately, we appreciate the support of the Vermont Legislature on this issue and their efforts in addressing it during this legislative session. As the largest wireless service provider, last year we launched a national ad campaign to bring forth this same message. Drivers must stay focused on the road ahead to ensure safety for others and themselves.”
To learn more about the Verizon Wireless “Don’t Text and Drive” campaign, visit http://aboutus.vzw.com/wirelessissues/driving.html

The law firm of Langrock, Sperry & Wool, LLP has begun a year-long celebration of their 50 years of service in Vermont with a series of charitable contributions known as 50 for the 50th. Each month for the next year, Langrock will be making donations of 50 to charitable organizations throughout Chittenden and Addison counties. The first donation will enable the Addison County Parent/Child Center to distribute 50 welcome baby baskets to new parents in Addison County.
We are heartened by the continued success of the Addison County Parent/Child Center, said Langrock attorney Emily Joselson. In large part due to their efforts, Addison County now has one of the lowest young adolescent pregnancy rates in the country.

Central Vermont Public Service met all of its service quality standards in 2009, the sixth straight year it achieved that goal.
“We believe that’s the best record in Vermont,” said Joe Kraus, senior vice president for engineering, operations and customer service.
CVPS has 17 service quality measures. CVPS measures and reports to state regulators on everything from how quickly we answer calls to bill accuracy, customer service, outage numbers and duration, and safety. All Vermont utilities have some standards and are required to file annual performance reports with state regulators.
In the Customer Information Center, CVPS employees answered 87.8 percent of calls within 20 seconds, beating the standard of 75 percent. Not one call was blocked due to system overload or other issues. Other key measures:

A new retirement plan for Vermont teachers that would save the state $15 million a year and help to resolve a lack of pension funds was introduced by legislators on Friday, according to a story in the Burlington Free Press.
A panel led by state treasurer Jeb Spaulding originally recommended that the revised plan achieve $29 million in savings. The Vermont NEA teachers union threatened to challenge any changes to the current plan that would affect those who had already retired. The union and Spaulding compromised alongside lawmakers to create the new plan.
Under the plan, teachers would retire at 65 or when the sum of their age added to years of work is 90. The retirement age for teachers is currently 62. They would also pay roughly 1 percent more towards their pension. After retirement, a new health insurance system will now offer coverage to teachers' spouses, depending on years worked. The changes will not affect Vermont teachers who have already retired.

Governor Jim Douglas today released the list of appointments made in October, November and December, 2009.
Act 264 Advisory Board
Karen Woolsey, Bethel
Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council
Sandy Mayo, Castleton
Child Care Services Advisory Board
Ginger Potwin, Randolph
Vermont Communications Board
Donald Patch, Mount Holly
State Board of Dental Examiners
Joanne Bugbee, Danville
Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council
James Caffry, Waitsfield
Mary Alice Leonard-Heath, Hartford
State Emergency Response Commission
Al Barber, Hinesburg
Michael Collins, Essex
Jean Peterson, Barre
Carl Rogers, Barre
David Severance, Cambridge
Vermont Enhanced 911 Board
Donald Patch, Mount Holly
Natural Gas and Oil Resources Board
Aaron Melville, Saint Johnsbury
New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board
David Baker, Saint Albans
Gail Graham, Calais

With the combined effect of increased ice formation between the Grand Isle, VT-Crown Point, NY, ferry crossings, as well as increased traffic at both the Northern and Southern crossings, we will be closing the Charlotte, VT, to Essex, NY, ferry crossing, until ice conditions permit in the spring. The new, free, 24-hour crossing from Chimney Point, VT, to Crown Point, NY, began on Monday. It will run 24 hours a day, every day.
Lake Champlain Transportation said that relocating the vessels at this time allows it to restore the Grand Isle crossing back to its normal operating schedule, and ensures that there is duplication of service at Crown Point during heavy ice conditions.
The last day of service at the Charlotte, VT –Essex, NY, crossing is Wednesday evening, with the last departure from Vermont at 5 pm and from Essex, NY at 5:30 pm.
Source: Lake Champlain Transportation. 2.2.2010

For the third year in a row Vermont achieved its goal of sustaining a seat belt usage rate of above 85 percent. And as a result of the State’s impaired driving countermeasures, Vermont attained the lowest alcohol-impaired fatality rate in the country in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA).
“We’ve worked hard to make our roads and highways safer through outreach and education,” said Governor Douglas. “These results are thanks to our hardworking public safety professionals, as well as to Vermonters who are adopting safe driving practices every day.”
In a letter to Public Safety Commissioner Tom Tremblay, NHSTA Regional Administrator Philip J. Weiser commended the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP), in particular Coordinator Jeanne Johnson, on Vermont’s progress maintaining a high seat belt usage rate and the lowest alcohol-impaired fatality rate in the country in the preceding year.

Vermont grade school and high school students have shown gradual improvement in New England Common Assessment Program test scores over the last five years, but the percent of students in the "proficient" or better categories continues to fall under 75 percent for both math and reading, with math at, especially, the high school level showing quite low scores. Girls did better than boys in reading and writing, with math scores being about equal. The disparity between those students on free/reduced cost lunch non-FRL students showed a dramatic difference, scores much lower for the FRL students, with boys doing relatively worse, especially in reading. However, all math scores were lower, with math suffering even more for low-income students. FRL is used as a socio-economic marker for low-income. See charts below for results.

Vermont Yankee reported late Monday afternoon that two of the new monitoring wells the nuclear power plant just installed have tested positive for the radioactive isotope tritium. The three new monitoring wells were installed to complement the three drilled in 2007. Confirmed analysis from the new wells show tritium concentration is at 70,500 picocuries per liter in the nearest new well about 75 feet to the south of the well where tritium was first noted several weeks ago.

The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has given preliminary approval for the issuance of the first of up to $135 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds. Significant infrastructure upgrade projects planned by Green Mountain Power Corporation have received preliminary approval for $25 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bond support. The special facility bonds utilize federal tax exemptions provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“The Green Mountain Power project marks an important milestone in the Authority’s business financing objectives this year,” said VEDA’s Chief Executive Officer Jo Bradley. “As the ARRA Recovery Zone Facility Bonds are set to expire on December 31, 2010, it is vital that Vermont businesses be aware of this important source of funding.”