Current News

Governor Jim Douglas today announced more than $200,000 in 19 matching grants to projects for the restoration and preservation of historic buildings across Vermont, including the Vermont History Center in Barre. The grant program, administered by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, provides owners of historic buildings with matching funding of up to $15,000 for a variety of capital repairs.
Preserving Vermont s historic buildings and structures is an important effort, Governor Douglas said. These grants help leverage significant private investment in historical buildings, which serves not only to put people to work but maintains Vermont s character and enhances our tourism economy.

Vermont Associates for Training and Development based in St Albans has received $1,058,111 as part of a US Department of Labor award of $225 million in additional funding for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) in fiscal year 2010. This funding was provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 to allow SCSEP grantees to immediately address unmet needs for employment and job training among low-income, older American workers.
"This additional funding greatly expands SCSEP's ability to serve older workers who face challenges in re-entering the workforce and attaining economic stability," said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. "The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to expanding employment opportunities to even more low-income seniors and to enhancing their own career opportunities as they dedicate millions of hours to nonprofit and civic organizations."

Average retail gasoline prices in Vermont have fallen 4.1 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.76/g today. This compares with the national average that has fallen 2.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.67/g, according to gasoline price website VermontGasPrices.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Vermont during the past week, prices today are 89.0 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 4.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 2.7 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 81.5 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago.
"Prices will slowly fall across much of the country as a stronger dollar and better than expected gains in gasoline inventories push oil prices lower", says GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst, Patrick DeHaan.

The free, 24-hour temporary ferry between Crown Point, New York and Addison, Vermont, is now open to the public as of 5 am this morning. Governor Douglas was joined by New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee to greet the first passengers of the new temporary ferry near the site of the Lake Champlain Bridge. The ferry began running Monday morning in time for the early morning commuters as they headed off to work. The ferry will operate year-round between Crown Point, NY and Chimney Point, VT, every day - 24 hours a day, 7 days per week - at no charge to the public. Currently, the ferry is scheduled to depart from Chimney Point on the hour and half hour and depart from New York at 15 and 45 after each hour. Initially there is a 15 ton 2-axel weight restriction per vehicle.

College of St. Joseph is excited to announce it has received a $50,000 grant from Community Funds, Inc.–The John Merck Fund to assist with the College’s STEPS (Students Taking an Effective Path to Success) program. STEPS is a unique program designed specifically to meet the needs of Vermont foster youth transitioning to college. This is the second year of the College’s pilot program in which six students are presently enrolled–three sophomores and three freshmen.

Challenged as to how to respond to the horrific crisis in Haiti, the Saint Michael's College community came together with a large outpouring of generosity from all quarters in rapid time. Prevented from travelling to Haiti, as many wished to do, instead students, faculty and staff put programs in place to raise funds and collected $33,574 for medical and humanitarian relief in about 10 days.
Saint Michael s Haitian connections
Many Saint Michael s connections with Haiti intensified these drives. Three SMC faculty members are Haitian and have extended family and many friends on the Caribbean island. Sixteen Haitians studied English at Saint Michael s from August 23 to October16, 2009. And a Haitian author who had once been an SMC Distinguished Visiting Scholar and his wife both lost their lives in the earthquake.

The color pink stood mighty amongst the crystal clear sky above. The pink shirts, pink hats, pink ribbons and everything in between, truly prove that strength is best shown in numbers. Stratton’s role in the Romp to Stomp dates back to the very first event in 2003 and the event continues to grow thanks to the numerous sponsors, volunteers and participants. In the event’s eight year history, over 2,500 have taken part, raising over $300,000 in the fight against breast cancer. Today, the army of pink raised over $47,000 for research, education, treatment and screening programs, which will be distributed locally.
Rachel Rodney of Wilmington, Vermont brought together a team of 13, but only a fellow cousin would brave the elements with her dressed as a banana, a tribute to her grandmother Anna, a breast cancer survivor for over three decades.
“It’s not keeping us warm, but once we got going, our bodies started to warm up,” Rodney said.

Executive Vice President Thomas S Leavitt announced that the newest office of Merchants Bank celebrated its Grand Opening on January 15. The new facility, located at 92 Woodstock Avenue in Rutland, replaces and doubles the capacity of the previously operating branch at that same location.
The new full-service ADA-compliant branch includes four lobby teller stations; two drive-up service lanes; an additional ATM drive-up lane; and offices for Community Banking, Corporate Banking, Government Banking and customer service.
Special events for the Grand Opening included a book signing by James A. “Buddy” Edgerton and Nan O’Brien, authors of “The Unknown Rockwell.” Bank hospitality also included refreshments and tours of the new facility. A ribbon cutting and bank official remarks complemented presentations of special donations to the Rutland City Rescue Mission and Neighborworks of Western Vermont.

For a few years now, folks throughout Vermont have been holding various Woodchuck Day celebrations on February 2nd – the most notable being the WDEV Woodchuck Day Competition and live broadcast at Rusty Parker Memorial Park in Waterbury. Phil and the folks in Pennsylvania haven’t been the biggest fans, but hey – in Vermont we do what we want! Because in Vermont, a woodchuck is a hearty Vermonter, a Vermont made hard cider, and an animal sometimes referred to as the groundhog. So, folks at WDEV, Woodchuck Draft Cider, Ski Vermont, and a collection of Vermont ski resorts and Vermont restaurants have joined together to help make Woodchuck Day the official holiday celebrated in Vermont on February 2nd! We’re hoping additional Vermont media will come on board and help us spread the word to all Vermonters – February 2nd is Woodchuck Day in Vermont!

KeyCorp CEO Henry L. Meyer III today announced that Key will give $5,000 to Haiti earthquake relief efforts in each of Key s 22 Key Community Bank districts from Maine to Alaska and in selected cities where Key National Bank has a presence. The gift will total $135,000. The donations will be made through a local chapter of the American Red Cross in each location.
In presenting a check for Haiti relief to the Vermont and New Hampshire Valley Region of the American Red Cross, Scott Carpenter, president, Vermont District, KeyBank, said: This donation comes with the thoughts and prayers of our entire Key community. We grieve with the people of Haiti and are proud to support them as they begin to rebuild their country.

A start-up solar panel manufacturer; a homegrown internet marketing firm; and an industrial pump manufacturer have been authorized to earn more than $12.5 million worth of state job creation incentives. A fourth firm's application was denied. Governor Douglas and legislative leaders recently increased the amount of money available for incentives, thus allowing incentive levels to reach all three companies.
The companies, if they grow in or locate in Vermont, could create 815 new jobs over the next five years, according to officials with the Vermont Economic Progress Council, which authorized the incentives on Thursday.
“These are Initial Approvals, but they are in important step forward in securing these jobs for Vermont,” said Karen L. Marshall, Chairwoman of the Vermont Economic Progress Council. “If created, these 815 jobs would represent more than 6% of the positions that were lost during the recession. This kind of growth is unprecedented. ”

The Orange and Windsor Counties Community Advisory Board of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont announces the release of its Worksite Wellness Grants for 2010. The grants, available to businesses in Orange and Windsor Counties, will range from $250 -$750 per site, according to program scope and need. The grant applications are due on February 26, 2010.
The organizations will be selected based on the strength or their grant applications – with a focus on the potential improvement of employee health, as well as the level of innovation, creativity, intended impact and evaluation plan. All of the organizations will report their programoutcomes to the OWCCAB.