Current News

The Vermont Arts Endowment Fund and the Concert Artists Fund, two component funds of the Vermont Community Foundation, announced that together they have awarded a total of $99,381 to 16 organizations and individuals across the state. “The arts are an integral part of our economy and our culture. We are honored to support artists ranging from Mira Niagolova to Bob DeCormier’s Counterpoint Chorus,” said Peter Espenshade of the Foundation.
The Vermont Arts Endowment Fund awarded grants totaling $46,305 to support the creation and production of new work by Vermont artists and arts organizations, and provide technical assistance for arts organizations. The Concert Artists Fund awarded $53,076 to support performances of western classical music in Chittenden County. These funds focus support on the exponential impact of arts funding: where one grant can bring opportunities to dozens of community members and artists.
The grants were awarded to:

Related Company: Burlington Telecom Department of City of BurlingtonFinishing just minutes before midnight, Burlington city councilors voted on Monday, December 14, to reject a proposal by Mayor Bob Kiss to finance Burlington Telecom. The vote was held following months of discussion among city officials after it was revealed that the company owed millions in debt to the city, a violation of conditions in its state-granted operating license. The council's decision to seek financing proposals from several companies effectively shut down a request by Mayor Kiss and Chief Administration Officer Jonathan Leopold to allow further negotiations with the investment firm Piper Jaffray for a $61.6 million loan. Leopold said that Piper Jaffray would not likely continue with a financial proposal now that the council would be accepting proposals from other companies.

Former Vermont Teddy Bear CEO Liz Robert will be moving her newly acquired company, Terry Precision Cycling, to Burlington. Robert’s new company will bring 12 jobs and lease 10,500 square feet of commercial space. The move will bring most of Terry’s operation to the Queen City between December 26, 2009 and January 3, 2010. The Rochester, NY, based company, founded by Georgena Terry in 1985, specializes in bicycles for women and is a leading direct marketer of women’s cycling apparel and accessories.
Moving Terry to Burlington “had been my hope all along,” said Robert. “…Burlington is a ‘brand’ for the genesis of creative companies - Ben & Jerry’s, VT Teddy Bear, Phish - and because it's got the bike path, and because we want Terry, with its element of style and fashion applied to cycling apparel, to leverage the ‘commuter’ positioning in the cycling market.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) announces a newly constructed temporary bridge carrying US Route 4 over the Connecticut River between Lebanon, New Hampshire (Bridge Street) and Hartford, Vermont (Maple Street) opened today to traffic.
The temporary bridge has no weight restrictions for truck traffic. It also has a sidewalk open for pedestrian traffic.
The 390-foot long US Route 4 Bridge was built in 1936 and rebuilt in 1976. It is a State of New Hampshire “Red List” bridge, with more frequent inspections required due to known deficiencies. The bridge was posted at a ten-ton load capacity in July of 2008 that restricted heavy truck traffic. It has now been closed to all traffic and motorists are being detoured onto the temporary bridge. Current plans are to advertise for a permanent bridge replacement in 2012.

The board of directors of Opportunities Credit Union has named Cheryl Fatnassi as the CEO and President. Fatnassi has over 29 years working in financial services. She was the former Senior Vice President for IT Systems at Banknorth and had previously managed all aspects of technology and retail banking, CRA and compliance. She also has experience with capital campaigns and grant writing from prior non-profit experience. Fatnassi was the Chief Operations Officer for Opportunities until March of 2008 when the Board promoted her as an interim CEO after the retirement of Opportunities’ founder, Caryl Stewart. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in French and Economics.

AT&T today announced an update on the availability of its third generation (3G) mobile broadband network in Vermont, starting with the southern part of the state. As part of AT&T's initial network upgrade plan, 3G will go live on a rolling basis starting in Bennington, Brattleboro, Brownsville, Killington, Vernon, Warren, West Dover and White River Junction sometime this week. By December 31st, 3G will be added in Burlington, Colchester, Essex Junction, Fayston, Hartford, Jamaica, Jeffersonville, Middlebury, Rutland, South Burlington, St. Albans, Stowe, Waitsfield, West Rutland, West Townshend, West Wardsboro, Williston and Winooski.

Senate and House leaders have included a two-month extension of the distant signal satellite license in the Department of Defense appropriations bill. The extension will allow Windham and Bennington counties in Vermont to continue to receive Burlington stations through DirecTV.
“While Senate and House leaders were not able to reach an agreement to pass a long-term extension of the law governing the retransmission of broadcast signals, I am pleased that Congress will provide for a two-month extension of this important legislation. Because of this extension, Americans across the country will not lose their ability to watch college bowl games at home on January 1.

The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has recognized seven of its nearly 80 local chapters with its Annual Chapter Awards of Excellence. The awards, presented last month in Phoenix at USGBC’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, are given to chapters that excel in providing local green building outreach and education and in fostering best practices among the green building community. The four award categories include: Advocacy & Influence; Community; Education; and Organizational Excellence. The awards are sponsored each year by USGBC national member Milliken & Company.

The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) approved $7.4 million in commercial and agricultural financing for business projects throughout Vermont, leveraging another $7.4 million in private funding to support projects totaling $14.8 million.
“VEDA is pleased to support these manufacturing, renewable energy, small business and family farm projects,” said Jo Bradley, VEDA’s Chief Executive Officer. “Jobs will be sustained and new jobs created, and that growth is critically important for Vermont’s economy.”
Among the projects approved by VEDA:

This story is reprinted from Vermont Business Magazine, December 2009

by Joyce Marcel Vermont Business Magazine There is no shortage of visionaries in Vermont, but only a handful of them have had the courage, talent and confidence to carve out empires.

Governor Douglas announced today that former Secretary of Natural Resources, Elizabeth “Wibs” McLain will join the Governor’s staff as Special Assistant to the Governor. McLain will assist with Legislative affairs and agency liaison. McLain was Secretary of ANR from 2003-2005.
Douglas also announced that Secretary of Civil of Military Affairs, Heidi Tringe will serve as Deputy Chief of Staff. Tringe will replace Deputy Chief of Staff, Dennise Casey when Casey leaves the Governor’s staff at the end of the year to join the Republican Governors Association.
Governor Douglas has also elevated Special Assistant to the Governor, David Coriell to serve as Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs and Communications Director.
Staff changes are effective on January 1, 2010.
Source: Governor's office, 12.15.2009.

The Transformation Policy Commission Report on the future of Vermont public education released its Final Report of Policy Recommendations to the Vermont State Board of Education today. Among its recommendations is new standards and a new evaluation system for students based on outcomes; aligning secondary school curriculums with post-secondary curriculums; teacher evaluations which would include salary levels based on performance reviews; formation of Regional Education Districts, which would expand educational opportunities beyond the town a student lives in while reducing the number of school districts from the current 290 to as few as 13, to provide more choices for students and their families and more resources for the district.