Current News

Vermont and seven other states will share nearly $4 million in economic stimulus funding announced today under a green jobs program that was authored by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
“If we get our act together as a nation and start addressing the major environmental problems of our time – global warming and our dependence on fossil fuels – we can create millions of good paying jobs,” said Sanders, chairman of the Senate’s Green Jobs and the New Economy Subcommittee. “In other words,” he added, “good environmental policy is good economic policy.”
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) said, “I applaud the Obama administration’s ongoing commitment to help families and businesses during these difficult economic times and to aggressively accelerate investments in green jobs. This project will put a much needed framework around the larger discussion of a green economy in Vermont.”

Gary Hirshberg, president and "CE-Yo" of Stonyfield Farm, the world's leading organic yogurt producer will speak in Burlington, VT, on Thursday, November 19 at two events, both on behalf of the Intervale Center.
Environmental activist, business entrepreneur, renewable energy advocate, and food activist (Hirshberg appears prominently in the film, Food, Inc.), his topic, "Inventing the Future of Food" will be presented at the University of Vermont at 3 pm in the Billings Building North Lounge. The event is co-sponsored by UVM's Institute for Global Sustainability, the Food System Research Collaborative at the UVM Center for Rural Studies, Solutions Journal, and the Intervale Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Intrawest and Powdr Corp today announced they have entered into a definitive purchase agreement to sell Intrawest's interests in Copper Mountain to Powdr Corp. The transaction is anticipated to close in December 2009 and the agreement is subject to regulatory approvals including the issuance of a US Forest Service special-use permit to Powdr Corp.

United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention today released the 20th Anniversary Edition of America’s Health Rankings showing that Vermont ranks 1st when compared to the health of other states. This is the 3rd year in a row that Vermont has been at the top of the rankings.
“I’m so pleased that Vermont continues to receive national recognition for successfully implementing comprehensive health reforms that incorporate aspects of high quality, coordinated public health and health care – particularly the Vermont Blueprint for Health – along with expanding coverage to the uninsured,” said Governor Jim Douglas. “The successes we’ve realized in Vermont have not come easily – they’ve required teamwork, compromise and a willingness to address the tough issues surrounding public health care – but they are vital for the people of our state and for all Americans.”

Brigitte Ritchie, community relations officer for Citizens Bank, presented a $10,000 check to the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS). The contribution is in support of the Housing Resource Center (HRC). The HRC opened its doors in October 2008 with the mission to help avert evictions and foreclosures through one-time homelessness prevention grants.
During the first year of operation over 600 applications were filed by households that had fallen behind in their rent or mortgage payments. Frequently these arrearages were a result of an unexpected contingency such as a medical emergency or major car repair.
Of the more than 600 households that applied for support, 351 households were assisted and were able to stay in their homes. In order to qualify for a grant, the applicant must be able to fulfill financial obligations such as rent and utilities once their situation has been stabilized.

Ten state Attorneys General are backing legislation authored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to repeal the health insurance and medical malpractice insurance industries’ exemption from federal antitrust laws.
In a letter dated November 13, Attorneys General from Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Oregon, Arizona, Iowa, Montana, Florida and Wyoming urge Congress to end the decades-old exemption from federal antitrust laws, which are designed to encourage competition and protect consumers. Dating back to the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act, health insurers and medical malpractice insurers have been exempt from these laws. Leahy chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, which held a hearing on the exemption in October.

According to a national survey, Vermont has the third lowest mortgage loan delinquency rate of 2.6 percent, behind only the Dakotas. TransUnion.com released today the results of its analysis of trends in the mortgage industry for the third quarter of 2009 and the associated impact on the US consumer.

TD Bank, through the TD Charitable Foundation, recently donated $20,000 to Champlain College as part of the bank's commitment to giving back to the community. The funds will help the college expand its New American Scholars program, a need-based scholarship for Vermont’s refugee and asylum students, and its Support for Success initiative.
"Champlain College and its Office of Diversity and Inclusion are grateful for the continued support from TD Bank through the TD Charitable Foundation. We greatly appreciate their recognition for our program as we work to provide education opportunities to our refugee and asylum students," said Dr. Angela Batista, Director of Champlain College’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. "And with the support from TD Bank, we will be able to offer a better experience for our students."

State Senator Peter Shumlin today announced his intention to run for governor of Vermont in 2010. Shumlin made the announcement Wednesday during a press conference at Earth Turbines, Inc in Williston. Shumlin, 53, is a resident of Putney, Vermont. Along with his brother Jeff he runs Putney Student Travel, a Putney based business that offers summer educational programs to high school students. Shumlin represents Windham County in the Vermont Senate where he serves as Senate President, a position he has held for nearly 10 years.
“I believe my experiences growing up in Vermont, building a successful family business and serving for nearly 10 years as senate president, will serve me well in understanding and addressing the challenges facing our beloved state,” Shumlin said.

Governor Jim Douglas announced today that the Vermont Department of Health was awarded a two-year $860,000 grant by the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC) that will enable the state to strengthen its healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) prevention activities.
“In 2007, Vermont was the first state in the nation to publicly report hospital-specific healthcare-acquired infection rates using the CDC’s reporting system, and this grant will help keep Vermont at the forefront of patient safety and quality improvement,” said Governor Douglas. “Continuing to improve our overall healthcare system is a key element of Vermont’s health care reform efforts.”
The grant award will be used to hire a State HAI Prevention Coordinator, develop a Vermont HAI Prevention Plan, enhance hospital collection and validation of HAI data, and provide comprehensive infection prevention training for health care workers.

The Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce named BioTek Instruments, Inc., as Business of the Year at their 99th annual awards ceremony on Tuesday, November 11, 2009. The One Community, One Commitment, One Vision event drew more than 650 people from Lake Champlain area businesses.
According to a Chamber of Commerce spokesperson, BioTek was chosen to receive the Business of the Year distinction because they showed tremendous growth in a sector that is strong and looks to remain strong in the future. Additionally, as active members of the community, they give back when possible, and offer good wages to employees, reflected in their high employee retention rate.

Maponics of Norwich announced today that the latest release of its suite of ZIP Code map data shows evidence of a record number of ZIP Code changes over the 3 months since the previous data release. This news validates that the US Postal Service has already implemented significant on-the-ground changes related to the massive work force and mail delivery infrastructure re-evaluation it announced earlier this year, a reorganization initiated to address a projected 20 billion drop in mail pieces from fiscal year 2008 to 2009.