Current News

Bennington, Vermont's Plasan, a global leader in the field of combat-proven survivability and armor solutions for vehicles, airborne platforms and personal protection, today announced the delivery of 750 armor kits for the US Army's MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) as a subcontractor to Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Defense. Today's delivery meets the latest production milestone in the contract awarded by U.S. Department of Defense to produce 4,296 M-ATVs for deployment in Afghanistan.
Dan Ziv, President and CEO of Plasan, says: "We are proud of our continued success in meeting this ambitious production schedule. Plasan's employees in Bennington have a personal stake in protecting soldiers serving in Afghanistan. As the Vermont National Guard begins to mobilize for its largest deployment since World War II, Plasan's employees are doing their part to protect their friends and neighbors while they are serving abroad. At Plasan, the war fighter is our first priority."

Participating in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new firefighter training building at Vermont Technical College, Sen. Bernie Sanders called the facility a major step forward in assuring high-quality training for firefighters across the state. Sanders secured $406,962 for the project, which includes a specialized structure called a live-burn building. In a successful federal, state, and local partnership, the State of Vermont committed $440,000 to the project and the college provided $50,000 for the facility. The total price tag is $897,000.
The new training facility will give firefighters the opportunity to learn scenarios they will likely see when responding to live emergency situations, Sanders said. It will be centrally located and will greatly enhance the quality of training while reducing travel time and expenses incurred by many firefighters, especially volunteers.

Seventh Generation, the leading brand of nontoxic and environmentally safe household and personal care products, has chosen to partner with Carmichael Lynch following an extensive review. The Burlington, Vermont-based company is looking to Carmichael Lynch to help re-launch its brand to a broader market and solidify its position as the most trusted line of authentic, safe and environmentally responsible products for a healthy home. For more than two decades, Seventh Generation has been at the forefront of a cultural change in both consumer demand and business ethics. One of the country's first self-described socially responsible companies, Seventh Generation found much common ground with Carmichael Lynch.

The US Small Business Administration (SBA) is accepting nominations for the 2010 Vermont Small Business Awards. Each year, SBA showcases and recognizes successful and inspiring small business owners and business champions. The nomination process is simple. Nominators submit a one-page nomination letter, in any format, to the SBA Vermont District Office by October 31, 2009. Candidates who advance to the final selection stage will be asked to submit a more complete nomination packet. State winners are eligible to compete for regional and national honors.
An independent panel of judges will select award winners from every state, all of whom will be honored by their local SBA.
In Vermont, each winner is recognized at a spring gala event attended by SBA, the governor, state congressional staff, lenders, other members of the business community, and the media.
The SBA Vermont District Office is now accepting nominations for the following awards:

Vermont Law School has been awarded $3 million by the US Agency for International Development to expand its work on the US-China Partnership for Environmental Law over the next three years, VLS President and Dean Geoffrey Shields announced today. This award, which is an extension of a $1.8 million USAID funding agreement that US Senator Patrick Leahy was instrumental in helping to secure for Vermont Law School in 2006, will enable VLS to continue to build on its successes in helping China develop its next generation of environmental advocates to strengthen the development and enforcement of China's environmental and energy law.

Governor Jim Douglas today announced the appointment of Tayt Brooks as Commissioner of the Department of Housing, Economic and Community Development. Brooks joined the Douglas Administration late last year as Deputy Commissioner of Housing and Community Affairs. When the Department of Housing and Community Affairs merged with the Department of Economic Development, Brooks served as Deputy Commissioner for the new Department of Housing, Economic and Community Development.
“I’m excited to appoint Tayt to lead this Department,” said Governor Douglas. “His experience in the private sector and in state government, along with his experience working with members of the General Assembly, makes Tayt a natural fit to advance policies that will help create jobs and grow our economy.”

The Bolton Valley wind turbine will be erected next week, beginning Monday, when the structure is taken up the mountain in sections. This is the first wind turbine to be erected at a Vermont ski area and only the second at a ski area anywhere in the entire country. Equipment will be staged at Bolton Valley over the weekend, with the first sections of the turbine headed up the mountain Monday morning about 7am.
The tower parts will arrive at Bolton Valley on two trucks and taken up the mountain, in stages, on an all terrain trailer pulled by a D8 bull dozer for the final approach to the peak. Once at the peak a massive crane will remove the first section of the tower from the trailer for placement on its foundation.
Tuesday the second and third sections of the tower will be installed. The blades will be pitched on a pitching stand on the ground prior to being put in place Wednesday.

The US Small Business Administration announced today that 58 non-profit organizations from 32 states and the District of Columbia, including Central Vermont Community Action Council for $100,000, will receive grant funding under the Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs Act (PRIME) to assist low-income and very low-income entrepreneurs with training and technical assistance to start, operate, and grow their businesses.
Competition for PRIME grants was open to applicants in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. SBA received more than 400 applications. Last year, SBA funded 35 grants in 12 states on a non-competitive basis.

The Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation (CVEDC) was presented with two grants from the USDA Rural Development office on September 29th at a press conference held at the Shops at Millstone Hills in Websterville.
“CVEDC is pleased to have written and been awarded these two grants on behalf of Central Vermont businesses. Our mission is to maintain and grow the economic vitality of our region and we believe that these two initiatives will contribute to that vitality”, said Executive Vice President, Sam Matthews.
The two grants awarded to CVEDC, a non-profit regional development corporation will directly assist one Northfield business and one e-commerce business initiative with over 50 local artisans participating. Job retention, creation and expansion are at the forefront of the grant awards.

Changes under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to U.S. Small Business Administration loan programs led to a rebound in SBA-backed loans for small businesses and greater access to much-needed capital.
Since the Recovery Act was signed on Feb. 17, SBA has supported more than $11.3 billion in lending to small businesses through its two largest loan programs and seen its average weekly dollar volume increase by more than 60 percent in comparison to the weeks before the Recovery Act. Additionally, the average number of loans approved per week has increased by more than 50 percent. The dollar volume for September 2009 ($1.9 billion) was the highest single-month total since August 2007.

$35,000 in funding is available through the fall award competition launched bythe Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council. VTDDC welcomes applicationsto improve the lives of Vermonters with developmental disabilities and theirfamilies by creating opportunities in their communities. Project grant awards willrange from $2,000 to $10,000 in three categories: Advocacy in Action Projects;disABILITY Awareness Media Projects; and Community Support Model Projects.
Community based groups are encouraged to apply. The deadline is November12, 2009. For more information, Requests for Proposals and Applicationmaterials check the VTDDC web-site at www.ddc.vermont.gov; [email protected] or call toll free in VT 888-317-2006.

People suffering from flu-like symptoms and children younger than 18 have been asked to stay away from North Country Hospital to ward off the spread of the H1N1 virus. Citing the rising number of residents suffering from the flu virus, North Country is instituting temporary visitor restrictions effective Monday, October 5, as a precautionary measure to keep their patients, staff and the visiting public safe.
“These precautions are in the best interests of our patients as the flu season begins,” said Dr. Paul Newton, medical director of the Emergency Department. “Patient safety and infection control are top priorities for us. We recognize that this flu season will not be like others in recent memory and we have made plans that anticipate different levels of a flu outbreak. The visiting policy changes are part of that plan.” Pregnant women, children of all ages, and people compromised by other acute and chronic illnesses are especially susceptible to the virus.