Current News

At a meeting with US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Thursday afternoon, Representative Peter Welch called for quick dispersal of emergency assistance to dairy farmers. Vilsack s first meeting with the Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus came on the heels of an agreement reached by House and Senate negotiators to provide $350 million in assistance to dairy farmers. The aid, which still must be approved by both houses of Congress, includes $290 million in direct support to dairy farmers. This emergency assistance will be distributed using guidelines to be determined by the Department of Agriculture.
Welch, co-chair of the 88-member caucus, called on Vilsack to ensure the emergency assistance reaches Vermont s dairy farmers immediately upon becoming law.

US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has formally informed US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials of his concerns about the size and scope of the new port of entry planned for Morses Line, Vermont. In a letter to CBP s acting commissioner, Leahy asked the agency to improve consultation with local landowners, to review the size and scope of the project, and to protect the historic resources near the border. The text of Leahy s letter, which was submitted during the official comment period on the proposed project, is below.
Leahy also announced that an official from the Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agency handling portions of the planning process for CBP, will meet with the Rainvilles later this week to review the latest land acquisition and design plans.

Intrawest today announced that, beginning with the 2009-2010 winter season, the Company will increase awareness of the importance of helmet use at all of its wholly-owned ski resorts in North America. Intrawest will recommend that all skiers and snowboarders visiting its resorts wear helmets and there will be mandatory helmet requirements for all children and youth(1) participants in Ski and Snowboard School Programs as well as all students participating in freestyle terrain park programs, regardless of their age. The new helmet use guidelines underscore Intrawest's commitment to guest safety and have the support of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) and Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA).

Vermont Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie announced this morning that he will run for governor. Ending weeks of speculation over his political future, Dubie said he was ready to take the next step in a political career which started out serving on local boards in his home town of Essex. Dubie has been seen as the most likely choice since Governor Jim Douglas, his Republican counterpart, surprisingly announced on August 27 that he would not seek re-election in 2010.
Dubie said in a press release, I have devoted the past few weeks to cross-checking my thoughts with the thoughts of other Vermonters thoughts about where we are as a state and about the challenges we face. I have measured my experience and my capabilities against those benchmarks and have taken a long look at how we could lead our state forward through difficult times.

For the Week of 09/26/2009. There were 760 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, a decrease of 20 from the week before. Altogether 9,384 new and continuing claims were filed, 304 fewer than a week ago and 3,645 more than a year earlier. The Department also processed 4,595 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 22 more than a week ago. In addition, there were 923 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is an increase of 54 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

Senate and House negotiators have agreed to provide $350 million for hard-pressed dairy farmers, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced today. The funding was first included in a Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) amendment to the Department of Agriculture appropriations bill.
Sanders welcomed the agreement that he said “came at a time when Vermont's dairy farmers are struggling hard to stay in business with record-low milk prices.” He added that “this is a good step forward but we need to do much more if we are to preserve family based dairy agriculture in Vermont and America.” Leahy, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee which handled the Senate’s work on the bill, said he hopes the aid will “offer relief to Vermont’s dairy farmers and small businesses that are struggling to stay afloat,” and also pledged to seek additional relief.

From 2006 to 2008, Vermont households lost an average of $5,757 in income, the second worst in the nation and the largest percentage decrease at 10.3 percent. New Jersey had the highest income drop at $7,214 and the second highest percentage loss at 10.1 percent. Georgia was third worst ($3,404, -6.4 percent). The biggest factor appears to be in investment income as the stock market fell precipitously from its high in October 2007 through the end of 2008 and beyond. On October 12, 2007 when the Dow Jones average closed at a record 14,903 to October 10, 2008, when it closed 8,451, is the worst one-year performance since the Great Depression. Vermont counts on "unearned" income more than most states when calculating household income. This would seem to indicate that when 2009 numbers come out in about a year, Vermont should see a marked improvement as the Dow now stands at 9,789 (9.29.2009).

The inventor of the world's first seat video and imaging apparatus, CruiseCam International, Inc. (Pink Sheets: CCMC), impressed companies that manage the largest fleets in North America, which attended the annual Vermont Captive Insurance Association (VCIA) conference last month. Companies use captive insurance as an alternative to traditional insurance to reduce costs, enhance risk management, gain greater control over their insurance and directly access the reinsurance market. The VCIA conferees recognized the liability advantages of CruiseCam's fully operational commercial vehicle seat with its latest generation Gemini near High Definition Digital Video Recording System compared to windshield camera systems.

Northern Power Systems, Inc (www.northernpower.com), based in Barre, Vermont, a next-generation wind turbine company and manufacturer of the Northwind 100, today has announced its expanded presence in Europe. To strengthen its commitment and better support its customers, Northern Power Systems has appointed Reinout Oussoren as European Managing Director and has opened its European headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
Mr. Oussoren brings more than 20 years of commercial and operational leadership experience to Northern Power, most recently with GE
Energy. He will manage strategy, business development, sales, applications engineering and a growing network of premier development partners.

In ceremonies including the Board of Trustees, Saint Michael's College will dedicate the $2 million Antonio and Rita Pomerleau Alumni Center on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 12:30 p.m. in the new center, located on Route 15, but entered from Lime Kiln Road, in Colchester. The multi-use building is the first deliberately environmentally friendly, 21st Century structure on the Saint Michael’s campus. Made possible through the generosity of The Tony B. and Rita M. Pomerleau Foundation and over 1,000 alumni contributions, the Alumni Center is a multi-use facility housing alumni and development offices and public meeting spaces.
“This building will be a tangible way to keep our alumni close to the college,” said President John J. Neuhauser.

The Associated General Contractors of Vermont (AGC/VT) named Cathy Voyer of Morrisville to lead the 150 member organization today. A former member of the Vermont House of Representatives, Voyer has worked for Governor Douglas in the Agency of Human Services managing legislative, housing and transportation issues. Voyer's experience both in the State House and with partner organizations throughout the state will be valuable to contractors as they face the twin challenges declining building cycle and increased federal stimulus funds.
"Cathy Voyer brings leadership, experience and energy to AGC which is exactly what is needed for contractors in Vermont during this economic cycle," said Don Wells, President of DEW Construction and Chair of the Board of Directors of AGC/VT.

The Vermont Downtown Development Board today announced that the City of Montpelier has been awarded Growth Center Designation. In action taken Monday by the Vermont Downtown Development Board, the designation comes after several months of discussion between Montpelier, the Downtown Board and its advisory group. Growth Centers were enabled by the legislature in 2005 to encourage communities to plan for denser and mixed use development in areas surrounding the state s downtowns and village centers.
I am very pleased that Montpelier has received this designation, which will help support the City in its planning efforts, Governor Jim Douglas. This is why I signed the Growth Center bill, to encourage communities to create more compact and dense mixed use development in appropriate areas.