Current News

Statewide science assessment results for Spring 2009 were released by the Vermont Department of Education today. Fifty-two percent of Vermont fourth graders tested were proficient or higher in science, up four points from last year. In grade eight, 25 percent were proficient or higher, down one point. In grade 11, 27 percent were proficient or higher, up 2 points. The results are from the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) science exams, given to Vermont public school students for the second time in grades 4, 8 and 11 in May 2009.
“There is an obvious need for improvement in how our students are learning science,” said Commissioner Armando Vilaseca. “The wide range of results by individual school, from zero percent to 96 percent proficient, shows me that students are capable of achieving the standard, but they are not all receiving the standards-based science curriculum that we expect due to the varied delivery of curriculum in our school districts.”

CSC (NYSE: CSC) today announced the successful implementation of the first phase of Fletcher Allen Health Care's comprehensive electronic health record (EHR) system, PRISM (Patient Record and Information Systems Management), after a 15-month planning and implementation period. PRISM is now operational in the hospital's inpatient areas as well as the Emergency Department, Walk-In Care Center, and inpatient pharmacy. Fletcher Allen is now positioned to meet the regulatory requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Under ARRA, hospitals will receive monetary incentives if they demonstrate "meaningful use" of EHRs by 2011.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090422/CSCLOGO)

The Vermont Economic Development Authority has approved $3 million in financing to support Vermont business and agricultural development projects totaling $9.5 million, including to the Vermont Agricultural Credit Corporation and The Essex.
Investments in Vermont s agricultural economy represent a third of our lending this month, said Jo Bradley, VEDA s Chief Executive Officer. Additional investments in the travel and tourism sector of Vermont s economy were approved, and the Authority will assist in the financing of several small business, drinking water system, and energy conservation projects.
The Authority approved:

Individuals and families in Arizona, South Carolina and the Delta states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas lag behind the rest of the country in key aspects related to their financial stability, including measures of net worth, homeownership and housing affordability, business ownership, health insurance coverage and academic achievement. These states received an overall grade of "F" on the 2009-2010Assets & Opportunity Scorecard, which rates states not only on poverty and job figures, but also on a broad set of categories and measures related to sustained prosperity. The Scorecard was released today by the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), a national economic nonprofit.

Plasan, of Bennington, Vermont, a global leader in survivability and combat-proven armor solutions for vehicles, airborne platforms and personal protection, today announced it has won yet another contract for the delivery of 352 armor kits for the US Army's MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) as sub-contractor to Oshkosh Defense. Today's increase follows earlier announcements of 3,000 unit increase in the $1.05 billion contract awarded by US Department of Defense to a team led by Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corporation to produce M-ATVs for deployment in Afghanistan.

Dealer.com, the global leader of online marketing solutions for the automotive industry, today announced it received two Automobile Standard of Excellence 2009 WebAwards from the Web Marketing Association. Dealer.com auto dealership clients Ed Voyles Acura and Flatirons Subaru were entered into the prestigious international competition that honors outstanding achievement in website development. More than 2,000 sites from 47 countries were entered in 96 industry categories during this year's competition. Entries were judged on design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copy writing and ease of use. This is the second consecutive year that Dealer.com has received the WebAwards Automobile Standard of Excellence.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said Saturday that the dairy crisis may make it easier to detect competition barriers that undermine prices paid to dairy farmers. Leahy, who chairs the U.S. Senate s Judiciary Committee, brought a field hearing to St. Albans to examine competition and consolidation in the Northeast dairy market. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) joined Leahy in the questioning.
Leahy s long running concern about the concentration of economic power in U.S. agriculture in bigger and fewer corporations has intersected this year with the new Obama Administration s interest in reenergizing antitrust tools to protect consumers, farmers and smaller businesses. As witnesses, Leahy invited the newly installed chief of the Justice Department s Antitrust Division, the Department of Agriculture s Chief Economist, and Vermont dairy farmers with varying views and operations.

Nokian Tyres, Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, University Wholesalers, has purchased Maine Wholesale Tire, a Portland, Maine based tire distributor. The new entity will operate under the University Wholesalers name.
The operation gives us a much stronger presence in Maine and will enable us to improve levels of service to our dealers there and also in southern New Hampshire and eastern Massachusetts, said Jari Lepisto, General Manger Nokian Tyres, Inc.
One of the former owners of Maine Wholesale Tire will remain as management staff to ensure a smooth transition. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
About Nokian Tyres, Inc.

Governor Douglas today announced that the State of Vermont will be contributing $750,000 in grant funds to a major redevelopment project in Springfield. The grant, made available through the Vermont Community Development Program, will help repair sections of the former Fellows Gear Shaper/PVDC facility in downtown Springfield. The property, largely vacant for several years, is being redeveloped by One Hundred River Street, LLC.
“This award will not only help mitigate blighted areas of the former Fellows property, but also pave the way for new job creation, as well as restore an important part of Springfield’s historic downtown,” the Governor said. “This revitalization project is a perfect example of Vermont’s commitment to redeveloping its downtowns and villages as centers of social and commercial activity.”

The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, joined by members of the Senate Economic Development and Finance Committees, will hold a FairPoint Communications briefing and update on Thursday, September 24. The hearing will be an opportunity for legislators to gain a fuller understanding of the challenges facing FairPoint and explore ways in which the legislature can ensure Vermonters’ interests are protected. The House and Senate Committees will hear from the President of FairPoint Communications, the Department of Public Service, the Vermont Telecommunications Authority, and Labor representatives.
The agenda for the hearing is pasted below and attached to this advisory.
What: FairPoint Communications HearingWhen: Thursday, September 24. 1:00-4:30 pmWho: House Commerce and Economic Development, Senate Economic Development and Senate Finance CommitteesWhere: Room 11, State House
AGENDA
Room 11, State House

Vermont State Auditor Tom Salmon issued a report today that says the state can do more to set goals for programs and to track actual results. In audits of the Department of Buildings & General Services, the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Economic Development, results indicate that agencies have established goals, but fall short in setting up relevant performance indicators, targets and methods to track actual results.
“Part of our fiscal challenge in state government is to get a better handle on which programs are working well and which aren’t,” Salmon said in releasing an audit report on the performance measurement systems at three key state agencies. Salmon noted that governments use performance data to weed out expensive programs that are underperforming and to more effectively deliver programs that show good results and potential.

FairPoint Communications on Thursday met its deadline to tell the Vermont Public Service Board why its Certificate of Public Good in Vermont should not be revoked. Since cutting over service from the Verizon network to its own last February, FairPoint has been deluged by complaints from customers and regulators over its performance, especially in regards to customer service. Below is the letter filed with the PSB. Attached are the letter, the testimony of FairPoint President Peter Nixon and supporting documentation.
In sending the materials to Vermont Business Magazine, M. Beth Fastiggi, FairPoint's Manager of Corporate Communications in Vermont, wrote:
"The filing discusses FairPoint s actions to address the post cutover service issues as referenced in the Department of Public Services petition dated July 14, and updates the Public Service Board, the Department and other parties of FairPoint s plans to address remaining service issues.