Current News

The University of Vermont continued its steady rise in the just released US News & World Report rankings, claiming the 39th spot among the nation's top public universities, up from 40th last year and 47th in 2000. There are more than 500 public colleges and universities in the nation. UVM also rose in the magazine's national universities ranking, from 89th last year to 88th. UVM was ranked 96th in 2001. UVM was also named by Sierra Magazine as the number 4 "Coolest Schools" in the country based on its commitment to the environment.
For the US News ranking, UVM was 8th among national universities in a list of the magazine's "Top Up-and-Coming Schools," institutions that have "recently made striking improvements or innovations schools everyone should be watching," the magazine said.

As Hurricane Bill races up the east coast, bringing the threat of dangerous surf and potential flooding to coastal New England, Vermont Red Cross staff have been deployed to support any disaster relief needs that may arise. The storm is expected to glance off the coast, but could still threaten the region.
The Vermont team led by Timothy Stetson, Senior Director of Emergency Services for the Vermont, New Hampshire Valley region will coordinate paid and volunteer staff as they move to the Red Cross emergency response center in Bangor, Maine this morning to await calls for support over the next 48 72 hours. As the Vermont team swings into action, additional volunteer staff is on standby and ready to move into coastal response areas as needed.

The ability to get online for the first time may be getting closer for some northern New England residents as the region s leading telecommunications provider has submitted applications for $37.8 million under round one of three rounds of the $7.4 billion Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP), with Vermont to get about $7.3 million to reach 2,900 customers. If the funds are awarded, it means more broadband for more people, in more communities. If awarded, FairPoint Communications would use the federal grants to build its network to reach more unserved and underserved regions in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont which it otherwise would have been unable to serve within an identifiable timeframe.

Governor Jim Douglas was on hand as a local developer broke ground at the site of the first new neighborhood created under the housing bill passed last year. In a ceremony at the future site of Village Haven, a 24-unit housing development off West Street in Essex Junction being built by Dousevicz, Inc., the governor praised the project as leading the way in an effort to get more housing built that working Vermonters can afford under the Vermont Neighborhoods program.
This site is a great example of how we can work together to encourage housing that working families can afford. We can achieve this goal and at the same time uphold our strong environmental standards, Douglas said. And projects like are critical in this economy as they create jobs for Vermonters and stimulate our economy.

Vermont Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced Thursday that Vermont partnerships across the state have been awarded more than $1.2 million in Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program Continuation Grants. The DFC grants are awarded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to local organizations in communities that are working to reduce youth alcohol, tobacco and illegal drug use. Fourteen Vermont coalitions are among 565 communities nationwide to receive these grants for Fiscal Year 2009.

Scientific Games of New York (Nasdaq: SGMS) announced it has been selected as the primary vendor to supply instant tickets for the Vermont Lottery, upon completion of an open and competitive procurement process. The contract, which is expected to begin January 16, 2010, has an initial term of two years with two one-year extension options. Revenue to Scientific Games is based on a price per thousand and is estimated to total approximately $1 million per year.
"We have enjoyed working with the Vermont Lottery and we are glad to remain partners," said Joe Wright, CEO of Scientific Games. "The Vermont Lottery, which recently celebrated its 30(th) anniversary, has done a great job over the years growing its instant ticket sales and returning more to the State's education fund and we are gratified to continue to be a part of it."

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday that it has teamed up with the Vermont Tourism Network (VTN) to provide additional tourism resources and expand marketing efforts. This partnership will enable the Vermont Chamber of Commerce to offer additional marketing opportunities to its members who rely on the tourism industry.
VTN s primary purpose is to promote packaged group tour travel to the Green Mountain State, mainly through motorcoach tours to its member businesses.
Despite recent reports of declining state revenues, dollars generated by the tourism industry have remained steady in Vermont, suggesting marketing efforts drawing tourists to the Green Mountain State are working. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce and VTN have powered up their efforts to meet current marketing challenges to continue to support a successful tourism industry in Vermont.

With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding an additional $50 million for loans and $24 million for technical assistance, the U.S. Small Business Administration is expanding its Microloan program and increasing access to capital for small businesses across the country. The approved new microlenders are: Vermont Community Loan Fund, Inc. of Montpelier, Vt.; Neighborhood Development Center of Saint Paul, Minn.; Cen-Tex Certified Development Corp. of Austin, Texas; The Emperor Organization of Tallahassee, Fla.; Staunton Creative Community Fund, Inc. of Staunton, Va.; Lane MicroBusiness (d.b.a. Dev) of Eugene, Ohio; FINANTA (American Street Financial Ser.) of Philadelphia, Pa; and Accion USA, Inc. of New York, N.Y.
The program is shifting to funding provided under the Recovery Act now that it has exhausted the regular FY 2009 appropriations for $20 million in loans and $20 million in technical assistance.

For the Week of 08/015/2009. There were 854 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 18 from the week before. Altogether 12,180 new and continuing claims were filed, 624 fewer than a week ago and 5,338 more than a year earlier. The Department also processed 4,206 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 206 more than a week ago. In addition, there were 804 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is a decrease of 9 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

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) today announced that, as part of a large-scale project to address the condition of the Lake Champlain Bridge (also known as the Crown Point Bridge), an origin and destination survey will be conducted. The bridge spans Lake Champlain between Crown Point, New York and Chimney Point, Vermont.
The survey is being performed to obtain a better understanding of users of the bridge and where they travel. It will be completed by consultants assigned to the project. Motorists waiting at the red light to cross the bridge will be surveyed.
Surveyors will ask questions related to the origin and destination of the motorist’s trip and the purpose and frequency of their trip. The information obtained during the survey will assist the agencies involved in the project in developing project alternatives and potential alternate routes during construction.

The Vermont Arts Council is pleased to announce the recipients of three competitive grant programs. Seventy-seven awards totaling $245,165 have been awarded for Arts Learning, Community Arts and Creation projects. This announcement comes on the heels of news earlier this month that 42 Vermont arts organizations were awarded funding totaling $606,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. While the stimulus money was designated for job retention in the non-profit arts sector, these grants will fund individual artists, schools and community arts projects.

A former executive with the U.S. Department of Defense’s contracting office will be taking over the state program that assists Vermont businesses with obtaining government contracts. The Agency of Commerce and Community Development announced that William Masterson of South Burlington is the new Director of the Vermont Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).
“We are very pleased to welcome Bill to our team,” said Commerce and Community Development Secretary Kevin Dorn, whose agency includes the Department of Economic Housing and Community Development, where the PTAC is located.
“His experience as the contract manager for the DOD’s Defense Logistics Agency in Burlington makes him an ideal candidate to lead the PTAC, and continue its award-winning work helping Vermont firms get access to government contracts,” Dorn said.