Current News

Vermont's congressional delegation announced today that $8,799,600 in recovery funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs in Vermont. The latest installment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this funding will go to State Energy Program (SEP) projects that prioritize energy savings, create or retain jobs, increase the use of renewable energy and reduce harmful carbon emissions. The money is part of $54 million awarded to four states Monday by the Department of Energy and constitutes 40 percent of the $22 million Vermont’s SEP will receive as a result of the ARRA. In order to ensure that stimulus funds are being deployed effectively and efficiently, states will not receive the remaining 50 percent of ARRA funding until they meet reporting, oversight and accountability milestones required by the recovery act.

According to a story on timesargus.com, Steven Pappas has replaced Sue Allen as editor of the 10,000 circulation Times Argus, which serves Barre-Montpelier and the surrounding area. Pappas had been a reporter in the paper’s Capital region and editor of The Times Argus/Rutland Herald Sunday edition. The two newspapers share ownership. Allen is one of the state’s most well known journalists. She has been the editor of The Times Argus since 2006. She has also been a reporter and editor for The Burlington Free Press and Vermont Public Television. She also served as Governor Dean’s press secretary during his final years in office. She will stay with the paper as a reporter covering Montpelier.

As part of its commitment to provide a smooth transition for former Unicel customers in Vermont, AT&T today announced it has integrated all cell sites in the legacy Unicel network AT&T acquired in Vermont, with AT&T's existing nationwide wireless network. AT&T is moving forward with plans to launch its third generation (3G) mobile broadband network in Vermont later this year. AT&T acquired Unicel in December 2008.

The third annual Top Chef of the Champlain Valley, an Iron Chef Experience will be held at UVM's Davis Center Aug 10, 2009 at 6pm to benefit the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging's Meals on Wheels and Case Management programs. Watch as Sam Palmisano of Pulcinella's defends his title against Robert Barral of Cafe Provence and JJ Vezina of the Windjammer Restaurant and Upper Deck Pub. Enjoy appetizers from some of the areas top chefs. Farrell Distributing and Woodchuck Draft Cider will be holding a wine, beer and draft cider tasting.

Governor Jim Douglas ton Friday joined the dedication of Jamaica State Park s new park station, which blends the heyday of local railroads with the modern conveniences of today.
The depot-style construction with its arrival window and other amenities is a nod to the railroad history of the area of our state and a creative way to preserve our cherished culture, the Governor said. When the park staff built the station, they turned their eye to local heritage while improving the park s services.
The new park station replaces a 5-foot-by-8-foot closet in the ranger s quarters and incorporates many of the design elements common to those early railroad stations high ceilings, over-door transoms for lots of natural light, long roof overhangs as well as the ticket sales bump-out. It is built only a few feet from where the original Jamaica train station used to stand.

The U.S. Senate Thursday night added an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Authorization Bill to create the position of Vice Chief at the National Guard Bureau. The amendment was sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), the co-chairs of the 96-member Senate National Guard Caucus.

Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced today nearly $3.3 million in federal economic recovery funding for Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest. This federal support will help create good-paying jobs while preserving Vermont’s natural resources.
The Green Mountain National Forest will receive $1.4 million to address a backlog of trail maintenance projects, $657,000 for work on existing recreation facilities, and $1.2 million to restore two dams that retain Lefferts Pond in the town of Chittenden. The Green Mountain National Forest is partnering with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, Green Mountain Club and Vermont Association of Snow Travelers in these projects.

Governor Jim Douglas today announced that he has appointed 27 year veteran lawmaker Richard Westman of Cambridge to head Vermont's Tax Department and former Caledonia County Senator and current Director of the Agency of Transportation Rail Division Robert Ide to head the Motor Vehicles Department.
Rich Westman, a native Vermonter from Cambridge has represented the towns of Cambridge, Belvidere and Waterville in the General Assembly for 27 years. Westman will step down to head the state’s Department of Taxes. Westman will also leave his job at the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation where he has served for ten years as the Director of the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan. He takes over from Tom Pelham, who will become deputy Administration secretary.

The governors and the Congressional delegations of both Vermont and New Hampshire today joined together to urge the U.S. Department of Labor to move quickly to provide assistance to workers recently laid off at the Ethan Allen furniture plant in Beecher Falls, Vt.
Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas and New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch; Vermont Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders; Vermont Rep. Peter Welch; New Hampshire Sens. Judd Gregg and Jeanne Shaheen; and New Hampshire Reps. Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter issued the following statement:

As part of a shift in its donation policy, Vermont Coffee Company conducted two local fundraisers for area homeless shelters over the past week. We are directing our resources towards helping our neighbors, said Paul Ralston, owner of the company. Over back-to-back weekends, a total of $667 was raised for the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) and the John Graham Emergency Shelter. Ralston topped up that amount to an even $1,000.
Staff from Vermont Coffee Company traveled to events at Burlington s City Hall Park and Castleton College and served iced-coffee shakes to attendees. Donations were collected in these Shaking for Shelter promotions. According to Deborah Bouton, Community Service Director at COTS, even small donations are important. For as little as $15, we can provide a night of emergency shelter for an adult or pay for a credit report that may help a family get an apartment, she said.

Building on Recovery Act provisions implemented earlier this year, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced today it can now provide surety bond guarantees on federal contracts valued at up to $10 million, if the contracting officer certifies that the guarantee is in the best interests of the government. An Interim Final Rule is available for public inspection at The Federal Register.
Currently, under a related provision of the Recovery Act that was implemented in March, SBA can provide bond guarantees up to $5 million through September 2010 on all public and private contracts and subcontracts. SBA partners with the surety industry to help small businesses that would otherwise be unable to obtain bonding in the traditional commercial marketplace. Under the partnership, SBA provides a guarantee to the participating surety company of between 70 and 90 percent of the bond amount.

Governor Jim Douglas on Thursday announced $161,000 in Historic Preservation Barn Grants for 19 farms to help preserve their barns for future generations. In a ceremony at the Elm Brook Farm in East Ryegate, which received $10,000 to repair its cow and horse barns, the governor noted that the program aided two of Vermont s most important industries, agriculture and tourism. The grant program, administered by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, provides owners of agricultural buildings with matching funding of up to $10,000 for a variety of capital repairs. Eligible projects include repairs to roofs, foundations, walls, sills and overall stabilization.
In making decisions on funding, the Vermont Advisory Council on Historic Preservation prioritizes projects, giving particular emphasis on working barns to keep them in service and significant agricultural buildings in critical need of repair.