Current News

The Essex, Vermont s Culinary Resort & Spa, has expanded its management team by hiring a leading statewide tourism sales executive. Dave Hakins, former Executive Director of the Vermont Convention Bureau (VCB) and Vermont Sports & Events Council (VSEC), has joined The Essex as Director of Business Development.
We re fortunate to attract a sales pro of Dave s caliber and experience to introduce new sales programs and to identify new markets to leverage our exciting assets, said Jim Glanville, Vice President & General Manager of The Essex. We plan to prosper in this difficult environment by continuing to make smart hiring and expansion decisions.
Before leading VCB and VSEC, Hakins was Director of Sales and Promotion for the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing in Governor Jim Douglas administration.

An active Lake Arrowhead osprey nest has been destroyed, and Central Vermont Public Service is offering a reward in an effort to find out how. If it turns out that the nest was destroyed on purpose, CVPS is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible.
It s unclear whether the nest was intentionally destroyed or blown down by the wind, but it s suspicious, CVPS spokesman Steve Costello said. We re looking for information from anyone who knows how the nest was destroyed, whether by the hand of a person or Mother Nature.
It is illegal to harass migratory birds or disturb their nests, and ospreys are still vulnerable, even though they are no longer endangered in Vermont said Tina Scharf, coordinator of the Osprey Recovery Project of the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife. We want to know what happened.

Governor Jim Douglas and Treasurer Jeb Spaulding will join with The FINRA Foundation and AARP Vermont Thursday morning to launch a statewide campaign to protect older consumers from the growing threat of investment-related cons and scams. The initiative kicks off at the Sheraton Burlington Conference Center with a press conference and educational forum for some 300 area residents. State Police Lieutenant Robert Kalinoski will also speak at the press conference to share a personal story about how his father was taken in and eventually defrauded in Bennington.
WHAT: Official launch of Vermont Investor Protection campaign followed by an educational workshop for 300 participants.
WHO: Vermont Governor Jim Douglas, State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding, John Gannon, President The FINRA Foundation, Greg Marchildon, State Director -- AARP Vermont, Robert Kalinoski, VT State Police Lieutenant and son of defrauded citizen

Today Governor Jim Douglas officially welcomed a former Connecticut company that makes banners and fabric displays to its new factory in Vermont, along with the good-paying jobs it is bringing. Project Graphics, founded in 1992, is a manufacturer of fabric displays whose national and international clients include towns and cities, educational institutions, shopping centers and developments, and promotions for the retail environment. Those displays include hanging banners, banner stands, backdrops, window or showroom displays, point-of-purchase displays, table coverings, holiday décor, interior and exterior installations and streetscape signage.

Vermont Public Radio's regional news coverage has been honored by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated (PRNDI) with four national awards. VPR won a first place award for its coverage of the death of 12-year-old Brooke Bennett and subsequent reporting on Vermont's sex offender laws. VPR also received a first place award for Philip Baruth's commentary on Vermont's low birth rate.
VPR won a second place award for the documentary "Those CCC Boys," which explored the lives of surviving enlistees of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the legacy of the Corps itself. The documentary was produced by Lynne McCrea and written and narrated by Steve Delaney. Vermont Edition's Jane Lindholm also won a second-place award for her interview on raising pigs.
"These awards reflect VPR's commitment to broad and in-depth regional news reporting," said VPR President Robin Turnau.

FairPoint Communications, Inc. (NYSE: FRP) announced today its Board of Directors has appointed David L. Hauser to the position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Hauser most recently served as group executive and chief financial officer at Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE: DUK). Hauser has been a member of FairPoint s Board of Directors since February 2005, serving as a director, chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. Hauser, 57, will assume his new responsibilities upon the retirement of FairPoint Chairman and CEO Eugene B. Johnson, effective July 1, 2009. Johnson had earlier indicated his intentions to retire.

Jarden Consumer Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH), and Keurig, Incorporated, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR), today announced a new agreement to jointly develop Mr. Coffee single-cup coffeemakers. These will feature Keurig s branded, patented single-cup brewing technology for the more than 200 varieties of gourmet coffees, teas and hot cocoa packaged in Keurig s patented K-Cup portion packs.
Jarden Consumer Solutions (JCS) intends to commercialize the new coffeemakers in the U.S. and Canada under the Mr. Coffee® brand featuring Keurig®-branded brewing technology to be sold to JCS s retail customers alongside its other products.

Starting today, June 15, SBA will begin accepting loans for a temporary new program called America s Recovery Capital. ARC loans of up to $35,000 are designed to provide a bridge for viable small businesses with immediate financial hardship to keep their doors open until they get back on track. ARC loans are deferred-payment loans of up to $35,000, available to established, viable, for-profit small businesses that need short-term help to make their principal and interest payments on existing and qualifying business debt. ARC loans are 100 percent guaranteed by the SBA and have no SBA fees associated with them.
These ARC loans are another tool in the SBA toolkit which will provide critical support to small businesses struggling to make it through these tough economic times, said Administrator Karen G. Mills.

Governor Jim Douglas joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan 20 other governors at a symposium put on by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Education Leadership and Policy. As vice-chairman of the NGA and chair of NGA Center for Best Practices, Governor Douglas co-hosted the event with former Governor Jim Hunt (D-NC) and Governor Bev Perdue (D-NC).
This is a tremendous opportunity for me and my colleagues to share our thoughts, ideas and experiences with one another and with the Obama Administration, Governor Douglas said. While Vermont students are among the brightest in the country, I looking forward to bringing back ideas that can help improve our system of education by making it more innovative, efficient and cost-effective, he added.

US Rep. Peter Welch on Monday announced a $114,000 federal grant to improve the energy efficiency of the O Brien Community Center in Winooski. The funds will be used to fully insulate the community center s roof and implement other energy-saving measures. The O Brien Center spent $4,000 in heating bills last year. Once the new roof is installed, the center is expected to save 45 percent in heating costs.
This grant will go a long way to improving a vital community center which provides great service to the people of Winooski, Welch said. By making the O Brien Center more energy efficient, we will help Winooski save money and do our small part to fight climate change.

With Vermont leading the way, US maple syrup production in 2009 totaled 2.33 million gallons, up 22 percent from 2008 and the highest on record since 1944. The number of taps is estimated at 8.65 million, 4 percent above the 2008 total of 8.33 million. Yield per tap is estimated to be 0.269 gallons, up 17 percent from the previous season. Vermont led all states in production with 920,000 gallons an increase of 30 percent from 2008 and the highest on record since 1944. Vermont produced more than a third of the national total.

The Arno Group today announced the addition of Daniel Smith to their firm in Stowe, Vermont. Dan brings a strong background in public policy, business development and problem solving to the Arno Group. Prior to his service at GBIC, Dan built a legal practice at the law firm of Downs Rachlin Martin, which focused on government relations, environmental law and regulated entities. Dan provided his clients with in-depth service and innovative solutions to complex challenges.