Current News

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) is assisting the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, Inc. (VAST) with the proposed conversion of a 93-mile former rail corridor to a multi-use trail called the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT).
Spanning the State of Vermont west to east from Swanton to St. Johnsbury, the LVRT would pass through 17 communities in Franklin, Lamoille, and Caledonia Counties. VAST envisions trail use to range from snowshoeing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, and cross-country skiing in the winter to hiking, running, biking, and equestrian use in the summer. Today there are many obstacles, such as washouts and missing bridges, that inhibit travel over long stretches of the rail corridor. The goal is to eliminate the obstacles and provide a uniform, compacted granular surface that will support the intended uses from end to end.

The National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE) announced that Connie Lanphear, RN achieved Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE®) status by successfully completing the Certification Examination for Diabetes Educators. Connie is a member of the Outpatient Health Education Department at Central Vermont Medical Center and a resident of Williamstown. Registered Dieticians Illene Siegel and Sylvia Gaboriault complete the team of certified diabetes educators at CVMC.
Candidates must meet rigorous eligibility requirements to be able to take the Examination. Achieving certification status demonstrates to people with diabetes that the health care professional possesses distinct and specialized knowledge, thereby promoting quality of care for people with diabetes.

The Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center has announced sales results for the 2008 calendar year, and the numbers show that the brewer continues to perform well despite a shaky American economy and the rising prices in production costs.
Magic Hat enjoyed a 26% growth in sales in 2008, with December sales up 40% from the previous year. Debuts in several new territories, including Chicago, Milwaukee and Atlanta, as well as continued double-digit sales growth in mature markets, helped Magic Hat's flagship beer, #9, enjoy a 14th consecutive year of double-digit growth. Sales for the not quite pale ale were up 33% in 2008.

Vermont Organic Fiber Company (VTOF), the nation's leading manufacturer of fabrics, blankets, and hand knitting yarn made with certified organic wool, has hired veteran outdoor industry entrepreneur Edward ("Ed") Kiniry as CEO December 1, 2008. Kiniry will be responsible for driving the growth of the company's popular O-Wool® brand of products made with wool grown and certified to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's organic standard. Formerly, he was president of Winterquest, LLC, the parent company of Tubbs and Atlas snowshoes, selling the company to K2 Inc. in 2003. Kiniry is credited with the re-invention of snowshoeing as a $100 million worldwide market.
Matthew Mole will continue as VTOF founder and president, responsible for materials sourcing and developing new products.
Kiniry, an avid outdoorsman and long-time fan of wool, was attracted to VTOF's commitment to providing high quality organic wool products as well as the company's sustainability mission.

Lt. Governor Brian Dubie is among a group of 24 elected public officials convening for the first time today in Aspen, Colorado as 2008's recipients of The Aspen Institute's Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership. The opening session runs through this weekend.
According to the Institute, participants are "selected on their reputation for intellect, thoughtfulness, and a bipartisan approach to governing." The class is evenly divided between Republican and Democratic office-holders who serve in state and local government, and this year represent 22 states.

Founded in 1963, the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association (VFDA) represents more than 100 independent heating fuel dealers in the state, that have first hand experience with the growing need for fuel and heating assistance in our communities. The Patch Chit/Neighbor-in-Need Program has responded to emergency home fuel situations statewide for over 20 years, and serves as a "safety net" for Vermonters who do not qualify for state sponsored heating assistance programs, but find themselves in dire need. The Patch Chit Program was created in honor of the late David Patch, the owner of Patch's Petroleum, who was a dedicated and generous community servant. Currently underway is the "Split the Ticket" campaign, which shares the cost of the fuel delivery ticket 50/50 with the participating Patch Chit/Neighbor-in-Need Program fuel dealer. VFDA members who take part in this program agree to donate a delivery of up to 150 gallons of heating oil, kerosene or propane to one of their own custome

RANDOLPH - Gifford Medical Center has been awarded an Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund grant for the eighth consecutive year. The only hospital in the state to receive the national award, Gifford has been granted $40,000 for 2009 to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer.
The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund supports community-based, non-profit breast health programs across the country. Gifford was selected as one of 144 grant recipients nationwide. Organizations are chosen based on their ability to effectively reach women, particularly minority, low-income and older women, who are often medically underserved.
In 2008, Gifford, through the Avon Foundation's generosity, reached 4,285 women during educational visits, a total estimated audience of more than 200,000 with the help of the media, and scheduled 571 women for mammograms - all numbers that significantly exceeded prior years.

Fletcher Allen Health Care and CIGNA HealthCare announced today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow individuals served by CIGNA HealthCare to continue to receive services at in-network rates from Fletcher Allen. Both organizations described this as a significant step that will extend their contractual relationship without interruption to patient care. The new contract will run from February 1, 2009 through January 31, 2011, replacing the current contract which would have expired the end of this month.

Executive Vice President Thomas S. Leavitt is pleased to announce that the newest office of Merchants Bank will open on January 20. The branch at 929 Shelburne Road in South Burlington replaces the current branch that has operated at that location since 1974. The newly constructed facility offers full lobby service and three drive-up lanes, including one dedicated to an ATM.
The new interior space features teller stations, private office space, a conference room for onsite, private loan closings and customer meetings, and ADA-compliant accommodations. A green space will occupy the site of the previous bank building, with work scheduled for completion in the spring. The facility is adjacent to the K-Mart Plaza.
The public is invited to a Grand Opening Celebration, scheduled for Friday, February 27. Remarks by bank officials will be delivered at 11:30 a.m. Visitors will be able to enjoy refreshments and tour the new branch during all hours of operation that day.

BioTek Instruments, Inc., continues their global expansion in the microplate-based technology market with the establishment of BioTek Instruments Ltd. in the United Kingdom. The new organization will focus on growing BioTek's brand and direct customer base in the UK while supporting the efforts of Thermo Fisher UK related to BioTek's microplate instruments and technologies.
Mr. Mike Todd and Mr. Colin Fallowfield, co-founders of Northstar Scientific Ltd. (Leeds, UK), have been associated with BioTek for over 10 years, and have been named as Directors of BioTek Instruments Ltd. Each will apply extensive scientific market experience to their new positions. Under their leadership, UK customers will receive a superior level of product knowledge, pre- and post-sale technical support and application assistance at the local level.

Vermont's three-largest electric utilities have received dozens of new energy sales proposals in response to a comprehensive market request issued late last fall.
"We are pleased with the variety, number and range of potential options we have received," Central Vermont Public Service, Green Mountain Power and Vermont Electric Cooperative said in a joint statement. "There are dozens of bids, ranging in duration from a year to two decades, representing a wide range of electricity sources, with a mix of costs and attributes.
In November, the three companies, looking to diversify their power supplies and plan for the expiration of major contracts with Vermont Yankee and Hydro-Quebec between 2012 and 2016, issued two solicitations, the first of several staggered RFPs they plan over the next couple of years.

Secretary of Administration Neale F. Lunderville today released General Fund revenue results for the month of December, the sixth month of Fiscal Year 2009. General Fund revenues were essentially on target for the month as compared to the consensus revenue target revised the previous month. The General Fund revenues of $99.85 million for the month of December 2008 were +$0.05 million or +0.05% above the $99.80 million consensus revenue forecast for the month. Cumulatively, General Fund revenues were $555.70 million or +0.30 million (+0.05%) above the consensus revenue forecast for FY 2009.