Current News

NEW YORK - January 11, 2009 - Olympic gold medalist Shaun White won the men's superpipe finals and hometown hero and fellow gold medalist Kelly Clark won the women's event Sunday in the second stop of the inaugural Winter Dew Tour at Mount Snow Resort in West Dover, Vermont.
White's winning run included a backside rodeo 720, a backside 900, back-to-back 1080's into a 720. He finished with an alley-oop rodeo and scored 96.25.
"The first run was really good but I knew I could go a little bigger than I did in that first run," White said. "It was a weird run. My glove was kind of iced over and we had to add these marks to my board so I'd make sure I grabbed it. I went through that second run there and it just all fell together."
Steve Fisher of Breckenridge, Colo., was second at 92.75 and Kevin Pearce of Norwich, Vt., was third at 90.00.
White now holds the lead in season standings in both the superpipe and slopestyle disciplines.

AT&T Mobility today announced that it will launch iPhone(TM) 3G at company-owned retail stores in Vermont.
The launch of iPhone 3G is made possible by AT&T Mobility's December 2008 acquisition of Unicel assets in Vermont. The company has been installing its systems and training employees at its ten legacy Unicel stores across the state to begin offering the full slate of AT&T Mobility products and services -- including the highly anticipated iPhone 3G -- on January 15.
"iPhone 3G will arrive for AT&T Mobility customers in Vermont on January 15th," said Steve Krom, vice president and general manager of the company's New England operations. "We are committed to offering the most innovative products and services to our customers, and we are pleased to be part of this great milestone in our market."

(January 8, 2009) Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, distinguished guests, my fellow Vermonters: One hundred seventy three years ago farmers, businessmen, and lawyers from across Vermont met here for the 1836 session of the General Assembly. Among them, a minister and headmaster of the Orleans County Grammar School took his seat as the member from Brownington.
Alexander Twilight was a pioneer. A native of Corinth, Twilight's life was devoted to public service as a preacher, educator and legislator. When he took his oath so many years ago, Twilight made quiet history as the first African-American to serve in a state legislature.

(Rutland, Vermont, 8 January 2009) The First Tee National School Program and the Vermont Golf Association, Vermont Golf Association Scholarship Fund, Vermont Golf Course Superintendent's Association, Vermont Golf Industry Committee, Vermont Professional Golfers Association, Vermont Senior Golf Association, and the Vermont State Women's Golf Association, have today announced that 37 additional local elementary school physical education programs will participate in the 2009 The First Tee National School Program. The 37 new schools join the 15 schools that entered into the program in 2008.

In an effort to help build business in these uncertain economic times, the Downtown Rutland Partnership has launched a new initiative that will offer Free Rent for a Year in Downtown Rutland to one new or relocating business into downtown.
Applicants must represent a NEW business to Downtown Rutland. Relocation of pre-existing downtown businesses does not qualify for the Free Rent for a Year program.
Applicants must include a complete business plan and pro-forma. The new business must be located in a first floor, ground level and vacant space within the Downtown Rutland District. Retail businesses will be given special consideration for this program as they help drive foot traffic that in turn will support other business downtown.
The program award will be $1,000 per month for rental assistance. Finally the award winner must sign a Three (3) year lease with their property owner.
Feel free to call the Downtown Rutland Partnership for more info at

January 7, 2009 - Thank you, and what a wonderful day it is today. I want to begin by thanking my wife, Melissa. She is a strong, compassionate, intelligent and beautiful woman and I am lucky to be married to her. I also want to thank my children, Eli and Mia. I am very lucky to have such wonderful, intelligent and (mostly) well-behaved kids. To my family - my father and step-mother, my mother and step-father, my brothers and step-sister - thank you for your continued support.
I also want to thank my colleagues here today. I could not be more excited about working with such a smart and capable group of people in this House. Over the coming months, we will disagree from time to time. But disagreement is healthy - it allows us to tease out the best course of action and make the best decisions for Vermont. I thank you in advance for these disagreements and for your hard work to ultimately reach the best decisions for all Vermonters.

Week Ending January 3, 2009: There were 1,730 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, a decrease of 878 from the week before. Altogether 15,600 new and continuing claims were filed, 1,919 more than a week ago and 3,802 more than a year earlier. In addition, the Department processed 2,267 claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008, an increase of 30 from last week.
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

Peter Freyne never missed a deadline in the 13 years he worked for Seven Days. He delivered his political column, "Inside Track," every Tuesday by 4 p.m. and was never subtle about it. Shortly after emailing his article, Freyne would show up at the office to answer questions, argue, check last-minute facts and, depending on his mood, terrorize our staff. His column was the last thing we squeezed into the paper before sending it to press. So it's ironic - not to mention premature and terribly sad - that Peter Freyne left this Earth early on a Wednesday. After battling cancer, seizures and a strep infection that spread to his brain, he died peacefully at Fletcher Allen Health Care at 12:26 a.m. today - six hours after our weekly deadline.

Vermont Public Radio announced today that Robin Turnau, a 20-year veteran at Vermont Public Radio, will become the new President and CEO. She will replace Mark Vogelzang, who will resign on February 1 to assist in a new effort to raise support for public radio stations.
The leadership change at Vermont Public Radio, one of the most successful statewide, independent public radio networks in the country, was announced live at noon today on Vermont Edition, VPR s daily news magazine. Turnau was unanimously selected by the VPR Board of Directors to replace Vogelzang, who will be helping create a new approach to philanthropic giving across the country in partnership with stations.

Rep. Peter Welch was named to the influential House Committee on Energy and Commerce Monday night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced.
Energy and Commerce has broad jurisdiction, including oversight of five Cabinet-level departments and seven independent agencies, as well as legislative authority over energy policy, health care, telecommunications, trade, and the environment. The committee s areas of jurisdiction align not only with Welch s top priorities but with a broad swath of President-elect Obama s legislative agenda.
This is a tremendous opportunity for Vermonters to have a seat at the table as Congress tackles our nation s most pressing priorities, Welch said. We must reform our health care system, craft a 21st century energy policy and create new, green jobs. On the Energy and Commerce Committee we will be able to directly address these and other issues Vermonters care about most and get this country back on track.

Booth registration for the 25th Annual Vermont Business and Industry EXPO is now open! The trade show is scheduled for May 20 & 21, at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Burlington, Vermont.

In today's economy, your company cannot afford to hide in the shadows. Get in front of the business community and use EXPO as your key marketing vehicle for 2009.
The Vermont Business and Industry EXPO is northern New England's largest business-to-business trade show attracting over 3,000 business leaders during the two day exposition. Nearly 200 exhibitors and themed pavilions fill the two floors of EXPO. In addition to EXPO's spectacular line up of educational seminars, award ceremonies and networking opportunities, you can expect new, special additions to celebrate 25 years of creating connections.

Montpelier, Vt Secretary of Agriculture Roger Allbee has announced that long-time agency employee and Director of the Agricultural Resource Management & Environmental Stewardship (ARMES) division has retired from the agency.

Since Phil came on board here at the agency, he has been a champion and tireless advocate for the farming community and agriculture in our state, said Allbee. He has been a close advisor and friend to me and he will be missed personally and professionally.

It s been a great pleasure to have had the opportunities I have had at the Agency of Agriculture. Perhaps the best part of the job has been working with a dedicated and passionate staff who have been committed, through the years, to advancing agriculture in our state while protecting our water and environment, said Mr. Benedict.