Current News

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.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 300 and Central Vermont Public Service have agreed to a new five-year contract, the longest in company history, following interest-based negotiations.
The new contract, affecting 216 unionized employees, was approved this morning and takes effect at midnight tonight, when the existing contract expires.
The signing of a five-year agreement between the union and the company secures further benefits on both sides to expand upon, while strengthening the working relationship that presently exists, Local 300 Business Manager Jeff Wimette said. The union and the company have varied interests, of course, but we struck an agreement that is good for both sides, as well as our mutual customers.

Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: MBVT) and its wholly-owned subsidiary bank, Merchants Bank (collectively, "Merchants"), have determined not to participate in the Capital Purchase Program (the "CPP") of the U.S. Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Under the CPP, the U.S. Treasury will make $250 billion of capital available to U.S. financial institutions through the purchase of preferred stock in such institutions. Although Merchants applied for, and subsequently received preliminary approval of its application, Merchants has decided not to participate in the program given the strength of its capital position.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) has extended its agreement with McDonald's USA, LLC to source, roast and package Newman's Own® Organics Blend coffee for more than 600 McDonald's restaurants in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Albany, NY. McDonald's first introduced Newman's Own Organics coffee roasted by Green Mountain Coffee, a segment of GMCR, to its restaurants in New England and Albany, NY in October 2005.
Created exclusively for McDonald's, Newman's Own Organics Blend is a combination of light and medium roasts with a smooth body and clean finish. The blend is available in regular and decaffeinated and is served as both hot and iced coffee. McDonald's also offers Newman's Own Organics Blend in three iced coffee flavors in New England and Albany, NY: Hazelnut, Vanilla and Caramel.

Dr. Philip A. Brown named Vice President of Medical Affairs at CVMC
Berlin, Vt -Philip Brown, DO, who has served as medical director of the Emergency Department at Central Vermont Medical Center for fourteen years, was recently been named vice president of medical affairs.
"Physicians are under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform, see more patients, and do many other things. It's like the tail is wagging the dog," Dr. Brown commented. "I've been here long enough to know the heart and soul, and the quality of the physicians at CVMC. I want physicians to feel they have a real stake in continuing to make this a quality medical center."

Median family income in Vermont rose to a record high of $65,786 in 2007, according to The Vermont Economy Newsletter's annual analysis of just-released Vermont Tax Department income data. The income earned by the median family (half of all families earn more and half earn less than the median) rose by 4.6% or $2,900 in 2007.
While incomes grew by 4.6%, prices increased by 2.8%, yielding an inflation-adjusted income growth rate of 1.7%.
"Inflation-adjusted income grew by a healthy 1.7% in 2007," noted Art Woolf, co-author of the report and editor of The Vermont Economy Newsletter. "And that was on top of an equally healthy 1.6% growth in 2006. Over the long term, annual income growth in Vermont is 1.5%, so income growth in 2006 and 2007 was better than average."