Current News
by tim
National Governors Association chair Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell, and vice chair Gov. Jim Douglas will host the nations governors in Philadelphia for a discussion with President-elect Obama and Vice president-elect Biden about the challenges facing states during this economic crisis. The discussion will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 11:45 am.
They will urge the incoming administration, as well as Congress, to provide a recovery package that will spur job growth, support infrastructure projects and ease the burden of Medicaid costs. This will bring immediate relief into states to stabilize their economies and help deter from cuts to essential programs.
Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation's governors and one of Washington, D.C.'s, most respected public policy organizations.
by tim
The SHRM Vermont State Council Earns 2008 SHRM Pinnacle Award
(Alexandria, Va., November 21, 2008) - The SHRM Vermont State Council has received a 2008 Pinnacle Award, sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP) for excellence in state council and chapter, professional and membership activities.
The Pinnacle is the most prestigious council/chapter award offered by the SHRM, which represents more than 250,000 human resource (HR) professionals around the world.
In 2008, only one of the 52 State Councils and eight of the more than 570 SHRM chapters nationwide were selected for this annual award, which recognizes outstanding programs that demonstrate excellence in the human resource profession. The Pinnacle Awards were established in 1991. The SHRM Vermont State Council received this honor because of its "Working Bridges out of Poverty Project".
by tim
The Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) announced its three recipients for the 2008/2009 Broadband Grant Program, designed to create demonstration projects to test viable models for providing high speed Internet access to all Vermonters. The recipients were the Northern Community Development Corporation, the town of Stratton and the towns of West Fairlee and Topsham.
Jon Freeman, president of the Northern Community Development Corporation, said that the grant award will help deliver broadband to much of eastern Essex County and improve the economy and overall lifestyle of the area.
Rob Giunta of the town of Stratton said that broadband is equivalent to electricity in that both are essential to modern life. He also said that the grant will allow everyone in the town to interact with each other and the rest of the world, making life easier and more efficient.
by tim
FAIRPOINT DELIVERS NOTICE OF CUTOVER READINESS; EXPECTS CUTOVER AT THE END OF JANUARY 2009
by tim
BRESS, FREY AND GRIFFIN HONORED WITH
VERMONT WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION ANNUAL AWARDS
Vermont Women in Higher Education (VWHE) recently announced its award recipients at the organization's annual conference held at the Lake Morey Resort last month.
The awards are named after three outstanding women leaders in Vermont higher education: Sister Elizabeth Candon (former president of Trinity College), Jackie Gribbons (former Dean of Women at UVM), and Peggy Williams (former president of Ithaca and Lyndon State Colleges).
by tim
Dworkin's Leadership Wins National Recognition
Former Vermont Public Service Board Chairman Michael Dworkin has won a national award recognizing his work in founding the Vermont Law School's Institute for Energy and the Environment.
The Mary Kilmarx Award is given annually by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' Energy Resources and the Environment (ERE) Committee to someone whose work reflects the Committee's goals of promoting good government, clean energy and the environment.
by tim
KELLIHER SAMETS VOLK RECOGNIZED WITH DIGITAL & PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARDS IN 2008
Agency Awarded for Work With Efficiency Vermont, Stowe Mountain Resort, Unicel, Concept2 and Crane & Co.
November, 2008 - Burlington, Vt. - Kelliher Samets Volk (KSV), a full-service marketing firm headquartered in Burlington, has been recognized this year with a number of prestigious awards from around the country.
KSV's digital group's work was honored by a number of national organizations, including the 2008 W3 Awards (3 awards), the Web Marketing Association, the Magellan Award from Travel Weekly magazine, the Web Marketing Association (3 awards), and Adobe Systems Inc.'s "Adobe Site of the Day." The public relations group at KSV also received numerous awards for its work from the Publicity Club of New England.
W3 Awards. In October, KSV was awarded one gold and two silver awards at the 2008 W3 Awards, a competition honoring creative excellence on the web.
by tim
Week Ending November 22, 2008
There were 1,562 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 355 from the week before. Altogether 9,492 new and continuing claims were filed,1,065 more than a week ago and 2,293 more than a year earlier. In addition, the Department processed 1,126 claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008, an increase of 49 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
by tim
Snelling Center Issues Report on Strategies to Fund Road and Bridge Repairs
November 25, 2008 - -
The Snelling Center for Government reported today that surveys of business leaders and the public indicate that Vermonters want action to fix Vermont's deteriorating roads and bridges.
by tim
Seeking to prevent tragedy and raise awareness of improper heating
systems, local Concord Group Insurance Companies is giving $500,000 to
their policyholders for the purchase of home heating fuel this winter
season. Thousands of individuals and families across the state of
Vermont are eligible for Concord Group's one-time "A Warm Hand:
Policyholder Heating Lottery" program.
According to Joseph A. Desmond, Chairman and CEO of Concord Group, "We
recognize the unique challenge the economy causes for many families this
holiday season. We have seen our policyholders through the Great
Depression, oil embargo and other economic challenges. This is one of
the ways we can show our policyholders - in a way that touches their
lives - how we value their trust."
All Concord Group Insurance homeowner and mobile homeowner policyholders
of record as of October 31, 2008 are eligible in the state of Vermont.
by tim
Vermont's State Historic Preservation Officer has announced she is retiring from her post after 33 years of serving state government.
Jane Lendway, who has led the Division for Historic Preservation since 2003, will step down on December 31.
Jane has been a dedicated public servant and the results of her efforts can be seen in preserved barns in our fields and historic buildings in our downtowns and villages, said Governor Jim Douglas. On behalf of the people of Vermont, I extend my gratitude for more than three decades of excellent work.
Lendway, 57, of Montpelier, joined the Division for Historic Preservation, part of the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, in 1975.
She served as a National Register and survey programs supervisor; federal and state preservation grants administrator; tax credit project reviewer; Certified Local Government coordinator, and preservation planner.
by tim
A Sears Authorized Retail Dealer Store has opened at 383 Exchange Street, Middlebury. The store is owned and operated by the Harrington familyMike, Kym, Ashley, Chad, Jared, Michaela and Sethall of Leicester, Vermont.
There are five additional employees, other than family members, and the Harringtons hope to add more local jobs in the future. Owner Kym Harrington stated, "We wanted to offer the Middlebury community something it really needed, and with a name like Sears, how could we go wrong?"
The store carries appliances, electronics, tools, lawn and garden equipment, exercise equipment, vacuums, snow blowers, generators and much more. Customers will be able to place orders at www.sears.com and have them delivered free of charge to the Exchange Street location. This service is available for any product sold by Sears.