Current News

KELLY BRUSH FOUNDATION AWARDS SKI RACING SAFETY GRANTS

STOWE AND ASPEN SKI CLUBS AMONG RECIPIENTS
BURLINGTON, Vermont (Nov. 24, 2008) Just as ski resorts are opening for the season, the Kelly Brush Foundation kicked off its 2008/2009 Ski Racing Safety is No Accident Campaign with the announcement of over $20,000 in grants to ski racing clubs and programs across the country. The grants are part of a campaign to promote and improve ski racing safety.

Among the recipients are some of the most prestigious racing programs in the nation including the Mount Mansfield Ski Club at Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont and the Aspen Valley Ski Club at Aspen in Colorado. Each club won a $10,000 grant earmarked for enhancing safety on the trails where their young racers train and race.

Vermont delegation seeks to stimulate economy with transportation waiver

Vermont Receives nearly $800,000 in Byway Grants
MONTPELIER (November 24, 2008)- The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) announced today that three Vermont byways have received $797,000 in federal grants to help promote some of the Green Mountain State's most celebrated roadways.
The grants come at a particularly opportune time as this fall Vermont joined most of the other states across the country and began actively marketing its five designated byways.
"Byways are created and maintained at the local level, and they provide a community or state region with a vehicle to tell their story to visitors." said John LaBarge, Vermont's program manager for byways. "The local residents decide what stories about their regions to share with visitors. In the process, many of them discover even more about how special their home really is."

Wark Appointed Communications Director
Montpelier, Vt. -- Governor Jim Douglas has announced the appointment of Stephen Wark as his director of communications.
"It is a pleasure to welcome Steve to the senior staff," Governor Douglas said. "His breadth of experience, communications skills and life-long commitment to public service will be a valuable asset and bring a unique perspective to the important work ahead of us."
Wark, 45, of Colchester, is currently the director of consumer affairs and public service with the Department of Public Service, as well as the director of the Governor's Fuel and Food Partnership. He is an Eagle Scout and a graduate of the University of Vermont, Champlain College and Vermont Technical College. He served for twenty years with the Burlington Police Department, and retired in 2006 as deputy chief. He and his wife Wendy have two daughters, Caitlin and Amanda.

Waterbury, VT (November 21, 2008) - Secretary of Human Services Rob Hofmann Announces the Appointment of Susan W. Besio, Ph.D., as Director of the Office of Vermont Health Access.
Newly appointed Secretary of Human Services Robert D. Hofmann announced today the appointment of Susan W. Besio, Ph.D., as the new Director of the Office of Vermont Health Access (OVHA), effective December 8, 2008. She replaces Joshua Slen, Director at OVHA since August 2003, who is leaving state government.

Nicholas A. Fiore, P.E. was hired as the new project engineer at Engineering Ventures, Inc.'s Lebanon, NH office. Fiore brings experience in civil engineering, project management, site design and transportation solution, among other areas.

Meghan McCarthy recieved a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Tufts University, with a minor in Architecture. She brings experience in both structural and civil/site engineering.

Engineering Ventures, Inc. is an experienced consulting engineering firm operating in Vermont, New Hampshire and the surrounding area.

Job counts up slightly in October, jobless rate unchanged at 5.2%
Montpelier (November 21, 2008) -- The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October 2008 was 5.2% percent, unchanged from the revised September rate and up 1.3 points from a year ago.
"Though our employment and job numbers looked relatively good in October we believe that the impact is temporary," said Patricia Moulton Powden, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor. "The increases we saw in seasonally adjusted employment and jobs may have been due to our surveys capturing a favorable foliage season. Never-the-less we welcome the stability in our unemployment rate in an environment where our national rate grew four-tenths of a point."
Job Growth

SVMC Introduces HDTV Technology for Tests that Find Cancer, Other Disease
BENNINGTON - If you've seen the difference high-definition television makes in your living room, you can imagine what a difference it makes in diagnosis. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) now has a new state-of-the art tool: high-definition endoscopes that help doctors diagnose disease in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs.
Not only that. Even before they had high-definition equipment, surgeons at SVMC had a better track record at detecting colon problems than their counterparts.
Endoscopy is used to diagnose and treat diseases, including colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death among Vermont men and women. It can be prevented with colonoscopy.

CVPS prices public offering
RUTLAND, Vermont Central Vermont Public Service Corporation (NYSE:CV) announced November 17, 2008, that it priced a public offering of 1,190,000 newly issued shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $19.00. Central Vermont expects to grant the underwriters of the offering a 30-day option to purchase up to 119,000 additional shares of Central Vermont common stock solely to cover over-allotments, if any. Central Vermont intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of debt, capital expenditures, investments in Vermont Transco LLC and working capital requirements.

General Dynamics to Acquire AxleTech International

Global manufacturer of heavy duty vehicle components will expand General Dynamics' product
offerings, customer base

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) and The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm,
have entered into a definitive agreement for General Dynamics to acquire AxleTech International, a global
manufacturer and supplier of axles, axle components, planetary axles, independent suspensions, brakes and
aftermarket parts for military vehicles, commercial specialty trucks, and off-highway machines used in the
construction, material handling, forestry, mining and agricultural markets.

The effects of the acquistion on the Burlington, VT, plant are not yet known.

Governor announces Climate Change Grant Program
Funds will help towns reduce energy use, save money and promote green jobs
MONTPELIER (November 20, 2008) Governor Jim Douglas today unveiled the Vermont Community Climate Change Grant Program, which will make $360,000 available to local communities for improving energy efficiency, saving tax dollars and strengthening local economies.
"Among the key recommendations of my Commission on Climate Change was the call to expand Vermont's efficiency efforts," Douglas said. "We've always had a tradition of coming up with some of the best solutions at the local level and I believe we need to foster that innovation and entrepreneurial spirit."
The funding for this initiative comes from the first installment of Vermont's $1.8 million, five-year settlement payout against American Electric Power Corp., the nation's largest operator of coal-fired power plants.

Grand Opening of Upstart Marketing
St. Johnsbury, VT - Upstart Marketing, LLC will hold a Grand Opening event and presentation to mark the official launch of operations today St. Johnsbury.
Leaders from the business community will gather at the Northeastern Vermont Development Association conference room located at 36 Eastern Avenue in St. Johnsbury. The event will take place from 2:00 to 3:00pm and will feature a presentation given by company founder Tom Stillwell.
Upstart Marketing is an Internet based company designed to provide entrepreneurs and new business owners with the marketing tools they need to launch a business. Upstart is offering three different all-inclusive packages that feature design and print of logos, business cards, brochures, and stationary, plus web site design, hosting, and maintenance.