Current News

Health Commissioner Establishes Rate Increases for FY 2009 Vermont Hospital Budgets

Montpelier, VT -- Paulette J. Thabault, Commissioner of Banking, Insurance, Securities, and
Health Care Administration (BISHCA), announced that she has established the 2009 budgets for
Vermont hospitals. The hospitals testified about their budgets at public hearings held over a
three-day period before Commissioner Thabault and the Public Oversight Commission (POC).
The Vermont hospital fiscal year for 2009 runs from October 1, 2008 through September 30,
2009.

Linear Air Now Providing Vermont Business and Leisure Travelers an Alternative to Commercial Air Travel
On Demand Air Travel Company Servicing Vermont Regional Airports
Concord, Mass., September 15, 2008 - The cutback of airline routes and increased fares are fueling travelers search for viable options to traditional travel offerings. Linear Air, a provider of point-to-point air service from the mid-Atlantic region through eastern Canada, makes the travel experience easier and more enjoyable for those traveling to and from Vermont by leaving from and arriving at regional airports.

New Program Makes Available $2 Million in Low Interest Loans for Home Energy Improvements
State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding will announce September 17, 2008, a new low-interest home loan program that will make available $2 million to Vermont homeowners seeking to weatherize their homes and reduce energy costs. Joining Spaulding will be TD Banknorth President Phil Daniels, Efficiency Vermont Director Blair Hamilton and Burlington homeowner Bob Poczabut.
The new program can potentially provide very low-interest loans to weatherize approximately 800 homes, depending on the loan amount granted. Efficiency Vermont also will announce a limited time offer associated with the program that will further help defray homeowner costs for undertaking comprehensive weatherization improvements. In addition to weatherization projects, the new program will provide low-interest loans for the replacement of old, inefficient heating equipment.

Bellows Falls, VT September 15, 2008 Sovernet, a leading provider of telecommunications services in Northern New England, further enhances its Nextgen capability by announcing the deployment of four new ADTRAN 5000s to Keene NH, Burlington VT, Brattleboro VT, and Winooski, VT.
"By adding Adtrans to these target areas, we're able to offer our residential and business customers higher bandwidths at extremely competitive rates," says Stu Livolsi, Sovernet's Director of Engineering. "This new technology allows us to support legacy applications as well as cutting edge solutions for high bandwidth users, all in the same unit."

Vermont Tech Receives $25,000
to Help Fund Summer Bridge Program
RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt-Vermont Technical College this week received a $25,000 grant from the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Vermont Community Foundation.
The money will be used to support Vermont Tech's Summer Bridge Program, which helps incoming freshmen prepare for the college level math and English courses they'll need to succeed in most of the college's rigorous programs.
While the Summer Bridge program is affordable in comparison to academic year tuition, board and fees, it has in the past been a deterrent to low- to moderate-income students who count on their summer break to earn money for the academic year. The college estimates that between 10 and 15 students each year choose not to enroll at Vermont Tech because of the cost of the Program.

Vermont to Implement Mobile Polling Pilot Project
Secretary of State Deb Markowitz to conduct initial training session
for municipal clerks in Montpelier

Disaster Declaration Granted for Severe Summer Storms
MONTPELIER, Vt. Governor Jim Douglas' request for a federal disaster declaration that will provide financial assistance to communities as they recover from this summer's most recent round of heavy rains and flooding.
Governor Douglas said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declaration includes towns and cities in Addison, Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Washington and Windsor counties that were damaged between July 21st and August 12th. Funds will go to communities to rebuild roads, repair bridges, and remove debris like gravel and tree limbs from public rights of way. Much of this work has already been done and communities will be able to apply funds to cover 75% of all recovery costs, including overtime paid to municipal employees.

September 15, 2008 Colchester VT: MyWebGrocer announced today that is has completed the acquisition of the Buy4Now US operations. Buy4Now provides e-commerce solutions to grocery retailers. Under this acquisition, Buy4Now USA, located in New York, will operate as a subsidiary of MyWebGrocer. This will add retailers such as A&P, Roche Brothers and New Seasons Market to the MyWebGrocer client list. The majority of retail grocers engaged in e-commerce on the East Coast will now be clients of MyWebGrocer.

This past April, the Vermont Department of Education approved CCS to confer the Master of Fine Arts Degree and One- and Two-Year Certificates in Cartooning. This was the result of a nearly two-year application process for CCS, including self-study reports and reviews, and an onsite evaluation of its curriculum, facilities and resources, operations, students, faculty, staff, and governance.
"I'm thrilled to join VHEC and its impressive roster of higher education institutions. I'm looking forward to learning more about fellow member institutions, exploring collaborations, and ways in which CCS can support VHEC's goals," says Michelle Ollie, co-founder and president of CCS. "Our small college brings another choice to the state with a niche curriculum in cartooning. CCS offers a destination-based curriculum, which attracts unique creative capital to Vermont. It exemplifies the state's entrepreneurial distinction," says Ollie.

Bill funding Vermont transportation needs clears House, sent to President
Washington, D.C. Rep. Peter Welch (VT-AL) supported and the House passed HR 6532, the Highway Trust Fund Restoration Act, to address a projected shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund and restore more than $8 billion in federal funding for states.
The bill, which has cleared the Senate and will now be sent to the president for his signature, restores over $47 million in federal transportation funding for Vermont's roads and bridges.
"Our roads and bridges in Vermont and across the country are falling into disrepair. It is simply unacceptable to continue to neglect the up-keep and safety of our transportation system," said Welch. "The federal government needs to be a partner in supporting states in meeting our pressing infrastructure needs."

Vermont Launches 'Apples to iPods' at Pick Your Own Apple Orchards
WHAT: State of Vermont, Small Dog Electronics and Apple Growers to Announce Annual "Apples to iPods" Promotion
SHELBURNE, Vt. - Visitors to Vermont's pick-your-own orchards will once again have a chance to win an iPod during the second annual "Apples to iPods" fall promotion that will kick off on Sept. 15.
The promotion is sponsored in partnership by Small Dog Electronics, the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing, and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture.
One specially marked wooden apple will be placed in apple trees at each of Vermont's 24 pick-your-own orchards. Customers who find the wooden apple replicas will win an Apple iPod Nano, Shuffle or Touch sold by Vermont's Apple Specialist, Small Dog Electronics.
WHEN: Monday, September 15, 2008 - 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Shelburne Orchard, 216 Orchard Road, Shelburne, VT

Vermont Lt. Governor Brian Dubie Deployed In Hurricane Ike Disaster Response
(MONTPELIER) -- (September 12, 2008) Vermont's Lt. Governor Brian Dubie has been deployed by the United States Air Force to assist in disaster response in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. He will leave Vermont later today.
Colonel Dubie serves in the Air Force Reserve and the Air Force Reserve's National Security Emergency Preparedness Agency (http://www.1af.acc.af.mil/units/afnsep/). He will be responsible for helping to coordinate the airlifting of personnel and supplies to assist the victims of Hurricane Ike. He similarly served in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Dubie's initial assignment will be to First Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Florida. He may be reassigned as the effects of the storm take shape.
Dubie said, "I am grateful to Governor Jim Douglas for his support during this deployment."