Current News

South Burlington, Vt. - (Feb. 13, 2008) - The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 300 recently announced an intensive construction foreman's training session for its members.

The five-week course, coordinated by the union's Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, follows the "project control system" methodology, a mechanism that allows managers to efficiently execute the work being performed. Core subjects covered include installation, documentation, administration and supervision. Classes run from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Feb. 23, March 1, March 8 and March 15 at Local 300's South Burlington union hall on Gregory Drive.

Bill Brady, President of the McLure Group of Essex Jct., VT, was the recipient of numerous awards for McLure Moving & Storage, given at the Arpin Van Lines 2007 Convention, held in Tucson, AZ.

Mclure Moving and Storage has over 90 years of Local, National and International moving history. But in their first full year of service in the Arpin Van Lines Family they were honored as the "Best New Prime Agent".
Bill Brady also received the "Greatest COD Sales Volume award in his class as well as the Arpin International "Domestic Booking Agent of the Year".

Cong. Delegation announces funding for White River VA expansion
WASHINGTON (Monday, February 11) – Vermont’s Congressional Delegation – Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), and Rep. Peter Welch (D) – announced today that the White River Junction VA Medical Center has been awarded $900,000 for designing a new imaging center and expanding its radiology services. The medical center will be eligible for an additional $6 million for construction next year.
The funding will allow the VA to plan and design the 6,996 sq. ft. expansion and renovation to the current facility. The project will enhance radiology services for veterans and provide space for a permanent MRI machine.

Vermont Chamber of Commerce Endorses
Verizon/FairPoint Communication Transaction
The Montpelier, VT The Vermont
Chamber of Commerce announced February 11, 2008, its endorsement of the FairPoint/Verizon
transaction. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce supports the agreement
recently reached between the two companies, and looks forward to the Vermont
Public Service Board (PSB) approval in the near future.
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce
has been monitoring the proposed Verizon sale of its land line assets to
FairPoint since the deal was initially announce. Addressing the financial
aspects to ensure that FairPoint has the necessary capital and the ability
to guarantee superior service in Vermont has been a central requirement.
To address concerns about their
financial stability, FairPoint restructured its proposal to counter concerns

As Foreclosure And Affordable
Housing Crisis Spreads&

Leahy Announces $1.2 M.
In Grants
To Vermonts
NeighborWorks Centers
To Sustain Their
Affordable Housing Development
And Ownership Counseling

. . .
Leahy Helped Create 1st NeighborWorks Organization In Vermont In 1993

WASHINGTON (Thursday, Feb. 7) Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
announced Thursday that Vermonts five NeighborWorks organizations are
getting $1.2 million in NeighborWorks America grants. According to
NeighborWorks America, a federally funded nonprofit housing organization, their
partnership with the Vermont NeighborWorks organizations will help invest $46
million into Vermont communities this year to stimulate economic development
and bring more affordable housing opportunities to Vermonters.

BURLINGTON, Vt. Leandro A. Vazquez of Charlotte has been named to the Board of Trustees of Champlain College.

Vazquez is an investment manager specializing in the commodity hedge fund business and structured financial products. He works mainly with European markets.

Vazquez is married to Amy P. Vazquez and they have two sons, Leandro Jr., 9, and Santiago, 6. Both attend Charlotte Central School.

Vazquez attended the University of Vermont and is an alumnus of Lynn University. He is an active Vermonter who enjoys cycling, skiing, hiking, hunting and fishing.

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State of Vermont
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The McKernon Group wins ICF Award for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Brandon, Vermont:
At the recent national distributor conference for BuildBlock Insulating Concrete Forms held in Oklahoma City, OK, The McKernon Group of Brandon, VT and Crown Point, NY was recognized for the Special Project of the Year. Kevin Birchmore, Vice President of The McKernon Group, attended the conference to accept the award.

State of Vermont
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ESSEX JUNCTION If you are looking for a fun evening and some great silent auction bargains from local businesses and merchants, plan on attending the Ambassadors Silent Auction and Taste of the Chamber on Thursday, March 27, from 5:30-8 p.m. at Champlain Valley Exposition (CVE).

Champlain Valley Exposition, a non-profit organization, is home to many of Vermonts biggest events, including the annual Champlain Valley Fair, Everything Equine, Vermont Quilt Festival, Spring and Fall Essex Crafts, Circus Smirkus and Northeast Nationals NSRA Street Rods to name just a few of the dozens of special events planned in 2008.

All these events help us fulfill our mission as a non-profit organization to encourage and support education, agriculture, commerce and entertainment, said CVE General Manager David F. Grimm, CFE.

Expo officials cite costs and weather as reasons

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. After two years of less-than perfect conditions for flying, officials at Champlain Valley Exposition announced it will not hold the Vermont Balloon and Music Festival.

The annual event, traditionally held the first weekend of June, began in 2003 and featured about 40 hot-air balloons, a carnival, specialty vendors and concerts at 130-acre Champlain Valley Exposition. The first two years saw nearly perfect weather and many memorable hot-air balloon launches, concerts and a balloon-glow that the balloonists themselves described as one of the best ever.

Vermont Cheesemaker honored with John C. Finley Memorial Award;
Websterville, VT—At the festive annual banquet that marks the conclusion of the Vermont Farm Show, the Vermont Dairy Industry Association awarded its prestigious John C. Finley Memorial Award to Allison Hooper, co-founder of Vermont Butter & Cheese Company. Hooper, thrilled with the surprise said, “I share this award with my business partner Bob Reese, and our terrific staff who make and sell exceptional cheese everyday. The unsung heroes, of course, are our 17 goat farmers who produce great milk for us, the St Albans Dairy farmers and HP Hood farmers who produce the outstanding cream and milk from which we make our cheese.”