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Timothy McQuiston
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2006-04-11T15:17:00Z
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CVPS plans
purchase of Rochester Electric Light & Power
RUTLAND Central
Vermont Public Service will purchase the assets and franchise territory of
Rochester Electric Light and Power under a deal announced today, which will
reduce rates for the smaller companys customers, and allow CVPS to spread fixed
costs over a larger customer base.

Rochester Electric
owners, Tom and Sandy Pierce, have agreed to sell their utility property and Rochesters share of the Hydro-Quebec contract to
CVPS. If approved by the Vermont Public
Service Board, the sale would reduce a typical Rochester customers yearly residential bill by 6.6
percent. The companies hope to close the
sale around June 1 or shortly thereafter.

Rochester Electric
residential and small commercial customers currently pay winter-summer rates,
which average $72.84 per month for a residential customer using 500

Williston, Vt. Vermonts only home-away-from- home for cancer patients has received good news from the states largest banking institution: a major pledge to build a bigger, more functional building.
Recently, the Campaign for a New Hope Lodge gained a pledge of $40,000 from the Chittenden Bank Community Fund. The pledge comes on the heels of notification that the campaign is eligible to receive a $400,000 challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation.
The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge has operated for more than twenty years offering patients and caregivers a home-like setting while they receive treatment in the Burlington area. The Campaign for a New Hope Lodge has a goal of $4.4 million to build and operate a state-of-the-art facility on East Avenue that will provide lodging and support for sixteen patients and their caregivers.

BURLINGTON, Vt.--Jeffrey Hollender, president and chief regeneration officer of Seventh Generation, will address graduates at Champlain Colleges 128th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 6.
Hollender is a well-respected leader in the socially and environmentally responsible communities. He has led Seventh Generation from humble beginnings to its current position as the nations leading brand of natural home and personal care products, and an authority on issues related to making a positive difference in the health of the planet and its inhabitants through everyday choices.

Colchester, Vt. Unicel has expanded its GSM wireless network with new and enhanced cell phone coverage in many ski areas across Vermont. The expansion is part of the companys $45 million investment over the past year in its Northeast operating area, including enhancements along the Vermont Interstates, in the Champlain Islands and throughout the Upper Valley.
Unicel recently has added or enhanced cellular sites to its GSM network in or near the following ski areas in Vermont:

" Grafton Ponds Nordic Ski Center

" Jay Peak

" Killington

" Mount Snow

" Okemo

" Smugglers Notch

BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF VERMONT HOSTING A FREE
MEDICARE PART D EDUCATIONAL FORUM
Berlin, VT Free educational forums for anyone interested in learning about the benefits of the new Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program (PDPs) will be held by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) on the following dates:
Tuesday, April 11, 2006 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Black Bear Inn
St. Johnsbury, VT
Tuesday, April 11, 2006 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Eastside Restaurant
Newport, VT
Thursday, April 13, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Comfort Inn
St. Albans, VT
Friday, April 14, 2006 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center
Burlington, VT
Wednesday, April 19, 2006 from10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Holiday Inn
Rutland, VT
Thursday, April 20, 2006 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont

The nations premiere provider of vanity 800 phone numbers is pleased to announce 1st Place Champions in the First Annual Bulls-Eye Ad Awards (http://www.800response.com/bullseye.html) contest.
Five Champions:
Executive Glass Company, Hall Nissan, Willey Honda, Beeren & Barry Investments, Inc., and Basement Experts of America are 1st Place Champions in the 2005 Bulls-Eye Ad Awards, with Executive Glass Company placing first in two of the six categories. The winning creative artwork is available on www.800response.com.
1st Place Champion Details:

1. Hall Nissan of Virginia Beach, VA - Best use of a Custom 800 Number in Print Advertising

2. Willey Honda of Bountiful, UT - Best use of a Custom 800 Number in Radio Advertising

3. Basement Experts of America of Maumee, OH - Best use of Custom 800 Number in Television Advertising

Labor
Commissioner to Retire
Governor Praises Her Commitment to Public Service

Montpelier, Vt. — Vermont’s
labor commissioner Patricia McDonald will retire from state government
effective May 31, the office of Governor Jim Douglas announced April 3, 2006.

McDonald, who has worked in state government for more than 13 years,
has served three governors in a total of seven appointed positions.

“Pat has had a remarkable career,” Governor Douglas said.
“She has served the state in so many ways; as commissioner of both the
Departments of Human Resources and Motor Vehicles, as secretary of the Agency
of Transportation, and most recently she undertook for me the challenge of
merging the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Employment
and Training.” The merger is one which had been discussed for
years, but Douglas credits McDonald’s

CTC Communications and Choice One Communications, which on February 10, 2006 announced their agreement to merge, today announced they are jointly acquiring Conversent Communications, Inc., an integrated communications provider with significant facilities and customers in the Northeast as well as in West Virginia. On a combined basis, the three companies currently generate about $800 million in annual revenue and provide telecommunications services to over 150,000 business customers representing more than 1.3 million access lines equivalents. The combined company, which will be privately held, will be the second largest competitive communications provider in the U.S., with a heavy regional focus in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest regions. Its network will include 10,000 route miles of fiber and approximately 700 unique collocations.

SIGN*A*RAMA, the worlds leading sign franchise, has added 800response, provider of premiere vanity 800 phone numbers (ex: 1-800-NEW-SIGN), to their line up of Strategic Alliance partners.
The collaboration of these two companies will benefit small business owners and marketers across the country. The partnership agreement, signed in January, allows both SIGN*A*RAMA (www.signarama.com) and 800response (www.800response.com) to provide local businesses with the opportunity to take advantage of several cost effective marketing tools creative signs featuring memorable and trackable vanity 800 phone numbers.

Unicel Announces Wireless Vehicle Tracking System
GPS-Based System Gives Business Owners Greater Control of Mobile Workforces

Central Vermont Public Service
March 30, 2006
The Ultimate in Recycling: Four more farms plan CVPS Cow Power" generators, receive grants
RUTLAND CVPS Cow Power" is on the moooove, with four Vermont farms receiving CVPS Renewable Development Fund grant offers totaling $666,000 to defray the cost of building new farm based electric generating systems to support the states largest renewable energy program, Central Vermont Public Service announced today.

Farms in Sheldon, Fairlee, West Pawlet and St. Albans will receive the grants from the CVPS Renewable Development Fund, set up in 2004 to encourage farm owners to develop new renewable generation and provide new manure management options.
These grants will help develop about 8,400 megawatt-hours of clean renewable energy right here in Vermont, CVPS President Bob Young said. Thats enough energy to supply 1,395 average homes using 500 kWh per month.