Current News

Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, announced that it will extend its online and on-campus offerings to undergraduate students who cannot attend college this semester due to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.
Recognizing that the College is located many miles from the areas that were hardest hit, Champlain officials chose to offer its comprehensive online program to adult students in addition to an on-campus option for traditional-aged students. Champlain College will collect no tuition; instead, the College will accept students who have already paid their tuition to their home college, which will desperately need the funds.
In both cases, students will be accepted on a space-available basis. Adult learners interested in online courses must act by Friday, September 9, as classes have already started. For any student who chooses to live on the Vermont campus, the College will only collect fees for room and board.

For Immediate Release: Contact: Kathy Parry
September 1, 2005 (802) 371-3205
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont Wires Funds To Hurricane Relief Fund
Berlin, VT Recognizing a desperate need for funds to bring help and medical care to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) today contributed $10,000 toward a special relief fund being developed by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and administered by the American Red Cross.
Its impossible to see the devastation and human suffering caused by this tragedy and not want to help, said William R. Milnes, Jr., President and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont. We hope that this contribution, made on behalf of our customers and members, can bring some measure of relief to the victims of this terrible natural disaster.

The Central Vermont Medical Center, Central Vermont Physician Practice Corp and Woodridge Inc will merge with and into Central Vermont Hospital Inc effective October 1, 2005. Immediately upon the effectiveness of the merger, Central Vermont Hospital Inc will change its name to Central Vermont Medical Center, Inc.
Although the corporate structure of the various entities related to Central Vermont Medical Center will change, the operations and the people of Central Vermont Medical Center will not be affected.

The greatest event youve ever organized or attended is coming up, or it is still fresh in your memory. It should be considered for a Vermont Top Ten Event award! Now is the time to submit your application for next years Vermont Chamber of Commerce Top Ten Summer and Top Ten Fall events.
Nominations are being accepted for summer and falls hottest and brightest in the Green Mountain State. All events scheduled between May 1, 2006, and October 31, 2006 are eligible. An independent panel of judges chosen by the Vermont Chamber will select the Top Ten Summer events and the Top Ten Fall events. Winners are announced in January.

by Ed Barna As Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington prepares to open the signature architectural piece of its new Renaissance Project by the end of this month, one thing remains clear: Despite all of the controversy and financial malfeasance, a profound upgrade for the state's largest hospital was necessary.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE South Burlington, VT - Manpower of South Burlington is pleased to announce the appointment of Heather E. Streeter as their new Branch Manager. Ms. Streeter will be directing all operations for Manpower in Vermont. Previously, she was employed as an Employer Resource Consultant with the Vermont Department of Employment & Training. Before joining the State, she was the Executive Director of the St. Albans Area Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Streeter is a 1995 graduate of Champlain College and was a recipient of the Colleges Presidents Alumni Leadership Award in 2002. She resides in Milton with her husband, Lonnie Burke. Manpower of South Burlington, Vermont is a leader in the employment services industry, offering customers a continuum of services to meet their needs throughout the employment and business cycle. The company specializes in temporary, contract and regular, full-time recruitment; employee assessment and training.

VERMONT UNEMPLOYMENT
Montpelier -- The Vermont Department of Labor has announced that the
seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July was 3.6 percent, up two
tenths of a percentage point from the revised June estimate. The change
from last month was not statistically significant.
Unemployment rates for Vermont's 17 labor market areas ranged from 2.0
percent in Hartford to 4.5 percent in Randolph. Labor market area rates
are not seasonally adjusted; for comparison, the unadjusted rate for
Vermont was 3.3 percent.

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Vermont Global Trade Partnership and the U.S. Department of Commerce, is leading Vermont business people to China and Taiwan. The trade mission will depart on October 28 and spend the following 12 days meeting with business and political leaders in five cities: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Taipei.
Taiwan is Vermont's second largest export destination behind Canada, with over $500 million in exports annually. China is Vermont's fourth largest export destination, with exports increasing by 200% between 2003 and 2004.
Vermont Chamber Vice President of International Trade Curtis Picard noted, People are always talking about China and Taiwan: The global giant. A booming economy. What does it mean for Vermont business? The Vermont Chamber is organizing this mission to provide access, opportunities, exposure, and tools to tackle the global market.

Earlier this month President Bush signed the 1,745-page federal energy bill into law. One part of the law extends daylight savings time by a month. Starting in 2007, Americans will turn the clocks ahead three weeks earlier in the spring (around the end of the first week in March), and we will turn the clocks back one week later in the fall (around the end of the first week in November).

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce surveyed member businesses for a seven-day period in mid-August to gauge Vermont business reaction to this anticipated change. The survey captured nearly 200 responses from businesses engaged in many different sectors. The majority (51%) of respondents are engaged in the travel and tourism industry, while another quarter represents the services/professional sector.

Community Capital of Central Vermont is one of 41 organizations nationwide to receive a Technical Assistance Award from the U.S. Department of Treasurys CDFI Fund.
CDFIs Community Development Financial Institutions are specialized organizations that respond to financial gaps in their local markets. Totaling $50,000, this grant will be used over the next two years to improve Community Capitals ability to offer flexible and affordable financing and technical assistance to new and growing businesses that do not yet have access to traditional bank financing. Specific activities include: a tri-county market assessment to identify unmet demand for alternative commercial financing, an internal organizational assessment conducted by CDFI industry leaders, board and staff training, strategic planning, and technology upgrades.

Scudder Parker Files for Governors Race
MONTPELIER, Vt. Scudder Parker, a veteran public servant who grew up on
his familys Vermont dairy farm, emerged as the leading Democratic
candidate for governor on Thursday by filing to enter the 2006 campaign.
Parker visited the Vermont Secretary of States office to submit papers
officially indicating his intention to run for governor. A formal campaign
announcement and kickoff will be scheduled in October.
A former state senator who also worked for Democratic and Republican
governors, Parker said his many years of public service and his vision for
Vermont qualify him to be the states next leader.
August in Vermont is a time for family, swimming, baseball and fairs
not necessarily politics, said Parker, 62, who lives in Montpelier with
his wife, Susan Sussman. But Vermonters should know that Im now at work

ROUNDTABLE RELEASES THIRD QUARTER, 2005
CEO ECONOMIC OUTLOOK SURVEY RESULTS

South Burlington, VT - Results from the Roundtable's Third Quarter, 2005 CEO Economic Outlook Survey, show that business executives are expecting increases in both sales and capital expenditures over the coming six months, while employment levels will remain virtually unchanged from the previous reporting period.

Chris Dutton, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power, is a member of the Vermont Business Roundtable. When asked to comment on his CEO Economic Outlook Survey responses, Dutton said, "The economy is strong in our service area. As we look ahead we expect increased sales. Additionally, the company expects to increase capital spending to make sure that our electric service is reliable, as that is what our customers value the most."