Current News

Governor Douglas Announces 'Operation Red Clover' to Improve Public Health

NEW GLOBAL TRADE PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED

Partners to Collaborate in Providing Trade Assistance
A new public/private partnership will provide international trade assistance to Vermont businesses, according to Kevin Dorn, Secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.

Banknorth Increases Quarterly Dividend
PORTLAND, Maine (July 27, 2004) Banknorth Group, Inc. (NYSE: BNK)
announced today that its Board of Directors has increased the Company's
quarterly dividend to 20 cents per share based on earnings for the quarter
ended June 30, 2004. The dividend increase represents a .5 cent per share
increase over the quarterly dividend paid following the previous quarter
ended March 31, 2004 and a 1 cent per share increase over the quarterly
dividend paid a year ago following the quarter ended June 30, 2003.
"I am pleased to increase our dividend once again in accordance with our
practice of returning approximately 35% of net income to shareholders in
the form of dividends paid each quarter, said William J. Ryan, Banknorth
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.
The dividend will be paid on August 16, 2004 to shareholders of record at

Bankruptcy judge approves sale of hydro plant to Rockingham
Officials in Rockingham hope that a $72.4 million purchase of the hydro electric facility on the Connecticut River in Bellows Falls will lower electric rates to the community. A US Bankruptcy Court judge has approved the sale from USGen New England. The deal must be completed by December 1, although the actual closing probably would not occur until October 2005. If the town failed to finalize financing by December 1, the town would forfeit its right to take the dam by eminent domain for 10 years.
Rockingham first proposed buying the 48-megawatt facility four years ago when USGen, then a subsidiary of Pacific Gas & Electric, started contesting its tax bill.

C & S Wholesale Grocers moves headquarters to Keene, NH

C & S Wholesale Grocers has moved its headquarters from Brattleboro to Keene, NH. C & S is the second largest wholesale grocer in the nation. It has been the largest Vermont-based company since the 1980s. In 2003 it reported sales of $11.3 billion.

Three years ago, C & S announced that it was looking for a new corporate headquarters. Development officials on both sides of the Connecticut River worked hard to lure the regions largest employer. In 2002, C & S announced it had chosen Keene over a site offered in Brattleboro, where one of its warehouses is still located.

State Takes Aggressive, But Low Key Approach To Attracting 'DNC
Refugees'
MONTPELIER, Vt. - Northeastern states are taking different approaches in
attracting Boston-area 'refugees' from the Democratic National
Convention's
(DNC) stringent security precautions and Vermont is among the states
banking
on a low-key approach to send the right message to potential visitors.
"Some states have chosen very targeted messages specifically directed at
the
Democratic National Convention and the impact it will have on daily life
in
Boston," said Commissioner Bruce Hyde of the Vermont Department of
Tourism
and Marketing (VDTM). "We're running an aggressive campaign in the
Boston
market and throughout the Northeast but we've chosen instead to take a
positive approach with our advertising and rely on Vermont's strong
brand
recognition as a beautiful and peaceful place to visit."

The Vermont Council for Quality, partnering with the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center, will hold their 2004 Fall Quality Conference on September 27, 2004 at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in South Burlington. The purpose of the conference is to bring together a cross section of Vermont organizations to discuss how to implement performance excellence and continuous improvement measures to enhance an organizations efficiency, profitability and success.
The conference will include panelists from Manufacturing, Health Care, Small Business and Education to share their success stories and lessons learned. The afternoon will spotlight best practices in Balanced Scorecard, Outcome Based Planning, Action Planning, and Information and Knowledge Management.

Chittenden Reports Earnings and Quarterly Dividend; Announces Stock Split

Vermont, states, NYC sue top five US global warming polluters

Chittenden Corp announces new directors for Chittenden Bank
Lawrence W. DeShaw, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chittenden Bank, announced recently the appointment of a new Board of Directors for Chittenden Bank, to reflect the separation of the bank board from the Corporate board.
The Chittenden Bank Board of Directors is comprised of community leaders, professionals and business executives throughout Vermont. These individuals will direct and advise the Bank on business activities, implementation of strategies, acquisition of prospects and evaluation of performance. They will provide local governance for Chittenden's Vermont franchise.

NH architect to select convention sites
Hanover, NH, July 21, 2004 -- M. Hunter Ulf, AIA has been appointed by the President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to chair the newly formed Convention Site Selection Committee. This Committee is charged with determining the AIA annual convention sites for the years 2009, 2010, and 2011. Previously, convention site selection was designated as a management responsibility. Under Ulf's leadership, the Committee is scheduled to finalize their selections by November of 2004.
The AIA holds its conventions annually in different venues throughout the U.S. The June 2004 convention was held in Chicago and drew approximately 23,000 attendees to its architectural trade show and educational seminars. The AIA Annual Convention is the only such event that is dedicated to the architectural profession.

Lane Press First North American Printer With
Integrated Hiflex And Creo Solution
JDF Compliant Programs Provide End-to-End Automation
BURLINGTON, VT -- (July 15, 2004) The Lane Press, Inc. has announced the implementation of the JDF- (Job Definition Format) compliant HIFLEX®PRINT and Creo Prinergy solutions for a complete end-to-end automation of the printing process. Lane Press is the first North American printer with an integrated manufacturing resource planning (MRP) solution and prepress system. Together, these solutions provide real- time, job-specific data flow throughout the manufacturing process.