Current News

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ:GMCR) announced today that it has completed the acquisition of the Tully s Coffee® brand and wholesale coffee business from Tully s Coffee Corporation for the purchase price of $40.3 million.
Initially announced on September 15, 2008, the transaction was completed after receiving the required shareholders vote and satisfaction of the required closing conditions, as set forth in the Asset Purchase Agreement previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company financed this purchase through its existing $225 million senior revolving credit facility.

Governor Douglas announced today that he is asking the Legislature to amend the unemployment compensation law to provide additional weeks of benefits to individuals in approved training. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act recently passed by Congress, states must meet a number of benchmarks including the additional weeks of benefits to qualify for all of $13.9 million available to assist Vermont.
The training benefit is the option most consistent with the goals of the unemployment compensation program. It allows workers income while gaining the skills necessary to return to work in a new occupation commented Governor Douglas. In addition, we need to be sure we do not add extraordinary costs to a system that is already challenged.

The first funds from the federal stimulus package are now coming in to state coffers, and Governor Douglas and lawmakers have differing plans to spend the money, specifically the $94 million in State Fiscal Stabilization Funds. Eighty-two percent of that money must be spend on education, but the remainder can be allocated elsewhere.
The governor s plan focuses on economic development. The majority of it will go to the Vermont Economic Development Authority, charged with allocating it to in loans to qualified in-state businesses. That money invested during 2010 and 2011 is expected to leverage $160 million in loans, working capital and business investments. Some of the investment areas stipulated include a technology loan program, assistance to farms and entrepreneurs, industrial renewal, and tourism.

Department of Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Tremblay is pleased to announce the selection of Major Thomas L Esperance as the next Director of the Vermont State Police. Major L Esperance will assume the duties of Director following Colonel James Baker s retirement on June 30, 2009. Today s announcement will provide Major L Esperance and the Vermont State Police time to plan a seamless transition of leadership.
In his announcement, Commissioner Tremblay said, I have full confidence in Major L Esperance; he is a proven leader, a trusted public servant, and he models the spirit of law enforcement cooperation that is essential for the future success of policing in Vermont.
Major L Esperance began his career as a Trooper in Brattleboro in 1987 and currently serves as Major in charge of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations. Over the past 21 years, Major L Esperance has also served in the following positions with the State Police:

The region's largest biotechnology association today warned that a bill under consideration by the Vermont Legislature will create the most restrictive and onerous regulatory environments for biotechnology growth and development not only in New England, but in the entire nation. Senate Bill 48, an Act Relating to the Marketing of Prescribed Products, is the focus of a presentation today at the State House by Senate President Peter Shumlin.
"The Legislation's radical expansion of Vermont's existing and strict biopharmaceutical marketing laws promises to hinder significantly the development of the biotechnology industry in this state," said Paula Newton, Chair of the New England Biotech Association (NEBA).
NEBA serves as the regional policy and public affairs voice for the biotechnology and biopharmaceutical community, representing state biotech associations, companies, academic institutions, and other organizations consisting of more than 800 entities.

In another round of economic stimulus funds for Vermont, eight community health centers in the state will receive more than $1.5 million to expand services and create jobs. The Vermont grants include $229,967 for Community Health Centers of The Rutland Region in Bomoseen; $157,958 for Little Rivers Health Care of Bradford; $294,562 for Community Health Center of Burlington; $192,281 for Community Health Services of the Lamoille Valley in Morrisville; $146,390 for The Health Center of Plainfield; $164,980 for the Richford Health Center in Richford; $254,463 for Northern Counties Health Care in St. Johnsbury, and $100,000 for Springfield Medical Care Systems in Springfield.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that approximately 200 million pounds of nonfat dry milk (NDM) will be transferred from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to USDA s Food and Nutrition Service for use in domestic food programs. This will help support families who rely on food assistance programs as well as dairy farmers struggling with low prices and high feed costs.
During these difficult economic times we need to use every tool we have to help those in need whether a family who needs food assistance or dairy farmers who are experiencing record low prices paid to them for their milk, said Governor Douglas. This move today by my former colleague, Secretary Vilsack, is an important step in supporting our rural communities and family farms.

Governor Jim Douglas today announced a new partnership with the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association that gives the go-ahead to expand tapping on some state land. The announcement came as the Governor kicked off the 8th annual Maple Open House Weekend at Marcia Maynard and Ken Denton s sugarhouse in Cabot.
Maple sugaring is a vital piece of our agricultural and forest products economy, the Governor said. I am very pleased that the state will be able to make this modest contribution to this important industry with an agreement that promotes responsible stewardship of sugarbushes on state land.
Under the agreement, the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation will license sites that it deems appropriate in state forests and state parks to sugarmakers, who will be required to abide by state land policies and management efforts while operating the sugarbushes. The Department expects to have as many as 11 sites licensed and operational for next season.

The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2009 was 7.0 percent, up two-tenths of a point from the revised January rate and up 2.6 points from a year ago.
Unemployment rates for Vermont s 17 labor market areas ranged from 4.5 percent in Warren-Waitsfield to 12.3 percent in Newport. Local labor market area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. For comparison, the January unadjusted unemployment rate for Vermont was 7.7 percent, up one-tenth of a point from January 2009 and up 2.9 points from a year ago.
The national recession continues to have its impact on Vermont s labor market. said Patricia Moulton Powden, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor. The number of unemployed Vermonters rose in February, though not nearly as dramatically as in January. Construction and Manufacturing were hit particularly hard. Healthcare and Leisure & Hospitality remain bright spots.

In 1991, Anita Hill was thrust into the public spotlight when she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee during then Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing. The legacy of her testimony includes an increased awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace today. Hill, now a law professor at Brandeis University, has continued to speak widely on social and political issues facing our world. On Thursday, April 23, at the Bennington Center for the Arts, she will reflect on a premise from President Barack Obama s inaugural address in a lecture open to the public entitled, Choosing America s Better History: The Supreme Court, Civil Rights and the Promise of Citizenship.

The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) released a study analyzing the total energy usage of very energy efficient homes constructed in Proctorsville. The results demonstrate that high levels of energy efficiency make a substantial difference in the cost of owning a home.
Bruce Whitney of the Rockingham Area Community Land Trust (RACLT) in Springfield commented, The amount of savings generated by these extremely efficient homes is incredible. They truly make homeownership affordable.
This study was conducted by Andy Shapiro, an expert in energy efficiency and green building. The Proctorsville Green Townhouse homes recently received the Best of the Best Award from Efficiency Vermont for energy efficient single-family homes.

Governor Douglas today announced a bold new economic plan to build SmartVermont by laying the foundation for a 21st century economy. The proposals will invest $17.1 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF) to leverage nearly $160 million in direct support to new and exciting companies looking to grow and expand in the Green Mountain State as well as much needed support for existing Vermont employers. Initiatives will be largely administered by the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) which leverages private capital to maximize opportunities and investment in our struggling economy. The Governor s plan also calls for additional investment in our tourism economy as well as much needed support for agriculture.