Current News

The College Board released its fifth annual AP Report to the Nation today, and highlighted Vermont as a national example in preparing students for college. Vermont saw the largest five-year increase in the country in the percentage of its student population scoring 3 or higher on at least one AP (Advanced Placement) exam in high school.
Vermont is leading the nation in getting its students college ready for the second year in a row, said Michael Bartini, Regional Vice President for the College Board. Kids are thinking about college, and behind that are the teachers and administrators who deserve credit for the work they have done to provide these opportunities.

The Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VABVI) is a non-profit organization founded in 1926 with the assistance of Helen Keller and remains to this day the only private agency in the state to offer free support, education and rehabilitation services to all blind and visually impaired residents. VABVI s mission is to enable Vermonters with vision problems, whether blindness or impairment, to achieve and maintain independence. From its four branches located in Brattleboro, Montpelier, Rutland and the main office in Burlington (soon to be South Burlington), VABVI serves residents in all of the state s 14 counties.

The following was sent in a mass email to the UVM community from Daniel Mark Fogel, President of UVM.
I am writing to inform you that Ben Stein, a renowned economist and public personality, has informed me of his decision to withdraw from our Commencement ceremonies in May.
As you may know, Mr. Stein delivered an excellent Kalkin lecture on our campus last year, focused primarily on economic issues, to which our students responded warmly and enthusiastically. It was on the basis of that experience that I extended him an invitation to be our Commencement speaker.

Nicole L. Senecal of Omega Real Estate Associates, Inc was the listing agent of the 6,600 SF office building at 1191 S. Brownell Rd. in Williston. The Tenant was Dominion Diagnostics, LLC. of Rhode Island. Nicole L. Senecal was also the selling agent.
Nicole L. Senecal of Omega Real Estate Associates, Inc. was the listing agent of 5,436 SF of space at 104 Old Colchester Rd. in Essex Junction. The Buyers are Happy Land Child Care. Duncan Harris of Redstone was the selling agent.
Nicole L. Senecal of Omega Real Estate Associates, Inc. was the listing agent of 700 SF of space at 300 Cornerstone Dr. in Williston. The Buyer was Happy Land Child Care. Omega Real Estate Associates was also the selling agent.
Nicole L. Senecal of Omega Real Estate Associates, Inc. was the listing agent of 5,800 SF of space at 329 Harvest Ln. in Williston. The Buyer was Lumber Liquidators. Esther Lotz was the selling agent.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Communications announced today (Feb. 2) that it has completed the process of transferring to FairPoint Communications Inc. all responsibility for the systems supporting the operations of FairPoint in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.FairPoint Communications provided a Notice of Readiness to Verizon in November, indicating that FairPoint would conclude its Transition Services Agreement with Verizon at the end of January 2009.
FairPoint will complete the transition of its customers in the three-state region to its own new suite of state-of-the-art fully integrated systems over the next few days.
"Both parties have worked hard to make this cutover as seamless as possible for the residents of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, who have been served by FairPoint since March of last year," said Jim Brophy, Verizon director of business development.

CVPS SmartPower ¢, Central Vermont Public Service s planned meter program designed to reduce customer energy use, costs and environmental impacts while improving storm management and establishing a foundation for future grid automation, has taken a big step forward through an agreement on the rules of the road.
Last August, CVPS, the Vermont Department of Public Service and other utilities kicked off collaboration intended to improve electricity metering, storm recovery and efficiency technology statewide. CVPS and the Department of Public Service also announced a new program (CVPS SmartPower ¢) at the state s largest utility that could serve as a model for other Vermont utilities not already involved with meter and grid automation.

Robert Sparky Millikin, of Hinesburg, was recently named Managing Principal of TruexCullins Architecture and Interior Design.

Business law attorney Paul H Ode, Jr of Burlington has been elected managing partner and chief executive officer of the law firm Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC. Ode took over on January 1 for John H. Marshall, who has held the post since the firm first adopted a managing partner governance model in 2002.
Ode was elected by the firm s directors in December. He had previously served as deputy managing partner and is a former chair of the firm s Business Law Group. He joined the firm in 1982 after completing a clerkship with U.S. District Court Chief Judge Albert W. Coffrin.
Ode received the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce's 2003 Community Excellence Award. He has served on the boards of directors of several community organizations including United Way of Chittenden County. He chaired the 2002 United Way campaign.

MONTPELIER, Vt. The state has awarded nearly $438,000 in Municipal Planning Grants to communities across the state to help them plan for future growth and development. Governor Jim Douglas announced the Municipal Planning Grants Wednesday, which range from projects to update town plans and bylaws to funding downtown and village revitalization studies.
These grants support the planning activities that are at the heart of smart growth, Douglas said. These investments will help promote economic and housing development in our downtowns and village centers, while protecting Vermont s working landscape.
The Municipal and Regional Planning Fund was first established in 1988, and now offers grants of up to $15,000 to help Vermont municipalities develop their town plans and to conduct special planning projects.

MONTPELIER, Vt. Nearly 20 people attended and as many participated by phone in the first meeting of a team of government, business, and economic development officials designed to provide a rapid response to Vermont businesses in distress.
The Economic Response Team, an ad hoc group of the state s economic development leaders proposed by Governor Jim Douglas as part of his Inaugural Address, met Wednesday in Montpelier.
Already, concrete ideas have come out of this first meeting, such as improving access to capital by temporarily loosening restrictions on some of our incentive and loan programs, and allowing businesses to be eligible for the weatherization program, Douglas told reporters at his weekly press conference on Thursday.
The chairwoman of the Economic Response Team, Commissioner of Economic Development Betsy Bishop, said her department would take action on several items included in the group s discussions.

Stimulus bill would bring $1.2 billion to Vermont through infrastructure development and tax relief
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Peter Welch supported and the House passed Wednesday the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), a major effort to rebuild the economy by providing tax relief, creating green jobs and investing in the future. The vote was 244-188.

DANBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 21, 2009--Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (NYSE: ETH) today announced the launch of a new initiative establishing a Contract Division. Daniel Grow, former President and CEO of Drexel Heritage Furniture and most recently President of D.M. Grow Inc., will join Ethan Allen to lead the initiative. In addition, Daniel Grow will also be responsible for the growth of Ethan Allen's International Design Center Development program.
Farooq Kathwari, Chairman and CEO, stated: "Today Ethan Allen is well positioned to participate in the contract business. We can leverage our design leadership, interior design and product engineering capabilities, strong domestic manufacturing and logistics network, and our highly recognized brand to create solutions for the contract business. Dan's experience and knowledge of our industry provides Ethan Allen the leadership to launch the Ethan Allen Contract Division."