News

Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) has received eight applications from candidates seeking one of four open positions on the Board of Directors. As a part of VEC’s annual meeting, an election of the membership is held each year to elect directors for open positions on the Board and to address other key issues. Below are the seats that are up for election and the slate of candidates.

Burlington-based Local Motion and the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition are joining forces. Interest in walking and biking is surging, and, statewide, Vermont is surpassing national trends for the number of people who choose to walk to work, and keeping pace with national trends for biking to work.

Utah again garnered the top spot for states with the best economic outlook, followed by North Dakota, Indiana, North Carolina and Arizona, according to the newest edition of Rich States, Poor States released Wednesday by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Vermont once again finished 49th, just ahead of New York.

Governor Peter Shumlin has appointed St Albans City Manager Dominic Cloud as a member of the Natural Resources Board (NRB) and has appointed environmental advocate Elizabeth Courtney as an alternate member of the NRB. The NRB administers Vermont’s landmark land use law, Act 250.

At the Queen City Brewery in Burlington this morning, Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vermont) announced his support for bipartisan legislation to provide tax relief to Vermont's growing small brewery industry.

Vermont Gas Systems CEO Don Rendall today announced that former VNRC executive director Ned Farquhar has joined the company as Vice President for Communications and Government.

by John Herrick vtdigger.org Tropical Storm Irene cost the owners of the Alchemist $650,000 when it washed out the pub and brewery in Waterbury in 2011. The maker of the popular Heady Topper beer was forced to lay off 15 employees to help pay the bills. “More extreme weather is on its way due to climate change.

The Vermont Department of Health is notifying Vermonters about a voluntary recall of Sabra Dipping Co, LLC Classic Hummus due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

There have been no reports of illness related to the product, which is sold in Vermont.

Seven vehicle fleets around the region have been selected as Northern Stars of New England by the New England Clean Cities Coalitions for their efforts in cutting carbon emissions, reducing the use of petroleum, and promoting and utilizing alternative fuels to power their vehicles.

Vermont gasoline prices have fallen to an average of $2.454 after an increase in the late winter. The current US average is $2.404. The Vermont and US averages are both more than a dollar less than a year ago. A national reporting firm says to expect a slow, modest decline in retail gas prices during the second quarter of the year and perhaps into the summer.

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department recommends taking down bird feeders from April 1 through November 30 to avoid attracting black bears that will be coming out of their winter dens to seek an early spring meal. Bears are attracted to suet and bird seed, especially black oil sunflower seed.

As part of an ongoing commitment to give consumers the confidence and tools they need to be fiscally healthy, Citizens Bank has made a $5,000 contribution to Champlain Housing as part of the Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money financial literacy initiative.