News
The Vermont Gross State Product grew slightly in the first quarter of 2010 with a growth rate of 2.6 percent from the previous quarter, but fell 4.5 percent compared to a year ago.
Quarterly Gross State Product
§ Current Quarter. Vermont quarterly real gross state product in the first quarter, seasonally adjusted: $24.5 billion at constant 2005 prices.
Average retail gasoline prices in Vermont have fallen 1.1 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.76/g yesterday. This compares with the national average that has fallen 5.9 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.72/g, according to gasoline price website VermontGasPrices.com.
Two leadership positions have been announced for IBM in Vermont. Janette K. Bombardier has been named senior location executive and Steven A. Wildermuth has been named vice president, semiconductor manufacturing and development, for the Vermont facility.
Vermont's mortgage delinquency and foreclosure rates are still well below the national average and are some of the lowest in the nation. The May Mortgage Monitor report released today by Lender Processing Services, Inc.
Governor Jim Douglas today announced that Deputy Chief of Staff Heidi Tringe will be stepping down at the end of the month to pursue a new opportunity in the private sector. On August 1, she will join the government relations firm of MacLean, Meehan and Rice LLC.
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) says a new infusion of $1.6 million in federal funding that he has secured for Norwich University’s Center for Counterterrorism and Cyber Crime will continue the Center’s work in countering threats to the nation’s cyber networks. This funding is awarded under Homeland Security National Training Program (HSNTP).
Ledyard National Bank announced today that it has established a $50MM fund from which it will make loans to individuals and businesses in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont has received the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association 2009 FEP Plan Excellence Award for outstanding performance, company officials announced today.
The Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) and Sovernet Communications reported today that their public-private partnership, Vermont FiberConnect, will receive a $33.4 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.
Brian Harwood of Waterbury, has been elected chair of the board of directors of Vermont Public Television (VPT), Vermont’s statewide public television network. One of the state’s best-known radio personalities and a Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame member, he is morning host on WCVT Classic Vermont. He was formerly chair and CEO of hmc2 advertising in Stowe.
Federal agencies have awarded two Vermont telecommunication organizations a total of $47.1 million in federal economic recovery grants to build fiber optic networks that will help form the core of Vermont’s broadband network. The new funds will be used to wire ‘anchor institutions’ across the state and bring high-capacity, lightning-fast, affordable broadband bandwidth closer to end users.
Vermont and other New England states will face increasing pressure on pension plans as their populations get older and, consequently, they retire at an increasing rate. By 2030 in Vermont, 38 percent of the population will be 60 or older, the second highest in New England next to Maine’s 40 percent. The national average at that time will have climbed to 33 percent.