News

The owner of the Jay Peak Resort is using a little-known federal visa program to finance an ambitious expansion project that's expected to generate hundreds of jobs in the Northeast Kingdom. Bill Stenger, who purchased the resort last year, persuaded 35 citizens of other countries to put up a total of $17.5 million toward the cost of a 57-suite hotel scheduled to open early next year.

Northern Power Systems, Inc. (www.northernpower.com), of Barre, Vermont, a next-generation wind turbine company and leading manufacturer of community wind turbines, today announced its expanded presence in Canada.

Amtrak Office of Security Strategy and Special Operations (OSSSO), Amtrak Police, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel and officers from approximately 100 commuter rail, state, and local police agencies mobilized today for the largest joint, simultaneous Northeast rail security operation of its kind, involving 150 railway stations between Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Essex Ju

Following an extensive national search, the Board of Directors of the Vermont Captive Insurance Association (VCIA) is pleased to announce that Richard Smith of East Montpelier, Vermont has been selected as the new President of the Association. He takes over from Molly Lambert., who has led the VCIA since 2002.

Governor Jim Douglas has announced that $500,000 in Clear & Clear grants is available for ecosystem restoration projects. The Center for Clean and Clear is accepting one-page project pre-proposals until September 30. Through a competitive process, Vermont municipalities, local or regional governmental agencies, nonprofits and citizen groups can apply for the grants.

Executives from FairPoint Communications Inc. will meet with the utility regulatory boards from Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire tomorrow all at the same time. In a highly irregular development, all three states will hold a joint conference with the troubled telecommunications company as part of an ongoing effort to learn how the company plans to stabilize itself.

Vermont's hospitals have finishing filing their budget requests with state officials and are asking for $1.8 billion, an increase of approximately 6.6 percent from this year. 13 hospitals in total submitted their requests, which come to a combined amount of $1,804105,066, about $122 million more than the current hospital budgets.

The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation has approved three new applications for maple sugaring licenses on state lands. The sugaring sites are located in the Town of Groton on Groton State Forest, in the Town of Stowe on Mt. Mansfield State Forest, and in the Town of Mt. Holly on Okemo State Forest.

Vermont Auditor of Accounts Tom Salmon, who was rebuffed by the Democratic leadership last spring, announced today that he was switching parties and will join the Republican Party. Salmon won the position of state auditor as a Democrat in 2006 when he beat one-term incumbent Republican Randy Brock.

Burlington's WBKM (www.wbkm.org) has signed on as the first affiliate station of the "Floydian Slip" radio show. "Floydian Slip," an hour of Pink Floyd hosted by Craig Bailey, will resume production Sept. 19 with Show #702. WBKM, which stands for "Burlington's Kinda Music," will carry the show 10 p.m. Saturdays.

A 14-member delegation of small and medium business owners and government officials from Shanghai will visit Vermont over the Labor Day weekend (September 6 to September 8). Hosted by the Vermont Chamber through its Shanghai Trade Office, the group will tour Vermont attractions and develop business partnerships with Vermont companies.

Governor Jim Douglas today announced that another 14 energy efficiency projects have been selected to receive almost $150,000 in funding from the Vermont Community Climate Change Grant Program. All told, these projects will reduce about 100 tons of greenhouse emissions – the equivalent of taking 16 cars off the road or not burning more than 10,000 galloons of gas, the Governor said.