News

The Vermont State Legislature passed the Clean Energy Assessments District bill (S.54) on April 21. The passage of this bill reflects the growing want and need of Vermonters to individually help move the state forward by finding new ways to save energy and to create renewable resources and alternatives for energy in order to combat climate change.

Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP, a leading plaintiffs' firm based in San Diego, has announced the firm has secured a settlement of $50 million in cash for a class of TD Banknorth, Inc shareholders. Plaintiffs in a related action previously attempted to settle the case for under $3 million, or $.03 per TD Banknorth share.

KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) today announced a first quarter net loss attributable to Key of $488 million, or $1.09 per common share, compared to net income attributable to Key of $218 million, or $.54 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2008.

In honor of Earth Day, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has announced winners of its challenege to find potential soucltions to climate change. More than 100 nonprofit organizations submitted proposals to address climate change in four specific areas: threats to coffee-growing cummunites, transportation-related emissions, building political will, and empowering individual action.

In a move to keep Vermont tax dollars at work, the State Treasurer s Office has announced plans to make millions of dollars in short-term deposits available to area banks as a source of working capital.

At the invitation of Rep. Peter Welch, Regulatory Assistance Project Director Richard Cowart will testify Thursday before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Senate President Peter Shumlin has outlined a revenue package to the Senate Finance Committee that will close the Capital Gains loophole and lower Vermonters' income taxes. The package includes many of the House's revenue provisions, increases cigarette, liquor and satellite taxes and closes the capital gains loophole to lower the marginal rates on all types of income for all taxpayers.

Early estimates indicate that Vermont based Apple retailer, Small Dog Electronics recycled 150 tons of e-waste at their third annual Earth Day E-Waste Event this year, and it didn’t cost the public a dime.Cars filled with old TVs, computers and electronic peripherals lined up as early as 8:00 am to recycle their electronics for free. In the end, 100 volunteers unloaded 1,700 cars.

Pitney Bowes Business Insight, the leading global provider of location and communication intelligence solutions, and Earthsense, an applied marketing company, today released demographic insights into the top ten green US states. The research integrates information gathered with Pitney Bowes Business Insight geo-demographic solutions and Earthsense Eco-Insights green survey results.

The US Census Bureau is launching a nationwide operation to verify and update more than 145 million addresses as it prepares to conduct the 2010 Census. In Vermont, approximately 650 people will carry out the operation. It is the first publicly visible activity of the 2010 Census, and address-canvassing listers are expected to complete the canvassing by July 2.

Though some have called the 2008 economic situation bad enough to make it a historical pivot point for the world, 2009 is shaping up to be worse for Vermont, judging by the bankruptcy filings at the United States Bankruptcy Court in Rutland. In 2008, there were a total of 48 business bankruptcies and 1,218 consumer bankruptcies.

The Senate today passed S. 154, a bill that will fully fund the town highway aid payments in April 2009. The Douglas Administration and the Legislature had previously agreed to withhold half of the $3 million, quarterly payment because of the state's fiscal situation. The state's Transportation Fund revenues continue to sag. The Transportation Fund in March was $400,000 below its target.