On September 25th, delegates from Vermont’s AFL-CIO State Labor Council elected Ben Johnson as President. Ben is a librarian at Vermont Technical College, a member of the Vermont State Colleges Faculty Federation, AFT local 3180 and head of United Professions AFT Vermont. At 36 he is the youngest AFL-CIO state president. In a time of unprecedented attacks on the middle class, working people, and unions, new Vermont AFL-CIO President Ben Johnson called on members of all unions to keep organizing.

James Roth, cofounder of The Treehouse Guys of Warren, Vermont, (formerly Forever Young Treehouses), is the 2011 recipient of Paralyzed Veterans of America's Barrier-Free America Award. Roth, through his company, has built 34 universally accessible treehouses in private camps and public parks across the country. John Connell, the architect behind the first prototype designs received honorable mention for his work.

The Vermont Arts Council is pleased to announce that renowned musician and composer, Christian Wolff, will be the 2011 recipient of the Walter Cerf Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts. Mr. Wolff will be honored in a ceremony on November 4, 2011 at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier, VT.

Liz Santamore of the Shaw’s Supermarket in Waterbury, bested other competitors to become the 2011 Vermont “Best Bagger.” The competition took place September 17 during the Vermont Food Industry’s annual convention and expo at the Miller Expo Centre at the Champlain Valley Exposition.

The Vermont Democratic State Committee recently elected Jake Perkinson to the position of Vermont Democratic Party Chair and Dorothy Deans to the position of Vermont Democratic Party Vice Chair. Perkinson, who was the Vermont Democratic Party Vice Chair, has been serving as Acting Chair since former VDP Chair Judy Bevans stepped down in July. Upon Perkinson’s election as Chair at this morning’s State Committee meeting, the committee called an election for a new Vice Chair to fill the vacancy created by Perkinson’s election, during which Deans was elected.

The law firm of Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC, with offices in Burlington, Montpelier and St. Johnsbury, Vermont and Littleton, New Hampshire is pleased to announce that Ralphine O'Rourke has joined the firm as Of Counsel. Ralphine has a wealth of experience having worked in both Vermont and Massachusetts law firms. Her primary areas of practice include corporate law, commercial and financing transactions. She will be located in the Burlington office.

On October 12 of 2011, Vermont Adoption Chief Diane Dexter and Lund Family Center Adoption Director Wanda Audette will be among 18 individuals from across the country recognized by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with a 2011 Adoption Excellence Award. The awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Ritz Carlton Pentagon City in Arlington, VA.

Congressman Peter Welch and Probate Court Judge Susan Fowler wrote letters supporting their nomination.

At their annual conference in Atlanta recently, BoardSource, an organization dedicated to advancing the public good by building exceptional nonprofit boards and inspiring board service, announced that the Champlain Housing Trust Board of Directors won one of three Honorable Mentions in the Prudential Leadership Awards for Outstanding Nonprofit Boards. This competition evaluated nonprofit Boards from across the country on their efforts to position organizations for success.

Dr. David T.Z. Mindich of St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt. has been named the inaugural winner of the “New England Journalism Educator of the Year Award” by the New England Newspaper & Press Association.

NENPA Executive Director Dan Cotter made the announcement today. He said Mindich will receive the award and speak during the awards luncheon at the annual NENPA Fall conference on Thursday, Oct. 6 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Natick, Mass.