Vermont Business Magazine News

Researchers at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center presented a poster on a phase I clinical trial of Nivolumab, a PD-1 receptor blocking antibody, being used in combination with other drugs in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) at the ASCO Annual Meeting on June 3, 2013.   Metastatic renal cell carcinoma or kidney cancer is the seventh most common cancer, leading to approximately 116,000 deaths annually worldwide. In roughly one-quarter of those with mRCC, the cancer has already spread or metastasized at diagnosis.  

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said a farm bill that the Senate approved Monday includes dairy safety net provisions that would help Vermont's family farms. The Farm Bill was approved in a final passage vote of 66 to 27.

Manufacturing expansion and renewable energy investments are among the commercial, small business and agricultural projects approved for $10.1 million in financing by the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA).  “More than 100 new jobs across the state will be created as a result of these exciting business investments,” said Jo Bradley, VEDA’s Chief Executive Officer.  “VEDA’s $10.1 million in financing will leverage economic development activity totaling almost $48 million – good news for Vermont’s economy.”

When the dreaded check engine light illuminates on the dashboard, drivers in New Jersey now pay the most in the nation to have it diagnosed and repaired, at an average cost of $392.99, while Vermonters paid the least at $269.72, according to CarMD.com Corporation's analysis of more than 160,000 repairs made on vehicles with check engine light problems in 2012.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) won passage of his amendment to the Farm Bill to establish a pilot program within the Rural Utilities Service Broadband Program to invest in broadband projects offering ultra-high speed gigabit Internet service in rural areas.  Leahy’s amendment was approved in a vote of 48 to 38, just before the Senate gave final passage to the Farm Bill in a vote of 66 to 27. 

On June 3, 2013, FairPoint Communications, Inc held its 2013 annual meeting of shareholders. At the 2013 Annual Meeting, shareholders considered and voted upon the following proposals:  1. The election of the eight directors nominated by the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") and named in the table below to serve until the Company's next annual meeting of shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) is looking for volunteers interested in monitoring shoreline locations for blue-green algae blooms.

Fitch Ratings expects to rate Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, student loan asset-backed notes, series 2013-1 (taxable LIBOR FRNs) as follows: --$371,400,000 senior A notes 'AAAsf(EXP)'; Outlook Negative;

On Wednesday June 12th the South Burlington Knights of Columbus will present a check for $43,000.00 to Camp Ta Kum Ta at their facility in South Hero at 6:00pm.  The donation is the result of the proceeds from the KOC Super Bingo event that was held in April 2013. The South Burlington Knights of Columbus have donated to and supported over the last 25 years the mission of Camp Ta Kum Ta. 

by Andrew Stein June 7, 2013 vtdigger.org Over the past two months, officials from the Department of Health collected blood samples from 371 Vermonters in the towns of Brandon, Sudbury and Whiting.

Marble Valley Regional Transit District (MVRTD) jointly with Addison County Transit Resources (ACTR) will increase public transit bus service between Rutland and Middlebury starting Monday, July 8, 2013.  In addition to its regular am and pm commuter schedule the route will now include

National studies show that only about 40% of students complete an undergraduate degree within four years, a major factor to student loan debt.Green Mountain College has received a $293,500 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation to develop an innovative first and second year program designed to accelerate progress toward a degree for all students, increase retention, and reduce student indebtedness.

by Alicia Freese June 7, 2013 vtdigger.org The Vermont ACLU is suing the nation’s largest private prison company for allegedly ignoring public records requests about Vermont prisoners.

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin and Commonwealth Dairy in Brattleboro announced Friday that the company has completed a $12 million expansion project that started in November 2012.  The expansion includes approximately 23,000 sq. ft. in new facilities and equipment at its Brattleboro plant, which began operations in March of 2011.  The company expects to add as many as 34 new jobs to its existing workforce of 110.  As of May, it was producing more than 125,000 cases of packaged yogurt per week, including its popular strained Greek yogurt.   

Two projects that will have great impacts on their respective communities came to fruition last month: a grocery store in Johnson and the nation’s first “Small Market Test” Panera Bread in Berlin. Pomerleau Real Estate was instrumental in the success of both.

Following a recent increase in the number of serious motor vehicle crashes on US Route 4 in the Hartford-Woodstock area, including four fatalities in recent months, Governor Peter Shumlin today announced that the Agency of Transportation will install portable message boards reminding drivers to be alert and focus on safety, pave deteriorated stretches of the roadway surface, install centerline rumble strips in appropriate areas, conduct an engineering review to determine what further safety treatment

New unemployment claims fell again in Vermont to the lowest level this year, for the most part continuing a trend seen since the middle of spring. For the week of June 1, 2013, there were 484 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is a decrease of 199 from the previous week's total, and 29 fewer than they were a year ago.

Noncurrent mortgages dropped in Vermont in April, in both month-to-month and year-to-year for the first time this year, according to a national data gathering firm. Both delinquencies and foreclosures fell from March, for a total drop of half-a-point.

by Andrew Stein June 6, 2013 vtdigger.org Two days after representatives from the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant and the state of Vermont met in federal court to address a backup generator for the plant, the Public Service Board issued the project a Certificate of Public Good.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced Thursday the next three joint high speed vessels (JHSV) will be named USNS Yuma, USNS Bismarck and USNS Burlington, and two littoral combat ships (LCS) will be named USS Billings and USS Tulsa. 

Mayor Miro Weinberger, Aviation Director Gene Richards, and other airport officials and stakeholders Friday at a South Concourse news conference celebrated the inaugural Delta Air Lines flight from Burlington International Airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, marking the return of non-stop air service from BTV to ATL.

by Anne Galloway June 6, 2013 vtdigger.org Vermont Health CO-OP officials demanded last week that a state regulator “reconsider” her rejection of the nonprofit’s license to operate in Vermont.

By TIM MCQUISTON The annual “Rich States, Poor States” report is authored by Reagan-era, supply-side economist Dr Arthur Laffer.  Based on a state’s level of taxation, regulation and indebtedness, mostly, states are then ranked on which are best for business.

A peaceful, prayerful retreat on Isle LaMotte in Lake Champlain with views across to the Adirondacks makes St. Anne’s Shrine one of the most extraordinary properties in the state of Vermont. It is owned and conducted by the Society of St. Edmund, the order of Catholic priests and brothers who founded Saint Michael's College. 

BioTek Instruments, Inc, continues their global expansion in the microplate-based technology market with the establishment of BioTek Japan. Managed by Mr. Satoshi Sagara, the new direct sales and service organization in Tokyo will focus on growing BioTek's brand and expanding the sales network in Japan.

Fitch Ratings expects to rate Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, education loan revenue bonds, senior series 2013A (tax-exempt fixed rate bonds) as follows: --$15,870,000 classes A-2017 to A-2027 and class A-2030 senior series 2013A bonds 'Asf'; Outlook Stable. Key Rating Drivers

by Andrew Stein June 5, 2013 vtdigger.org On Jan. 1, 2014, it will become illegal for health insurance companies in Vermont to bake broker fees into their rates.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that applications are being accepted from lenders for loan guarantees to finance rural rental housing. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today’s announcement is one part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

Vermont Gas plans to hire 14 people to support its plans to bring a natural gas line to Addison County and beyond. The positions, which range from technicians to dispatchers to customer service representatives, will support Vermont Gas operations in Chittenden and Franklin counties as well as the Addison Natural Gas Project that brings the benefits of natural gas to Addison County and the International Paper plant in Ticonderoga, New York. The company currently employs more than 122 Vermonters.

A frothy fight between Burlington-based beer meister Magic Hat Brewing and Kentucky's West Sixth ended today with a flat press release devoid of the undertones and spirited finish of the blog bombs lobbed from the southern microbrew startup. There was even an entire website, replete with well fermented language, devoted to mocking Magic Hat's position that West Sixth's design ripped off the logo of Magic Hat's #9.