News

RealtyTrac(R) (www.realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its January 2009 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report(TM), which shows foreclosure filings -- default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions -- were reported on 274,399 U.S. properties during the month, a 10 percent decrease from the previous month but still up 18 percent from January 2008. The report also shows one in every 466 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing in January.

If the Vermont transportation budget goes a little farther this year, and if the winter roads are a little clearer during storms, thank the Lyndon Institute of Applied Meteorology (LIAM) and the five students working with the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) to make that happen. Thank the road crews, too. Since last fall, Kyle Blount (Peacedale, R.I.), Steve Breault (Wakefield, Mass.), Joshua Redinger (N. Scituate, R.I.), Tyler Southard (Rockland, Me.) and Matthew Clegg (Biddeford, Me.), all LSC meteorology majors, have been sending weather predictions to VTrans.

The Vermont Public Service Board, in an order praising public outreach efforts and utility planning in southern Vermont, has approved a series of transmission upgrades designed to improve electricity reliability in Vermont and across the region.

The state today announced more than $182,000 in 15 matching grants to projects for the restoration and preservation of historic buildings across Vermont, including two in the town of Windsor, the birthplace of Vermont. Standing in front of the historic Stephen Jacob House, whose owner, Historic Windsor Inc., received a $7,690 grant to install a new roof to protect the building, Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Community Development Jim Saudade congratulated the grant recipients.

Montpelier, Vt – Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Roger Allbee, in collaboration with New York Agriculture Commissioner Pat Hooker and Pennsylvania Agriculture Commissioner Dennis Wolff (the principal members of the Northeast Dairy Leadership Team), yesterday sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting that he immediately implement Section 1509 of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. This Act calls for the establishment of a Federal Milk Marketing Order Review Commission.

Week Ending February 7, 2009. There were 1,377 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 38 from the week before.  Altogether 16,794 new and continuing claims were filed,  546 more than a week ago and 6,352 more than a year earlier. In addition, the Department processed 1,858 claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008, an increase of 42 from last week.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) will build Vermont’s largest solar array on top of the distribution center of its Green Mountain Coffee facility in Waterbury. Construction of the 100 kW photovoltaic array is expected to begin in the spring of 2009 and be completed by summer.

Army programs making strides in endangered species protection, historic preservation, waste reduction, environmental restoration, sustainability, and pollution prevention earned Pentagon recognition in January as the Department of the Army announced the winners of its highest honors for environmental stewardship and sustainability.

In the endless barrage of bad economic news and near-daily layoff announcements, one marketing company specializing in the design and production of custom stickers, labels and magnets is choosing to focus on the positive. Websticker.com (http://www.websticker.com), a division of Freely Creative, Inc. (http://www.freelycreative.com), is making some bold choices that fly in the face of the recession -- and set it apart from other printing services.

The Colchester, Vermont, campus of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has announced the hiring of its chief administrative officer, two department chairs and five additional faculty members for its fall 2009 opening for its initial 70 students.   ACPHS-Vermont will offer a four year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program; the Pharm.D. is the degree required to practice pharmacy in the U.S. The pharmacy program at ACPHS-Vermont will be the only such program in the state.

An important research study to assess the progress of state manufacturers in adopting strategies to win in the global economy was launched today by the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC). The study is the first step in a long-term effort to help state manufacturers weather today’s recession, improve their manufacturing competitiveness, and grow and be more profitable over the next decade.

Vermont Secretary of State Deb Markowitz will be presenting the 2009 Democracy Awards to seven Vermont citizens and organizations at the Vermont Statehouse on Thursday, February 12, at 3:30 pm. “These awards honor people who have promoted the tenets of democracy in Vermont.  Each of this year’s recipients is a shining example of leadership in the democratic process,” says Markowitz.

For the Vermont building community, energy and affordability have increasingly become crucial aspects of the design phase. At the 11th Better Buildings By Design Conference, host Efficiency Vermont hopes to spark discussions about energy-smart and cost-saving building principles – and teach participants how to incorporate those building tenets into everyday practice. Opening February 11, the two-day conference kicks off with a keynote address from celebrated homebuilder and developer, Fernando Pagés.

RUTLAND, Vt. – Central Vermont Public Service has selected Rutland and Royalton companies to build the first major solar project in the state to feed power exclusively onto the grid, rather than use it on-site. CVPS has selected CV Solar and Wind, a small Rutland company, and ReKnew Energy Systems Inc. of South Royalton to build the 50-kilowatt solar array along Route 7, just south of the black water tower near the CVPS Rutland District Service Center.

Jeff Wolfe, CEO of groSolar of White River Junction, Vt., was invited to the White House last Friday (February 6, 2009) for President Obama's unveiling of his new Economic Recovery Advisory Board. He joined some 60 other business leaders in the East Room to witness the installation of the 15-member board, led by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker, which will help guide the economic stimulus package.

Morrisville, VT – On February 9, 2009, Chittenden Bank will open its newest full-service branch at 19 Morrisville Plaza. This location will replace the existing branch that currently resides inside the Price Chopper Supermarket, which is also located within the Morrisville Plaza. The new branch will offer many features to customers, staff, and the community.

BRATTLEBORO, VT — The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) announces its fourth annual Business Plan Competition, which again will include two entry categories and multiple prizes totaling more than $40,000.

Howard Dean, former Vermont governor and recent chair of the Democratic National Committee, will deliver the commencement address at the University of Vermont's 205th commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 17, 2009. The university will present Dean with an honorary degree at the event.

Although Congress has passed legislation to allow TV stations to extend their analog broadcasts until June, local stations in Vermont and northeastern New York plan to shut off analog broadcasts on the original deadline of midnight February 17. Stations WCAX (Channel 3), WFFF (Channel 44), WNNE (Channel 31), WPTZ (Channel 5), WVNY(Channel 22), Mountain Lake PBS (Channel 57) and Vermont Public Television (Channels 33, 20, 28 and 41) looked at the high level of readiness of the local market and the confusion a delay could bring and decided to stay with the February date.

Burlington, Vt.--With snow piled high and winds from the north keeping temperatures at record lows, it's hard to imagine that spring will ever arrive!  We remain optimistic when it comes to both the weather and the economic climate as we plan our Spring Job Fair on Monday, March 30th. 

Central Vermont Public Service met all of its service quality standards for 2008, the fourth straight year the company achieved that goal.  “Given the tremendous challenges Mother Nature dealt, I am proud of how our employees performed,” President Bob Young said today.  “Not only did we meet all the customer service goals, but we met the reliability goals despite trying weather patterns.”

The Boulder Outdoor Specialty Group, a collection of six of the best known and best loved brands in the outdoor world, will retain Pale Morning Media of Waitsfield as their public relations Agency of Record. Effective January 1, 2009, Pale Morning Media will be the official representative of Kelty, Kelty K.I.D.S., Sierra Designs, Ultimate Direction, Slumberjack and Wenger.

Marking 19 consecutive quarters of growth, Bruegger's Enterprises, Inc. has announced revenue for comparable sales grew 6.6 percent at company locations and 6.9 percent system-wide for the fourth quarter ending December 30, 2008. For the 2008 fiscal year, same store sales increased 4.2 percent for the company and 3.9 percent for the system, aided by one extra week versus 2007. Bruegger's gross sales reached $198.9 million system wide in 2008; an 11.3 percent rise over the same period in 2007.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. today announced the launch of Energy$ense, a multi-faceted initiative to help local nonprofits and its Citizens Bank and Charter One customers address heat, utility and other energy costs.

Booth registration for the 25th Annual Vermont Business and Industry EXPO is open and booths are selling quickly! The trade show is scheduled for May 20 & 21, at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Burlington, Vermont. In today's economy, your company cannot afford to hide in the shadows. Get in front of the business community and use EXPO as your key marketing vehicle for 2009.

WHAT: Governor Jim Douglas will announce a partnership with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company at a news conference on February 12th to give away free $50,000 life insurance policies to families in need across Vermont.

Montpelier, VT -- Following a two-day marathon of presentations, ten artists have been chosen to receive nearly $250,000 in total commissions for “The Art of Action: Shaping Vermont’s Future Through Art”.

Secretary of Administration Neale F. Lunderville has released General Fund revenue results for the month of January, the seventh month of Fiscal Year 2009. General Fund revenues were well below target for the month as compared to the consensus revenue target revised in mid-January. The General Fund revenues of $119.20 million for the month of January 2009 were -$14.05 million or -10.54% below the $133.25 million consensus revenue forecast for the month.

The Vermont Department of Labor is proposing that the state increase the tax charged to businesses to support the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and should also decrease the benefits paid to unemployed workers in order to head off a deficit in the trust fund.

Governor Jim Douglas today announced the formation of a five-member task force to examine the Vermont State Colleges and University of Vermont systems to determine what academic and administrative efficiencies could be achieved through their consolidation.