News

The parent company of Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc (NYSE: BHLB), held its annual meeting of shareholders Thursday in 

Vermont had the third highest residential electric rates in the nation in February at 18.41 cents per kilowatt hour and the seventh highest for all sectors at 14.57 cents/KWH, according to the federal government. Vermont was 2.58 cents higher than the average New England residential rate and 0.2 cents lower overall. The US average was 11.61 and 9.77 respectively. Both the Vermont and US rates were higher than for February 2012. For residential, New York and Hawaii were higher. Overall, in addition to New York and Hawaii, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Alaska were higher.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, on a bipartisan voice vote, Thursday approved legislation authored by Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and cosponsored by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) that blocks the creation of a land-border crossing fee. 

People's United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People's United Bank, announced that it has awarded a $100,000 grant to DonorsChoose.org, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, 2013.

Kilawatt Technologies has great pleasure to announce the first quarter results for 2013 of the Energy and Environment Management Project with Vermont Mutual Insurance Group.Vermont Mutual achieved a 34 percent Reduction in Thermal Energy consumption. In addition, they achieved more than a 31 percent reduction in electrical energy consumption. This equates to a fuel oil burn for their building of 0.05 Gallons per Square Foot for the month of February.For 2012 as a whole, Vermont Mutual achieved a total energy reduction of almost 21 percent for the year.

Anbaric Transmission has announced that the "Transmission Customer Open Solicitation" for the Grand Isle Intertie Project ("GII") released on April 12, 2013, resulted in expressions of interest well in excess of the planned capacity of 400MW.

by Anne Galloway May 9, 2013 vtdigger.org The members of the House and Senate budget conference committees met twice on Wednesday to find $10 million in budget reductions. Democratic legislative leaders and the governor charged conferees with a double scrubbing of the budget on Tuesday when they announced a deal to scuttle at least $10 million in tax proposals. Instead, Gov.

by Alicia Freese May 8, 2013 vtdigger.org The Senate passed an end of life bill Wednesday, 17-13, ending a longstanding stalemate and salvaging an imperiled piece of legislation. The unusual compromise now heads back to the House, which must decide whether to accept the latest iteration of the bill.

Porter Hospital in Middlebury has recently agreed to join with all other Vermont hospitals, as well as Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, in the newly formed OneCare Vermont Accountable Care Organization (ACO).

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc, (NASDAQ: GMCR), based in Waterbury, Vermont Wednesday after markets closed announced its second quarter fiscal year 2013 results for the 13 weeks and 26 weeks ended March 30, 2013. GMCR also announced a major new partnership with rival Starbucks SEE STORY. GMCR's stock price at the end of Wednesday's trading was $59.48, up $0.92 (1.57%). GMCR's 52-week range is $17.11 - $59.62.

Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX), the world's largest coffee retailer, and Vermont-based Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc (NASDAQ: GMCR), a leader in specialty coffee and coffeemakers, have signed an agreement that provides for the expansion of their successful partnership for the manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and sale of Starbucks- and Tazo-branded single serve packs for use in GMCR's Keurig single serve brewing systems globally.

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has reached a settlement with Trademark Monitoring Services, Inc., California, for mailing solicitations to Vermont businesses that misrepresented that the businesses owed it money for trademark-related services.

Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that Philip Kolling will serve as Executive Director of SerVermont, which coordinates and promotes community service across the state and is housed within the Agency of Human Services.

Earlier this morning, at the Federal Trade Commission’s Roundtable on “Mobile Cramming,” Attorney General Bill Sorrell released the results of a survey showing just how large a problem cramming is in Vermont. “Cramming” occurs when a business – not the telephone company – places charges on a phone bill without the consumer’s authorization.

by Andrew Stein May 8, 2013 vtdigger.org Governor Peter Shumlin announced Wednesday that his administration has received verbal permission from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin demolition work on the Waterbury State Office Complex. This news comes as a $173 million bonding and construction bill for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 is en route to the governor’s desk.

US Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch Wednesday announced that six Vermont organizations will be receiving a share of $1.8 million from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help assess, clean up, and reuse polluted industrial sites.

Burlington College President Christine Plunkett announced today that William J Stenger, owner of Jay Peak Resort, will deliver the commencement address at Burlington College. Commencement will take place on Saturday, May 18, on the North Lawn of the main campus. Stenger will also receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

Fletcher Allen Health Care announced today that it will purchase medical transcription services in the future rather than continue to do this work internally.  The decision will affect 40 staff members, most of whom are medical transcriptionists and work in the Health Information Management Department (medical records). Five staff in the Radiology Health Care Service will also be affected.  

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that the Vermont Symphony Orchestra is one of 817 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Wednesday announced that General Electric Aviation of Rutland has been awarded a US Navy contract for about $5.4 million for the development and production of fighter engines for the F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft.

by Alicia Freese, VTDigger.org - The Senate voted late last night to give final approval to an omnibus drug abuse bill. They had to suspend legislative rules in order to expedite this vote. On May 2, the bill won sweeping approval in the Senate. The following day, it was expected to receive final approval before moving to the governor’s desk. On Tuesday, Senator Richard Sears, D-Bennington, who as chair of the Judiciary Committee had helped bring the bill to the floor, ordered the measure to lie.

by Alicia Freese, VTDigger.org - The Senate voted 24-6 Tuesday to approve a bill that decriminalizes one ounce of marijuana. The House passed H.200 in mid-April after a protracted debate that spanned two days. The Senate passed a slightly stricter version with hardly a grumble. It comes up for a final vote Wednesday.

by Anne Galloway May 7, 2013 vtdigger.org Governor Peter Shumlin and Statehouse leaders announced Tuesday afternoon that they will scrap all new tax proposals this legislative session.

Ride Safe Vermont (RSV), reminds drivers and riders across Vermont that May is Motorcycle Awareness Month. As the weather improves, the road become clear and dry, more motorcycle and scooters are appearing on Vermont’s streets and highways.

The ribbon is cut at the Chamber Ribbon Cutting Celebration at Small Dog Electronics in Downtown Rutland by Don Mayer, Co-owner & CEO; Hapy Mayer, Co-owner, CFO & COO and Rutland Mayor Chris Louras.  Other officials in attendance were David Allaire, President, Board of Alderman; William Notte, Board of Alderman; Ed Larson, Board of Alderman; Tom Donahue, Executive Vice President/CEO, Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce; Marleen Cenate, President, Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Dave Correll, Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce Board of Dir

With markup set to begin Thursday on comprehensive immigration reform legislation in the US Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), the panel’s chairman, Monday introduced an amendment to bar the creation of a land border crossing fee.   

by Alicia Freese May 6, 2013 vtdigger.org State law regarding delinquent landlords and the water rights of their tenants will remain unchanged for another year. S41 — a bill that would have allowed tenants to pay the water bill when their landlord doesn’t — landed in legislative purgatory Monday.

The National Life Group Foundation has donated $20,000 to Lund. With over 120 years of service, Lund, a Parent Child Center, helps children thrive through nationally acclaimed and comprehensive programs in adoption, treatment, education, and family services.  

by Nat Rudarakanchana May 6, 2013 vtdigger.org Republican opposition to driver’s licenses for undocumented workers is mounting, ahead of a final House vote expected Tuesday. A third and final vote to allow so-called “driving privilege” cards for about 1,500 undocumented dairy workers, here on Vermont’s farms illegally, is set for Tuesday, after a voice vote cleared the legislation for the time being on Monday.

by Anne Galloway May 7, 2013 vtdigger.org In a 7-0 voice vote on Tuesday, a Vermont Senate panel approved an 80 cent tobacco tax increase. Lawmakers initially considered a $1.25 “placeholder” tax that Sen. Tim Ashe, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, described as a health care bill — not a tax measure.