There were 739 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 217 from the week before. Altogether 8,254 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 170 from a week ago and 2,111 fewer than a year earlier. The Department also processed 1,850 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 99 more than a week ago. In addition, there were 849 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is an increase of 99 from the week before.

Just as CVPS crews were wrapping up restoration efforts from Wednesday evening's severe thunderstorms, round two came through, as predicted by weather forecasters, this afternoon. Thursday afternoon storms knocked out power to an additional 12,000 CVPS customers. This time, Windham County took the hardest hit, but damage was also spread through Windsor, Orange, Bennington and Rutland counties.  

The Vermont State Agency of Transportation is announcing that all state highways that were closed due to the flooding of May 26 will all be open by June 10.  “Our district personnel have been working extremely hard since the flooding occurred to get these vital links in our transportation system back open for the public,” said Sue Minter, Deputy Secretary of VTrans.  “I can’t thank our district forces enough for working around the clock in some instances to keep Vermont’s roadways open and repairing the damage done by these intense storms,&rd

The Vermont Agency of Transportation is replacing the bridge decking on Bridge 19 on VT 114 in the town of Newark - Bridge 19 is located just north of Town Highway 13 - Lost Nation Road.  Sealed bids were opened on Monday June 6th and the construction firm of J.A. McDonald was awarded the contract. 

Global precision molder and contract manufacturer GW Plastics announced today the opening of a new medical manufacturing facility in Cartago, Costa Rica. Established to serve the growing outsourcing needs of leading healthcare OEMs in the region, GW Plastics Cartago is a GW majority-owned joint venture between GW Plastics and Corprosemm Corporation.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded  $235,197 to the Bennington Housing Authority. This grant is part of $31 million awarded nationally today to public housing authority resident associations and non-profit organizations across the U.S.

US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced Thursday that the US Department of Labor has released $2 million in funding for workforce development training provided by the Vermont Healthcare and Information Technology Education Center (HITEC) in Williston.  Leahy, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured the funds in last year’s annual appropriations bill. 

At a Lake Bomoseen press conference on Thursday, Representative Peter Welch joined Vermont sportsmen and small business owners in calling for an end to ethanol subsidies, which costs taxpayers $6 billion annually, drive up food prices and cause damage to small engines such as those used in boats, motorcycles and lawnmowers.  

The City of Burlington and the City’s AFSCME bargaining unit have signed a five-year labor agreement.  The agreement was ratified by AFSCME membership and subsequently approved by the City Council at its May 16 meeting.  Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss and AFSCME representatives Bill Rasch, Brandi Barbeau, George Lovell, and Lynn Brelsford executed the final agreement at the end of the day yesterday.  In total, AFSCME represents 215<

Governor Peter Shumlin today called on the Emergency Board to approve a $1 million appropriation that, when used by the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) to leverage additional borrowing capacity, will provide up to $3 million in no- and low-interest loans to commercial businesses damaged by the spring floods.