Democratic candidate for Governor Peter Shumlin, center, talks with a campaign worker at his Burlington, Vt. offices, Tuesday, August 17, after the campaign announced it is leading the pack of gubernatorial candidates in fundraising for the current reporting period. (Vermont Daily News photo)

BURLINGTON, Vt – August 17, 2010 – With one week remaining before the primary election in Vermont, the Shumlin for Governor campaign announced today that it had beat out Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie and all primary opponents during the latest financial filing period, raising over $170,000 during the period.  The campaign reported $97,885.85 of that amount came from campaign supporters and $75,000 is a personal loan from the candidate.

“Our strong fundraising over the past month reflects the growing momentum behind Peter’s campaign,” said campaign manager Alex MacLean. “We are grateful for the outpouring of support we have received throughout this campaign, and thank the hundreds of donors who have made it possible for Peter to deliver his message of decisive leadership across the state.”

The Shumlin campaign has raised $591,375 to date, with approximately $56,000 on
hand.

Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie’’s campaign reported Tuesday it has raised $1,036,675.85 to date from 4,450 individual donors. The Dubie campaign total includes $92,715.13 raised in the 30 days since the last reporting period on July 15.

Dubie said he was encouraged by the momentum behind his campaign, ““We have knocked on 44,000 doors, delivered 7,500 yard signs, and this week surpassed 9,000 fans on Facebook. Everywhere I go, it’s clear my message of cutting taxes and making state government a partner, not an adversary, of job creators is resonating.”

To date, the Dubie campaign has spent $575,054.51 and has $461,621.34 in cash on hand.

In accordance with state law, candidates must have filed details this afternoon with the
Vermont Secretary of State’s Office.

-Vermont Daily News report and Shumlin and Dubie Campaign press release information

Harvard University takes sole top honors this year, grabbing the position after sharing the designation last year with Princeton University.

A high graduation rate distinguished Middlebury College of Middlebury, Vt., this year, ranked 45th with 83% among those colleges with the highest graduation rates in the magazine’s annual Best Colleges ranking. Williams College of Williamstown, Ma., took top honors at 93% in that listing.

Yale University of New Haven, Ct., took the top ranking for Best Values: National Universities, followed by Harvard and Princeton.

U.S. News & World Report has issued it’s college rankings for 27 years. This year, the magazine says, it scrutinized 1,400 schools and ranked them.

More: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-universities

-Vermont Daily News report

The Brandon Fire Department contacted the Vermont State Police and asked that an Origin and Cause fire investigation be conducted. Fire Investigators from the Vermont State Police and Division of Fire and Safety responded to the scene where the exact cause of the fire is unknown at this time and the investigation is on-going. The fire is considered suspicious and at this point in the investigation it is believed the fire was intentionally started. The State Police is asking anyone with information or may have seen anything to call the Vermont Arson Tip Award Program at 1-800-32 ARSON or the Brandon Police Department.

-Vermont Daily News and Vermont State Police press release

Senator Sanders office said the funds authorized by last year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are in addition to an estimated $19 million included for Vermont schools in new legislation signed Tuesday by President Obama. That separate support for schools is expected to fund 300 Vermont teaching jobs.

“Ensuring that young Vermonters have access to the best education possible is one of my highest priorities for our future,” Leahy said. “When Congress passed the Recovery Act last year, we wanted to prevent counterproductive cuts in education since state budgets have suffered under the economic downturn. In addition to the federal funding signed into law yesterday to support Vermont teachers, these recovery act dollars will help ensure Vermont schools and teachers have the resources necessary to continue to provide quality education to Vermont’s students.”

“People are hurting, and in the midst of this terrible recession it is absolutely unacceptable to turn our backs on our children and on education,” said Sanders, a member of the Senate education committee. The extra aid, Sanders added, “takes the pressure off local government to have to raise property taxes and it takes the pressure off state government.”

“Investing in our children’s future is one of the most important investments we can make,” Welch said. “These funds deliver on Vermont’s request for flexible education funding that can be used in areas where it’s most needed. After yesterday’s vote that gave state and local governments some necessary breathing room, this funding is good news and will ensure Vermont’s children continue to have access to an excellent education.” 

The recovery act, which Congress passed in 2009 to stimulate the economy aimed at assisting the country in recovering from the worst recession since the 1930s, had already landed Vermont a sum of $182 million. The state recently reported that recovery dollars were used to fund more than 250 education jobs from April 1 to June 30 of this year.

“With this application, Vermont provided us with basic information on what is working in their classrooms,” said U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. “This data is a critical tool in helping us work together-with students, parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and elected officials at every level-to improve education for Vermont’s students.”

 In addition to the more than $25 million announced today, the ARRA has provided $156,548,395 in funding through 10 different programs to the state of Vermont said.  In total, Vermont has received more than $1.3 billion from the recovery act, including tax cuts for virtually every taxpayer in the state. 

According to the U.S. Deparment of Education, before today’s announcement, Vermont had received:

• $68,855,967 in State Fiscal Stabilization funds
• $25,765,406 in Title I funds.
• $28,916,214 in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funds.
• $3,209,375 in Education Technology Grants.
• $1,800,000 in Vocational Rehabilitation Funds.
• $596,440 in Independent Living Services Funds.
• $7,261,859 in School Improvement Grants.
• $175,966 in McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance funds
• $18,823,674 in Pell Grants
• $1,143,495 in Work Study funds

-Vermont Daily News report

Lazarus opened the tournament with two of Germany’s three goals in a setback to host England on July 15, and added a goal and an assist two days later versus Japan. The next game on July 18, Lazarus contributed an assist against eventual-champion U.S., and netted a goal the next day versus Canada, the eventual runners-up. Lazarus then scored two goals in Germany’s fifth and final game of Group play against Australia on July 20.

His best game of the tournament came against the Netherlands, as the attacker recorded a game-high five goals in a 14-1 rout of the Dutch on July 22, sending Germany into the Fifth-Place Game versus England on July 24. Despite four goals in their final game against the hosts, Lazarus and his German squad fell to England, 14-9.

Of the nearly 400 players that scored in the tournament, Lazarus tied for 45th place with his 18 points.

At Saint Michael’s, Lazarus completed an illustrious four-year career in 2008. He is tied for the program record with 109 career goals, and holds the single-season program record with 46 goals as a junior in 2007. Lazarus helped guide the Purple Knights to four straight winning seasons under Schimoler, and three consecutive appearances in the Northeast-10 Conference Semifinals from 2006-08.

-Vermont Daily News and SMC Sports Information press release

Vermont  State Police Sgt. Garry Scott said it was raining heavily in the area where Gonyaw was forced to crawl through an open window to flee the truck which had become completely submersed in the flooded riverbed.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning in effect until 8:15 a.m. for Franklin, northern Chittenden, Grand Isle, and Western Lamoille counties of Vermont.
-Vermont Daily News report

A statewide open hunting season for Canada geese will occur September 7-25, 2010. The daily bag limit will be five Canada geese except in that portion of the Lake Champlain Zone within Addison County north of Route 125, where the limit will be two per day. The purpose of the season, which is held earlier than the regular waterfowl hunting seasons, is to help control Vermont’s resident Canada goose population prior to the arrival of Canada geese migrating south from northern Canada.

“This September goose season is prescribed for resident Canada geese that have built up a sizeable breeding population here in Vermont,” said State Wildlife Biologist William Crenshaw.

Vermont’s youth waterfowl hunting weekend will be held September 25-26, 2010. Hunters 15 years of age or younger on that date may hunt ducks and geese statewide during this season while accompanied by an adult 18 or older. Both must have Vermont hunting licenses. The adult may not hunt or carry a firearm. Neither the youth nor the adult is required to hold a state or federal duck stamp on this weekend.

This year, as in 2004, the September Canada goose season and the Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend overlap by one day, Saturday, September 25. On this day the daily bag limit for Canada geese will be the same as the September Canada Goose Season. On Sunday, September 26, the daily bag limit will be the same as the late (October-November) Canada goose season.
-Vermont Agency of Natural Resources press release

Circus Smirkus performers sit with former President George Bush Sr., right, and former First Lady Barbara Bush, August 2, 2010.(Circus Smirkus handout photo)

KENNEBUNKPORT, Me. – August 2, 2010 -  Circus-goers may expect calliope music, but at a Circus Smirkus performance here last night Hail to the Chief filled the Big Top as President George H.W. Bush and his wife entered the tent.

The invitation to the Bush family was extended last month by Circus Smirkus, the 23-year-old, award-winning, international youth circus based in Greensboro, Vt. Kids ages 11 to 18 are stars, on high wire and trapeze, as jugglers, clowns and acrobats.

“It was amazing,” said a smiling,15-year-old Noah Nielsen of Montpelier, VT, who was part of a diabolo juggling act. “It made us realize that what we do is really important, to have a president and his wife in the audience.”

“It was incredible — just a joy and an honor to have them here,” said 18-year-old juggler Aaron Dewitt of Buckfield, ME. Aerialist Daniel Sullivan’s family, from Denver, CO, was seeing the show for the first time. “To have my family, and President Bush in the audience at the same time . . . it was incredible, an adrenaline rush,” said the 17-year-old performer.

Each summer, Circus Smirkus travels the Northeast with its Big Top Tour. This summer, the troupe is performing 70 shows in 16 cities and towns in a seven-week period. It is the only traveling youth circus in the nation to tour under canvas (that is, with its own big top tent).

This marks the fifth year that the circus has performed in Kennebunkport, sponsored by the Kennebunkport Consolidated School Parent-Teacher Association. According to Jeni Kingston, a volunteer active with the PTA, the group has raised $75,000 by presenting Circus Smirkus, and has used the funds for many projects at the elementary school including extensive renovations to the gymnasium/auditorium, field trips, artist-in-residency programs, visiting authors and more.

Mr. and Mrs. Bush appeared to thoroughly enjoy the show, posing with performers and crew for photos at intermission. When the two-man Smirkus band — composer Tristan Moore and percussionist Ryan Gray hammered out Hail to the Chief from their perch high above the ring as Mr. Bush entered, the former president smiled with apparent delight and the audience rose to its feet, applauding. Mr. and Mrs. Bush beamed and clapped as the young Smirkus troupers performed as jugglers, clowns and acrobats. “We’ll be back,” said President Bush as he left the tent.
Circus Smirkus Executive Director Ed LeClair said he was thrilled. Smirkus has been honored to host a number of well-known visitors over the years, he said, citing guests like chef Julia Child, actor Michael J. Fox and renowned mime Marcel Marceau. But a presidential visit is an honor like no other.

Circus Smirkus finishes the 2010 Big Top Tour with additional shows in Kennebunkport today (Aug. 3), in Freeport, ME (Aug 5 & 6), Revere, MA (Aug. 8 & 9), Montpelier, VT (Aug 11 & 12) and Greensboro, VT (August 14 & 15). Tickets and information at 1-877-SMIRKUS (1-877-764-7587) and at www.smirkus.org

-Circus Smirkus press release

All uniformed personnel are asked to park and stage at the Sheraton Conference Center in Burlington – exit 14 off interstate 89. All uniformed personnel are asked to be at the Sheraton no later than 9:30 a.m. Buses will begin running at 8:30. There is no parking available at Ira Allen Chapel. Honor Guard members are asked to attend, no department apparatus. Reception will follow on the campus of UVM.
Expressions of sympathy or condolences can be sent to Local 3044 at P.O. Box 1597, Burlington, VT 05402-1597.
-Vermont Daily News report

Workers decontaminate a barge at the Theodore Staging Area, Saturday, July 31, 2010, in Theodore, Alabama. (BP handout photo)

Gulf of Mexico – August 3, 2010 - During final preparations to commence with the injectivity test on Monday, BP discovered a small hydraulic leak in the capping stack hydraulic control system. The injectivity test, previously announced to take place Monday is rescheduled until the leak is repaired which is expected Tuesday says BP. As a result, the static kill operation date has also been moved back.

The planned static kill operation uses a low rate of flow with nowhere near the pressures involved in the top kill procedure, involving the pumping of heavy mud into the well, pushing the oil in the damaged Macondo well today, back down into the reservoir and displacing it with the heavy mud. That heavy mud is what actually kills or holds back the pressure from the reservoir, says BP.

At which point, says BP spokesperson Daren Beaudo, “There’s a very important decision to make about, what is the best way to pump cement into this well? Is it at that point to do it from the top, from the Q4000? Or is it best to cement it from the relief well when we intersect?”

BP says it expects to intersect the relief well drilling with the Macondo well sometime during the second week of August.

-Vermont Daily News report