BENNINGTON — The Friends of the Bennington Battle Monument have invited the public to the monument on Saturday, July 3, for a climb to the top.

The 417 steps of the monument were closed to the public in the 1970s. All climbs will be escorted and narrated. The tours start at 10 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. The cost for the escorted tour of the steps will be $3 for an adult and $2 for children.

The 306-foot monument, a Vermont state owned historic site, opened to the public in 1891, to commemorate the Aug. 16, 1777, Revolutionary War battle fought over the military storehouse located on the site where the monument now stands.

The steps were the only method of reaching the top until 1953 when the Otis elevator was installed. Thousands of visitors ride the elevator each year for the scenic vistas of Vermont, Massachusetts and New York, seen from the observation level high within the monument. The monument and gift shop located in Old Bennington are open daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. through Oct. 31.

For more information, visit www.historicvermont.com or call 802-447-0550.

Reprinted with permission from The Bennington Banner, Monday June 28, 2010

While this event does not have any impact on the Bennington VT real estate market, it’s a great way to see behind the scenes of the Bennington Battle Monument.

What is good for Plasan North America is good for Vermont.

As part of a March contract awarded to Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corporation to build an additional 1500 M-ATV armored vehicles, Plasan North America, which manufactures armor kits for the vehicles will be the beneficiary of $170 million of the $640 million deal.

This is just the latest in its venture to secure military contracts. In late February, Plasan delivered its 5,000th armor kit for the M-ATVs – armored fighting vehicles developed by Oshkosh – successfully fulfilling all contracts on-time during the seven-month period.

Plasan specializes in the development and manufacture of add-on armor systems for the military and commercial armored vehicle market using composite material technologies. Plasan North America is a part of Plasan SASA based in Israel.

The focus of its core business is the development, manufacture and assembly of Add-On Armor Kits (APK’s) for lightweight military tactical tracked and wheeled armored vehicles, fixed-and rotary-wing aircraft, naval platforms and civilian armored vehicles.

“Plasan is very excited to be a growing part of the Vermont _economy. We are bringing high-value jobs to the region in developing our survivability solutions,” said Plasan spokesman Don Goldberg of Qorvis Communications in Washington, D.C.

The new contract will be geared to the ongoing Afghanistan military operation. Varying from the conditions in Iraq, the Afghan terrain is steeper and required a lighter, more flexible armored vehicle.

Plasan is an asset to the Bennington business community, said Bennington Town Manager Stuart Hurd. “We have been very pleased with all the Plasan contracts. It confirms that they are turning out a good product,” said Hurd.

“Plasan has been a godsend in putting people to work in Bennington with good jobs, good pay and good benefits,” Hurd said.

Plasan’s additional employment offset earlier layoffs in the automotive sector in Bennington, said Hurd. For the most recent quarter, unemployment dropped by half a point in Bennington.

Bennington is also home to Vermont Composites, which works in the aerospace and medical/industrial markets. “We are hopeful to develop a niche in the composite field for additional business opportunities in town,” said Hurd.

Reprinted from The Battenkill Business Journal, Published May 11, 2010

By TRICIA N. HAYES

Positive economic news like this is always nice to hear in the Bennington VT real estate market.

Home buyers may get three more months — until Sept. 1 — to close on purchases they made prior to May 1 and still qualify for the federal tax credits.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, introduced the proposal as an amendment to a bill that would extend jobless benefits through November. Reid represents the state with the highest foreclosure rate.

The National Association of REALTORS® has been lobbying for the extension because buyers whose purchases are delayed by slow-moving short sales and financial transactions will lose out.

“Time is of the essence,” said Lucien Salvant, NAR managing director. “It’s important for Congress to get this done, because there’s whole bunch of loans that aren’t going to close on time.”

Source: Associated Press, Alan Zibel (06/10/2010)

This may be great news for many buyers in the Bennington VT real estate market.