Amherst, N.H.-based Virtual Homes Inc., a major New England real- estate lead generator, has formed an exclusive partnership with RE/ MAX Innovations of Boston. The relationship is geared to provide each RE/MAX agent with 30 leads a month, generated through the Virtual Homes community network of Web sites. Since 2000, Virtual Homes has provided lead generation and sales management services to Realtors and lenders, including Internet marketing, lead generation, lead qualification and lead notification.

N.H. to help needy pay for home heating

New Hampshire has agreed to put up $10 million of state money to help poor people heat their homes this winter. The House and Senate easily approved the spending during a one-day special session Wednesday, and Gov. John Lynch signed the bill in the afternoon. The plan includes $1.2 million to help insulate and weatherize homes. Fuel assistance helps families cover about 25 percent of their heating costs, including oil, electric and other forms of energy -- roughly 190 gallons of heating oil. The average family in the state uses about 800 gallons.

Maine reports decrease in lottery revenue

Maine lottery officials are blaming the soft economy for a $90,000 shortfall over the last two months. Officials say 72 percent of revenue from lottery sales is from scratch tickets -- and fewer of those tickets are being sold in stores. More than 200 state agencies rely on lottery revenue. Some of the money from lottery sales goes into the General Fund. The head of Maine's lottery operations says the shortfall can be made up in the next 10 months of the budget year.

Study details benefits of coastal shipping

The Gloucester, Mass.-based Institute for Global Maritime Studies has published a comprehensive study of the potential environmental, national security and economic benefits of increased U.S. coastal shipping. "Deep Blue Highway is a timely, revolutionary report, which shows that in many cases the greenest and cheapest way to ship goods is by sea, not by land," said Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund and author of the bestselling book, Earth: The Sequel: The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming. "This sea change could benefit every American by reducing the cost of the goods we buy, cutting congestion on our clogged roads, making the air we breathe healthier and combating global warming pollution," he said. The report, by John Curtis Perry, Scott G. Borgerson, and Rockford Weitz, can be downloaded at www.igms.org

UVM sets 'green' toilet-paper policy

The University of Vermont in Burlington is going green in the school's bathrooms. Starting Oct.