Vermont Business Magazine News

Berkshire Bank and its charitable arms, Berkshire Bank Foundation and Berkshire Bank Foundation – Legacy Region, contributed $258,530 to local United Ways as part of its 2013 workplace campaign.  

From its lifts and lodges to its snowmaking and “magic carpet," a new solar installation has helped the central Massachusetts family run ski area, Berkshire East, become the world’s first ski area to be powered entirely from on-site renewables.

A new checklist is now available to help towns rate whether or not they are economically, environmentally and socially resilient. The Vermont Natural Resources Council today released The Resilient Communities Scorecard, which builds on the Smart Growth Scorecard published by the Vermont Forum on Sprawl in 2001. The update makes it the first scorecard developed in Vermont that looks at resilience.

by Alicia Freese April 22, 2013 vtdigger.org A recent report showcases the fact that the average amount of money that Vermont households reap from the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) isn’t leaps and bounds above what residents in other states receive. In fact, Vermont falls squarely in the middle of the pack — in 2011, it ranked 25th in terms of the total credit — federal and state combined — that households received.

by Nat Rudarakanchana April 22, 2013 vtdigger.org Vermonters First, the state’s best-known conservative Super PAC, criticized a handful of House legislators last week in direct mailings to their constituents, accusing these Democrats of embarking on a “massive taxing spree.”

Merchants Bancshares, Inc (NASDAQ: MBVT), the parent company of Merchants Bank, today announced net income of $3.61 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.57 for the three months ended March 31, 2013, compared to net income of $3.61 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.58 for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The return on average assets was 0.86% for the three months ended March 31, 2013, compared to 0.89% for the same period in 2012.

by Andrew Stein April 23, 2013 vtdigger.org The House Human Services Committee passed a bill out to the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that would give physicians immunity from disciplinary action for prescribing a lethal dose of medication to a terminally ill patient, if the doctor followed strict procedures and if the patient requested the medication.

Vermont wasted the least amount per capita among all states in the US in unnecessary medication-related costs, yet still experienced an average of $1,004.39 in unnecessary costs per resident. The United States wasted $418 billion in 2012 based on bad medication-related decisions, and the impact was most deeply felt in those states that could least afford it, according to new research from Express Scripts (NASDAQ: ESRX).

Colchester, Vt. -- Vermont Public Radio has been honored with four regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, including recognitions for Overall Excellence, from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA).  “As a public broadcaster, we are accountable to the community we serve,” said Director of News Ross Sneyd. “We are honored to receive these awards because they go to the heart of VPR’s mission to provide an essential and trusted independent voice for news and information in our region.”

NBT Financial Group, Inc (Nasdaq:NBTF), parent company of The National Bank and Trust Company ("NB&T"), Wilmington, Ohio, announced net income for the first quarter of 2013 of $1.0 million, or $.30 per share. Net income for the first quarter of 2012 was $361,000, or $.11 per share. Net income is up primarily due to a $1.2 million decrease in the loan losses provision this quarter, compared to the first quarter of 2012.

Commissioner Susan L. Donegan today announced that the Department of Financial Regulation has launched a new secure and easy online method for consumers to make inquiries and file complaints to the department’s Insurance Division.

Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc (VITL) has announced that Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend is the latest hospital to connect to the state’s health information network.  By connecting to the network, Grace Cottage Hospital can now securely share clinical information electronically with other treating health care providers, with the goal of improving the quality of care delivery, and enhancing patient safety and outcomes.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, will hold a hearing Tuesday on  programs that address the severe shortages in the nation’s primary care workforce. 

The Town of Randolph celebrated Earth Day with USDA Rural Development on April 22nd at the Chandler Cultural Center. During the festivities, USDA announced  an award of $7.67 Million  ($5,023,000 wastewater loan; $2,644,000 grant) to replace the town’s 40 year-old wastewater system. The system was also heavily damaged by hurricane Irene. 

FairPoint Communications, Inc, (NasdaqCM: FRP), a leading communications provider in northern New England, announced Monday that Vermont State President Mike Smith will leave the company in August and will be succeeded by Beth Fastiggi, FairPoint's vice president of government relations for Vermont.

Gov. Peter Shumlin, Vermont Education Secretary Armando Vilaseca, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, along with the Chair of White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley and Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Bob Persiacepe, today announced the second annual U.S.

Berlin, Vermont – In what’s fast becoming a spring tradition in Vermont, more than 24,000 residents across the state will take to the pavement on April 24 for National Walk @ Lunch Day.  Currently in its seventh year, National Walk @ Lunch Day is an annual health promotion celebrated by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) and other associated Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations across the United States.

Turner Toys & Hobbies, a Vermont-based company that specializes in selling “the toys we grew up with,” is pleased to announce the opening of their new warehouse store to better serve Chittenden County with the unique, high quality toys they have been selling online since 1998. Turner Toys & Hobbies is also expanding their hobby selection to offer the “staples” of the hobby industry that can be used across multiple hobbies.

 As businesses work to support healthy employees and reduce their environmental impact, some companies are promoting bike-friendly workplaces.

by Andrew Stein April 19, 2013 vtdigger.org At the start of the legislative session, Senate bill S.30 came in like a lion, and now it’s poised to limp out of the House like a newborn lamb.

by Andrew Stein April 19, 2013 vtdigger.org Last Friday, the Vermont Public Service Board told 33 organizations and residents that they could have a voice in the permit proceedings for Vermont Gas Systems' proposed $86.6 million southern expansion. What’s deemed the “Addison County Natural Gas Project” consists of a 41.2-mile transmission line from Colchester to Middlebury and 5.1 miles of distribution pipeline in Vergennes and Middlebury.

by Nat Rudarakanchana April 19, 2013 vtdigger.org In a 23-5 vote, the state Senate Friday backed a gas and diesel tax hike set to take effect on May 1. Differences between the Senate and House gas tax hike bills now will have to be worked out. The gas tax increase amounts to an per gallon hike of 7.5 cents by 2014, levied through a new 4 percent sales tax on the price of gas. There’s a 13.4 cent/gallon minimum floor for the gas tax, with a maximum ceiling of 18 cents/gallon, no matter how the price of gas fluctuates.

Vermont’s labor force shrank by another 1,650 people in March, according to an analysis by the Public Assets Institute based in Montpelier. Even as the economy appears to be slowly improving, the number of Vermonters working has steadily declined. In March 2009, 15 months into the recession, there were almost 362,000 people in the Vermont labor force, either employed or unemployed and seeking work. Last month, the labor force was down to 351,650.

At the April meeting of the Board of Directors of United Way of Chittenden County, Charlotte Ancel, an attorney with the Burlington law firm Sheehey Furlong & Behm  PC,  was elected President of the Board for a two year term.  With a practice focusing primarily in public utility and telecommunications law, Ancel graduated first in her class from the University of New Hampshire Law School in 2007.  During law school, she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and cler

The Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) has announced a broadband grant to ECFiber of $167,569.

Washington Electric Cooperative will celebrate a year of accomplishments, chiefly the completion of its system-wide installation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI, also known as smart metering), at the Co-op’s 74th Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday evening, May 2, at the Barre Elks Club. The guest speaker at this year’s annual meeting will be Mark Breen, the well-known “Eye on the Sky” meteorologist for Vermont Public Radio.

Attorney General William Sorrell announced today that his Office has settled a lawsuit against the Republican Governors Association and former gubernatorial candidate Brian Dubie concerning campaign finance violations stemming from the 2010 gubernatorial campaign. The settlement, approved by the Vermont Superior Court, concludes an enforcement action brought by the Attorney General’s Office in December 2011.

The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for March 2013 was 4.1 percent. This represents a decline of three-tenths of a percent from the prior month’s estimate of 4.4 percent. The comparative national average was 7.6 percent which was down one-tenth of a percent from February. March 2013 represents the eighth consecutive month without an increase to the unemployment rate in Vermont. As of the prior month’s data, Vermont’s unemployment rate was tied for the third lowest in the country.

by Nat Rudarakanchana April 19, 2013 vtdigger.org Dozens of people affiliated with the Vermont Paid Sick Days Coalition flocked to the Statehouse on Thursday evening to lobby for mandatory paid sick leave for working Vermonters.

New unemployment claims in Vermont increased again last week, as claims edged higher than for the same time last year. For the week of April 13, 2013, there were 1,068 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is an increase of 171 from the previous week's total, and 50 more than they were a year ago.