Current News

by Bill Schubart We like to think of philanthropy as pure altruism… making a gift, and it often is, but philanthropy also has its dark side. Among the darkest is that there are charities legally registered as non-profits that are merely scams collecting money for owners and sponsors. Charity Watch, the charity rating service of the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP), is as close to an independent charity-rating service as donors will find.

Vermont Tech Continuing Education Working Lands Trainings: Supporting farms and forests from whelping to welding, farming to food, supply chain and systems, including manufacturing. Flexible Stackable Learning Programs.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont received a $5.75 million grant from the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to build laboratories and renovate classroom space in preparation for the launch of a new occupational therapy doctoral degree program. Senator Patrick Leahy directed the funding to support UVM’s program through the FY22 Appropriations bill. Plans for construction include pediatric, outdoor, and anatomy laboratories and a “smart apartment” featuring accessible technologies and modifications that can maximize independence and improve quality of life for people with disabilities or and older adults as they age in place.

Senator Patrick Leahy Twenty-five years ago, when I wrote what later become known as the Leahy Law, I don’t think anyone expected that it would attract so much interest and attention – not just in this country but around the world. Back then, as many of you know, there were provisions in the Foreign Assistance Act that cut off aid to countries where there was a “consistent pattern of gross violations of human rights.” But those laws, although still on the books, have not been enforced. Not by Democratic or Republican administrations. Instead, successive U.S. governments were financing military death squads in Latin America that routinely captured, tortured, and killed critics of the government, whether members of opposition political parties, journalists, social activists, academics, or priests.

Vermont Business Magazine State Auditor Doug Hoffer released a new audit today of Vermont’s efforts to ensure Vermont law enforcement officers have received required training and that law enforcement agencies have adopted required policies. Housed within the Department of Public Safety, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council is responsible for certifying more than 1,300 law enforcement officers working at 80 law enforcement agencies, including their training requirements. The audit found that the VCJC has not established policies to ensure officers are receiving their minimum annual required training hours. In addition, the VCJC does not have a system in place to determine if law enforcement agencies have required policies in place, such as Fair and Impartial Policing.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has joined 33 other states in reaching a $438.5 million agreement in principle with JUUL Labs, resolving a two-year bipartisan investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices. Under the terms of the agreement in principle, the State of Vermont will receive approximately $8 million over a period of six to ten years. In addition to the financial terms, the settlement would force JUUL to comply with strict injunctive terms severely limiting their marketing and sales practices, including refraining from marketing to youth.

Vermont Business Magazine State health officials today announced that Vermonters will be able to receive the newly approved COVID-19 vaccine booster shots starting Wednesday, September 7. The updated boosters are designed to be a match for the BA.5 Omicron variant currently affecting most people. Last week, the CDC recommended use of the new vaccine booster doses. There are two types of the new boosters, which are known as bivalent — meaning they cover both the original SARS-CoV2 virus and the more recent Omicron (BA.5) variant. The Pfizer booster is for people ages 12 and older, while Moderna’s is authorized for those 18 years of age and older. The booster vaccine will be available starting Sept. 7 at limited walk-in only clinics listed on the Health Department website.

Vermont Business Magazine Exaktera LLC from Boston, a Union Park Capital portfolio company, today announced its acquisition of Advanced Illumination Inc, based in Rochester, Vermont, a long-established design and manufacturer of specialty LED lighting assemblies and drivers for machine vision, industrial imaging, bio-medical and related imaging applications. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Advanced Illumination's state-of-the-art LED components, current mode drivers and strobe sources, combined with optical and thermal design techniques enable factory automation and machine vision across a wide variety of industrial applications.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont announced today a joint venture with local development firm Snyder-Braverman to create much-needed housing for UVM graduate students, faculty, and staff, to be located in the newly developed South Burlington City Center. The venture will create nearly 500 beds in 295 apartments, to be constructed in three phases. The first phase will yield about 170 beds in 100 units, with a target occupancy of summer 2024. Phase 2 will add about 100 more beds in 65 apartments by summer of 2025, and phase 3 will create over 225 additional beds in 130 units to be completed in summer 2026.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos promoted September as National Voter Registration Month and encouraged eligible Vermonters to register to vote. National Voter Registration Month was established by Secretaries of State in 2002 to promote voter participate and increase civic knowledge of state voter registration policies.

by John McClaughry Ever since the deplorable January 6, 2021 attempt by supporters of outgoing President Trump to seize the U.S. Capitol, the political left has raised and amplified the cry of “our democracy under assault.” Last Thursday in Philadelphia President Biden devoted a speech to delivering , in the words of the supportive Washington Post, “a dark message about threats to the very fabric of American democracy”, posed by what he has called the “semi-fascist MAGA Republicans” loyal to the former President. The speech came a week after an NBC News national survey asked voters, “What do you think is the most important issue facing the country?” “Threats to democracy” ranked first with 21%.

Vermont Business Magazine The 12th Annual Champlain Valley Buddy Walk will take place at Burlington’s Battery Park on Sunday, October 2nd, with on-site registration opening at noon and the walk commencing at 1:00 PM. More than 150 people are expected to attend the event, which is one of 250 Walks across the country this fall to raise awareness and funds for programs that benefit people with Down syndrome and their families. This year’s walk will begin and end in Battery Park, and will trace an approximately 1-mile loop through adjacent Waterfront Park.