Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced he’s appointed 122 Vermonters to State boards and commissions since July. Boards and commissions serve an important role in state government, giving Vermonters numerous opportunities to serve their communities. The Governor’s office is currently soliciting applications to fill vacancies and upcoming term expirations. All those interested in serving on a board or commission should visit the governor’s website to apply.

Vermont Business Magazine Commissioner Michael Harrington offers the following statement ahead of Labor Day: "This year, as we pause to honor the hard work of all Americans over the years, it’s important to remember the incredible sacrifices made by so many over the course of the pandemic. From nurses and doctors to school bus drivers and store clerks, our nation’s workforce was thrust to the front lines of a major crisis for the first time in recent memory. The determination and ingenuity displayed during the last few years is the same that steered our country through two world wars, the Great Depression, and multiple recessions. It is also what fueled long periods of growth, drove important social and economic change, put a man on the moon, and brought about important protections for workers, all while putting food on our tables."

Vermont Business Magazine It has been just over six months since the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce established a Business Assistance Center to offer personalized counseling to businesses in the region, and the response to this enhanced service has been encouraging. More than 50 businesses and entities from all over the Northeast Kingdom have already contacted the chamber for assistance, as the organization continues to increase its workforce development and business advocacy in the tri-county region. The chamber has always worked with businesses, helping them with such issues, but the chamber felt it necessary to expand such aid in light of the additional business guidance needed during this most recent economic downturn and ongoing pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of Advocacy, an independent office within the US Small Business Administration, has released the 2022 Small Business Profiles for Vermont. Built by Advocacy’s Office of Economic Research, the profile contains snapshots about Vermont small businesses, such as industries, lending and exporting. Vermont has 78,883 small businesses, most of which are sole proprietors. Vermont small businesses employ 157,131 workers, which is 60.2% of the state’s workforce.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that Secretary John Quinn will be leaving his role leading the Vermont Agency of Digital Services (ADS) later this month to work in the private sector. Secretary Quinn was first appointed by Governor Scott as chief innovation officer upon taking office in January 2017. He was named the first secretary of ADS after Executive Order 06-17 came into effect in April of 2017, which established the new Agency.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and officials from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) will be in Montreal, Quebec, September 6-7 to meet with business and government leaders, and attend the International Aerospace Innovation Forum. Since taking office, the Scott Administration has made strengthening business ties with Canada, the state’s largest trading partner, a priority. In 2020, Vermont exported over $918 million in goods to Canada and imported $1.7 billion in goods. There are 66 Canadian-owned businesses employing nearly 3,000 workers in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported August 31 that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations both increased but are still considered "Low." Total cases for the week increased by 28 to 545. Hospitalizations nearly doubled to 58 after falling to 30 the previous week. The BA.5 variant has become the predominant variant of COVID-19. As of August 30, there has not been COVID-related death in 12 days and the August total is holding at 11 in Vermont, for a pandemic total of 707 (the VDH report could be updated as more data becomes available). Vermont now has the lowest COVID death rate in the nation, at 113 per 100,000 population. With the approval on September 1 of the new Omicron booster, you can no longer get the existing boosters. The new Omicron boosters are expected within the next few days.

Vermont Business Magazine Engaged in renewable natural gas (RNG) development for over a decade, Énergir is investing and continuing to pursue its injection targets to reduce his carbon footprint to benefit its customers who are intent on reducing their emissions. For this reason, it welcomes the amendment to the Regulation respecting the quantity of renewable natural gas to be delivered by a distributor. Énergir is the parent company of Green Mountain Power and Vermont Gas Systems, the only distributor of natural gas in Vermont.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department The hunting season for gray squirrels begins Thursday, September 1. The season runs through Saturday, December 31, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. The best habitat for squirrel hunting is stands of nut-bearing trees like oak, hickory and beech. Hunters can harvest four gray squirrels per day and can have up to eight squirrels in their possession—whether in their game bag or in their freezer—at a time.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is offering a new bill credit for members purchasing induction cooktops. The new incentive, which adds to the list of several other VEC Energy Transformation incentives, is $100 for installed induction cooktops purchased on or after September 1, 2022. Induction cooktops are an efficient electric alternative to gas cooktops.

Vermont Business Magazine After a seemingly never-ending spring of price-hikes at the pump, gas prices gas prices have declined every week of the summer and are expected to be the lowest since March 3 and 20% lower than on July 4, at $3.79 per gallon nationally. As of today in Vermont, the average price of gasoline is $4.02/g, down 14 cents since last week, down 45 cents since last month and up 96 cents since last year. The lowest price is in West Dover ($3.73) and the highest is in Northfield ($4.39).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced today the appointment of Dee Barbic, a retired Vermont State Police (VSP) lieutenant, as Vermont’s first director of violence prevention. The creation of this position was included in Governor Scott’s 10-point public safety enhancement and violence prevention action plan, announced on August 17. Barbic will report directly to the Office of the Governor. Barbic will lead the Violence Prevention Taskforce (VPT), which is set to be reconstituted by executive order. The VPT will include senior executive branch officials appointed by the governor and will bring focus and clarity to a longer-term prevention strategy that prioritizes early interventions.

Barbic’s appointment is effective immediately.