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by Daniel M French, Vermont Secretary of Education For the last two years, we have endured an incredibly challenging time with the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has impacted all aspects of our society including our PreK-12 education system. During the pandemic, Vermont’s education system was asked to do things it was never designed to do, like providing childcare, using school buses to deliver student meals, toggling between in-person and remote learning, and managing complex public health mitigation strategies like vaccination clinics and rapid testing programs. And throughout the pandemic, our education system rose to the occasion and kept our schools open and safe. The work of our school employees has been heroic, inspiring, and in the highest tradition of public service. They deserve our gratitude and our respect for stepping up in a very challenging moment.

Vermont Business Magazine State tax revenues exceed targets again; State drops charges against Alex Choi, fourth man in EB-5 fraud case; Vermont’s ski Industry reports 6.5% rebound; Vermont employers to see unemployment insurance tax relief; Scott outlines new workforce initiatives to fill available jobs; Record high maple syrup production in Vermont in 2022; VLS to change name, become graduate institution, gets $8 million gift; Champlain College receives $1 million donation; UVM gets $5.5 million to launch integrative health center; Governor Scott appoints Susanne Young Attorney General of Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The innovative MagicStone brand is the result of a combined effort of two iconic Vermont companies: The Imagination Company and Vermont Soapstone. Developed and patented by CEO Jim Giberti, the new MagicStone Odyssey is a completely unique approach to using cannabis, in both design and experience. Each Odyssey is handcrafted and precision tooled from a single block of soapstone and delivers the benefits of a vaporizer with the simplicity of use of a traditional pipe – no batteries, no pre-heating, and virtually no maintenance. The magic began when Jim, Creative Director of The Imagination Company, got a call from Glenn Bowman, owner of Vermont Soapstone, who was looking for a firm to rebrand his historic company.

Vermont Business Magazine VT Commercial of Burlington has released its second quarter commercial real estate transactions report.

The Crystal Cottage of Vermont relocated its retail store to 176 Battery Street, Burlington. Yves Bradley and Linda Letourneau of V/T Commercial assisted both the landlord, Stern Property LLC, and the tenant.

Yves Bradley of V/T Commercial announced the lease of 1,150 sf of office space at the Innovation Center of Vermont to Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. Bradley represented the landlord, and J.L. Davis Realty represented the tenant.

London Middlebury leased 2,250 sf of office space at 110 West Canal Street, Winooski from Infill Winooski II, LLC. Yves Bradley of V/T Commercial assisted both parties in this lease.

Vermont Business Magazine The Slate Quarry Park Group, Inc. and the Town and Village of Poultney are pleased to announce a Grand Opening of the Slate Quarry Park located at 76 Main Street in Poultney on Friday, July 29, 2022, at 5 PM. A cordial invitation is extended to the public. Speakers at the Grand Opening will include Larry Sullivan, Co-Executive Director of The Slate Quarry Park Group; Paul Donaldson, Poultney Town and Village Manager; and Representative Patricia McCoy, Minority Leader of the Vermont House of Representatives. Carolyn Stellatella, member artist of Stone Valley Arts, will recite her original poem “Poultney Rises” and a performance by the Hermit Hollow String Band will take place at 6 pm.

Vermont Business Magazine East Middlebury, in Addison County, has long been known as the “land of milk and honey” and is one of Vermont’s most verdant agricultural areas. So it is not surprising that chefs grow here too. The Waybury Inn has been a dining and lodging landmark in the town for over 200 years. The dining experience is a leading reason why so many guests return to stay at the Inn some over decades. For a fifth of its history, it has had one head chef. Donna Siebert took over the Inn’s kitchen in 1982 after cooking in it since 1968. Her family owned the inn for many years – Donna recalls she was twelve - and lived across East Main Street. She started cooking after working as a server while she was attending Castleton State College.

Vermont Business Magazine Community Bank is proud to serve as the presenting sponsor of the 2022 Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 2006, this team-based charity event raises money to support local cancer survivors. Since its conception 16 years ago, the Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival has raised and donated over $1 million to benefit cancer survivors in the community. All funds raised during this year’s event will go to support Dragonheart Vermont, a nonprofit breast cancer wellness organization, and its Pledge Partner, Cancer Patient Support Foundation (CPSF). Donations will be allocated for the Emergency Fund, CPSF’s largest program that provides financial support for local cancer patients and their families while they are undergoing treatment.

Public Assets Institute Since the pandemic began, there’s been a lot of talk about people moving to Vermont. New Census Bureau data verify the rumor: Vermont’s population netted a gain of nearly 4,900 via migration between the summers of 2020 and 2021. Newcomers were spread across the Vermont counties, ranging from less than a half a percent of the population in Chittenden County to 2.1 percent in Grand Isle. Although Census estimates for smaller counties tend to be less accurate, a clear pattern of net in-migration emerges statewide.

​Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) Foundation Board President Bob Van Degna announced Thursday that $24 million has been quietly raised over the last four years toward the goal of $25 million for the Vision 2020, a Decade of Transformation Capital Campaign. The multi-phased project will renovate and expand the Emergency Department and front entrance to the hospital, and construct a new Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center on the health system’s main campus.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that The Forest Farmers, LLC, was fined $6,750 for clearing trees and placing fill within a wetland and its 50-foot buffer on an over 2,300-acre property it owns in Marshfield, Vermont. The company agreed to resolve the enforcement matter by paying a penalty of $6,750 and restoring the property as required by the permit.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor announced that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for June was 2.2 percent. This reflects a decrease of one-tenth of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate. The civilian labor force participation rate rose to 61.6 percent in June. ​All three major metrics showed improvement, as the total labor force and employed increased and the number of unemployed fell. The state jobless rate is now back to its very low, pre-pandemic level and is fifth lowest in the nation. Minnesota is lowest at 1.8 percent and New Mexico is highest at 4.9 percent. New Hampshire is third lowest at 2.0 percent. The comparable United States rate in June was 3.6 percent, which experienced no change from the revised May estimate.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Creamery, B Corp-Certified makers of consciously crafted artisanal cheese and butter has once again earned national and international acclaim, winning nine International Cheese & Dairy Awards (ICDA) and eight awards at the 39th Annual American Cheese Society (ACS) Awards. In addition to Vermont Creamery, Vermont cheese and butter makers won a total of 40 awards, as well as multiple firsts, at the ACS Awards, including Best of Show for Jasper Hill Farms.