Current News

Vermont Business Magazine In an effort to create a cleaner and more energy efficient Vermont, the University of Vermont (UVM)―in conjunction with over a dozen manufacturing and electric utility companies, state and local government offices, Vermont higher education institutions, and non-governmental organizations—has formally announced the Vermont Clean and Resilient Energy Consortium (VCREC). The VCREC seeks funding for research and related economic and commercial development related to clean energy, and to collaborate on projects of mutual interest to support clean energy delivery, renewable energy, decarbonization, and energy resiliency.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced today the signing of two bills, passed by the General Assembly. This includes legislation to provide an extension for out of state providers to practice telehealth in our state without a Vermont license: H.654, An act relating to extending COVID-19 health care regulatory flexibility.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced today that approximately 10,000 households will get an extra fuel benefit through the Seasonal Fuel Assistance Program. Given high oil and kerosene prices, a one-time $350 benefit will be paid to providers to help offset additional costs for program participants.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today delivered remarks on the floor of the US Senate in opposition to the COMPETES Act, which includes $53 billion in giveaways to very profitable microchip companies. "At a time of massive and growing income and wealth inequality, the American people are outraged at the unprecedented level of corporate greed that is taking place all around them."

Vermont Business Magazine Winooski Mayor Kristine Lott today announced the appointment of Elaine Wang to serve as Winooski’s City Manager. Wang has been serving as the Assistant Town Manager in the Town of Barre, Vermont, since 2016 and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Winooski. Previously, Wang spent seven years at Sustainable Communities in Montpelier, holding several positions, including Climate and Environment Program Assistant and Officer, International Program Officer, and Senior Program Officer.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on March 22, 2022, Eike Blohm, 39, of South Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont, to serve 100 months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography. Blohm’s federal sentence of 100 months will run concurrently with the 80-to-82-month sentence of imprisonment Blohm received in Vermont state court as a result of his guilty pleas to lewd and lascivious conduct and voyeurism.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 77 cases of COVID-19 for Monday, down from 84 Sunday (120 on Saturday, 142 on Friday). There were two additional deaths, which stand at 613 statewide. Both deaths were in people over 60. There have been six fatalities since March 5. The 7-day case average increased 14% over the last 7 days and was flat over the last 14 days. Cases down 92% since the Omicron peak. In response to an overall decline in cases since February, and with the highest vaccination and booster rates in the nation, the state will discontinue their vaccination and testing clinics in mid-April.

by John McClaughry For the past decade the most popular idea for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to fight the Menace of Climate Change has been subsidizing the purchase of electric vehicles so that even low income and disadvantaged people can get one. Vermont has gone even further, signing on the dictates of the California Air Resources Board that will make it impossible for dealers to buy or sell an internal combustion car or light truck by 2035. From a political standpoint, the most attractive feature of boosting EVs, like the Clean Heat Standard advanced by the House last week (H.715), is that neither involves a visible carbon tax. The EV relies on government subsidies.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual was proudly represented by nearly four dozen employees, independent agency partners, and family members at the Burlington Waterfront for the Penguin Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Vermont on Saturday, March 12, 2022. The Union Mutual Popsicles were the event’s leading fundraiser for the fourth year in a row, with a grand total of over $85,000. The event raised over $500,000 in total. The team fundraising all-time record was set by Union Mutual in 2020. Since 2016, Union Mutual has raised nearly $370,000 for Special Olympics Vermont through participating in the Penguin Plunge.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Tuesday sent a letter to incoming Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz ahead of his announced return to the company, highlighting some of the egregious anti-union efforts the company has undertaken to fight employees who are building a movement to unionize Starbucks locations around the country. “If Starbucks can afford to spend $20 billion on stock buybacks and dividends and provide a $20 million compensation package to its CEO, it can afford a unionized workforce."

Vermont Business Magazine A new report finds that the $66.4 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants awarded in Vermont last year supported 1,026 jobs and $146 million in economic activity. The University of Vermont received the lion share of the grants, worth about $60 million in 2021. According to a report released Monday by United for Medical Research (UMR), research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supported 552,444 jobs and generated $94.18 billion in economic activity last year – or $2.60 of economic activity for every $1 of research funding.

Vermont Business Magazine At its March 21 meeting, the Burlington City Council passed a plan to build "pod" shelters for homeless people and a plan to add bike lanes to North Winooski Avenue, which had received some push back from residents and business owners. But the Council failed to override Mayor Miro Weinberger's veto of an ordinance that would add stricter requirements to short term rentals, such as Airbnb.