Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Winooski School District Superintendent Sean McMannon issued the following statement in response to a legislative proposal that would remove English language learners (ELL) from the equity formula, funding their education with grants instead: “By choosing to separate/segregate ELL funding from the rest of the formula, and intentionally setting the amount at substantially less than empirical analysis says it should be, I believe this proposal results in discrimination against ELL students on the basis of national origin and language."

Vermont Business Magazine Resonant Link, a Shelburne-based company that builds the world’s most efficient wireless chargers, has been selected to participate in Shell GameChanger Accelerator Powered by NREL (GCxN), a multi-million dollar program developed in collaboration between Shell GameChanger and the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). GCxN provides promising early-stage cleantech companies with resources to accelerate product commercialization while de-risking investment.

Vermont Business Magazine ECFiber announced today it has placed $9 million of new municipal revenue bonds at an average interest rate of 4.48% and average maturity of 21 years. This brings ECFiber’s total bond commitments to $63.3 million with about 70% of its network constructed. Last week, the Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) approved the municipally-owned broadband provider’s $2.8 million grant application for pre-construction expenses. With over 6,700 customers in 23 towns, ECFiber continues to show the way forward as Vermont’s first communications union district (CUD).

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has completed the long range management plan for the Camel’s Hump Management Unit (CHMU). This 26,000-acre area includes Camel’s Hump State Park, Camel’s Hump State Forest, and Robbins Mountain and Huntington Gap Wildlife Management Areas. Long range management plans include resource assessments, identify broad management goals and strategies, and present management actions to achieve those goals. The top priorities of management for the CHMU are to protect and conserve the natural, cultural and scenic resources present, to provide a range of recreational opportunities, to continue to harvest forest products sustainably, and to maintain and enhance diverse wildlife habitats.

Vermont Business Magazine McSoley McCoy & Co has announced that they have merged with Montgomery & Granai PC, effective November 15, 2021. The two CPA firms will operate under the McSoley McCoy & Co. name and location in South Burlington.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported another surge in cases of COVID-19 with 497 (up 283 from Tuesday). Health Commissioner Dr Mark Levine Tuesday that case counts have been up and down because during the holiday there have been fewer people seeking to be tested. Health officials anticipate that COVID cases in December will look more like the relatively high numbers earlier in November, as there is still a substantial amount of transmission going on. The highest daily cases during the entire pandemic have come in the last month.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS) and the newly established Vermont State University invite nominations and applications for the University’s inaugural role of President. Information on the search and the candidate prospectus may be found at: www.vsc.edu/presidential-search. The plan is for the new president to serve simultaneously as the President of Vermont State University and President of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, and Vermont Technical College for the 2022-2023 academic year. Effective July 1, 2023, Vermont State University will officially launch as the unified, singly-accredited institution.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Climate Council voted today to adopt the climate action plan in a 19-4 vote. According to the Council, the Vermont climate action plan (CAP) outlines steps to cut climate pollution and help Vermonters prepare for extreme weather and other impacts caused by climate change. The Scott Administration members of the Council called the process “overzealous” and object to the costs some requirements would impose on taxpayers. The Legislature will have to pass certain legislation in order to implement the plan.

Vermont Business Magazine Over 300 Vermont National Guard soldiers will return home from deployed locations over the course of several days from December 1-10. The 172nd Law Enforcement Detachment deployed in January 2021 to support US Europe Command, and the 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry (Mountain), departed in February to US Central Command.

The SBA and Public Private Strategies Institute are hosting a COVID EIDL webinar at 2 p.m. today, Dec. 1. During the webinar: Learn more about COVID EIDL and how you can take advantage before December 31, 2021; Discover tools and resources you can use to start and grow your business; Have your questions answered by SBA leadership and small business experts; Learn how you can become a vaccine leader in your community; Get an update regarding programs and recent policy announcements made by the Biden-Harris Administration.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Health Network and the Community College of Vermont (CCV) are collaborating to offer a new Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship Program to create rewarding local careers in health care that will also help meet the community’s pharmacy needs. The program provides fully-funded course work through CCV and a full-time position with either The University of Vermont Medical Center or Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC). Applicants hired into the program will earn at least $15.50 per hour to start, with additional pay increases upon program completion. The program provides an opportunity to launch a career with opportunities for growth.

​Vermont Business Magazine This week, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) began distributing nearly $46 million to 143 of Vermont’s rural medical providers and suppliers serving Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare beneficiaries. Awarded under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Rural payments, this funding will provide much-needed relief for Vermont’s rural health care providers, who have struggled under the financial and operational challenges of the pandemic.