Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Brett Smith, President and CEO of One Credit Union, shared the achievements of the South Barre Branch. Led by Branch Manager, Jodi Pecor, the team recognized the needs of many children in the community that were not well prepared to start school. “Especially with COVID, getting kids ready for school and ready for learning can be tough for many families.” Jodi added, “By working together with our membership, we can help to make a difference, not only with the kids, but also with the teachers. Teachers have their hands full with lesson plans; we don’t need to add to their worry about basic supplies!”

Vermont Business Magazine iSun, Inc (NASDAQ: ISUN), announced today that Fusion Renewable has selected the company for turnkey professional, development, and EPC services for an Alabama solar project, valued at $7 million. iSun, based in Williston, is a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company with 50 years of construction experience in solar, electrical and data services.

Vermont Business Magazine National Clean Energy Week (NCEW) is celebrated this week with proclamations from more than half of the nation's governors recognizing September 20-24, 2021 as Clean Energy Week in their respective states in conjunction with the fifth anniversary of NCEW. Twenty-six governors as well as the mayor of the District of Columbia have issued proclamations with more states expected to join them throughout the week.

Vermont Business Magazine Dozens of electric car drivers will converge in South Burlington this Saturday to show their cars and speak about their ownership experience as part of a ‘National Drive Electric Week’ event. The event is organized by SunCommon who has hosted an annual ‘Sun CARnival’ since 2014, bringing thousands of people together to celebrate Vermont’s transition to electric transportation options.

by Julie Moore, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Climate change is all around us and yet, at times, can be hard to see clearly. The Earth’s climate is a complex, noisy system and is influenced by many factors, including human activities. Because of this, changes in our climate can feel small, or far away, while other threats feel more imminent. But the simple fact of the matter is the earth’s climate is changing, and Vermont’s climate is changing. These changes are complicated further by the fact that they are slow-moving and at times, hard to directly observe.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported 121 new cases of COVID-19 (129 Tuesday). While many regions of the country and world experienced a sharp increase and sharp decline of Delta variant cases in a 7-9 week window, Vermont is now into its 10th week and has shown a slower ascent and still no plateau in new cases. The VDH also reported today no deaths, which remain at 301 statewide. There are 42 people hospitalized (down six from yesterday) and 14 in the ICU (down five).

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer released an analysis of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development’s implementation of the Economic Recovery Grant (ERG) program. The ERG program was established to provide emergency assistance to businesses in need. In total, the Agency disbursed $117 million to 2,278 businesses through the ERG program in 2020. The award levels in some cases, the auditor found, were greater than the firm's losses.

Vermont Business Magazine Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) issued the following statement Wednesday on upcoming votes regarding infrastructure and reconciliation legislation.

Vermont Business Magazine On Monday, State Innovation Exchange’s Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council — a network of state legislators working to advance reproductive health, rights, and justice — organized an amicus brief in support of legal abortion rights in an upcoming Supreme Court case likely to decide the future of reproductive freedom in the United States. With 12 percent of the country’s state legislators signing on, the brief represents the strongest mobilization of state legislators to date in support of abortion access. In total, 897 state legislators across the country, including 11 Vermont state legislators.

Vermont Business Magazine Today HumanCo, based in Austin, TX, announced it has raised $35 million in bridge round funding and acquired Brattleboro, Vermont-based Against the Grain Gourmet. Against the Grain produces gluten-free and grain-free baked goods. Joining existing Series A investors such as Vista Equity Partners co-founder Brian Sheth and Scarlett Johansson, this new round includes highly strategic and like-minded celebrity investors.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Wednesday led a bicameral group of Northeastern lawmakers in urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to close organic loopholes, strengthen enforcement, and use every tool available to support small- and mid-sized organic dairy farmers. The letter follows news that Horizon Organic, a subsidiary of multinational food conglomerate Danone, plans to terminate contracts with 89 farmers in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and New York.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan is calling on the US Department of Labor to reconsider its legal interpretation denying Vermonters a $25/week boost in their unemployment benefits. During the last legislative session, Vermont lawmakers passed a $25 weekly increase to unemployed Vermonters. Delivering those benefits hit a snag when the US Department of Labor determined the payments were impermissible based on an interpretation of the law made by staff at the Vermont Department of Labor.