Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Foodbank is partnering with The Skinny Pancake to provide 20,000 meals to people in Vermont facing hunger over the next seven weeks. This unique partnership addresses the rapidly increasing food insecurity that has resulted from the coronavirus pandemic, while helping employ furloughed restaurant workers, supporting a local business, and providing a venue for food from local farmers.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Layoffs, furloughs and business closures due to the COVID-19 economic downturn and Governor Scott's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" emergency order have resulted in a rush of unemployment insurance claims. The cumulative total of claims is now at a record that exceeds 81,000. At the last reported Labor Market total, this would push the state unemployment rate to 23.8 percent.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Labor reminds employers that first quarter wage reports are due on April 30, 2020. Timely submittal will assist the Department in ensuring that Vermonters applying for unemployment will receive benefits. In addition to first quarter wage reports, first quarter unemployment tax contributions are also due on April 30 (today).

Vermont Business Magazine Dr Karen M Scolforo will step down as president of Castleton University on May 31 following nearly three academic years of success. The VSCS Board of Trustees will appoint an interim president to serve until a permanent replacement is found.

Suresh Garimella, President, University of Vermont In the first week of August, after we have a better sense of how things are progressing here and across the country, we will send details on the timing of your rescheduled Commencement ceremony. In the meantime, your degree will be officially conferred on May 17, and that achievement deserves special recognition.

​Vermont Business Magazine Food insecurity has risen 33% during the COVID-19 pandemic. To combat hunger and adhere to the ‘Stay Home Stay Safe’ order, The Colchester-Milton Rotary Club has taken its annual Fill The Truck event online. Every year, the Rotary Club parks trucks at local grocery stores and encourages shoppers to help to fill the truck with food for hungry Vermonters. This year the club will be taking online donations to assist with the growing need facing our communities.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to an application submitted by the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition (VAHC), the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has awarded a total of $100,000 to 20 homeless shelters, homeless service providers and community action agencies across the state. Each organization will receive a $4,900 grant to help pay for the extraordinary costs associated with their emergency COVID-19 response.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Agriculture recognizes the importance of farmers markets to our farmers, communities, heritage and culture. Farmers markets will be able to re-open on May 1, following guidance from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, the Vermont Department of Health and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. These guidelines are meant to protect Vermonters health and safety while allowing access to local food. These include: outdoor markets only, wearing of face masks by vendors, food only vendors, social distancing of vendors and customers, no congregating of customers, no entertainment.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says as temperatures warm, songbirds return and the ice recedes, a shift in fish behavior also occurs. Many fish species commonly found in lakes and ponds throughout Vermont become more active, feed more regularly and provide a great opportunity to catch fish with relatively little effort.

Vermont Business Magazine FourScienceVT, a museum consortium led by ECHO, Fairbanks, Montshire, and VINS, band together to address the disparity of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education of Vermont's communities during the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

​Vermont Business Magazine United States Attorney General William Barr has directed Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Eric Dreiband and Christina Nolan, the US Attorney for the District of Vermont, to oversee and coordinate the Department of Justice’s efforts to address this issue during the current pandemic. As the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the ability of many people to timely pay rent and increased housing insecurity, the Department of Justice has heard reports of housing providers trying to exploit the crisis to sexually harass tenants.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University is honored to announce that its own President Richard W Schneider, one of the nation’s longest seated university leaders who will retire on May 31 after serving at the helm for 28 years, will deliver the 2020 Commencement address to graduating seniors on Saturday, September 12, 2020. Due to concerns related to COVID-19, the 2020 ceremony was recently rescheduled from a typical spring ceremony to this fall date. Details of the ceremony will be planned as Norwich monitors the pandemic situation.