Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, along with 33 fellow Senators, and 78 colleagues in the House of Representatives, introduced the Child Care Stabilization Act to extend vital federal child care stabilization funding – which is set to expire at the end of this month – and ensure that child care providers can keep their doors open and continue serving children and families in every part of the country.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health has released the state’s first Suicide Data Linkage Report, an in-depth look at how people who died by suicide interacted with state agencies and other organizations during their life, and where improvements to the state’s prevention efforts can be made. The Suicide Data Linkage Report examines data related to the 246 Vermont residents who died by suicide in 2020 and 2021. The report found that 45% of people who died by suicide experienced a crisis within two weeks of their death. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) was announced today as a finalist to compete for two America’s Transportation Awards given annually by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The LVRT will compete against 11 other transportation projects from around the country for the two top honors: the Grand Prize (determined by a panel of judges) and the People’s Choice Award. Also, AOT will reopen an additional 23.2 miles of that middle section this Saturday at 7 a.m. At that time, the LVRT will be fully open from Swanton to Wolcott and from Walden to St. Johnsbury. About 73 miles of the 93 LVRT will now be open.

Vermont Business Magazine State Treasurer Mike Pieciak joined Governor Scott and state housing leaders to announce $55.5 million in housing investments from the Treasurer’s Office’s ”10% in Vermont” local investment program. The Treasurer’s Office awarded $50 million to the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), $5 million to the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA), and $500,000 to the Northern Forest Center. It’s the largest housing investment ever made under the “10% in Vermont” program. It will leverage an estimated $340 million in additional capital to support the construction of over 1,100 housing units.  

Vermont Business Magazine A Brattleboro Rotary Club Gateway Foundation scholarship awarded to a Community College of Vermont (CCV) student each year aims to address the shortage of child care workers in Windham County. CCV-Brattleboro student Rheanna Pare received this year’s $2,500 Jesse M. Corum IV Scholarship. CCV is deeply embedded in Vermont’s early childhood education system, providing the educational foundation for students pursuing careers in the field through its childcare certificate and early childhood education associate degree. The College is also home to Northern Lights at CCV, the hub of the professional development system for Vermont’s early childhood and afterschool workforce. 

Vermont Business Magazine A new state incentive program, the Vermont Farmer Ecosystem Stewardship Program, has recently paid $150,000 to 30 Vermont farms to compensate them for their ongoing participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). This incentive from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets will continue to be available for new CSP applicants this fall, but funding is limited. The state incentive is designed to provide upfront incentive payments and technical assistance to increase the number of farms who enroll in CSP. Each farmer will receive between $2,000 and $9,500 in state incentives, depending on their level of engagement. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Arts Council announces over $300,000 in Cultural Facilities Grants to 19 Vermont arts and community organizations, providing critical funds to enhance, create, or expand the capacity of existing buildings that offer cultural activities for the public. Each year, the Cultural Facilities Grant Program supports grants of up to $30,000 in capital improvements to town halls, theaters, library buildings, museums, community centers, and other public spaces where Vermonters gather for arts and cultural activities. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Emergency Eats (VEE) continues to distribute meals to flood-impacted Vermonters through September and October in areas of the state where the need continues. Thanks to an extension authorized by the state, the Vermont Emergency Eats program, which was originally set for 30 days, will continue for up to 90 days in areas hardest hit by the recent flooding. Based on the COVID-era Vermont Everyone Eats program, this new short-term emergency program is the result of a joint effort between the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD), and Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA).

Vermont Business Magazine Government agencies, private nonprofits and houses of worship in Essex County can now apply for FEMA to reimburse their costs to remove debris and restore infrastructure damaged in Vermont’s July floods. This amendment makes Essex County eligible for two additional categories of FEMA’s Public Assistance program: debris removal, and permanent repairs to public infrastructure including roads, bridges, buildings, parks and utilities. The county is already eligible for reimbursement of emergency protective measures it took to prevent damage during the storms.

Vermont Business Magazine The Northwest Vermont Communications Union District, d/b/a Northwest Fiberworx (NWFX) based in Saint Albans, Vermont, has signed an agreement with the Biddeford Internet Corporation, d/b/a Great Works Internet Vermont (GWI VT) located in South Royalton, Vermont paving the way for 30,000 locations over 22 Northwestern Vermont communities to access a robust, reliable, and affordable fiber internet network. Under the agreement, NWFX will construct, own, maintain, and operate an “open access” fiber-optic cable network and associated equipment and facilities. GWI VT will license the network from NWFX. In addition, GWI VT will complete the design and manage the installation and subsequent operation of the network on behalf of NWFX. 

Vermont Business Magazine If you receive a letter from FEMA that states you are ineligible for assistance, you can appeal. Ineligible does not mean denied – just that FEMA has not received everything needed to process your application. First, read your letter carefully to determine why FEMA couldn’t process your application. 

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Health Network has been named one of America’s Best Employers on Forbes’ annual state-by-state list, which includes organizations of many types, including hospitals and health systems. To create the list, Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 70,000 employees at companies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Participants evaluated their employer based on working conditions, compensation, diversity, potential for advancement and were asked if they would recommend their employer to others.