Current News

by Elizabeth Roberts, et al, Child Care Center Owners and Directors There are 672 full-time, licensed child care programs across Vermont serving children between the ages of zero and five. As many as 115 of them could close within a year if we don't act now. The child care crisis in Vermont has never been more dire, and things will only worsen without significant state investment. As child care program directors, we are seeing this crisis play out daily through constant staffing shortages, child care capacity losses, and retention struggles. To us this is unsurprising, as we are in a significantly underfunded sector, constrained by familial budgets and increasing expenses. This results in a high level of risk for every single program in the state.

Vermont Business Magazine The Fed, British-inspired cocktail pub inside The Langham, Boston, and Barr Hill Gin of Vermont, announced today they have partnered to create a signature gin for The Langham, Boston. Known for its hand-crafted cocktails and perfect pints, The Fed resembles a 1920’s era private cocktail lounge paying homage to the building's inception as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. This batch of Barr Hill Gin is distilled in their custom-built botanical extraction stills. Heaps of juniper were brought to an elegant balance by the floral depth of raw honey that was harvested local to The Langham, Boston.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, on Thursday outside the U.S. Capitol will be joined by workers, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry, and Economic Policy Institute President Heidi Shierholz as he makes an announcement on the federal minimum wage. The federal minimum wage was last raised in 2009 to $7.25 an hour. Since then, it has lost nearly 30 percent of its purchasing power, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Vermont Business Magazine Expanding on their successful, recent history of partnership, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan today announced an agreement to formally affiliate and work together across both companies. The affiliation will enable the organizations to broaden the range of health plan and service solutions that will further benefit members and customer groups, while remaining within and committed to local communities in both states. The agreement is pending approval of state regulators. This affiliation will enable Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont with additional expertise as well as operational and information technology resources. The intent is to improve overall affordability and quality while delivering a broader range of services that meet the evolving needs of members. It will preserve Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont’s local identity while enabling both companies to fulfill their commitment to deliver high-value, convenient and accessible care in each state. Under the affiliation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont becomes part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan enterprise family of companies.

Vermont Business Magazine Junapr, a leading public relations and communications firm, has announced the acquisition of Standing O, a reputable event firm based in Vermont. As a result of the acquisition, Nicole Junas Ravlin, founder of Junapr, will become the CEO of the parent company, Junas Ravlin LLC. In her new role, Ravlin will oversee the operations of Junapr and Junas Ravlin LLC. Today marks Juanpr's 4th anniversary. Antonia Hinge, the founder of Standing O, will continue the role of president of Standing O and vice president of Junas Ravlin LLC. Hinge and her team are focused on delivering exceptional event planning solutions to clients in Vermont and across the US.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced settlements with six New England companies that resolve alleged violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right To Know Act, which requires companies and organizations to report their use and release of toxic chemicals to EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Program. The companies are Franklin Foods of Enosburg Falls, Vermont, Hollingsworth & Vose Company of Groton, Mass., AFC Cable Systems, Inc. of New Bedford, Mass., National Chain Company of Warwick, R.I., Twin Rivers Paper Company of Madawaska, Maine, and Commonwealth Dairy of Brattleboro, Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Arts Council announces $3,220,000 in awards to 99 creative sector organizations and businesses in its second round of funding through the Creative Futures Grant program. The final round opens for applications today. Supported by $9 million from Vermont’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act, the program aims to provide relief to one of the state’s economic sectors hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic. Funding of up to $200,000 is available to Vermont-based creative economy nonprofits and for-profit entities, including sole proprietors, that can demonstrate economic harm caused by or exacerbated by the pandemic. It’s the first time that the Council has the ability to grant funds to the full creative sector, including for-profit businesses.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets City Market is excited to announce that applications for the community grants program are now open! If you have a project in mind that aligns with their mission to support local food systems, environmental sustainability, and community resilience, you are encouraged to apply. The deadline for submitting your grant application is Friday, June 23, 2023 at 5 pm. To apply, you can submit a digital application to [email protected], drop off a hard copy at the Customer Service desk in either our Downtown or South End locations, or mail it to City Market, Attn: Carrie Putscher, 82 South Winooski Avenue, Burlington VT 05401. A committee made up of City Market Members and staff will review the applications and make recommendations for grant awards to our Board of Directors. Grant requests can range from $500 to $7,500.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported April 26, 2023, that COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations were largely unchanged from the previous week. COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH. Hospitalizations were up 2 to 17 last week (the lowest since last fall). Total cases were down 10 to 132. There were 3 COVID-related deaths in the last week for a pandemic total of 960 as of April 22 (this is the most recent update). VDH reported 15 COVID-related deaths in March, the fewest since the summer of 2021, and 14 so far in April.

Vermont Business Magazine A state trooper and members of The Richford Fire Department and Richford Rescue responded to a motor vehicle crash at the above location. Investigation into the incident revealed that operator # 1 was riding NB on Green Avenue on a riding lawn mower. (This street is steeply pitched downhill.) As Operator #1 approached the intersection of Province Street he reportedly lost his brakes and the lawn mower accelerated to an unknown speed. Vehicle #1 was unable to stop at the intersection of Province St and crashed into vehicle #2 as it was passing by traveling North.

by Ciara McEneany, Community News Service This legislative session’s major housing bill drew a lot of attention last month for its impacts on Act 250 reform and single-family zoning. But housing advocates also see the bill as a chance to protect people who would otherwise be homeless — by telling towns they can’t prevent hotels from renting rooms to those in a state emergency assistance program. The “Housing Opportunities Made for Everyone” — or HOME — bill would also prohibit municipalities from interfering with efforts to set up emergency shelters. The measure overwhelmingly passed the Senate last month and has been widely supported by housing groups looking to deal with the state’s persistent housing crisis. In recent weeks, legislators have been hearing testimony on the bill.