Current News

Vermont Business Magazine From coin identification to how our banking system works, Vermont students were challenged this year, through two financial literacy programs, to learn more about how our economy works. State Treasurer Beth Pearce today recognized student achievement in the Reading is an Investment program and the Be Money Wise financial literacy poster contest. Both programs are administered by the Treasurer’s office.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority has approved $10.6 million in economic development financing for commercial, agricultural, small business and energy projects totaling $23.5 million. Projects include: Coffee Lab International, Inc, Waterbury; Lucky’s Trailer Sales, Inc, Colchester; Wilcox Ice Cream, East Arlington; Green Mountain Harley-Davidson, Essex Junction; Black Lantern Inn, Montgomery; Mad River Garden Center and Mad River Property Management, Waitsfield; Maple Leaf Solar’s, Bennington; Bright Star Solar, LLC, Benson; Killington Mountain Lodge; and Summit Lodge, Killington.

by Mike Faher/The Commons Brattleboro As states like Vermont push for more say in nuclear-plant decommissioning, an industry group is pushing back. Rod McCullum, a senior director at the Washington, DC-based Nuclear Energy Institute, says the state’s demands for more public input and more financial regulation could have a negative effect on cleanup efforts at plants like Vermont Yankee. During a March 30 visit to Brattleboro, McCullum also said the state’s concerns about being left with a big bill at Vermont Yankee are unfounded.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Environmental Consortium and Vermont Technical College (VTC) are excited to announce registration is open for the 5th Annual Water Quality Conference. The conference will be held June 8, 2016 at VT Technical College in Randolph, VT. Vermont faces numerous water quality challenges attributable to human activity. Wastewater management, storm water runoff from impervious surface associated with roads, homes and businesses, drainage from farm fields and logging roads, and historic hydrologic modification of our streams and rivers all impact current surface water conditions. 

by Mitch Frankenberg 2.2 BILLION is a number that everyone throughout North America should remember. 2.2 BILLION is the number of reasons why Vermont and land throughout the world is targeted for large scale buildouts of wind, solar, and gas. 2.2 BILLION symbolizes a primary and under-appreciated reason why all forms of taxes and costs of living throughout North America are escalating out of control. 2.2 BILLION. Write down this number and tell it to everyone you know.

Vermont Business Magazine On April 1, 2016, Franklin-Grand Isle United Way and United Way of Chittenden County announced to donors, supporters and community partners that the two organizations have merged to form a single organization. The new United Way of Northwest Vermont proudly serves every community within Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, combining the expertise, staff and resources of the former organizations to better address the complex challenges and needs across the region’s interconnected communities.    

Vermont Business Magazine New England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) was recently honored with two  Diamond Awards, which recognize outstanding marketing and business development achievements in the credit union industry. The awards were presented by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing & Business Development Council, a national network comprised of over 1,200 credit union marketing and business development professionals. Awards are given in each of 30 categories ranging from advertising to community events and beyond.

NEFCU won a Diamond Award for a logo design  It won another Diamond Award for a branch redesign.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says there are openings in its summer Green Mountain Conservation Camp program for young people who want to learn about Vermont's wildlife and gain outdoor skills. The one-week camp sessions are held at two locations -- Lake Bomoseen in Castleton and Buck Lake in Woodbury. Campers participate in hands-on learning about fish and wildlife conservation, ecology, forestry, orienteering, safe firearm and archery techniques, swimming, canoeing, fishing and more in an attractive outdoor setting. Natural resource professionals come to the camp during the week to share information on their programs and take campers out for field activities. Conservation camps open June 19 and continue until August 19.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Secretary of State’s Office has announced the 2016 Vermont Public Service Awards. Every five years, this program honors individuals who have served as elected or appointed local officials, or as fire or police service, for 20 or more years. First established in 1999, this honorary program has recognized thousands of deserving Vermonters. The goal of the program is to highlight the vital role of public servants in the ongoing success of our cities and towns and to provide these valuable public servants the recognition they deserve. We hope it also serves to encourage all citizens to take a more active role in their local community.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont House of Representatives voted 139-3 to advance a bill (H.865) to spur the development of workforce housing for middle income Vermonters. In addition to creating a pilot program to help develop infrastructure for housing, the bill extends a successful first-time home buyer down payment assistance program that was first passed in 2015.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today provided an update on the state’s response to the detection of the chemical PFOA in southern Vermont and provided information on additional testing that will be conducted around the state. These additional tests are not a result of specific concerns for drinking water safety. Rather, they are being conducted at sites where the state believes PFOA may have been used in certain manufacturing processes. The State will ensure testing in the vicinity of 11 sites around the state, including IBM (Essex), Phoenix Wire (South Hero), Champlain Cable (Colchester), Harbour Industries and unaffiliated former Harbour Industries sites (Shelburne, Colchester), SuperTemp (South Burlington, Winooski), Belden Wire & Cable (Essex, Williston), Pittsford Fire Academy, and National Guard Air Force Base.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Mayors Coalition on Tuesday honored AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other service members and highlighted the value of their national service to their communities through a joint proclamation and during events in Burlington and Montpelier. Vermont’s eight mayors, represented by Montpelier Mayor Hollar and Barre Mayor Lauzon at an event in Montpelier and represented by Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger at a Burlington waterfront clean-up service event, joined more than 3,100 officials from around the nation offering similar recognition of their cities’ service members during the fourth annual Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service (see proclamation below) , a nationwide bipartisan effort to:

·         Recognize the positive and lasting impact of national service on our cities;

·         Thank AmeriCorps and Senior Corps participants who serve; and