Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Wednesday announced the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) will begin accepting applications for the next round of grants to encourage economic development and job creation along the norther border of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. The commission has approximately $1.7 million in federal funding to award to projects in Franklin, Lamoille, Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Bill Sorrell, together with state law enforcement partners in every other state in the nation, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), have obtained a permanent injunction to dissolve two nationwide sham cancer charities and ban their president from profiting from any charity fundraising in the future under a settlement filed in court today. “The settlement announced today pulls the plug on these sham charities,” said Vermont Attorney General William H Sorrell. “Charitable contributions support numerous important activities in our communities and we will not allow scammers to deprive legitimate charities of much needed support.”

Vermont Business Magazine A Williston drinking water-testing laboratory is contesting allegations made by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection that its methodology did not meet requirements and will be filing an appeal with the DEP. The DEP on Monday suspended the accreditation of Analytical Services, Inc. The notice was made public March 29. DEP accredited the laboratory in March 2015 to provide analysis of drinking water supplies for cryptosporidium, giardia, and E. coli. Over the past year, 15 Pennsylvania public water systems in Pennsylvania used Analytical Services to conduct raw source water sampling as part of a routine assessment for only those contaminants. ASI does microbiological testing, consulting and research.

Vermont Business Magazine After nearly two years of research, surveys, meetings, and fundraising, BDCC is launching a new SeVEDS Workforce Development program in collaboration with regional employers and education partners. The Fast Tracks to Success program is supported by an $18,000 grant from the Vermont Department of Labor. It will be implemented throughout all four Windham Region High Schools, and is designed to increase youth engagement in and knowledge of the local job market.

BDCC entrance in Brattleboro

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin joined CVS Health today to announce that the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone will now be available to patients without an individual prescription at CVS Pharmacy locations around Vermont. CVS Health has established a standing order with physicians in Vermont that allows CVS Pharmacy to expand access to the medication in the Green Mountain State.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Commerce and Community Development today announced that Philip Tortora has been named communications director for the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing. In this role, he will be responsible for leading tourism media and trade relations. The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing's key objective is to increase awareness of the Vermont brand with the goal of increasing visitation to the state. Tortora was most recently the audience analyst at the Burlington Free Press, where he worked since 2010 as the lead digital and social media editor for the newspaper. He also reported for the Free Press, and served as a news correspondent for USA Today. Both the Free Press and USA Today are owned by the Gannett Company.

Philip Tortora Twitter photo

Vermont Business Magazine In the spirit of promoting Francophonie Month and the cultural, economic, and political ties between France, Canada, Québec, and the State of Vermont, international dignitaries will gather for a flag raising in downtown Burlington today, March 30, 2016. The flag raising is a collaborative effort of the City of Burlington, the State of Vermont, Canada, Québec, and France — and is supported by the Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region, whose mission is to engender awareness of French culture and support the local francophone economy.

Flag raising photos from 2015 by Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region (AFLCR)

Vermont Business Magazine Yankee Farm Credit has distributed $4.9 million to its members who borrowed from the cooperative. This distribution represents approximately 48 percent of Yankee’s 2015 net income of $10.2 million. George Putnam, Yankee Farm Credit’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said that Yankee sent out payments to 1,353 borrowers on March 25. The payments represent patronage refunds, which allow Yankee members to share in the cooperative’s 2015 earnings. Yankee Farm is based in Williston with offices in Northern Vermont and upstate New York.

Putnam explained, “The patronage refunds we provide to members are based on the profits that our association generated last year. This cash patronage refund effectively reduced average loan rates to members by approximately 24% in 2015.”

Vermont Business Magazine This year, Howard Center’s Curling Challenge fundraiser featured 30 teams, including several high school teams which were sponsored by Kittell Branagan & Sargent, McSoley McCoy & Co, and Myers Waste & Recycle. The Silver-level sponsors for this year’s fundraiser include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, Geri Reilly Real Estate, Price Chopper, Tech Group, Tech Vault, and Cairns Arena. In addition, numerous businesses fielded teams, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, Dinse Knapp McAndrew, Spruce Mortgage, and TruexCullins.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin is banning official state travel to North Carolina in response to a law in that state that overturns anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced a similar ban.

“The law passed in North Carolina is an absolute disgrace,” Shumlin said. “Vermont has a proud tradition of protecting the rights of LGBT individuals. I’m making this decision in that tradition. I’m proud to join with New York in taking this action. I hope other states will join us in applying pressure on North Carolina to recognize common sense, common decency, and common humanity and repeal this law.”

A year ago, Shumlin banned official travel to Indiana after that state passed a law which promoted anti-gay discrimination. Indiana eventually modified its law and Vermont’s travel ban was lifted.

Vermont Business Magazine Farmers from across the state are voicing their concern about how new policies would impact solar and other renewable energy on Vermont farms. More than 40 farmers wrote to lawmakers and government officials today, stating, "We are concerned about policies being developed in Montpelier that could negatively impact our ability to affordably use, and host, solar and other renewable energy projects on our farms."

"Vermont farmers have a proud tradition of turning the sun's energy into productive use. Producing clean renewable energy is an increasingly vital part of Vermont's modern agricultural economy," the farmers said.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has particularly high rates of insurance coverage, a national study has found. It ranks second nationwide for the overall coverage rate, at 95 percent, the children’s coverage rate, at 97.8 percent, and the coverage rate for people living in low-income households, at 92.8 percent. Likewise, Merritt Hawkins ranked Vermont as the third-best US state when it comes to physician access. In a nationwide study, SmartAsset has uncovered the best states for healthcare access, and Vermont ties with Michigan for the number four spot overall. Texas was last and was one of only two states to cover less than 90 percent of children (Alaska, see table below).