Current News

Vermont Business Magazine President Biden has appointed Governor Phil Scott to the President’s Council of Governors for a two-year term, as the White House announced today. The bipartisan Council was established by Section 1822 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 and implemented by Presidential Executive Order 13528 in 2010. It includes up to 10 governors who work with federal officials to address issues relating to national security, homeland defense, disaster preparedness, response and recovery, and the National Guard.

by Kevin Mullin, Chair of the Green Mountain Care Board In recent months, many people have questioned me on whether I believe health care reform efforts are working in Vermont and if so to quantify it. To accomplish that, it’s important to go back in time and talk about efforts over the past couple of decades to create a baseline.

Vermont Department of Public Safety On July 01, 2021 the Thetford Fire Department responded to a motor vehicle fire. Once the fire was extinguished, the fire chief contacted the VT Department of Public Safety Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit (FEIU) for assistance in the examination of the vehicle. The origin and cause examination revealed that the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV was parked in the owner’s driveway and was plugged in and charging when the fire was discovered. The origin of the fire was within the passenger compartment in the area of the back seat. The cause of the fire appears to be an undetermined electrical system failure.

Attorney General TJ Donovan I do not support the proposed Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan because it does not sufficiently hold the Sackler family accountable. The Sacklers are the founders and owners of Purdue Pharma, which sparked and fueled the opioid crisis. Through this bankruptcy plan, the Sacklers are leveraging their enormous wealth to obtain the protection of the bankruptcy court by having the court extinguish the states’ claims against the Sacklers.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Health Commissioner Dr Mark Levine has joined the board of United Way of Northwest Vermont, an organization working to improve lives in Chittenden, Grand Isle and Franklin counties in Vermont. UWNWVT also announced the appointment to its board of Virginie Diambou, Catherine Dimitruk and Denise Smith.

Vermont Business Magazine MENTOR Vermont has announced the start of the 2021-2022 Vermont Mentoring Grants application process. These annual grants are designed to support new and existing youth mentoring programs in Vermont that match adult volunteers as mentors for youth mentees (ages 5-22) in long-term, one-to-one, quality-based mentoring relationships.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation announced the launch of the 2021 Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative Community Grant Program and the Enhancement of Recreational Stewardship and Access Trail Grants. These programs will distribute over $6 million to municipalities and non-profit organizations across Vermont. The funding for these programs comes from one-time general funds and is a portion of the more than $20 million Governor Scott directed for spending on outdoor recreation investments.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan and the attorneys general of 35 states and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit against Google alleging “exclusionary” conduct relating to the Google Play Store for Android mobile devices and Google Play Billing. This antitrust lawsuit is the newest legal action against the tech giant, claiming illegal, anticompetitive, and unfair business practices.

Vermont Business Magazine Houston-based Geospace Technologies (NASDAQ: GEOS) announced Wednesday that it has acquired 100 percent of the outstanding shares of Aquana, LLC, a comprehensive wireless water monitoring and control system provider based in Warren, Vermont. Under terms of the agreement, Aquana will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Geospace Technologies. The company said in a statement that it intends to retain Aquana’s employees, further strengthening Geospace’s highly skilled technical workforce. Terms of the transaction include an initial cash payment of $1.4 million at closing.

Vermont Business Magazine Efficiency Vermont’s work to reduce Vermonters’ energy burdens and greenhouse gas emissions will expand, as it joins the effort to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the state. Until now, Efficiency Vermont’s work has been limited to helping Vermonters save energy in buildings, but thanks to a recent ruling by the PUC, Efficiency Vermont will expand into the transportation sector as well. About 45 percent of the money Vermonters spend on energy goes toward transportation.

Vermont Business Magazine After a two-year hiatus, Farm to Ballet returns to Retreat Farm to celebrate the rich farming culture of Vermont on Saturday, July 10th at 6 pm. With dancers dressed as lettuce leaves, goats, pigs, and cows, this whimsical outdoor ballet is sure to delight all ages. Set on a grassy stage, the full-length ballet is an artful expression of farming, food, and our connection to the land through dance.

Vermont Business Magazine Join us in July, when renowned digital anthropologist and futurist Brian Solis joins Business Forum USA. This webcast, hosted by best-selling author Jon Gordon, will broadcast at noon, Wednesday, July 14. Registration is free.