Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger sent out a statement message Sunday responding to increased cases of COVID-19 and increased opportunities to get tested for it. The Vermont Department of Health Sunday reported 120 new cases of COVID-19 but no new deaths, which are holding at 79. Vermont broke 5,000 total cases Sunday.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health Sarah Squirrell on Friday reminded Vermonters of the state resources available to people as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact families and businesses. The governor stressed to keep in touch with family members and co-workers during this time. You can find out more about what resources are available at the Department of Mental Health website. Also, PPP forgiveness Webinars will now be conducted every Tuesday at 11:30 am and Wednesday at 9 am.

GMP Warns of Scam Threatening to Cut Power Unless You Give Immediate Payment, Encourage Customers to Just Hang Up
Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is alerting customers about a sudden increase in scam calls. The scammers claim to be from GMP and demand immediate payment and threaten to cut off power. Your local power company would never do that. If you receive a call like that, just hang up - it is a scam.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington's locally owned businesses face an existential threat as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Miro Weinberger and local leaders on Friday urged Burlingtonians who are able to to participate in the local economic recovery from Covid-19, and consider ways to safely patronize the downtown stores and restaurants during the holiday season.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State House Democratic Caucus has nominated Representative Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) to serve as Vermont Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 2021-22 legislative biennium. Krowinski currently serves as House Majority Leader, a role she has held since 2017. Krowinski will be joined in the House leadership by Representative Emily Long (D-Newfane), who was elected House Majority Leader.

Vermont Business Magazine Global Campuses Foundation (GCF) recently received a $5,000 Economic Justice Program grant from the Ben & Jerry's Foundation in support of its work facilitating equitable post-secondary education for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Thanks to this generous donation, GCF participants will continue to teach classes, learn from peers, decide how their campuses operate and deliver learning content, and collaborate with and provide service to community partners and neighbors.

Vermont Business Magazine "What did the bourbon say to the almonds? Am I drunk or are you nuts?" ​That is just one of the many jokes Wanda Sykes riffed when she learned about Punch Line, the newest Ben & Jerry's flavor in partnership with Netflix's comedy brand Netflix Is A Joke. Good for the belly and good for a belly laugh, the new flavor is a comedic duo of brown butter bourbon and almond ice creams with roasted almonds and chuckles of cherries. That's a mouthful of mirth.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement on the Manchin-Romney COVID19 legislative proposal: “Given the enormous economic desperation facing working families in this country today, I will not be able to support the recently announced Manchin-Romney COVID proposal unless it is significantly improved."

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Labor is reminding individuals receiving unemployment insurance benefits of the upcoming changes to a number of federal unemployment benefit programs, including Extended Benefits (EB), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC). PUA and PEUC, funded through the CARES Act, are set to expire at the end of the calendar year with the last payable week being the week ending December 26, 2020. Additionally, Vermont will likely trigger off its Extended Benefits program in the coming weeks, as the unemployment rate continues to drop. The loss of both PEUC and EB will significantly reduce the number of payable weeks under the regular UI program.

Vermont Business Magazine As the pandemic stretches on, state officials asked Vermonters at Friday’s press conference to tune into their mental health and wellness right now, and to look out for one another. This comes after the VDH reported over 200 cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and two more deaths Friday and reported another two on Saturday, for a statewide total of 79. Like most places in the US, Vermont has seen a post-Halloween spike in cases.

Vermont Business Magazine Walmart today announced an additional $700 million in cash bonuses to its US-based associates bringing its total 2020 quarterly and special cash bonuses for its US-based associates to more than $2.8 billion. The company’s latest bonus announcement includes $120,000 in quarterly bonuses paid to Vermont associates in their November 25 paychecks following strong third quarter business performance and an estimated $250,000 in special cash bonuses to be paid to Vermont associates on December 24 in recognition of associates’ sustained commitment to customers during the pandemic. Full and part-time associates are eligible for both bonuses.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims fell last week after the previous week's spike, but have been trending up consistently the last two months. After being near their lowest levels since the beginning of the pandemic, claims have increased beyond the usual seasonal slowdown. Claims fell 224 to 1,255 last week (up 131 from the same time last year).