Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Initial unemployment claims fell last week after two weeks of increase. The hit their peak in early April. At that point, Governor Scott's "Stay Home" order resulted in the closing of schools, restaurants, construction and more, while many other industries cut back operations. As the governor has continued to open up the economy, the weekly unemployment insurance claims fell rapidly until three weeks ago when they took a turn for the worse.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) customers can now enroll in Share With Vermont Green, a pioneering pilot program empowering solar net metering customers to share their credits with other customers. The shared energy credits will go to small businesses and nonprofits in Vermont recovering after the COVID-19 shutdown. Solar net metering customers, who are not already in a group share, can download an app to set the maximum amount of energy credit they’d like to share on a daily basis, and small businesses and nonprofits can sign up online to receive those credits on their monthly energy statements.

Vermont Business Magazine This summer Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) will be returning patronage capital to members a month earlier than usual in an effort to provide some financial support to members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We know some of our members have been facing financial challenges over the past few months, so the Board of Directors took this unusual step to get these credits out sooner rather than later,” said Rebecca Towne, VEC’s chief executive officer. “We hope this step, as modest as it may be, can help reduce the strain on members and their families.”

VEC line worker works on a pole in the Champlain Islands. Photo courtesy VEC.

Agency of Commerce All of Vermont’s state parks will be open for public use effective June 26th. Mandatory health and safety guidelines will be in effect. Day use activity will be managed to ensure sufficient physical space is available for social distancing, and amenities will be scaled back. State park campgrounds will be limited to tent, RV and lean-to camping; a new and improved web-based reservation system is also now available. Also effective Friday, arts, culture, and entertainment venues, as well as restaurants, can expand capacity for events and dining to 50% of approved occupancy size, with new maximum gathering sizes of 75 people for indoor events and 150 people for outdoor events.

Vermont Business Magazine As cities and towns across the country begin to open up, Comcast is continuing its efforts to help people connect to the Internet during the COVID-19 crisis. Today, the company announced it will extend free access to its 1.5 million public Xfinity WiFi hotspots to anyone who needs them, including non-customers, through the end of 2020.

Vermont Business Magazine Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, said as the state reopens, and as more of us are outside, being active, seeing family and friends, gathering in groups at events like barbecues on the lake, or even at a protest, the risk of transmission does increase. However, the virus is still out there and should continue to practice health care commonsense. Dr Levine also provided an update on three Health Department investigations: A community outbreak based in Winooski/Burlington has 114 associated cases; An employer-based cluster in the Fair Haven region has 12 associated cases; A family-based cluster in Windham County has no new cases and fewer than 10 total to date. However, as of today's report, there were 20 new cases statewide for a total of 1,184.

Vermont Business Magazine United Way of Northwest Vermont has issued its third round of program funding grants to 50 local nonprofit organizations serving Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, finalizing a three-year funding commitment that collectively totals $4.5 million in community investments. In May of 2018, United Way’s board of directors unanimously approved the funding cycle, aimed at supporting a portfolio of programs that address five strategic priorities: Advancing Employment, Reducing Substance Use Disorder, Meeting Basic Needs (Housing, Food, Transportation and Health Care), Supporting Families and Promoting Mental Health.

Senator Patrick Leahy No one will dispute that police officers have incredibly cha ollenging jobs. No one will dispute that they are faced with difficult split second decisions that impact life and death. But that difficulty does not excuse the fact that something is deeply wrong in our country. It does not excuse the fact that people of color have disproportionately suffered from police misconduct. People of color disproportionately are profiled by police, are stopped by the police, are arrested by police, and are victims of excessive force at the hands of police.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine National Life Group reduced its work force this week to respond to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Montpelier-based insurer announced the layoffs today. The reductions affected both of National Life’s primary offices, in Montpelier and Addison, Texas. A total of 95 jobs were affected, 53 in Vermont, 30 in Texas, and 12 in other remote locations. National Life’s total employment company-wide stood at 1,400 before the reductions. The company will offer severance pay, as well as reimbursement for health, dental, and vision coverage, to impacted employees.

Vermont Business Magazine Following guidance from the State of Vermont, the University of Vermont Medical Center is scaling back some limitations on visitors to the hospital. The UVM Medical Center and all other hospitals in the state began restricting visitation in March to slow the spread of COVID-19. To protect patients, visitors and staff, all visitors will be screened and required to follow safety measures.

Vermont Business Magazine Working adult students will have more choices and greater flexibility when pursuing higher education, thanks to a grant from the Northfield Savings Bank Foundation (NSBF) that is allowing the Community College of Vermont (CCV) to expand Flex, an innovative course delivery model which allows students to work through online classes at their own pace.

CCV was selected for the two-year, $200,000 NSBF grant to further develop and promote the Flex model. Funding will also support a Flex coordinator position, which will work closely with Vermont employers whose workforce stands to benefit from access to flexible classes and credentials.