Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Governor Scott on Wednesday is expected to announce new visitation guidelines for long-term care facilities (nursing homes, etc). He indicated the new guidelines were coming at his press briefing on Monday. In his State of Emergency declaration on March 13, 2020, the governor prohibited visitation into nursing homes. Two long term care facilities in Burlington witnessed early outbreaks and several deaths because of COVID-19.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Zero Gravity Craft Brewery in Burlington announced Tuesday, June 16, that it has recently reached an agreement to purchase brewing equipment and expand into the previous Magic Hat Brewing facility in South Burlington. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close July 1 and is subject to federal permitting. Magic Hat Brewing Company will shift production to FIFCO USA’s newly modernized brewery in Rochester, NY. Some Magic Hat beers, including select packages of #9, are already brewed there. As Magic Hat moves to Rochester, NY, Zero Gravity will utilize this space to expand their production and packaging capacity.

Vermont Business Magazine Cities and towns could get some financial assistance as property tax payments lag during the pandemic. Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce, working with the General Assembly, Vermont League of Cities and Towns and the Vermont Bankers Association, today announced the launch of the Municipal Emergency Statewide Education Property Tax Borrowing Program to assist municipalities as they manage their finances and cash flow needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Ryan Wall, 42, a former Quechee resident who now lives in Florida, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Rutland to 51 months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to a charge of wire fraud. Chief Judge Geoffrey Crawford also ordered that Wall serve a two-year term of supervised release following completion of his prison sentence. He also entered a preliminary order that Wall pay $470,000 in restitution to 18 victims; that order is subject to modification if additional victims file claims.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermonters cope with an economic recession, Efficiency Vermont, VGS and Burlington Electric Department (BED) are announcing a raft of higher-than-ever incentives to help Vermonters reduce their home energy costs, make their homes healthier and more resilient into the future, and encourage investments that support the local economy.

Vermont Business Magazine Sterling College in Crafstbury Common is embracing the attributes that make it unique—small enrollment, rural location, field programs, and professional studies opportunities—and welcoming students back to campus for the Fall Semester under a creative, multifaceted plan that values both the health and welfare of its students and the integrity and quality of the Sterling experience.

Vermont Business Magazine The Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls (CNR) in New York, part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), has earned deficiency-free status, the highest rating given, on a survey meant to determine ability to prevent transmission of COVID-19 and other infections to those living, recovering, and working within long-term care facilities.

Agency of Commerce & Community Development Governor Phil Scott announced Monday as expected that the state of emergency scheduled to end June 15 is being extended to July 15th. As previously announced, leisure travel to or from any county in New England or New York with less than 400 active cases of COVID-19 per one million residents can now be done without quarantine. Campgrounds in Vermont are now permitted to operate at 100% capacity

Small Business Administration To further meet the needs of US small businesses and non-profits, the US Small Business Administration reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19. SBA’s EIDL program offers long-term, low interest assistance for a small business or non-profit. These loans can provide vital economic support to help alleviate temporary loss of revenue. EIDL assistance can be used to cover payroll and inventory, pay debt or fund other expenses.

Vermont Research News Vermont has seen a dramatic increase in the overall rate of imprisonment over the last 40 years with a disproportionately high rate of incarcerated BIPOC. While only 1.4% of the Vermont population is Black, Black people account for 8.5% of the Vermont prison population.

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Vermont University has launched the #NorthernVermontStrong campaign, seeking to receive gifts from 250 donors by June 30, 2020. All monies raised will go toward financial aid for new and returning students. The idea for the NVUnited Fund was spearheaded by faculty and quickly grew, with 85 donors already gifting more than $11,107. The campaign grew out of the outpouring of support for NVU heard from students, alumni and community members this spring as the Vermont State Colleges System works to right-size and re-envision itself.

by Susan J Boutwell/Dartmouth Dartmouth College will replace the copper weather vane that sits atop Baker Library Tower and represents an offensive image of a Native American, President Philip J. Hanlon '77 announced Monday. The 600-pound weather vane, the design for which is nearly a century old, portrays a Native American, wearing feathers and smoking a long pipe, seated on the ground in front of Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth's founder. A round shape behind Wheelock is presumed to be a barrel of rum, according to Dartmouth historical records.