Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Enphase Energy, Inc (NASDAQ:ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of solar microinverters, today announced that Same Sun of Vermont has deployed Enphase microinverters on a 56.2 kWDC commercial solar system for WhistlePig Rye Whiskey, a Vermont-based craft whiskey maker. WhistlePig’s distillery is situated on a 500-acre former dairy farm in Shoreham.

Agency of Commerce & Community Development The Department of Economic Development will host a virtual town hall on Friday, June 5th at 2:00 pm to share updates about the Paycheck Protection Program. Funds are still available for businesses to access. Representatives from the SBA and local banks and credit unions will be available to answer questions.

Vermont Business Magazine While 100,000 Vermonters have filed for unemployment since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the state is doing far better than most in new claims filed by the end of May. The coronavirus pandemic has been incredibly destructive to US jobs, forcing nearly 43 million workers into unemployment since March 16. Millions of businesses closed as customers sheltered in place, forcing layoffs borne from a lack of revenue. Even though all states have now started to reopen, the employment situation continues to worsen.

This week, there were nearly 1.9 million new unemployment claims nationwide, compared to 219,000 during the same week last year. However, not all states have experienced the same levels of unemployment due to the pandemic.

Total new claims in Vermont were 1,465, down 87 from the week before but 1,060 more than. Ongoing claims were 47,781, down 4,056 from the week before but 44,376 more than last year.

Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont and Champlain College students who are returning to Burlington can get tested for COVID-19 at sites on the UVM campus. The specimen collection is being done in collaboration with the Vermont Department of Health, and with the assistance of trained members of the Vermont National Guard.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) is developing a new long-range management plan for the Worcester Range Management Unit and is conducting public scoping to better understand how Vermonters use and value these lands. The long-range management plan serves as a guide for land management on ANR lands, and typically lasts for 20 years. ANR conducts public scoping early in the planning process to develop a better understanding of the public’s interest in and use of state-owned lands. The public is asked to share their input through an online survey.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public Power Supply Authority and Encore Renewable Energy announced Wednesday that construction has begun on a new solar array along Route 100 in Morrisville, on land currently utilized for corn silage. Encore is evaluating the potential for establishing pollinator-friendly wildflower groundcover to provide support for the bees, butterflies and other creatures that are critical to the overall health of our ecosystem. Lawrence Brook Solar, the second project developed under a partnership formed in 2018 between VPPSA and Encore, will be sited on property owned by Morrisville resident Jeanette Davis. The new 2.2 megawatt (MW) array will generate income for Davis while allowing her to maintain ownership of the property through the duration of the 25-year lease agreement.

Vermont Business Magazine SunCommon hosted their first ‘Climate Action Film Festival’ earlier this year to inspire local climate action among attendees, while raising money for local environmental advocacy organizations. After hosting nearly a dozen local events throughout Vermont and New York’s Hudson Valley, SunCommon raised over $8,800 through ticket donations to the events.

Vermont Business Magazine Nearly 300 students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members joined the Community College of Vermont’s Green Up effort last Saturday, and worked together to clean up roadsides throughout the state. Both CCV and Green Up Vermont are celebrating 50th anniversaries in 2020, and have partnered this year in joint recognition of the shared milestone.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont businesses and nonprofits on the brink of bankruptcy got a bit of good news today as Governor Scott, the Speaker’s office and the Senate President Pro Tem saying they expected the $400 million financial aid package to be passed by the end of June, if not sooner. Lawmakers could release some emergency funds ahead of the rest. The massive, by Vermont standards, plan would provide emergency funds to the hardest hit industries and then help shore up other businesses and organizations moving forward.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported two new cases of COVID-19, no deaths and none hospitalized. However, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, provided an update of a "cluster" of cases in Winooski. He said there are 10-20 cases in the cluster. Some 200 people were tested over the last few days in Winooski. The positive tests need to be confirmed. He said this was not an institutional outbreak. Tracing and containment protocols have been enacted.

Vermont Business Magazine The FDIC periodically evaluates thousands of banks across the country to determine how well their community development and lending practices contribute to the success of all in their of local communities. Historically, less than 10% of financial institutions earn the coveted “Outstanding” rating which is reserved for banks that most effectively meet the credit needs of their local communities. In its most recent examination by regulatory agencies, Union Bank received an “outstanding” rating for its compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) in its two rated areas in VT and NH.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) announced a partnership with Fluid Education Inc, one of the newest and fastest growing education services companies in the nation, to provide program and business development, marketing, and recruiting services globally for its online undergraduate and select graduate level programs.

“With the rapid growth in online education and a changing economy, Norwich is positioned to deliver relevant, new online bachelor and master degree programs to the marketplace,” notes Vice President and Dean of the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies William Clements. “Our new partnership with Fluid Education will expand the Norwich brand and online education offerings to new markets around the world and add incremental expertise in marketing and enrollment management.”