Current News

Vermont Business Magazine After round-the-clock monitoring of an emergent situation on Interstate 89 in Georgia, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will close the northbound right lane between exits 18 and 19 today at approximately 6:00 p.m., after the evening rush-hour commute. A 600-foot-long concrete culvert that runs under I-89 at milemarker 106.69 is failing after damage that occurred during the Halloween 2019 rainstorm.

Vermont Business Magazine Revenue collections continued to show strength in the personal income tax, rooms & meals tax and even the sales tax for the month of December 2019. Meanwhile, the corporate tax followed recent behavior with a wild swing, this time down, and the Transportation Fund-related revenues disappointed again. General Fund revenues collected for the month totaled $137.94 million, or $5.11 million above the monthly consensus revenue target. Year to date, General Fund revenues exceeded their target by $15.40 million, or 2.12%.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Christopher Mesick, 38 of Jeffersonville, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury sitting in Burlington with being a felon in possession of a firearm and with being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. Mesick was arrested on these charges on January 13, 2020 and was detained. Mesick waived his appearance yesterday at his arraignment before U.S.

Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy and Mesick’s defense attorney entered pleas of not guilty on his behalf.

Vermont Business Magazine Unemployment claims rose last week and are ahead of levels from last year. After a long period during the summer and fall of very low numbers, claims have been generally higher over the last few months.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Donovan joined a lawsuit yesterday challenging the Trump Administration’s latest effort to allow 3D-printed gun files to be released on the internet. These files would provide access to blueprints for 3D-printed firearms, also known as “ghost guns,” that are unregistered, untraceable, and difficult to detect.

As a result of a previous multistate lawsuit, a federal judge struck down the Trump Administration’s prior attempt to allow the release of the files.

However, yesterday, the Administration renewed its efforts by publishing formal rules that would transfer regulation of 3D-printed guns from the State Department to the Department of Commerce, effectively allowing their unlimited distribution.

“3D-printed guns present significant risks to public safety,” said Attorney General Donovan. “We have already fought this battle and won, and we will keep fighting.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Technical College, in collaboration with Community College of Vermont (CCV), will offer a Principles of Manufacturing class at the Williston Campus starting February 27. Eligible parents can enroll at no cost via the Strengthening Working Families Initiative (SWFI), a grant funded program through Vermont Tech.

The first of two courses in CCV’s Certified Production Technician (CPT) program, Principles of Manufacturing introduces students to manufacturing, including facilitating safe work practices in industrial environments and controlling and improving quality in a manufacturing setting. Students earn college credit, as well as credentials from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council.

Vermont Business Magazine Women and men of the 158th Fighter Wing are training at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, returning to Vermont in late March. Members, aircraft and support equipment departed this week for a training event known as Southern Lightning. Over 100 airmen from primarily Maintenance and Operations Groups will fly and maintain F-35 operations throughout the training period, developing their readiness while off-station.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The December 2019 unemployment rate was unchanged from last month, but the three major data points were all worse from November and both the Labor Force and Employment were worse from a year ago. However, the Unemployment numbers from last year improved by over thousand and the rate itself is down three-tenths. The Vermont Department of Labor released data on the Vermont economy Friday morning. According to household data, the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for December was 2.3 percent. The preliminary data released in December shows a labor force participation rate of 65.6 percent which is the lowest statewide level since September 1977. The seasonally-adjusted Vermont data for December show the Vermont civilian labor force decreased by 946 from the prior month’s revised estimate. The number of employed persons decreased by 1,021 and the number of unemployed persons increased by 75. The change to the number of employed persons was statistically significant in the seasonally-adjusted series. The comparable United States unemployment rate in December was 3.5 percent, which was also unchanged from the revised November estimate. Vermont continues to have the lowest rate in the nation, tied with South Carolina and Utah. New Hampshire is number 6 at 2.6 percent.

by Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn At VTrans, we know how much you count on us to keep Vermont’s roadways safe for travel during winter weather and storms. This time of year, you’ll see our fleet of 268 plow trucks out in full force, plowing millions of miles of roads and highways and doing our part to keep you moving. But for our crews to do their work safely and successfully, we need your help.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont House passed H.107, the Paid Family and Medical Leave bill on a vote of 89-58. Today’s vote was the final hurdle for the proposed legislation before it heads to the governor’s desk. The bill guarantees up to 12 weeks of paid parental or bonding leave and up to 8 weeks of paid family care leave. The bill also contains the opportunity for individuals to opt-in to a personal medical leave policy for up to 6 weeks. Governor Phil Scott has consistently vowed to veto a mandatory family leave bill and has proposed a voluntary plan. The House and Senate reached an agreement in a conference committee last week on H107. Advocacy groups that have championed the initiative expressed concern that the conference bill does not provide temporary disability insurance or enough public oversight of the program. The Senate voted on Friday (20-9) to approve the conference committee report, setting up today's House vote.