Current News

Vermont Business Magazine This change will precede the plastic-bag ban legislation expected to take effect in July of 2020 (Act 69) and is part of an overall commitment that the Co-op has made to reduce single-use plastics in the store.

Vermont Business Magazine The Petersons, Inc is joining Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty effective January 3, 2020. The Petersons, Inc, located in Peterborough, NH, brings 12 experienced and respected sales associates to the company and is the leader in real estate sales in the greater Peterborough region of New Hampshire with over $50 million in sales volume for 2019.

Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty, based in South Burlington, now has over 200 sales associates and 17 offices throughout New Hampshire and Vermont. The firm places a high premium on the level of service they provide their clients and represent the finest properties on the market regardless of price. Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty is currently ranked 1st in all residential sales over $500,000 as well as $1,000,000 and 5th in total sales volume sold regardless of price in the two states combined.*

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment spiked last week. While this is typical for the post-holiday period, claims this year have been higher than last year. After a long period during the summer and fall of very low numbers, claims have been higher over the last two months. Meanwhile the holiday period brings with it wild swings in claims, as retailers hire and then lay off seasonal workers.

AccuWeather.com A storm system will soak the northeastern United States and bring another dose of winter weather that will bring accumulating snow to parts of the region, including Northern Vermont. The northern part of the state could see up to six inches of snow, while the southern part could see a mix. Sunday will bring colder and blustery conditions.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington School District (BSD) Board of School Commissioners has announced that McPherson & Jacobson, LLC, Executive Recruitment and Development of Omaha, NE, has been selected to assist the Board in the important task of selecting superintendent candidates for the board to interview. Beginning immediately, the consultants and board commissioners will be meeting with community members to gather input regarding the qualities of the District’s next Superintendent. Superintendent Yaw Obeng announced in November that he would be stepping down June 30, 2020, after five years on the job.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan in St Albans today announced that his office filed a lawsuit against Pleasant Valley Farms of Berkshire, LLC and its operators Mark St Pierre and Amanda St Pierre for violations of Vermont’s agricultural laws and regulations. The alleged violations stem from actions at the Lumbra Farm in Berkshire, a dairy farm owned by the St Pierres that the state alleges is part of the Pleasant Valley Farms operation.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Council on Rural Development announced the launch of a new leadership program for Vermonters working to create climate solutions at the local level. The Climate Catalysts program will bring together 10 local leaders from all walks of life and all corners of Vermont to build peer connections, strengthen leadership skills, and receive support in developing a local project or initiative.

“This new program is a manifestation of VCRD’s core belief in the power of Vermont towns to build a prosperous future while leading in developing local climate solutions,” said VCRD Executive Director Paul Costello. “Through this program we will Invest in and support local leaders who are thinking creatively about the climate challenge and deeply committed to developing solutions.”

Vermont Business Magazine President Trump has signed into law bipartisan legislation championed by Representative Peter Welch that will crack down on unwanted and predatory robocalls.

Vermont Business Magazine According to United Van Lines, Americans are moving into Idaho, and Idaho is moving up—in the ranking of most popular 2019 moving destinations, that is. Vermont remains the highest by percentage, but with a small sample size. Still, Vermont is the only state to have achieved greater than a 70 percent in-bound rate, which it has done the last two years (74.3% in 2019 and 72.7% in 2018). Vermont also has increased its inbound rate every year for which data is available. In 2013, Vermont had more outbound than inbound (52.6% outbound) movers, but by 2014 (59.4% inbound) and every year since, the rate has gone up. According to United data, Vermont's migration demographic has also changed, as the inbound age has gotten older and, not surprisingly, wealthier. While the state's population has barely inched up during this period, other studies also have shown Vermont to be among the very top destinations for migration and the leader in the region.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to a work request issued by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets (VAAFM), Atlantic Corporation performed extensive market research on Vermont maple syrup and value-added maple products to determine market conditions, trends in consumer demand, and current distribution channels with an eye towards the most advantageous strategies for Vermont maple producers to be competitive in a global market.

by John McClaughry On December 17 the Georgetown Law Center revealed its long-awaited Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) draft Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU). It will be open for on-line comments until February 28. At some point after that Gov. Scott will be asked to sign Vermont into TCI. Presumably the legislature would have to enact some provisions to make it enforceable on Vermont fuel dealers.

Here are twelve questions and answers that will explain what TCI is and expects to do.

Q: What is TCI? TCI is a multistate regional agreement to drive up the price of motor fuel (gasoline and on-road diesel). It proposes to start at five, nine or seventeen cents per gallon, and escalate upward from that, with no declared maximum.

25 Years, 2 Districts, facilitating over $42M of Financing for 1000 Miles of Fiber covering 4000+ Customers - to date

Vermont Business Magazine ValleyNet celebrated its 25th Birthday in November - their non-profit mission is to facilitate universal and effective Internet access. Theirtagline is “Lux Lucet in Deserto” - A Light Shining in the Wilderness (with apologies to Dartmouth College), evoking the importance of high speed fiber Internet service to interconnect our rural communities.