Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Consolidated Communications (NASDAQ: CNSL) today announced CCiTV is now available throughout Northern New England. The telecom is introducing its next-generation TV service to consumers in Vermont, as well as making the service available to additional locations in Maine and New Hampshire. CCiTV was already available in southern Maine and in the Lakes Region, central and southern New Hampshire.

Vermont Business Magazine Following a six-month process to gather input from more than 30 customers, partners, and stakeholders, Efficiency Vermont recently proposed to its regulators a six-year plan for delivering energy efficiency to Vermonters. The proposed Demand Resources Plan (DRP) includes new performance targets that would focus more of the energy efficiency utility’s resources toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding weatherization support, and partnering with electric utilities to optimize grid efficiency.

Vermont Business Magazine The Scott Administration will head to Chittenden County on Tuesday, December 17 for its Capitol for a Day initiative, a 14-county tour launched by the Governor in 2018. After launching the second round this summer, the administration is revisiting each county over the next several months. Capitol for a Day gives local constituents, municipal government leaders and other partners the opportunity to connect directly with state leadership and staff.

“This initiative has been tremendously rewarding and productive,” said Governor Scott. “It’s been great to get back to each county, with the opportunity to see new local programs and projects, as well as hear from Vermonters about the challenges they face and the impact of the work we’re doing in Montpelier.”

Follow along on social media using the #VTCapitol4aDay hashtag.

WHEN:                Tuesday, December 17

by Joyce Marcel, Vermont Business Magazine In 1848, during the first American gold rush, random people became obscenely rich, others died violent deaths or were left begging by the side of the road and more than 750,000 pounds of gold were taken from the California hills. Somehow, this has become a good metaphor for what’s happening with hemp in 2019. The Cannabis sativa plant — from which comes hemp and marijuana — has been around forever; there’s a reason it’s nicknamed “weed.” The Chinese used it 1,000 years ago. They cultivated some for textiles, some for its curative properties and some for its euphoric ones. In recent decades, the plant — or maybe euphoria itself — has been illegal in America.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger Friday responded to news stories regarding Chief of Police Brandon del Pozo’s fake Twitter account with the following statement:

“On the evening of Sunday, July 28, Chief del Pozo self-reported to me that he had posted tweets from an anonymous Twitter account and that he had not been forthright with a reporter about those tweets. (See Story)

Vermont Business Magazine Darn Tough Vermont, the fastest growing American manufacturer of premium performance outdoor and lifestyle socks, announces the grand opening of the company’s expanded footprint in their hometown of Northfield. The new 66,000 square foot location is now home to Darn Tough’s sock finishing processes – washing, drying, boarding and packaging – and over 100 employees. Perhaps even more impressive, the company added the square footage without breaking ground, driving a multimillion dollar renovation of an existing 100-year-old building, the Nantanna Mill. The new Nantanna location is an extension of the brand’s original office and mill space, also in Northfield.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Public Safety has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by a woman who was the victim of a kidnapping and sexual assault involving suspect Everett Simpson earlier this year. The settlement was reached following mediation in August 2019 and finalized with a stipulation of dismissal that was filed December 5 and approved by a judge Thursday, December 12. Under terms of the agreement, the victim will receive $300,000, and her son will receive $100,000.

Vermont Business Magazine Researchers at the University of Vermont have teamed up with scientists around the U.S. to tackle agriculture’s grand challenge of feeding the world’s growing population while conserving natural resources and reducing its environmental footprint. Using precision agriculture tools, network analysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning, the project will analyze cover cropping strategies at over 100 farms throughout the East Coast and Midwest and survey farmers and advisors across 20 states with the goals of improving profits for farmers and building more sustainable food systems.

Vermont Business Magazine At his weekly press conference Friday, Governor Phil Scott joined the community of West Windsor to celebrate the success of the Brownsville Butcher & Pantry, which opened in November 2018. This collaborative redevelopment project began after the Brownsville General Store went out of business and the property was foreclosed in 2016.

Through individual, local and state support, the Friends of the Brownsville General Store purchased and redeveloped the vacant building, recreating an economic and community hub in the village.

“Creating vibrant, welcoming villages is critical to keeping young Vermonters here and drawing new families and businesses to Vermont,” said Governor Scott. “Together, this community has proven that solutions start from the ground up - at the local level - and has shown how that vision can and should be reinforced with help from the state.”

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced he’s appointed Jessica Zaleski as Caledonia County’s next state’s attorney. This appointment fills the vacancy created following Governor Scott’s selection of the former State’s Attorney Lisa Warren as a Superior Court judge. Zaleski has been serving as the county’s acting state’s attorney since October.

Jessica Zaleski

“Jessica is the right person for this job and is well positioned to build on the strong record left by her predecessor,” said Governor Scott. “We trust our prosecutors to ensure our communities are kept safe and criminals are brought to justice. Jessica demonstrates a commitment to this work and to doing what’s best for her community.”

Robertson Paper Mill. ACCD photo.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today attended a ribbon cutting ceremony at the former site of the Robertson Paper Mill. This ceremony marked the completion of an environmental clean-up effort between local, state, federal and private partners through the state Brownfield Economic Revitalization Alliance (BERA).

The $1.2 million remediation addressed lead, arsenic, asbestos, petroleum and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) at the site. The Bellows Falls Area Development Corporation (BFADC) acquired the property in 2013, identifying it as a site pivotal to redevelopment of the village.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment fell a bit last week after spiking the week before. After a long period of very low numbers, claims have been higher over the last several weeks and now have entered the holiday period, which typically brings with it wild swings in claims, as retailers hire and then lay off seasonal workers.

Initial claims for the week of December 7, 2019, were 977, down 147 from last week and 344 more than they were at this time last year. Thanksgiving was much later this year, which could alter the timing of the usual holiday hiring/firing.

Altogether 4,928 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 828 from a week ago, and 895 more than a year ago.