Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont is ranked as one of the healthiest states, but Vermonters have one of the highest rates of marijuana use. Now that it’s legal in the state for adults 21 years or older to possess up to one ounce of cannabis, the Department of Health has launched Let’s Talk Cannabis, a web resource of science-based information aimed at increasing awareness about cannabis and how it affects our bodies, minds and health.

Vermont Business Magazine Blanche Podhajski, Ph.D., has announced that she will be leaving her position as President of the Stern Center on August 31, 2020, after 37 years of leadership. Dr. Podhajski formed the nonprofit organization in 1983 with a threefold mission to enhance learning through the provision of evaluations and direct instruction to individuals, professional learning for educators and physicians, and educational research.

Vermont Business Magazine On November 19, New Media Investment Group Inc, the owner of GateHouse media, and Gannett Company, Inc, the owner of the Burlington Free Press, announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Gannett by New Media for a combination of cash and stock. The deal was valued at about $1.38 billion when it was announced last August. While Gannett was the company acquired, the combined company will take the Gannett name and trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker: GCI. Gannett is based in McLean, VA.

GateHouse Media, based in Pittsford, NY, in recent years has been gobbling up weekly and small daily newspapers mostly in the Midwest and Northeast. It owns nearly every weekly in Eastern Massachusetts under the wickedlocal.com brand. The Free Press is the only Gannett paper in Vermont. The combined company eventually expects to save upwards of $300 million a year.

Vermont Business Magazine December 3 is Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving that arose in response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This celebration of philanthropy gives people an opportunity to focus their holiday spirit on organizations doing important work in their communities. 

Vermont Business Magazine For the second year in a row, employee-owned companies in Vermont joined together to collect donations for the Vermont Food Bank. Members of Employee Owners of Vermont raised a total of $35,186 and collected a total of 5,604 pounds of food for the Vermont Food Bank in October, which is Employee Ownership Month. This was nearly double the amount collected the year before. 

USA Ski & Snowboard Association World Cup victory number 62 tasted pretty sweet for Mikaela Shiffrin after she put forth a commanding performance at the HomeLight Killington Cup Sunday in front of 11,000 fans. She won the first run by 1.13 seconds and extended her victory margin to a massive 2.29 seconds on a scrappy second run. With this victory, Mikaela continues onward with the strongest start she's had to a season in years. Considering she won a record 17 races last year, this is a notion that must have her competitors nervous. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts visited the Werner Tree Farmi n Middlebury Friday to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season with the help of Vermont’s farmers. The trees cut during this visit will decorate the Pavilion Building in Montpelier, which houses the Governor’s Office.   

Governor Scott at the Werner Tree Farm in Middlebury

US Ski & Snowboard On a sunny and blistering cold day in Killington in front of 19,500 screaming fans, Mikaela Shiffrin fought her way to a third-place finish in Saturday’s tight giant slalom. Italy's Marta Bassino won her first World Cup race by .26 over countrywoman Federica Brignone, with Mikaela rounding out the podium, trailing Federica by a mere .03 hundredths for third. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America, and part of POWDR, is partnering with Waste Free Earth for the AUDI FIS Ski Women’s World Cup Races this weekend.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued a proclamation declaring November 30, 2019 as Small Business Appreciation Day in Vermont, celebrating Vermont’s small businesses and encouraging Vermonters to shop local during the holiday season.

“Buying local is a great way for Vermonters to support Vermonters,” said Governor Scott. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and an important part of the Vermont brand. By shopping local this holiday season, together, we can help strengthen our businesses and communities.”

Nearly 160,000 Vermonters are employed by small businesses, comprising nearly 60% of the state’s private workforce. Almost 3,000 of Vermont’s small businesses are retailers, which employ more than 30,000 Vermonters.

Vermont Business Magazine The Jay Peak Receiver filed suit in federal court in Florida November 15 saying the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have dragged their feet in awarding permanent "green cards" and resident status to EB-5 immigrant investors who have completed the necessary process of achieving the designations, thus doing them financial harm. Goldberg cannot find a reason for the delays. Even the fees are relatively high and the accounts are flush.

Vermont Business Magazine The countdown has officially begun and Burke Mountain is slated to open Friday, December 6th to kickoff the 2019/2020 winter season. The Mid Burke Express will begin 7/day operations and service intermediate and advanced terrain to start including Upper Willoughby, Lower Bear Den, and Graham Slam (formerly Lower Fox's Folly).