Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott joined local, state and federal partners Thursday to announce over $2.7 million in community development grants to 10 communities in six different counties throughout the state. The grants were announced at the St Albans City Hall. St Albans is the site of a successful redevelopment. That redevelopment included Tax Increment Financing. The TIF helped build an new hotel in the city center and transform the downtown. Scott considers the TIF crucial to St Albans' resurgence. He wants to expand the program to towns in the southern part of the state, like Springfield. 

Vermont Business Magazine As part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s investigation into cases of severe respiratory illness associated with e-cigarettes and vaping, the Vermont Department of Health has asked the state’s health care providers to watch for and report any suspected cases. According to the CDC, 215 possible cases of severe pulmonary disease associated with e-cigarette products have been reported in 25 states as of August 27. Two deaths, one each in Illinois and Oregon, have been reported. Vermont health officials are investigating one suspected case.

​Vermont Business Magazine KnowledgeWave, a leader in business software training specializing in Microsoft Office 365 based in South Burlington, today announced that it placed #26 on Fifty Five and Five's Digital Marketing Excellence Report (2019-2020) for Microsoft Partners. This year, the Insights Report from Fifty Five and Five evaluated over 39,000 Microsoft Partners on digital marketing measures such as their company's website presence, blog activities, and social media usage. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Growers Association is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization formed in 2019 as a political action committee and trade association. Founded by Geoffrey Pizzutillo and Jennifer Dye, and joined by cannabis advocate and lobbyist Eli Harrington, the Vermont Growers Association has created a policy platform survey and is actively recruiting board members as it kicks off grassroots lobbying efforts.

Vermont Business Magazine Middlebury-based Bee’s Wrap brought home kudos in early September from the B Lab, earning the 2019 Best For The World: Environment award for the business’s top-notch attention to environmental stewardship. Bee’s Wrap, a Certified B Corporation, is one of three Vermont businesses to earn this honor, alongside Seventh Generation and SunCommon. Granted by the B Lab, the global nonprofit that certifies and supports Certified B Corporations, the award honors B Corp members who are taking bold action to preserve our planet’s most precious resources. These companies consider the impact of their everyday footprint, including energy usage, materials, facilities, supply chain, and more. 

Vermont Business Magazine Airbnb announced today that its Vermont hosts earned a combined $20.4 million in supplemental income while welcoming approximately 139,400 guest arrivals to the state this summer, from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day. Airbnb said the summer results follow a similarly successful ski season in Vermont earlier this year, with ski communities welcoming approximately 123,600 guest arrivals and local hosts earning a total of approximately $22.3 million in supplemental income. Chittenden County generated the most Airbnb summer business with over $5 million, with Lamoille next at over $3 million and Rutland and Washington counties next at $2 million.

Vermont Business Magazine The Working Lands Enterprise Board announces the 2020 Service Provider application period is now open. The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative supports innovative entrepreneurs at the forefront of Vermont’s Working Lands economy through technical and financial assistance to help growing businesses thrive. Types of technical assistance provided for Working Lands businesses may include: Market development, Marketing plans, and sales; Business and financial planning; Succession planning; Access to capital; Manufacturing efficiencies or process flow;  Business research and development; and/or pilot programs.

Vermont Business Magazine Next week, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will hold a public meeting in Brattleboro to discuss best practices for community and citizen advisory boards, like Vermont’s Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens’ Advisory Panel, associated with nuclear plant decommissioning activities. The meeting, one of 10 planned around the country in communities affected by nuclear decommissioning, will also serve as an opportunity for the NRC to hear about lessons learned by these groups.

“Communities impacted by the decommissioning of nuclear plants deserve a role in shaping decommissioning plans,” said Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), “as they bear the brunt of the safety, environmental, and economic impacts of plant closure. It is these communities that are left with the legacy of nuclear power and its consequences, and their input and concerns must be taken seriously.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) campus buzzes with action each summer. Through the VYCC experience, Corps Members discover more about themselves, raise their resilience, and get inspired for new career paths and a spirit of service. Crews dig into hands-on work and learning about farming, growing veggies for Vermonters in need and management of trail and storm water runoff,  keeping erosion under control and waterways clean. On their campus and across Vermont, VYCC turns the outdoors into a classroom that sparks wonder and a sense of responsibility to over 250 young people each year.

Vermont Business Magazine On October 2nd, town energy committees, town energy coordinators and other interested participants from Central Vermont will gather to share their work and to consider how they can improve transportation options in their communities. The agenda for this gathering includes a sharing of updates, presentations from experts, and breakout discussions to identify opportunities for multi-town collaboration

Vermont Business Magazine The global ocean is increasingly threatened by human activity, yet many people remain unaware of how important to all life, human and non-human, the marine environment truly is. “The Future of the Global Ocean,” this year’s Middlebury College Clifford Symposium, will offer talks by pioneering marine scientists on key environmental topics, from ocean plastics and marine protected areas to the influence of melting sea ice on weather patterns. Events take place September 19-21 and include a screening of the documentary Chasing the Thunder that recounts a remarkable story of environmental activism on the high seas.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is partnering with customers and communities across Vermont to help them with projects to reduce carbon emissions during the Global Climate Strike on September 20, and will continue community initiatives through September 27. GMP will work with the communities where its 15 district offices are located, to develop projects that support their local carbon cutting actions.

GMP is also increasing incentives for that week for customers to drive carbon out of their homes and businesses, by increasing rebates for electric vehicles, heat pumps and electric bikes. Customers will be able to qualify for up to $3,000 for EVs (up from $2,500) if they’re low/moderate income and up to $2,000 (up from $1,500) for other GMP customers, $650 for heat pumps (up from $400) and $250 for e-bikes (up from $200). GMP is also launching a new $50 rebate for electric mowers that will continue after Climate Week ends.