Current News

​University of Vermont A 2017 study showing that Black and Hispanic drivers in Vermont were more likely than White drivers to be stopped and searched by state and local police, and less likely to be found with contraband, was welcomed by many in the state’s law enforcement community for providing valuable feedback that could be put to good use in training programs. But questions were also raised about the study's methodology and the reliability of its data.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House yesterday unanimously approved the $159.4 million Capital Construction Bill, H923, appropriating funds to infrastructure improvement projects across the state. It also funds the School Safety and Security Grant Program.

by Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos Data from the census touches nearly every aspect of our lives as Vermonters, from political representation, congressional seats and the drawing of district lines to federal funding allocations and how local government officials make important policy decisions, from the Governor’s office all the way down to our local school boards.

I strongly support any actions taken by Attorney General TJ Donovan in resisting the addition of a citizenship question on the census, and thank him for his leadership on this issue.

Including a citizenship question will significantly reduce participation leading to inaccurate population data, which could have significant negative impacts here in Vermont and across the country. The law governing the Census:

VT Fish & Wildlife The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is holding a free Turkey Hunting Seminar in Guildford, Vermont on April 15, 2018. This seminar is in addition to the two turkey hunting seminars being held on April 7 at Barre Fish and Game Club and April 8 at the Hartland Fire Department. The opening of the Hammond Cove Shooting Range in Hartland, Vermont has been postponed until Thursday, April 5, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. because of poor access road conditions caused by snow and ice. The Shooting Range Improvement Grant Program seeks grant applications from clubs and government agencies involved in the operation of shooting ranges

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) is offering expanded financial incentives in 2018 to VEC members who purchase or lease electric or plug-in hybrid cars. VEC members Eric and Ingrid Nuse were among those who recently took advantage of a VEC bill credit when they bought an all-electric Nissan Leaf last fall.

Vermont Business Magazine Next time you toss that banana peel in the trash, you may want to consider composting it instead. Each year, Vermonters throw away almost 100,000 tons of organics, like food scraps and yard debris, all of which could be composted or managed in better ways. This waste adds up, filling landfills and contributing to massive greenhouse gas emissions.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), former chairman and current member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, issued the following statement after President Donald Trump tweeted that he will replace his Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin with Ronny Jackson, who currently serves as the president's physician.

Vermont Business Magazine National Life Group has been recognized as one of “America’s Magnificent Eight Exceptional Companies” by CEO Forum, a media company that highlights the innovative work of chief executives from around the country. Additionally, Mehran Assadi, National Life’s chairman, CEO and president, was featured in a column on Forbes.com in which seven CEOs shared their insights into building an exceptional business.

Vermont Business Magazine At a meeting on March 15, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board awarded $2,955,197 to create new homes in a downtown Bennington development, to conserve 440 acres of farmland in Rutland and Orleans Counties, and to protect public access to water in Calais, Burlington and Bolton.

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (NASDAQ:CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company based in Rutland, announced Tuesday that it has priced two previously announced transactions relating to certain of its industrial revenue bonds, relating to the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds and Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Colleges System has adopted a new “Welcome Home” tuition policy making it easier for former Vermonters to return to the state and immediately qualify for in-state tuition at a college or university within the system. Under the new policy, adopted by the VSCS Board of Trustees on Saturday, any Vermonter who was a resident of the state, or whose parents or guardians were residents of the state, when they earned a high school diploma or equivalent certification, will be eligible for in-state tuition rates upon their return.

Currently, only those Vermonters who have returned and lived in the state for at least one year are eligible for the lower, in-state rates. The new policy is effective for the fall semester and applies to all Vermont students who earned their high school diploma after January 1, 2015 and are now residing in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) is pleased to announce five Local Food Market Development (LFMD) Grants, totaling $50,000, awarded to support projects that will assist Vermont farmers, businesses, and food system service providers in reaching new markets with an institutional or other wholesale focus in Vermont.