Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Thursday issued the following statement after the White House announced that the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) would make “fair pricing” a standard part of contract negotiations for tests, treatments, and vaccines. In March, the HELP Committee held a hearing on Moderna’s decision to quadruple the price of the COVID-19 vaccine, which was developed through a partnership with the federal government.

Vermont Business Magazine iSun, Inc (NASDAQ: ISUN) from Williston, a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company with 50-years of experience accelerating the adoption of innovative electrical technologies, today announced the closing of an $8.0 million senior secured loan with Decathlon Capital Partners, the country’s largest revenue-based funding investor, to refinance in full the prior senior secured convertible facility which had become overly dilutive. The transaction, which carries a 48-month term, is a straight debt instrument, thus avoiding any equity dilution. Debt service payments begin at a smaller initial level and increase over the course of the loan in several step-ups, tracking the company’s revenue growth. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Brewers Association is gearing up for an exciting new year with the appointment of an Executive Director and the addition of three dynamic individuals to its Board of Directors. The decisions were made official during the association’s Board Meeting on December 12, 2023. The VBA also announced the official appointment of Emma Arian as the new Executive Director.

Vermont Business Magazine Rutland Regional Medical Center’s Bowse Health Trust (BHT) committee is pleased to announce funding for three important projects over the next three years. The Rutland Pride Center, Companions in Wholeness, and the Rutland Free Clinic have been awarded funds to implement important projects in our community.  Each project addresses priority needs identified in the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment with a focus on improving health equity in the areas of Housing, Childcare and Parenting, Mental Health, and Supporting the Aging Community.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) today announced Southern State Correctional Facility (SSCF) Interim Superintendent Michaela Merrill will officially assume the role of SSCF Superintendent effective immediately. The leadership change comes after former SSCF Superintendent Mike Lyon retired in August. Merrill stepped into the role of Interim Superintendent shortly after Lyon’s retirement.  

Vermont Business Magazine Maple syrup conveys an image of healthy forests and a sustainable product made by farmers stewarding the land. Yet, there is little data available about how sustainable the industry is. The Maple Sustainability Indicators project, funded through the UVM Food Systems Research Center's sustainability metrics grant, will develop a framework of indicators to evaluate the sustainability of the maple sector. By establishing monitoring programs, the research team will begin to investigate if the industry's positive environmental image can be verified.

Vermont Business Magazine A Vermont Superior Court has granted Attorney General Charity Clark’s request to unseal her lawsuit against Meta regarding Instagram’s harms to youth. The unsealed complaint makes public details of Meta’s conduct that were previously confidential. Attorney General Clark announced in October that she had sued Meta to hold the company accountable for its contribution to the mental health crisis facing teens in America and Vermont. At the time of filing, much of the lawsuit included confidential material that was not yet available to the public. The lawsuit is now fully available for public viewing.

Vermont Natural Resources Council Tonight, December 14th, from 5:30-7:30pm, the Vermont Natural Resources Board (NRB) will hold a virtual public meeting on a draft report that recommends updates to Act 250, Vermont’s historic statewide land use program. Act 250, Vermont’s land use law, was designed to help protect Vermont’s natural resources, communities and working lands from poorly planned development over 50 years ago. Since its enactment, many new challenges have emerged and the latest report has important recommendations to better address the housing shortage in smart ways, while better protecting our natural resources and addressing threats posed by climate change. 

Vermont Business Magazine The technical issues impacting the Department of Labor’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) Claimant Portal have been resolved as of this afternoon, Thursday, December 14, 2023. On Monday, December 11, 2023, Department of Labor staff became aware of an issue affecting a number of unemployment claimants. These individuals reported encountering difficulties filing their weekly claims or reopening existing claims. Impacted claimants who were unable to file for the benefit week of 12/03/23-12/09/23 should now find that option available in their claimant portal account. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Jeffrey Coolidge, 58, of Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned today on two charges of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. The charges brought against the defendant are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of a residential search warrant, conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and Montpelier Police Department.

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC) has been selected as a participant in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) Peer-Learning Cohorts program (led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory), which will advance local clean energy and decarbonization initiatives. Stowe Electric Department is also part of the newest three cohorts. CVRPC will serve as part of a cohort that will support local government, tribes, and municipal utilities to develop community-driven approaches to transportation electrification.

Vermont Business Magazine Want to build or improve a recreational trail in your Vermont community? The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) invites municipalities, non-profits, and other governmental entities to apply for funding through the Recreational Trails Program. In 2024, FPR will award approximately $500,000, funded through the Federal Highways Administration, to build and maintain trails across the state. Over the past 15 years, the Recreational Trails Program, or RTP, has provided almost $8.5 million in competitive grants to Vermont communities for the development and maintenance of public trails, for both motorized and non-motorized recreation.