Current News

by Bill McKibben I've been in Pennsylvania and Ohio the last few weeks, following Bernie’s advice by giving speeches and registering young voters in an effort to beat Donald Trump. Thinking about national politics all day has been toxic—by now it’s clear that America is not actually having a political campaign where we think about issues. Instead we’re just doing all that we can to keep a man who wants to jail his opponent (and who dreams about dating fourth graders “in ten years”) from somehow winning the presidency.

It’s a pleasure, therefore, to be back in the Green Mountains. First of all, because of maple leaves and second because elections here still center around the great issues of the day, the things left entirely undiscussed in the national debates that have become such gruesome spectacles. But even here in Vermont there are some disturbing signs.

Vermont Business Magazine The Chittenden County Opioid Alliance (CCOA) announced today that Samuel Francis-Fath has been hired as data manager. CCOA is a new collaborative partnership of local non-profit agencies, business leaders, community members, state government, the City of Burlington and the University of Vermont Medical Center. CCOA is dedicated to reducing the opioid crisis and the burden it places on our communities. 

Samuel Francis-Fath

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington-based Howard Center released the following media statement Monday afternoon related to the tragic deaths of the five Vermont teens on Interstate 89 in a late-night incident October 8 in Williston. The alleged driver in the wrong-way crash is 36-year-old Steven Bourgoin of Williston. He was arraigned on five counts of second-degree murder last Friday at the University of Vermont Medical Center, where he is a patient. Published reports indicate that he had entered the emergency department at the hospital earlier Saturday.

Vermont Business Magazine Most Vermonters have expressed concern about utility costs and stress the need for better ratepayer representation in regulating power companies and setting rates, according to survey data released today by AARP Vermont. The responses also revealed that many ratepayers would vote for a candidate that supports implementation of an independent ratepayer advocacy office. The findings were part of opinion surveys conducted by AARP of Vermonters over age 35 as well as an AARP member survey. AARP has been a vocal opponent of Vermont Gas System's Addison pipeline project because of the potential rate impact to existing customers.

Following is a summary of key findings:

Vermont Business Magazine At a meeting on October 5, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board committed $233,468 in state funding and $633,500 in federal funds from the Natural Resources Conservation Service to conserve 490 acres of farmland in Franklin, Rutland, Washington, and Windsor Counties. The conservation easements for each of the five farm projects will include water quality protections for surface waters and riparian areas. Two of the farm projects will involve transfers to younger farmers. The Vermont Chapter of the Nature Conservancy will contribute $265,000 to two of the farm projects as part of a collaboration with the Keurig Green Mountain Company aimed at protecting and restoring water quality in Lake Champlain.

UVM Extension Center file photo.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Police Association issued the following endorsement of Phil Scott for Governor. George P Merkel, President of the Vermont Police Association issued the following statement.

by Chuck Ross, Secretary, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets Agriculture is critical to our communities, our economy, our landscape, and our way of life here in Vermont. As Vermonters, we have grown accustomed to a vital and robust agricultural lifestyle. But when I leave our state, in my travels as Secretary of Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, I am always reminded that our local agriculture here in Vermont is special, and serves as a model for others.

Vermont Business Magazine Radio stations 1071 Frank-fm, Froggy 100.9 and 105.7 The Beat announce that the Stuff-A-Truck Food And Funds Drive for the Central Vermont Salvation Army Emergency Food Shelf returns to 802 Cars next to the Berlin Mall on November 17th.  The Stations will attempt again to stuff a Bellavance tractor trailer with canned food and will also be accepting monetary donations in the Salvation Army’s signature red kettles.  

by Jennifer Surat The Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation (CVEDC) will hold its 40th Anniversary Gala on Tuesday, October 25, at the Capitol Plaza from 5-7:45 pm. This year’s event will celebrate our past and honor the business leaders and companies that have made this region a vibrant economic leader in Vermont. CVEDC has played a significant role in support of our regional businesses for four decades.  In that time we have seen entrepreneurs grow small ideas into international industry icons.  We have helped communities plan for their future, and recover from natural disasters.  At the Gala we want to take this opportunity to recognize a number of our local businesses for the important contributions they make to the health and quality of this region.

The evening celebration will begin with a networking opportunity from 5:00-5:45PM, which will include a cash bar, hors d’oeuvres, and music. 

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Power Systems Corp (TSX: NPS), a next generation renewable energy technology company based in Barre, has confirmed the continued performance of its remote fleet with turbines performing through both Hurricane Matthew in the Caribbean, as well as Typhoon Chaba in the Jeju region of South Korea. Northern Power turbines at Over Yonder Cay in the Bahamas have now performed through three hurricanes without damage, most recently, experiencing winds of over 135 miles per hour and at least one direct lightning strike with no damage sustained. Throughout the storm the turbines performed as designed, shutting down in high winds and restarting when conditions were safe, all without human intervention.

Vermont Business Magazine Chicago-based Reinhart Foodservice, LLC announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Earth Brothers, Ltd to purchase substantially all of the assets of the rapidly growing Black River Produce distribution business. Black River Produce is a multi-regional distributor serving more than 2,000 accounts across Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and New York. Founded in 1978, Black River Produce is owned by Mark Curran and Steve Birge and is based in North Springfield, where it and the employees will remain under the Black River name.

Vermont Business Magazine Buyers of meat from Gregory Finch’s Vermont’s Family Farm in Enosburg Falls thought they were buying anti-biotic free Vermont pork, and consumers paid a premium price for it. But Finch cannot prove his pigs were born and raised in Vermont or were anti-biotic free for their entire lives – and the Attorney General’s evidence indicates otherwise. So Finch, who is no longer farming or living in Vermont, and the Attorney General have settled for a civil penalty of over $140,000.

“Vermonters are willing to pay extra for meat raised in Vermont. We won’t let their money pad the pockets of those making fake claims,” said Attorney General Bill Sorrell.