Current News

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small has announced that USDA is accepting applications to support economic development and create jobs for people in rural America. USDA is making this funding available under the Rural Business Development Grant program to support business opportunities or business enterprise projects in rural communities. Eligible entities are rural towns, communities, state agencies, authorities, nonprofits, federally recognized Tribes, public institutions of higher education and non- profit cooperatives.

Vermont Business Magazine A group of conservation advocates came together on Saturday, November 19 to celebrate the creation of a new fund to conserve lands important to Vermont communities. The fund was established by Hinesburg residents in honor of conservationist Andrea Morgante who is a founding member of the Hinesburg Land Trust. For close to 40 years, Morgante has championed the conservation of roughly 3,000 acres in the town, including the recent expansion and conservation of the 1,125-acre Hinesburg Town Forest.

by Secretary Anson B Tebbetts As autumn winds down and our Green Mountain fields and forests prepare to rest, we give thanks for the bounty of the seasons. In the coming weeks, Vermont food will be at the center the table as many of us celebrate with family and friends. Maybe the meal will begin with an appetizer plate arranged with Vermont’s award-winning cheeses, crackers, pickles, jams, and jellies; perhaps stacks of tasty local vegetables and meats grown and produced by our Vermont farmers and producers. On the table, a fresh Vermont turkey is paired with buttery mashed potatoes and many other sides. Once dinner concludes, our thoughts turn to Vermont-grown holiday trees and wreaths. We are fortunate to have so much.

Vermont Business Magazine After a search that stretched across states and regions, Brattleboro Savings & Loan is happy to welcome Deborah Stephenson to the position of president. Deb is joining us, most recently, from Berkshire Bank, but she brings a rich history in banking and a deep appreciation for the communities of Southeastern Vermont. Dan Yates, BS&L’s president for the past 17 years, is preparing to enter a well deserved retirement at the end of this year.

Vermont Business Magazine Secretary of Administration Kristin Clouser today released Vermont’s revenue results for October 2022. All three major funds - the General Fund, the Transportation Fund and the Education Fund - ended the month with revenue above target. Year to date, the General Fund and the Education Fund remain ahead of target while the Transportation Fund is slightly behind. The crucial personal income tax showed continued strength to lead the revenue results. Meanwhile, the rise in interest rates is starting to show its effects on other data points.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement for the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday: “Thanksgiving is always an important time to reflect on all we have, and after two years of holidays filled with uncertainty and fewer chances to connect, I’m especially grateful for our ability to be together for Thanksgiving and the holidays to come."

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Representative-Elect Becca Balint, VT-AL, announced that she is accepting applications for positions in her Congressional office. Balint’s campaign manager, Natalie Silver, is leading the transition. Balint will be sworn in to the 118th Congress on January 3rd. She will be the first woman, and first openly LGBTQ person to represent Vermont in the United States Congress.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger made the following statement: “During a week when we should all have the opportunity to gather with love ones and celebrate the uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving, we are once again confronted with the horror of the uniquely American scourge of mass shootings."

Vermont Business Magazine Starting this week, Shelburne Museum’s campus will be aglow with the spectacular holiday event, Winter Lights, now in its second season with expanded offerings including a special Ice Bar night. This winter extravaganza begins on Thursday, November 25 at 5 p.m. Fourteen of the museum’s buildings and gardens have been decorated in multicolored light arrangements for Winter Lights, which runs from Thanksgiving weekend through New Year’s Day. The campus will be magically illuminated for the event with the Hershell-Spillman Carousel bedecked, the Ticonderoga floating on a sea of light, Beach Woods twinkling, the Electra Havemeyer Webb Memorial Building aglow, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine Rutland Regional Medical Center Board Chair, Mark Foley, Jr announced today that president and CEO Claudio Fort has resigned his position and will leave the hospital at the end of December. Fort joined Rutland Regional in April 2018 and led the hospital and the Rutland community through the unprecedented response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In an internal email to staff, Claudio Fort said, “I have come to a personal decision that I need to make some definitive changes, which includes stepping down from my role as CEO to take some extended time off and focus on my health.”