Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Dynapower, a global leader in power conversion and energy storage solutions, has partnered with Alphastruxure and Montgomery County, Maryland to provide energy storage that will help provide uninterrupted power to the county's fleet of electric buses using on-site generation including renewable resources. The Brookville Smart Energy Bus Depot uses an integrated system of solar, microgrid energy storage, and electric charging stations which will eventually power 70 electric buses (50% of the Brookville bus fleet) with 4.14 megawatts of charging capacity. Transitioning these 70 buses at the depot from diesel to electric, powered by the on-site clean energy microgrid, will reduce lifetime emissions by 62 percent

Vermont Business Magazine The Local, a wine and beer shop located in Middlesex, announces its opening day this Thursday, November 3. The Local is based in Middlesex’s Camp Meade complex, which also houses Red Hen Baking Co. and features an outdoor summer music series. The Local offers a world-class selection of carefully chosen wines. Designed to be approachable, accessible, and demystify the wine shopping experience, The Local offers quality wines at all price points from vineyards and bottlers that prioritize sustainability.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and US Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Wednesday announced that Vermont will be receiving $25.4 million in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This includes: $19,146,884 from the traditional LIHEAP block grant funding; $5,716,220 in new supplemental funding from the Continuing Appropriations Act; and $571,341 in funding appropriated for Fiscal Year 2023 from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Electric Department (BED) today, joined by Mayor Miro Weinberger, ARC Industries Founder and CEO Robert Monteith, and leaders from Burlington International Airport (BTV) and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, announced a partnership with ARC Industries to pioneer ARC’s new, leading-edge wind turbine – The Orb – at BTV in pursuit of Burlington’s goal of becoming a Net Zero Energy City by 2030. The Orb will be ARC’s first-ever deployment of its new energy technology and will provide BED with the opportunity to pilot a potential means of further diversifying its renewable energy offerings in Burlington’s urban environment. The Orb is a low-profile, rooftop wind turbine that will produce enough electricity for about 1.5 homes. The $20,000 cost of The Orb is being shouldered by Massachusetts-based ARC, with BED taking care of the installation. At the end of the one-year pilot program BED would have the option of buying the unit.

Vermont Business Magazine US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $1,096,655 in Vermont Livestock Slaughter & Processing through the first round of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). This is part of $223 million in meat and processing programs nationwide. Vermont Livestock Slaughter & Processing connects hundreds of farmers in Vermont and the Northeast with the customers they supply. Meat processing is currently a bottleneck in the region with many producers having to wait significant periods for the service. With their MPPEP investment, they will maximize their capacity and position the company for succession planning to an employee-owned model.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Chamber of Commerce welcomed three new Directors to the Board: Chris Karr of The Karr Restaurant Group, Killington, Steve Gagner of 14th Star Brewing, St Albans, and Steve Boyer of Sonnax, Bellows Falls. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is dedicated to economic progress and the Vermont business community. Their collective expertise ensures that the work of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce is rooted in the diverse perspectives of those with lived business experience.

Vermont Business Magazine A $1.25 million grant from the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs will fund the launch of Project RESILIENCY at the University of Vermont. With a goal to train specialized and interdisciplinary leaders in the education of children and youth with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders, the project will fully fund five doctoral scholars in the newPhD in Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health and Inclusive Education (SHIE) program over the next five years. The PhD in SHIE will prepare future leaders in higher education through a rigorous pedagogical, theoretical, and methodological program anchored in community-engaged, equity-oriented, trauma-informed, and evidence-based practices.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) is pleased to announce the 26th year of funding to support projects on municipal roads that improve water quality and result in maintenance cost savings. The grant funds are provided by AOT in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. The Vermont Better Roads Program promotes the use of erosion control and maintenance techniques that save money while protecting and enhancing water quality around the State. The application scoring of the Better Roads Program is intended to be in line with the State’s Clean Water Act (Act 64) and the Municipal Roads General Permit (MRGP). In an effort to prioritize funding for projects that are providing significant water quality improvements, applicants must indicate whether or not the projects that they intend to construct will be in full compliance with the MRGP.

Vermont Business Magazine State health officials have released a roadmap to prepare for and reduce the risk of dementia in Vermont. The Vermont Action Plan for Alzheimer's Disease, Related Dementias, and Healthy Aging is a three-year plan focused on early detection and diagnosis of dementia, reducing risk and improving brain health, support for those providing care, and management of other conditions that can put people at higher risk. Alzheimer’s Disease is Vermont’s fifth leading cause of death. In 2020, about 13,000 of the nearly 133,000 Vermonters aged 65 and older were estimated to have Alzheimer's Disease. Vermont’s population is aging at a higher rate than most of the country, and projections show that by 2025 the number of people in Vermont with Alzheimer’s Disease will increase 31% to 17,000.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (VAHHS) today announced Michael Del Trecco will serve as the advocacy organization’s next president and CEO following a thorough national search. Del Trecco most recently served the organization as interim president and CEO and prior to that was senior vice president of finance and operations. Del Trecco has been with the organization for 18 years and has an extensive background in health care finance, public policy and hospital operations. As interim President and CEO, Del Trecco strengthened relationships with Vermont’s Agency of Human Services, health care stakeholders and other policy leaders who are working to stabilize the health care system amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a worsening workforce shortage and ongoing mental health and long-term care crises.