Current News

VermontBiz is proud to announce the winners of its Rising Stars recognition award. The list is composed of 40 winners under the age of 40. Award recipients were selected by a panel of judges for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence and involvement in their communities. “We are thrilled by the response to this initiative to recognize these up-and-coming leaders, especially during this pandemic. This is our thirteenth year” said VermontBiz Publisher John Boutin. “We received over 100 outstanding nominations this year. The total number of honorees over the past 13 years totals 591,” Boutin said. “The five judges had a difficult time picking the top 40. These young professionals have chosen to make Vermont home. These honorees over the years have stepped up as leaders, not only at their place of employment but also in their communities,” Boutin said.

Vermont Business Magazine October is National Farm to School Month! Schools and early childhood providers can celebrate by applying for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets’ Farm to School and Early Childhood Grant. This grant provides financial and technical assistance to schools and early childhood education providers to help develop or grow their farm to school and early childhood programs. The Farm to School and Early Childhood Grant opens for applications on October 3rd.

Vermont Business Magazine Farmworkers will lead weekly pickets of Hannaford Supermarkets to protest poor conditions in the company’s dairy supply chain. Dairy workers and allies will engage with store managers and shoppers to raise awareness and urge the company to join the Milk with Dignity Program, according to advocacy organization Migrant Justice.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Police will hold its Annual Awards Ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 7, in the House Chamber of the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier. Commissioner of Public Safety Thomas D. Anderson and Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the state police, will honor members of the agency and others for acts of heroism and community service. They also will recognize 22 sworn and two civilian members of the state police who are receiving promotions.

“This event provides an opportunity to commemorate and thank the members of our organization, which is built on public service and where everyone is committed to doing their best for their communities every single day,” Birmingham said.

Vermont Business Magazine One hundred years ago, the University of Vermont launched the state’s first radio station, which eventually became WCAX, TV channel 3. In honor of this milestone, today Secretary of State Jim Condos and State Archivist Tanya Marshall announced that the theme for Vermont Archives Month this October is ‘communication,’ to showcase the myriad ways people have conveyed information to each other over time.

by Senator Bernie Sanders Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to visit town fairs in every part of Vermont, each with its own history, personality, and tradition. And I have a lot of memories from them all. Like many other Vermonters, my kids, grandchildren, and I have enjoyed the rides, the food, the agricultural exhibits, the historical displays, the demolition derbies, the tractor pulls, the beer tents, the concerts, and many other activities. There is something special, however, about the Caledonia County Fair which this year celebrated its 176th anniversary. In a rural state like Vermont, the Caledonia County Fair is very rural.

Vermont Business Magazine ISO New England has reached a settlement agreement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Enforcement (FERC OE) to resolve a long-standing dispute stemming from the delay in the commercialization of the Salem Harbor Power Development generating facility in Massachusetts (formerly known as Footprint Power) and its receipt of capacity payments. In June, the ISO publicly disclosed initial information concerning the investigation into whether there were violations of the ISO’s tariff with regard to the participation of the power plant in the region’s forward capacity market. FERC commissioners approved the settlement Friday.

Vermont Agency of Transportation This report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways throughout Vermont for the week starting October 3. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.

by Joy Choquette, Vermont Business Magazine Franklin County is a diverse mix of industries, businesses and socioeconomic experiences. While farming continues to be a prominent industry in the county, many other businesses are also present. Resting against the border of Canada, Franklin County comprises the towns of Bakersfield, Berkshire, Enosburg, Fairfax, Fairfield, Fletcher, Franklin, Georgia, Highgate, Montgomery, Richford, St Albans, Sheldon and Swanton. As the pandemic winds down, many residents are watching closely for signs of economic recovery and contemplating what lessons have been learned during the crisis.

Vermont Business Magazine Some 400 7th and 8th-grade students from more than a dozen schools around the Northeast Kingdom will have a chance to explore career possibilities through a series of hands-on workshops on Oct. 4. Kingdom Career Connect at Northern Vermont University-Lyndon will provide students an opportunity to explore potential careers and connect those jobs to courses they should take during high school and beyond.

by Amanda Kuhnert The Rutland area gained a new childcare center this fall, thanks to the vision and determination of business owner Lacy Hall. Previously, Hall operated a registered day care program out of her home. She loves her work and is passionate about the importance of early-childhood education. But as an at-home provider, she was only permitted to care for a maximum of 10 children, which barely scratched the surface of the local demand for childcare. Hall envisioned a larger space where she could offer high-quality, hands-on, early-childhood education for over 40 children, newborn to 5 years old. Along with increased capacity, a new locale would allow her to expand her programming, with offerings like yoga, gardening, pottery and even Zoomba.