Current News

by Joyce Marcel, Vermont Business Magazine Who is Frank Cioffi, and what does he do for Vermont? Well, it’s complicated. Cioffi (pronounced “coffee”), 67, is the long-time president of the nonprofit Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation, but that’s just his day job. He also swims in a full tide of acronyms — VTC, CCETB, VCET, EPSCoR, UVM, to name a few. Somehow, he seems to have had a hand in almost every significant economic development in Vermont over the past three decades. “There are few people as committed to making Vermont an even better place to live and work than Frank Cioffi."

Vermont Business Magazine 2022 has been the year of the job fair in Vermont. The Department of Labor and its statewide and local partners have amplified efforts to connect jobseekers and employers, holding 14 in-person events between April and August, with two additional events - Fall Job Fest in Bennington (September 20) and Rutland (September 22) - scheduled for this coming week.

Vermont Agency of Transportation This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways throughout Vermont for the week of September 19, 2022. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.

Vermont Business Magazine Queen City BNI, a local chapter of the international business networking organization recently surpassed $5 million in chapter earnings since its foundation in 2016. The group focuses on relationship building, with a motto of “Givers Gain®.” Chapter partners continuously pass referrals to one another, in order to connect with other businesses and successfully generate revenue. Queen City BNI is currently ranked as number one in the state among eleven total chapters in Vermont. The group welcomes like minded professionals to join their weekly, in-person meetings at Burlington City Arts, located at 135 Church Street in Burlington, on Wednesdays from 11:15 am-1:00 pm.

Vermont Business Magazine S&P Global Ratings has affirmed the State of Vermont’s AA+ (the second highest) general obligation bond ratings and revised the rating outlook from negative to stable. Vermont is still the highest rated New England state. In the ratings report, S&P wrote that the improved outlook is attributed to recent shifts in demographic trends, “retirement reforms designed to significantly reduce unfunded liabilities,” and historical credit strengths including “regular forecast updates, annual midyear budget adjustments, consistent reserve levels across economic cycles, and debt affordability oversight.” Vermont received the highest score possible in the financial management category. The state’s bond rating was downgraded by Moody’s and Fitch from triple A status in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and the assignment of a “negative outlook” by S&P in 2020.

The Vermont National Guard is hosting Operation Bullseye, an open-range day for community members to use the Ethan Allen Firing Range training sites. This event is scheduled to provide a safe environment for people to sight in personal firearms and test their firing abilities. This event is hosted by the Vermont National Guard and is open for community members to attend. Ethan Allen Firing Range, 113 Ethan Allen Rd. Jericho, Vt. Saturday and Sunday beginning at 7 am.

The Vermont State Police has continued its investigation into an assault on a construction worker that occurred Wednesday morning, Sept. 14, 2022, in the woods near Interstate 91 southbound in the town of Rockingham. A suspect who had been arrested on an aggravated assault charge, 45-year-old Ryan Avery, has been cleared of involvement after state police investigators were able to determine conclusively that he was at another location when the incident occurred. In addition, the Windham County State’s Attorney’s Office has dismissed a separate charge of simple assault against Avery that related to his actions while in custody at the Vermont State Police barracks in Westminster early Thursday morning.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that Vermont's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August was unchanged at the historically low rate of 2.1 percent. All three major metrics showed a more modest change than in recent months, while indicating vast improvement from a year ago. The rate is based on household data and is subject to adjustment. The comparable United States rate in August was 3.7 percent, an increase of two-tenths of one percentage point from the revised July estimate. Vermont has the fourth lowest jobless rate in the nation, behind Minnesota (1.9%), New Hampshire and Utah (both 2.0%). The civilian labor force participation rate rose to 61.8 percent in August, an increase of one-tenth of one percentage point. The participation rate has been rising slowly and is important to workforce availability.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported September 14 that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are still considered "Low." Total cases for the week decreased by 49 to 445. Hospitalizations were up 2 to 35. There were 19 COVID-related fatalities in August and none so far in September, for a pandemic total of 715. Vermont now has the lowest COVID death rate in the nation, at 115 per 100,000 population. Despite the low case counts and no fatalities, the number of outbreaks has increased. As of September 6, there were a total of 9, with only 2 in the school/childcare segment. As of September 13, there were 25, with 17 in the school/childcare segment, with more than half reported in Chittenden (5) and Addison (4) counties. Despite the low case counts and no fatalities, the number of outbreaks has increased. As of September 6, there were a total of 9, with only 2 in the school/childcare segment. As of September 13, there were 25, with 17 in the school/childcare segment, with more than half reported in Chittenden (5) and Addison (4) counties.

American Jewish Committee, the leading global Jewish advocacy organization, whose initiatives were cited in President Garimella’s statement in support of his claim of UVM’s commitment to fighting antisemitism, has been in touch directly with Garimella regarding the situation on campus, and wrote a letter to Garimella in response to the statement.