Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued his 10-point public safety enhancement and violence prevention action plan, laying out the framework of a comprehensive response to address violent crime and other public safety concerns across the state. To begin, Governor Scott has directed the commissioner of Public Safety and other agency and department executives – in partnership with other law enforcement entities, prosecutors, and the judiciary – to implement a 10-point plan focused on three core goals: To reinforce frontline law enforcement capacity and prioritize immediate reduction, prevention and prosecution of violent crime statewide; To expand prosecution capacity and help the courts address a backlog of cases; and To prioritize long-term violence prevention policies, systems, and services.

Vermont Business Magazine NEK Workforce Partners Job Fest will be held on Thursday at Bandstand Park in Lyndonville, and is to be hosted by the NEK Workforce Partners, a group that includes the Vermont Department of Labor and HireAbility. More than 35 employers will be at the job fair to promote their job openings. In addition to employers and local partners, the event will also feature food trucks and children’s activities, including the Cobleigh Library Bookmobile. Thursday, August 18 from 9am – 2 pm (rain or shine).

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont faculty and staff researchers attracted over a quarter-billion dollars in research funding in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, reaching a new all-time high. In recent years, the university has enhanced its emphasis on research activities that build healthy societies and a healthy environment. Significant attention has gone into building campus infrastructure to support researchers’ work.

“Research at UVM directly addresses the global challenges of our time, seeking solutions that benefit Vermont and the world,” said President Suresh Garimella. “Our scholars’ success in securing external funding reflects the world-class quality of our faculty and our collective ambition to position UVM among the most successful public research universities in the U.S.”

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are down 11 cents in the last week to $4.23 per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.90/g today. Despite a more rapid drop this week, prices in Vermont have fallen at a slower pace than the national average over the last month. The cheapest Vermont gas is in White River Junction ($3.98), and Manchester Center and St Johnsbury ($3.99). The most expensive is in Killington ($4.89).

by Jack Hoffman, Public Assets Institute A strong economy, spurred by federal stimulus money and funds to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, is producing a surge in Vermont state tax receipts. Personal income taxes are up, meals and rooms taxes are up, and so are corporate taxes. Now is the time to start planning for when revenues come back down to earth. Much has been written about the billions of dollars of federal aid that has flowed to Vermont, and the other states, through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and other bills to address the health and economic effects of the pandemic. We have tracked $11 billion in federal funds that flowed to individuals, businesses, schools, state and local governments, and other entities since the spring of 2020.

Vermont Business Magazine Bennington College today announced three additions to its Board of Trustees: Sekka Scher, a leader in the entertainment community, George Davison, an esteemed educator/administrator and Florence Gill, a graduate of the class of 2022 who will be the recent graduate trustee on the board.

Vermont Business Magazine These classes are perfect for women who enjoy the outdoors. Whether you work in the outdoor industry or participate in any of the many activities available in the region. Build skills and confidence in a fun learning evironment. As a former Air Force SERE (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape) specialist, wilderness survival expert Jessie Krebs spent 30 years preparing people for the unexpected. Now she’s teaching you the mindset and skills to safely explore the outdoors. Learn essential survival techniques—from signaling for help to reading a map, finding water, making shelter, and more—and embark on your next adventure with confidence.

Vermont Business Magazine A new forest management plan for the Milton Town Forest was approved by the Milton Select Board on July 18. The plan was prepared for the Town of Milton by Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, working in conjunction with the Milton Conservation Commission over the last two years. The Milton Town Forest (MTF) is a 485-acre parcel in Milton and Westford owned by the Town of Milton since 1969. It is home to an expansive public trail system as well as the 33-acre Milton Pond. A primarily forested parcel, it also features other important wildlife habitats, including Westford Bog and Milton Marsh.

Vermont Business Magazine The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets announces five recipients of the Dairy Product Packaging Innovation Grant. As consumer demand grows for sustainable packaging solutions, the NE-DBIC has prioritized investments in projects that will reduce the use of virgin plastics and the environmental impacts of dairy product and supply chain packaging.

Vermont Business Magazine Teucrium Trading, LLC, the Sponsor of agricultural futures-based ETFs, on Wednesday announced that it will provide white label ETF launch, sub-advisory, and marketing services for established and emerging ETF issuers. Burlington-based Teucrium will offer its expertise in derivatives and futures-based ETFs through their Commodity Trading Sub-Advisor Services unit providing support for fund sponsors launching ETFs, managing trading operations, and marketing funds.

Vermont Business Magazine The Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) at Vermont Law and Graduate School released a new report Tuesday entitled “Rethinking Manure Biogas: Policy Considerations to Promote Equity and Protect the Climate and Environment,” which examines the use of manure anaerobic digesters to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from animal agriculture operations. On August 12, 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which approved new and expanded tax credits for biogas, adding it to the list of eligible renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. However, climate change mitigation plans that rely on manure biogas—which transitions animal manure, often from concentrated feeding operations (CAFOs), into fuel—often ignore the larger environmental, social, and financial contexts in which biogas operates, says the CAFS report.