Current News

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks to build resilience for future challenges, schools across the state are investing in ventilation systems to improve indoor air quality and make classrooms healthier for students and staff. This spring, the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) and Efficiency Vermont launched the second round of the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Grant Program, which makes $13.5 million of federal funds available to schools with qualifying projects, through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021.

Vermont Business Magazine Coinme, a leading cryptocurrency cash exchange in the US, today announced entry into Vermont with the launch of 23 bitcoin-enabled Coinstar kiosks located at select Shaw’s, Hannaford Supermarkets and Tops Friendly Markets grocery stores, giving Vermonters simple, instant and trusted access to bitcoin with cash in their local neighborhoods. This expansion brings the Coinme-enabled Coinstar kiosk network to over 9,500 locations across 49 states and provides far-reaching access to digital currency with cash.

Vermont Business Magazine Commercial real estate broker V/T Commercial from Burlington has reported its most recent transactions. They include: Yves Bradley of V/T Commercial announced that Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company leased industrial space at 34 Catamount Drive, Milton from Catamount Holdings, LLC; Group Five Investments, LLC leased 1,736 square feet at 150 Kennedy Drive, South Burlington to the Stram Center; Jersey Mike's signed a lease for its first Vermont franchise location at Finney Crossing, Williston; and, among others, Bill Kiendl, of V/T Commercial as exclusive representative for TD Bank NA, announced the sale of the bank's property at 215 Main Street, Brattleboro to JMS Mich, LLC.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today visited “Vermont’s Largest Job Fair” at the Essex fair grounds to promote the many trades jobs available in Vermont and to champion proposals to reverse Vermont’s workforce shortage. Labor economist and Director of Economic and Labor Market Information Mathew Barewicz presented data on Vermont’s labor force and demographic trends, illustrating the significant challenge these trends pose to the state.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 327 cases of COVID-19 for Monday (179 Sunday). There were 251 on Saturday and 372 last Friday, as cases have edged up in recent weeks and 8.5 percent in the last week. One more Vermonter has died of the virus. The total death toll is now 630 lives lost. April, with 9 to date, is still on track to have the fewest COVID-related fatalities since last July.

​Vermont Business Magazine The Universal School Meals Act, S.100, received preliminary approval from the Vermont House of Representatives on Tuesday. If passed by the Senate, students in Vermont will continue to receive nutritious school breakfast and lunch for the upcoming school year, at no cost to their families. The one-year model for the program will provide stability for students and schools while collecting more data about the permanent implementation of Universal School Meals and to see if the federal government acts before the 2023-24 school year. The current federal program expires in June.

Vermont Business Magazine The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $1.5 million to the State of Vermont to reimburse the costs of providing emergency meals for residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. The $1,473,362 Public Assistance grant will go to the Agency of Commerce and Community Development for providing meal preparation and delivery service to high-risk populations under the state’s emergency feeding program “Vermont Everyone Eats” between January and February 2022. FEMA also will be sending more than $2 million to the State of Vermont to reimburse the costs of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine Support staff at the Community Health Centers of Burlington (CHCB) voted yesterday to join Community Health United, part of AFT Vermont. Support staff cited improved wages, fair and consistent pay scales, and safe staffing as key issues prompting the organizing drive. Both parties are committed to maintaining ongoing collaboration and mutual respect in the shared goals of serving our communities with the highest level of care. The final count in the election monitored by the NLRB was 59 to 11.

​Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced his appointment of Daniel Richardson, of Burlington, to the Vermont Superior Court. Richardson was appointed last August as city attorney and corporate counsel for the City of Burlington. Prior to this role, Richardson was a partner at Tarrant, Gillies & Shems for 16 years, where he represented a number of individuals, businesses, and municipalities.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Warden Service responded to the reported fatal shooting of a German shepherd dog in Tunbridge, VT on Saturday, April 23.

The dog was reported missing by its owner on April 20 and was located by the same on April 23. Game Warden Sergeant Jeffrey Whipple responded to the scene and opened an investigation.

“As the responding law enforcement agency, we are actively investigating this tragic situation,” said Game Warden Colonel Jason Batchelder. “This is an ongoing investigation, and more details will be released at an appropriate time.”

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Fish & Wilflife 4.26.2022

​Vermont Business Magazine The Lake Champlain Chamber has announced their new Business Exchange program, which aims to connect a diverse audience to interactive workshops and seminars led by their member businesses. Each Business Exchange workshop will offer guidance and advice from experts in their field. Attendees will walk away with new contacts, knowledge, and skills they can bring into their organization. There are currently four workshops on the Business Exchange schedule, with more in the works.

Vermont Business Magazine May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and right now more people are struggling with mental health than ever before. QuoteWizard analysts evaluated access to care, illness prevalence, coverage rates, and more to find the best states for mental health care. Data provided by QuoteWizard found that Vermont has the 13th-best overall mental health care in the nation. Nationwide, more people are taking prescription mental health medication, anxiety and depression levels are rising, suicidal ideation is increasing and 11% of people with a mental illness don’t have insurance.