Current News

by Christine McGowan, Vermont Forest Industry Network “Most of Vermont’s forested land is privately owned and fragmented into relatively small parcels,” said Jack Bell, co-founder of Long View Forest. “One of our goals is to provide continuity and professionalism over time so that the long-term health and composition of the forest is always the priority, even if the land changes hands.” Founded in 1999, Long View’s model is unconventional in Vermont. First, the company offers logging, forestry consulting, and woodland services—including invasive species management and young forest tending—under one roof. Second, Bell’s vision is for the company to be around for at least a couple of centuries, and he has a plan for that.

Vermont Business Magazine Citizens announced today that the national Citizens Business Conditions Index fell five points in Vermont in the most recent quarter, but remains over the crucial 50 mark. Meanwhile, the CBCI nationally reached 59.5 for the first quarter of 2022, up markedly from 54.4 at the end of 2021 and reaching its highest level since Citizens began tracking the data in 2014, suggesting that lessons learned by businesses during the pandemic coupled with strong consumer demand were a potent combination. The CBCI has been in expansionary territory (above 50) for six consecutive quarters, but the latest value exceeds even the first “reopening rebounds” that emerged in early 2021 and signals that resilient businesses that streamlined operations during early waves of the pandemic were able to benefit from a super-charged post-Omicron bounce.

Leonine Public Affairs At the beginning of the week the legislature appeared to be well on the way to adjournment. The FY2023 budget bill passed the Senate last week and the budget conference committee had been appointed and already met once before this week started. Historically (not counting the COVID-19 era) the legislature would adjourn two to three weeks after the budget conference committee was formed. For a while now there has been the specter of a gubernatorial veto, but in terms of the budget passing the legislature, things seemed to be on track for an early May adjournment.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University celebrated commencement and commissioning with April 30 ceremonies in Shapiro Field House in which 531 students graduated from 32 undergraduate programs and one master’s program and 134 graduates commissioned into the U.S. armed services. The 10 am commencement ceremony included graduates from the classes of 2020 and 2021, who joined members of the Class of 2022, which graduated 518 bachelor’s degree recipients and 13 master’s degree recipients.

Vermont Business Magazine The tenth annual Vermont’s Greenest Building Awards, hosted by the Vermont Green Building Network (VGBN), recognized three projects and design/build teams. The projects received awards for achieving the highest standard of demonstrated building energy performance for commercial and residential buildings and documentation of green building strategies including health, transportation, water and affordability. The 2021 winners were celebrated during the Vermont Green Building Celebration webinar event hosted by VGBN on April 13, 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine Stowe Area Association (SAA) is saluting local hospitality from May 1 - 7 during National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), an annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry. This year’s theme, “The Future of Travel,” spotlights the critical role that travel plays in helping to restore the workforce, facilitate recovery, foster sustainability, and reconnect travelers in the U.S. and around the world.

​Vermont Business Magazine The Lake Champlain Chamber announced that they will be operating the State of Vermont’s Alburgh Welcome Center beginning May 1, 2022. The Center will operate Thursday to Monday from 9am to 5pm through October. The Alburgh Welcome Center is well positioned to engage with visitors in the region and provide them with information on events, things to do, and places to stay. The Lake Champlain Chamber looks forward to ensuring a warm welcome for all travelers.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 417 cases of COVID-19 for Thursday (399 Wednesday). There were three additional deaths from the virus. The total death toll is now 637 lives lost. April, with 16 to date, one short of March's total. March saw the fewest COVID deaths since last July. The VDH today reported the death of someone in the 50-59 age range, this is the first fatality from COVID-19 of anyone under 60 in Vermont in over two months.

Vermont State Police As part of the ongoing investigation into a shooting in Grand Isle that occurred Friday, April 22, 2022, the Vermont State Police is releasing photos showing a person of interest detectives are trying to locate. The individual is a black man believed to be in his 20s and described as having small dreadlocks, a slim build, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, and known by the nickname “Taye.” The attached photos were taken from a bank ATM surveillance camera in the Burlington area in the hours after the shooting. This is the same individual who was pictured in an initial surveillance photo taken in Grand Isle and released last week.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Air National Guard held a deployment ceremony Thursday evening to recognize the sacrifices of Airmen and their families ahead of the 158th Fighter Wing’s deployment to Europe. During the ceremony General Knight presented a Green Mountain Boy battle flag to two deploying Airmen. The flag is used as the regimental flag of the Vermont National Guard and accompanies units on missions as a symbol of the trust and confidence the Adjutant General places in the unit to succeed in their assigned mission.

Vermont Business Magazine Hundreds of Vermont contractors, architects, equipment suppliers, and manufacturers gathered this week for Efficiency Vermont’s 24th Better Buildings by Design (BBD) conference, to learn how to incorporate carbon-reducing, energy-saving strategies into Vermont homes, businesses, and public buildings. The two-day conference concluded on Thursday. Efficiency Vermont welcomed more than 600 attendees Wednesday morning to the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington, thanking Vermont’s building professionals for the work they have done over the last two decades to help Vermonters access the benefits of energy efficiency.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont remains on track to meet its water quality goals. That’s the conclusion of a recent report card issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Each year EPA Region 1 evaluates the work being done by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM). The most recent report card gives Vermont high marks. “Beyond the successful implementation in the Winooski, Lamoille, and Mississquoi basins, we are pleased to note the many broader accomplishments documented in the Performance Report. EPA continues to be pleased with the quantity and quality of work completed since passage of Act 64.”