Current News

Vermont Business Magazine All members of the Highgate community are invited to participate in the second phase of the Highgate: Reaching New Heights community visit process to set actionable priorities for the future of the town. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 26 from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the Highgate Elementary School, with an option to join virtually.

Entering the second phase, the process is designed to provide an important opportunity for all members of the Highgate community to review potential action items, discuss and advocate for what is most important for the community, and vote on priorities to move forward.

Leonine Public Affairs Tensions between Governor Phil Scott and the Democratic majority in the legislature escalated this week as the Senate worked to finalize its spending, tax, economic development and workforce packages. Governor Scott said publicly that he is not afraid to veto legislation he does not support - a comment that was clearly directed at the legislature’s FY2023 spending and tax proposals. In the hallways of the statehouse Republican lawmakers are increasingly voicing concern with the budget, a sign that veto-session politics are starting to take shape.

by Amanda Kuhnert Maria Vance loved factory work. But after 17 years at a factory in St Johnsbury, she developed hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a lung condition caused by breathing in foreign substances. As a result, she was forced to leave her job. “At 35 years old, I had to start over,” she said. “So I decided to start college.” Vance held down two jobs while pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Southern New Hampshire University. She graduated with high honors in 2018.

Vermont Business Magazine Members of the business community are invited and encouraged to register for the Southern Vermont Economy Summit on May 12th at Mount Snow in Dover, VT. The Summit is a learning and networking event that focuses on the long-term development of Southern Vermont’s economy. It's a time to gather, think big, learn something new, ask questions and — most importantly after two pandemic years — make energizing in-person connections with people from across our region and beyond.

Vermont Business Magazine For the next three months, Gifford Health Care will be a meal distribution location for Upper Valley Everyone Eats. The meals can be picked up between 5 – 5:30 p.m. at Gifford’s south parking lot, by the Gifford Green, on the fourth Tuesday of each month: April 26th May 24th June 28th. Upper Valley Everyone Eats is the local hub of Vermont’s coronavirus relief program, Vermont Everyone Eats (VEE).

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 263 cases of COVID-19 for Thursday (327 Wednesday, 297 Tuesday, 157 Monday, 100 Sunday, 186 Saturday, 233 Friday, 243 Thursday, and 216 last Wednesday.) The VDH reported no additional deaths since last week for 623 statewide. April is on track to have the fewest COVID-related fatalities since last July.

Public Assets Institute In January 2022 Vermont had 26,000 open jobs, twice the average for that month over the previous decade. But the labor shortage might not be as acute as some employers think. This January nearly 10,000 Vermonters were officially unemployed—not working and actively seeking work. Additionally, in 2021 an average of 11,200 were either marginally attached to the labor market—they wanted to work but had not recently sought a job—or were working part time only because they couldn’t find more hours.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont unemployment rate fell another two-tenths in March as all three major metrics showed significant improvement. The seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate was 2.7 percent. This reflects a decrease of two-tenths of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate and a decrease of 1.1 percent from March 2021. Vermont is tied for the ninth lowest rate in the nation and second lowest in the East behind New Hampshire (2.5 percent).

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont 211, an information and referral program of the United Ways of Vermont that helps connect callers to services throughout the state, reports that it has launched a temporary web page at https://vermont211.org/. As always, the public may also call 2-1-1 24/7 or text their zip code to 898211 (Monday-Friday 8am-10pm). This temporary web page will be up while we work with a web development firm to create a new and improved website that will go live later this year.

Vermont Business Magazine LaunchVT, a division of the Lake Champlain Chamber, has selected seven Vermont startups that will participate in its 2022 Accelerator. This is the tenth cohort to come through LaunchVT’s flagship program. Over the past nine years, LaunchVT has provided business development support, strategic coaching, and over $859,000 in cash and services to accelerate 64 Vermont startups statewide. Entrepreneurs in the LaunchVT cohort will work with a dedicated business coach and strategic advisors to address their startup’s most pressing needs.

​Vermont Business Magazine SUPERPLASTIC, the world’s leading creator of animated celebrities, vinyl art toys, and digital collectibles announced today the release of a collaboration with Yuga Labs to bring one of the biggest and most well-known names in the NFT space, Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), to its community. The partnership features vinyl art toys expertly produced by Burlington-based SUPERPLASTIC based on the caricatures used by the exclusive society that has been heralded by celebrities and tastemakers alike. BAYC has cemented itself as a key player in the rapidly evolving world of NFTs with real-world utility

Vermont Business Magazine The Upper Valley MedTech Collaborative is hosting a MedTech Pitch Competition on April 27th at 5pm at the Lebanon Opera House in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Six MedTech companies will deliver their best pitch for their medical innovation to panel of experience judges and a live audience. The winner will receive $10,000 of non-dilutive funding. Admission to the event is free and open to all. Proof of vaccination is required to attend. A reception will follow the pitch at 7:30 PM.