Current News

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.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, April 28, all Brownington community members are invited to join a free community-wide dinner, live music, and the opportunity to play a key role in developing new ideas for the future of Brownington and work towards achieving a vibrant, prosperous, and dynamic future. This is the first of a three-part series of facilitated discussions to engage members of the community to brainstorm ideas and identify top priorities for the town. Residents are encouraged to join the process to share their thoughts for the future and play an active role in implementing actionable steps and progressive change for Brownington.

by Mike Donoghue, Correspondent, Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office announced that William Stenger, 73, of Newport, Vermont, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison by Chief Judge Geoffrey W Crawford in United States District Court. Crawford also ordered a 3-year term of supervised release and ordered Stenger to pay $250,000 in restitution. Today’s sentencing follows Stenger’s August 2021 guilty plea to a felony count of knowingly and willfully submitting false documents to the Vermont Regional Center in connection with his involvement in the Jay Peak Biomedical Research Park EB-5 investment project, also called the AnC Vermont project. This is six years to the day that federal agents raided the offices at Burke Mountain and Jay Peak Resort, of which Stenger was president.

​Vermont Business Magazine Today, Main Street Alliance (MSA) and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) announced their endorsement of Vermont’s Child Care Campaign, affirming their support for public investment in a child care system that meets the needs of all Vermont children, families and businesses. Launched in 2021, Vermont’s Child Care Campaign empowers Vermonters to advocate for the policy change and public investment needed to sustain a high-quality child care system.