Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Addison County Chamber of Commerce and the Addison County Economic Development Corporation have announced a series of business webinars in 2022. Each webinar covers a different topic relevant to the Addison County business and non-profit communities, presented by local business owners and support organizations.

Vermont Business Magazine President Joe Biden today nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the 116th Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Senator Patrick Leahy said in a statement, "President Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court is an historic moment for the Court, and for the country. The federal judiciary can and should reflect the diversity that is at the heart of our nation. Only then do we move closer to achieving a more perfect union."

Vermont Business Magazine In response to the challenges of the pandemic, many arts and culture organizations increased their digital capacity and expanded online programming. Engaging with audiences through digital media will be an ongoing need for Vermont’s arts and culture sector. In response to this, the Vermont legislature approved $1.15 million last year in one-time funding to the Arts Council to help build the digital capacity of Vermont cultural organizations.

by Jack Hoffman, Public Assets Institute The Legislature is actually looking at two big changes to education funding this session. There are misconceptions about each, but both, if done right, can strengthen the school funding system and make it fairer. The change that has generated the most attention and discussion is a plan to provide more money to students who require additional resources, such as English-language learners, kids from poor families, and those attending small, rural schools. The money isn’t really the sticking point, although there are questions about the latest cost estimate for teaching English as a second language. The main point of disagreement is how to distribute additional resources to the districts that need them.

Vermont Business Magazine In advance of Town Meeting Day, Burlington School District (BSD) has published a number of resources designed to help voters have all the information they need to vote on the School District’s proposed budget. BSD’s 2021 Annual Report is now available online along with a budget one-pager that explains next year’s proposed budget, and a line-item budget. All the documents are available at www.bsdvt.org.

Vermont Business Magazine In light of ongoing developments related to the current geopolitical tensions involving the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and its impact on US financial markets, the Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) is reminding investors in Vermont to have patience and use caution. The S&P 500, NASDAQ Composite, and Dow Jones Industrial Average have each lost more than 5% of their value over the last week, and while every investor must be prepared to live with a certain amount of risk and uncertainty, financial upheavals can be emotionally distressing. Our recommendation is to maintain your long-term financial strategy.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 206 cases of COVID-19 for Wednesday. This is down 62 from yesterday and below the 7-day average of 220. There were no additional COVID-related deaths, which remain at 593 statewide. While cases and hospitalizations have been falling, the fatality rate has remained relatively high. Health Commissioner Dr Mark Levine said Tuesday that fatalities seem to be finally falling, as they lag behind the other metrics.

Vermont Business Magazine In collaboration with UVM Extension, the Champlain Housing Trust will initiate a new farmworker housing repair program using State funds allocated by the Legislature to the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board. The loan funds may be used for various health and safety repairs and improvements to farmworker housing, including for wastewater systems, air sealing and insulation, plumbing upgrades, mold remediation, roof replacements, electrical upgrades, food prep area and storage improvements, sound insulation, and to relieve overcrowding.

by Eric Howe is the Director of the Lake Champlain Basin Program January felt COLD at the LCBP office in Grand Isle. Will Lake Champlain freeze over this year? That is one of the big questions bouncing around the LCBP office, and among enquiring visitors to the LCBP Resource Room at ECHO Leahy Center. If you missed it, we forecasted—based on a century of trend data—in our 2021 State of the Lake Report that by the year 2050, the Lake may freeze fully just once per decade. We shall see what Mother Nature has in store for us for the rest of the winter!

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Thursday issued the following statement after Russia invaded Ukraine: “The Russian invasion of Ukraine that the world is witnessing today is a blatant violation of international law and of basic human decency. It may well kill thousands and displace millions. It could plunge Europe into long-term economic and political instability."

Senator Patrick Leahy Marcelle and I are praying for the people of Ukraine, an independent country with a democratically elected government that has not threatened Russia. The unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin is based on his twisted interpretation of world history and current affairs. Because he refused any of the numerous off-ramps offered by President Biden and the rest of the nations of the world toward diplomatically resolving whatever concerns he claims are motivating his actions, the Ukrainian people are facing the grievous suffering and devastating losses inevitable from war.

Vermont Business Magazine World crude oil prices have topped $100 a barrel as Russia invades Ukraine. Vermont gasoline prices have risen 22 cents over the last month as tensions rose in Europe. Prices are expected to continue to increase. In Vermont today, the average price of gasoline is $3.60 per gallon. This is also $1.02 higher than one year ago. The highest price in Vermont is $3.89 in Killington and the lowest is $3.34 in Brattleboro.