Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) offers a wide range of online resources, counseling, step-by-step assistance, and plenty of encouragement to help you plan for college or training, whether you’re a high school senior or an adult learner ready to update your skills for a new career. An important deadline is approaching on Friday, Feb. 11 – it’s the last day to apply for VSAC-assisted scholarships.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 481 cases of COVID-19 for Friday. This was a decrease of about 700 from Tuesday. Cases the last week were down 27 percent and for the last two weeks were down 37 percent. There was one additional deaths reported for 533. There were 49 COVID-19 related fatalities in Vermont in September 2021, and 47 deaths in October, which had been the second- and third-worst months on record. There were 42 fatalities in November, 62 in December, and 53 so far in January 2022. January is now the third worst month for COVID fatalities. December 2020 was the worst month with 71.

by Meg Smith Women business owners in the state of Vermont are invisible. Researchers first learned that this vital data was missing in 2016 when examining the economic status of women in Vermont. Of the 81,132 businesses currently operating in Vermont, no one knows how many are owned and operated by women. This omission is proving to be costly. When Federal Paycheck Protection Program funds became available in Vermont to women-owned and minority-owned businesses two years ago, there was no official way to identify them.

Vermont Business Magazine In 2021, shoppers at Healthy Living Market and Café’s three locations rounded their purchases to the next dollar — and raised $119,193 for local nonprofits. Through the Together We Can Help front-end fundraising campaign, guests at the Saratoga, NY, store and others in South Burlington and Williston, Vermont, locations chose to give to regional organizations — and the people who utilize their services.

Leonine Public Affairs Legislative priorities are beginning to take shape as policy committees have moved beyond the introduction and review phase which generally marks the first few weeks of the session. The Joint Rules Committee set March 11 and March 18 as crossover deadlines for policy and money bills respectively, setting the time frame for committees to finish work on their priority bills.

Saint Michael's College Alpine skiing first-year Sarah Escobar '25 (Sparta, NJ/Waterville Academy) will represent Ecuador at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in China, competing in the giant slalom on Feb. 7, adding more firsts to what has become a trailblazing career résumé for the 19-year-old. Escobar is Ecuador's first Alpine skier and first female delegate at a Winter Games, and has also earned the distinction of becoming the first female to bear the Ecuadorian flag during a Winter Olympiad opening ceremony, on February 4.

Vermont Business Magazine St Albans has a strong, well-deserved reputation as Hockeytown USA, and now Mill River Brewing BBQ & Smokehouse will bolster that distinction with an upcoming outdoor hockey tournament on St. Albans Bay. Mill River Brewing BBQ & Smokehouse (MRB) and the Town of St. Albans will co-host the First Annual Mill River Brewing Classic adult hockey tournament on St. Albans Bay during the weekend of Feb. 12 and 13, 2022. All proceeds will benefit the upgrade and restoration of the historic Stone House at the St. Albans Town Park on the bay.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 882 cases of COVID-19 for Thursday. This was a decrease of about 700 from Tuesday. There were three additional deaths reported for 532. January is now the third worst month for COVID fatalities. December 2020 was the worst month with 71. There were 62 in December 2021, and 52 so far in January 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Paul Hendler, 49, of Burlington, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to federal forgery and false statement charges. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle released Hendler on conditions pending trial. In 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office first charged Hendler in a wide-ranging fraud indictment that accused Hendler of committing a variety of frauds against individuals and businesses. Hendler eventually pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering and in 2015 was sent to prison. The court also ordered Hendler to pay restitution to multiple victims in a total amount of about $555,000.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, House Speaker Jill Krowinski issued the following statement on the tri-partisan passage of gun-violence prevention bill, S.30. "This bill takes a much-needed step in closing the “Charleston Loophole,” ensuring that law enforcement agencies have time to conduct a background check before someone can purchase a firearm."

Vermont Business Magazine Amtrak has cancelled passenger rail service on The Vermonter Saturday due to the impending storm. Meanwhile, VTrans is working closely with our surrounding states to ensure accurate and effective messaging of commercial vehicle (CV) restrictions during the weekend snowstorm. Except for the potential activation of the VT-9 Chain Up law for CVs in Searsburg and Woodford, Vermont is not restricting the movement of CVs.

​Relief Funding, Awards and New Members

Vermont Business Magazine For a second year, the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual membership meeting digitally to an audience of over 50 viewers. The Chamber’s annual membership meeting, promoted as the biggest night for businesses in the region, took place digitally on Thursday January 27, 2022 and featured a dazzling array of musical performances, wine sabering, annual awards, a digital sparkling wine toast, virtual door prizes every 15 minutes, budget approval and visionary speeches by both President of the Board of Directors and the Executive Director.