Current News

by Frank Cioffi, President of the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation, Betsy Bishop, President of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and Catherine Davis, President of the Lake Champlain Chamber GlobalFoundries is a critical partner in meeting our goals to combat climate change. Their semiconductors drive innovation in mobile technology, electric vehicles, renewable energy, smart household appliances, healthcare, and national security. The mobile phone you use every day likely relies on a chip from GlobalFoundries’ facility in Essex Junction. We have all read about the global supply shortage and rising demand for these chips. GlobalFoundries is ramping up production to meet these challenges, but since taking over the semiconductor plant from IBM in 2014, they have also been an early leader in meeting Vermont’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Medigap Blue and Vermont Blue65 members will have lower premiums in 2022. Blue Cross is providing rate relief to our members to reflect the lower utilization of health care services by people over age 65 during the pandemic. These rates echo our commitment to cover COVID-19 testing, vaccines and treatment costs from member reserves until the virus becomes part of the normal seasonal health cycle. Vermont Blue65 premiums will be 2.8% lower next year while Vermont Medigap Blue premiums will be 0.4% less.

Vermont Business Magazine The VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, (VNAHSR), one of the state’s largest providers of skilled home health and hospice services, is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Charles R. Wood Foundation toward a respite fund that will provide 96 hours a month of respite care to families receiving pediatric high-tech services.

“We are honored to receive this critically needed grant for respite care,” said, Sara C. King, CEO. “These funds will provide family caregivers a much-needed break in ongoing care for children who are medically fragile and medically complex.”

The High-Tech program at the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region provides individualized pediatric nursing and in-home therapy services in Bennington and Rutland Counties. Our specialized team includes registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, physical, occupational and speech therapists along with support staff.

Vermont Business Magazine Hunger Free Vermont is excited to announce that Tatiana Abatemarco and James Trimarchi are the new co-chairs of the Hunger Council of Bennington County. Tatiana and Jim step into this leadership role at a time of great urgency. Since the onset of the pandemic, hunger has been at record levels in Vermont. Local, state, and national agencies and organizations have been working hard to provide assistance, and the Hunger Council of Bennington County has been an important platform to coordinate efforts across multiple organizations.

Vermont Business Magazine Price Chopper/Market 32 launched its November campaign to help raise funds for the nonprofit organization, Disabled American Veterans (DAV). From Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, Price Chopper/Market 32 customers will be given the opportunity to round up their change at checkout, 100% of which will go directly to DAV. Price Chopper/Market 32 will kick start the fundraising with a $5,000 donation. DAV is a nonprofit charity that provides cost-free lifetime support to more than a million veterans of all generations and their families, each year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is reporting today that COVID-19 cases fell back to 235 after another surge yesterday drove them to 376 cases, the third highest on record. Cases Friday were 377 and there were 487 cases on Thursday, which was the all-time record. The 12 worst days have all come since mid-September, following from the Delta variant surge that began in July. There were no additional COVID-related deaths, which still stand at 384 statewide. However hospitalizations and ICU stays increased.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Education announced state-level results from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Program and the Vermont Science Assessment along with the release of the Vermont Education Dashboard Version 4.0. While overall results are being called "invalid," because of the impacts of the pandemic, the assessments provide evidence that substantial performance gaps between students in historically marginalized groups, when compared to their non-historically marginalized peers, remain.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Public Safety has revoked the explosives license issued to the proprietor of a Castleton slate quarry where a blasting operation this summer propelled rocks onto surrounding properties. The blasting operation occurred July 16. According to investigation by the Department of Public Safety, including the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Vermont State Police, assisted by the Castleton Police Department, residents living near the quarry on Blissville Road were not given adequate notice in advance of the operation; no blasting mat was used; and the explosion ejected rocks from the quarry onto multiple adjacent properties, doing damage to one home, and posing a risk to public safety.

Vermont Business Magazine With the regulatory review process complete and approval from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received, Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets today announced the closure of their merger, as proposed earlier this year. There are several Price Chopper/Market 32 stores in Vermont and three Tops Markets. Financial terms were not released.

Vermont Business Magazine A lawsuit (2:21-cv-01508 Kennedy et al v. Warren) filed today against Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) alleges the senator violated the First Amendment of the US Constitution by seeking to stop booksellers from selling and/or promoting the plaintiffs’ book, “The Truth About COVID-19: Exposing the Great Reset, Lockdowns, Vaccine Passports, and the New Normal.” The book’s co-authors, Dr Joseph Mercola and Ronald Cummins, along with author of the foreword, Robert F Kennedy, Jr, and White River Jct publisher, Chelsea Green Publishing, Inc, filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) at a press conference at Burlington International Airport today touted the benefits of the just-passed infrastructure bill that will bring at least $2.2 billion into Vermont. More than two months after the US Senate passed bipartisan legislation to invest $1.2 trillion to the nation’s infrastructure, the House of Representatives late Friday night gave final approval to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The bill next goes to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. Leahy said that infrastructure used to mean roads and bridges. It still means that, he said, but he also emphasized the hundreds of million of dollars also coming into Vermont for broadband, electric vehicles and water and stormwater projects.

Vermont Business Magazine The Canadian border reopened today and with it Governor Phil Scott announced the selection of Montréal -based economic development firm, CIDEP, as the new Vermont Trade and Investment Representative and Liaison in Canada. CIDEP’s main priority will be to initiate contact with Canadian businesses looking to expand into the U.S. market and then generate quality leads that have high potential to turn into Vermont investment projects. CIDEP will also represent Vermont at key trade events in Canada touting Vermont as a business and tourist destination.