Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced today that over 5,300 children of families who are enrolled in the Reach Up program will receive extra back-to-school help this month thanks to federal Pandemic Emergency Assistance Funds. This one-time payment of $304 per child is in addition to monthly cash grants the families receive, and will help pay for costs related to going back to school and childcare.

by Don Turner Vermont’s permitting process is an absolute nightmare. Many permits still take months before they are processed. And the average waiting time—meaning many wait longer—for an Environmental Court appeal of an Act 250 permit is 375 days.

Vermont Specialty Food Association Do you love local Vermont-made products? The Vermont Specialty Food Association sure does. Here's your chance to win some of the best food and beverage in Vermont while helping producers expand their markets, create jobs and support the local landscape. From confections to pasta, coffee, to hot sauce, and so much more, we’ve put together ten phenomenal gift boxes stuffed with Vermont’s finest foods and beverages.

Vermont Business Magazine As school starts for many Vermont kids today, Vermont Federal Credit Union has partnered with NBC5 for the “Class Act” school supplies drive, which collected much needed school supplies in support of Vermont communities, students and teachers. Vermont Federal collected back-to-school items at all of its seven branches and hosted the first Stuff the Bus event at its newest branch in Essex. Donations included writing supplies (pencils, pens, highlighters, etc.), arts and crafts supplies (scissors, crayons, glue sticks, etc.), and other school gear (lunch boxes, backpacks, calculators, etc.).

Vermont Business Magazine The Town of Waterbury will be celebrating and commemorating a decade of resilience and transformation from August 26 – 28, 2021. Events will be taking place throughout the three days and everyone is invited to join in for any and all of the activities. The fun will begin on Thursday at the Waterbury Farmers Market and Concert in the Park with the well-known and lively WDEV Radio Rangers. A moment of recognition will be held for the 10-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene. On Friday, August 27, lower Stowe Street will be closed to traffic from 4 pm-7:30 pm and beginning at 4:30 pm, The Barn Band will provide live music.

​Vermont Business Magazine The fourth event in the series will focus on Vermonters who are direct-enrolled with their insurance company and how they might be able to save thousands of dollars by transferring their health plan to Vermont Health Connect. We’ll spotlight the August 31 deadline for a September start date (and immediate savings).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced today a series of walk-in vaccination clinics that will be open at schools and other sites across Vermont this week for anyone age 12 or older. You can just walk-in or visit www.healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine to make an appointment. You can also call 855-722-7878. The vaccination sites listed below also offer additional doses for those currently eligible based on guidance issued last week by the CDC. The VDH is reporting today 106 new cases of COVD-19 and 34 hospitalized with 15 in the ICU. Deaths are unchanged at 270.

Vermont Business Magazine The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, recently donated $25,000 to the Pediatric New American Program at The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital as part of the Foundation’s commitment to giving back to the community. The TD Charitable Foundation donation will provide the Pediatric New American Program with essential funding for a new community-embedded clinic, the Building Strong Families (BSF) Clinic, that partners with a local parent-child center that offers childcare and support groups for new parents.

Runway surface improvements also completed

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced the completion of two major projects at Morrisville-Stowe State Airport: construction of a parallel taxiway and improvements to the runway surface area. The goal of the projects is to provide a safer aviation operating environment by providing turnarounds at both ends of the runway and a new taxiway that meets Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards.

“This project significantly enhances the safety of airport operations,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “The new parallel taxiway will allow aircraft to exit the active runway much quicker than previously.”

Vermont Business Magazine Over the course of two weekends, Gifford’s 16th annual Last Mile event set a new fundraising and participation record for the medical center. A total of 519 people participated in the bike ride, walk, 5k and motorcycle ride. It has resulted in $165,000 going to Gifford’s palliative care program, assisting families whose loved ones are in life’s last mile.

​Vermont Business Magazine During the most recent quarter ending June 30, The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) approved over $26.6 million in new financing to support 408 farms and businesses throughout Vermont. VEDA surpassed its previous quarter with a near $13 million increase. Of the newly approved financing, a total of $9.7 million was approved through VEDA’s traditional loan programs and $17.7 million in Small Business Association (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program loans (PPP).

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) Medical Matters Weekly with Dr. Trey Dobson—a weekly interactive, multiplatform medical-themed talk show—will feature Catherine Burns, PhD, the quality director for Vermont Care Partners, on its September 1 program. The show will air at 12 p.m. She will share her work on the state’s COVID support programs.