Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Senate voted to advance two proposed amendments to the state Constitution. The Senate voted 29-1 in favor of Proposal 2, which seeks to clarify that slavery and indentured servitude in any form are prohibited, and 26-4 in favor of Proposal 5, which seeks to ensure the personal reproductive liberty of every Vermonter.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders on Friday issued the following statement after workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama lost a vote to form a union: “I am disappointed but not surprised by the vote. It is extraordinarily courageous for workers to take on one of the world's wealthiest and most powerful corporations, a company that spent unlimited sums of money to defeat the organizing effort. It also appears that some of Amazon's anti-union efforts may have been in violation of NLRB law. And that is something that the union is addressing with the NLRB right now."

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott, Senator Bernie Sanders, Vermont Afterschool and the Agency of Education today outlined a plan to enhance and expand summertime enrichment opportunities for Vermont students grades K-12. In response to the impact of the pandemic on children, youth and families, Governor Scott, Senator Sanders and other partners are working to ensure that every child, of every age, has access to engaging, enriching activities this summer. Knowing the challenges of this past year, these leaders are committed to making sure kids can re-connect with themselves, their friends, and their communities in safe and rewarding ways.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health has released new travel guidance for both Vermonters traveling out of state and coming back and for those coming to Vermont. As part of Vermont's phased reopening plan, the new travel guidance is effective today, April 9, 2021. The CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated, because travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.

Vermont Business Magazine The federal district court in New Hampshire ruled yesterday that an ACLU lawsuit challenging Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) immigration checkpoints in New England may proceed. While an individual CBP agent was dismissed from the case, the court rejected CBP’s argument that the case against CBP should be dismissed. As part of these immigration checkpoints, CBP has detained hundreds – if not thousands – of individuals lawfully traveling in northern New England during the summer and fall tourist seasons without any suspicion that they have committed a crime.

Vermont Business Magazine MILK MONEY VERMONT, an equity crowdfunding portal for Vermonters, announces its first 2021 campaign from LOCAL MAVERICK LLC. Vermonters will have the opportunity to learn more about and invest in the Local Maverick campaign via the Milk Money platform. Milk Money Vermont offers a unique opportunity for “impact investing” since a dollar invested in a local business generates potential financial return as well as tangible social return on investment. By investing in a local business such as Local Maverick, wealth will be circulated and help build a stronger community that will foster new relationships between businesses and community members.

Vermont Business Magazine The creative team responsible for the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) exhibit “Children of the Sun”—artist Jennifer Mack-Watkins, curator David Rios Ferreira, and poet fayemi shakur—will discuss the exhibit in a free Zoom presentation hosted by BMAC on Wednesday, April 21, at 7 p.m. To register, visit brattleboromuseum.org. “Children of the Sun” celebrates the beauty, importance, and complexity of positive representation of African American children.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual was recently honored by The Vermont Department of Health and the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports with a 2021 Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award – GOLD Level. This is the Company’s third consecutive top-tier wellness honor.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that he allowed the school employee health care bill, passed by the General Assembly, to become law without his signature. This typically happens when the governor disagrees with some aspects of a bill but chooses not to veto it. In this case Scott objected to an arbiter's decision for which there was a lack of transparency and which will result in higher school costs and therefore what he estimates will be higher taxes, on the order of $ million to $30 million.

Vermont Business Magazine Starting Monday, April 12 at 8:15 am, Vermonters age 30 and older will be able to make an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 240,000 Vermonters have already received at least one dose of vaccine.

Vermont Business Magazine Christina E Nolan, former United States Attorney and longtime federal and state prosecutor, will join Vermont law firm Sheehey Furlong & Behm PC, as a shareholder and director. Nolan starts at the firm on April 15th and will focus on complex civil litigation, defense of government enforcement actions, False Claims Act defense and enforcement, white collar and serious felony criminal defense, and internal corporate investigations. Nolan has tried more than a dozen cases to juries, regularly handled evidentiary hearings before federal and state trial courts, and appeared several times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.