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Vermont Business Magazine Podcast producer Josh Crane and musician Myra Flynn will join VPR’s newsroom as engagement producers later this month, the station has announced. They will support the creation and community of Brave Little State, VPR’s award-winning, people-powered journalism project, as well as help incubate new engagement reporting efforts across the VPR newsroom.

EB-5 Regional Center Program will expire in June absent bipartisan integrity reforms

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), a senior member and former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 to address fraud and national security vulnerabilities in the EB-5 investor visa Regional Center Program, which has been exploited and abused for years.

by Secretary of State Jim Condos COVID-19 has strained so many of our institutions over the last year. As our Vermont government agencies work to support our state through this crisis, we must always work to maintain the public’s right to know. Fortunately, in Vermont we have made great strides. Confidence in our public institutions is needed now more than ever. The misinformation and disinformation surrounding the 2020 Election has only served to further erode faith in government and our civic processes.

Vermont Business Magazine As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact revenues for small businesses across the state, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) and Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) have announced a second round of the Vermont CDBG-CV economic relief grant program to support Sole Proprietors. The additional $1.6 million in funding will offer grants between $1,500 and $10,000 to qualifying Sole Proprietors on a first come, first served basis.

Vermont Business Magazine According to an Efficiency Vermont report, energy burden (energy spending as a percentage of income) is about 10% statewide. The greatest determinant of energy burden is income, not fuel cost, so in the Northeast Kingdom -- which has some of the lowest household incomes in the state -- households are likely to spend far more. In fact, in nearly every municipality in our region, energy spending exceeds 10% of household income. Obviously, those who are already struggling are far less able to invest in weatherization and cleaner fuel options that could save money in the long-run.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power President and CEO Mari McClure was named one of Real Leaders Magazine Top 100 Women Impact Leaders for 2021. The 100 CEO’s and leaders on the list were honored because they have delivered results, building a brighter and more sustainable future. In naming McClure as one of the Real Impact leaders you should know, the magazine highlighted the transformational work she is leading using the latest innovative products and services, while continuing to build strong teams to ensure great service for customers.

Vermont Business Magazine Northeast Wilderness Trust, a Montpelier-based regional land trust, is pleased to announce the renewal of its accreditation with the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. This recognition proves once again that the Wilderness Trust, as part of a network of 400+ accredited US land trusts, is committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in its conservation work.

“Renewing our accreditation shows Northeast Wilderness Trust’s ongoing commitment to permanent land conservation in New England and New York,” said Jon Leibowitz, Executive Director. “We are a stronger organization than ever for having gone through the rigorous accreditation renewal process. Our strength means the 37,000 wild acres, and counting, that Northeast Wilderness Trust safeguards will be protected forever, making the Northeast a healthy home not just for people, but for wildlife, too.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District has been recognized by Call2Recycle as a 2020 Top 100 Leader in Sustainability for diverting more than 8,400 pounds of batteries from the landfill. The Leader in Sustainability award is given out annually to top performing Call2Recycle program participants who excel with their battery recycling efforts. In 2020, more than 8.4 million pounds of consumer batteries were collected and recycled through Call2Recycle–a program milestone.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont looks ahead to a post-pandemic future, strong and visionary leadership will be vital to successfully navigating the challenges and opportunities ahead. Only with leaders who are ready for action and skilled in tackling the unexpected will Vermont emerge from this crisis stronger than before. Innovation is critical for envisioning the post-COVID future, and now is the time to act.

Vermont Business Magazine The Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) is pleased to announce recognition by Call2Recycle as a 2020 Top 100 Leader in Sustainability. The Leader in Sustainability award is given out annually to top performing Call2Recycle program participants who excel with their battery recycling efforts. This is the sixth year CSWD has received the Leader in Sustainability recognition.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) applauded the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s announcement that the National Housing Trust Fund will receive a record $711 million this year to build, preserve and rehabilitate affordable rental housing for extremely low-income families. Vermont will receive a $3 million allocation from the trust fund, which will be disbursed later this year.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Department of Corrections (Vermont DOC) is reporting 10 new cases of Covid-19 among incarcerated individuals and two new staff cases in the outbreak at Northern State Correctional Facility (NSCF) in Newport. The cases were detected in testing conducted March 15.