Current News

Agency of Commerce & Community Development The Small Business Administration (SBA) has released more information about the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) Program. The program includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, including live venue operators or promoters, theatrical producers, live performing arts organization operators, museum operators, motion picture theater operators, and talent representatives.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor is still in the process of sorting out an error in the printing and mailing of some 55,000 1099-G forms. Some of the forms were sent to the wrong address, thus potentially exposing personal information, including Social Security numbers. Also, due to a processing issue, the Department of Labor anticipates that some unemployment insurance claimants may experience a one-day delay in their ability to file their weekly claim or receive their weekly benefit amount through direct deposit.

Vermont Business Magazine Staff at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) who work at all 12 clinics and central administration in Vermont, including clinical and administrative staff, voted 60 to 5 yesterday in support of forming a union and to join AFT Vermont. They will soon begin negotiating as equals over wages, benefits and working conditions with their administration

"We are excited about our election victory and look forward to democratically deciding on our proposals and sitting down with management to negotiate a fair contract," stated Dana Keyes-Gibbons, a Health Care Associate and member of the union organizing committee. "We believe that through our union we will strengthen PPNNE for ourselves, our patients, our volunteers and the communities we serve."

Vermont Business Magazine More than 55,000 people have now been vaccinated in Vermont, including 19,500 who have received both doses. HHS Secretary Mike Smith said at Governor Scott's press briefing today that they are working toward increasing visitation and other in-house services for residents of long-term care facilities. DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak said that cases in Vermont, in our region and across the nation are leveling off and in some cases going down, including the number of fatalities.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Tuesday announced that Vermont Law School will receive a $3 million grant from the US Department of Justice to continue operations at the National Center on Restorative Justice. Leahy, who will serve as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee in the 117^th Congress, has led a several-year effort to establish and fund the Center.

Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont President Suresh Garimella issued a statement today restoring the salaries of non-represented employees to their fiscal year 2020 levels.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Business Roundtable announced that Lisa Ventriss, President since 2002, will retire at the end of the year. “It has been one of my greatest professional privileges to serve as President of the Roundtable and work together with such a distinguished and respected group of business and non-profit leaders from across the state and region,” Ventriss said. “After almost two decades as president, and at the beginning of a new decade, it is now time for the Roundtable to bring in the next generation of leader. “

by Governor Phil Scott At the start of every year, I get the opportunity to share my priorities, proposals and a State budget. My team remains focused on responding to the pandemic, protecting Vermonters, and emerging as quickly as possible, with the fewest lives lost and a stronger, more resilient economy.

Report Says City Has Locked in More than $21 Million in Savings for Taxpayers Since 2013

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Burlington today released its annual Fiscal Health Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, which provides information about the steps the City has taken to improve its financial standing since 2012 and the impacts of those efforts. A major finding of the report is that since 2013, the City has locked in more than $21 million in savings for taxpayers and ratepayers.

Vermont Business Magazine A coalition of University of Vermont students and faculty will hold an all-day, online “teach-in” to spotlight the value of threatened teachers and fields of study and reveal the truth about the artificial “structural deficit” in the College of Arts and Sciences: Wednesday, February 3, from 9 am to 5 pm, via YouTube Livestream on the UVM United Against the Cuts channel.

Vermont Business Magazine The 21st Century Business Forum continues in February, featuring influential leadership expert John Maxwell. This episode, hosted by best-selling author Jon Gordon, will broadcast at 12PM EST on Wednesday, Feb. 10. Registration is free.

​Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont’s College of Education and Social Services (CESS) and the Greater Burlington YMCA (GBYMCA) are forming a new partnership to advance high-quality early childhood education in Vermont. The partnership aims to reimagine and innovate the field experience of future early childhood educators, better preparing them to address the needs of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families.