Current News

by Jared Duval, Executive Director, Energy Action Network One thing the pandemic has underscored is the critical importance of acting swiftly on the best available data and evidence. Ignoring warnings, whether from public health experts or climate scientists, makes future options more limited, costly, and painful—and less effective. As scientists make clearer every year, the climate crisis is real, getting worse, and profoundly threatening to lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems around the world. The consequences—from severe storm damage, sea-level rise, flooding, drought, and the spread of disease— impact us all. This global emergency requires each of us to do everything we can to hasten the transition off of fossil fuels as soon as possible.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael’s College has become the first Vermont higher education institution to work with a federal wetlands easement program in the long-term preservation of natural habitat, reducing harmful phosphorus runoff into Lake Champlain and supporting educational and research programs in the College’s increasingly popular and active Natural Area across Route 15 from the main campus.

Vermont Business Magazine South Burlington-based iSun has been selected by competitive bid to provide its innovative solar EV carport, rooftop and ground-mount technologies to the Meriden Housing Authority for two locations in Bristol, CT. Provides renewable energy and clean mobility to former schools converted into low- and medium-income housing. Will produce sufficient annual power to provide 100% equivalent of the tenants’ power needs.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department New to ice fishing and looking for fishing tips? Wondering how the fish survive under the ice? Want to meet your local State Game Warden? Then check out one of our new Educational Patrols this winter on lakes and ponds across Vermont. Also, Free Fishing Day is coming up on Saturday, January 30.

Vermont Business Magazine The Health Department is continuing to review a situation involving several hundred doses of vaccine (Moderna 860 doses) distributed to Springfield Hospital, and the possibility that a temperature excursion may result in the loss of those doses. At this time (6:30 pm Wednesday), VDH is seeking final guidance from the manufacturer on the potential loss of doses due to a temperature excursion. This will not impact vaccination appointments scheduled this week for those age 75 and older or the availability of second doses for those already vaccinated. Meanwhile, VDH reported the COVID-19 case count was only 78, however there was one more death for 172 total statewide.

Public Assets Institute New claims for unemployment insurance benefits (UI) rose at the end of 2020 as new COVID-19 cases spiked. It is common for new UI claims to increase at the end of the year. But the 7,366 monthly claims filed in December 2020 had not been seen since December 2010. And this January’s claims are on track to match December’s.

Vermont Business Magazine Ledyard Financial Group, Inc, the holding company for Ledyard National Bank with a branch in Norwich, Vermont, is reporting record quarterly and year-to-date earnings. Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, was $1,753,214 or $0.55 per share compared to $1,366,107 or $0.43 per share for the same period in 2019, an increase of $387,107 or 28%. Net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, was $6,729,210 or $2.13 per share compared to $5,816,163 or $1.85 per share for the same period in 2019.

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Community Investment Corporation has named Peter Cory as its new Interim President. A native of Littleton, New Hampshire, Corey served 34 years in the US Army before retiring as a Brigadier General in 2015.

by C.B. Hall, Vermont Business Magazine Environmental entrepreneur David Blittersdorf, whose plans for running self-propelled diesel-powered rail cars in a commuter system in northwestern Vermont have come to naught, is proceeding towards what might be termed the logical next step – a passenger rail service that uses those same cars, but powered by Tesla electric battery packs.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Jennifer Cote, 45, of Montpelier, Vermont, was sentenced yesterday in Vermont Superior Court, Washington Criminal Division, to 12 to 36 months imprisonment after entering guilty pleas for one felony count of neglect of a vulnerable adult and one felony count of Medicaid fraud. Cote, a former Licensed Nursing Assistant who provided in-home services, failed to bring the young man to scheduled medical appointments on more than eight occasions or to obtain medical assistance for skin ulcerations that he had developed. As a result of Cote’s conduct, these injuries progressed, threatening the young man’s health and constituting serious bodily injury. The young man subsequently passed away.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott Tuesday delivered his budget address to the General Assembly, presenting a balanced budget that includes $210 million in new investments to strengthen the economy, create more and better paying jobs, and address big priorities, like downtown revitalization, infrastructure, broadband and climate change. ACCD is focused on more than $100 million in economic initiatives and will host a webinar on Wednesday, January 27th at 3 pm to review the Agency’s legislative priorities and package with partners and the public. Full details and how to tune in can be found at the ACCD COVID-19 Recovery Resource Center.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University’s Peace and War Center welcomes Dr Grazia (Grace) Scoppio as a Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Peace and War Studies for the spring 2021 semester. During her residency at Norwich University, Scoppio, whose current research is on immigrants’ participation in the military from an international perspective, will network with students, faculty and partner organizations.