Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the CAA or new CARES Act), signed into US law on December 27, 2020, provides $900 billion in new COVID-19 relief funding. It includes several provisions related to individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations in Vermont’s creative sector. Read on for summaries of some of the key components of the bill as well as related resources. The CAA includes a new $15 billion grant program called Save Our Stages (SOS Grants) through which the US Small Business Administration will provide aid to struggling live venue operators and related businesses.

Vermont Business Magazine Common Good Vermont has joined forces with United Way of Northwest Vermont, becoming a program of the organization that works to improve the quality of life for Vermonters. Joined together under one roof, the two organizations will continue their respective missions and work as one to advance the common good for all by strengthening the nonprofit sector throughout Vermont. Common Good Vermont will retain operation of its notable programs which include several nonprofit certificate programs, Vermont Nonprofit Summer Camp, the Nonprofit New England Wage and Benefits Report (Vermont Edition), Vermont Nonprofit Advocacy & Legislative Day, Vermont Nonprofit News, job postings for Vermont mission-driven organizations and nonprofit professional training.

Vermont Business Magazine On Monday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee Bernard Sanders (D-VT) and 41 Senate Democrats wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar demanding the Trump administration take immediate action to fix the significant failures of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution as coronavirus cases continue to climb. In the letter, the senators call out the administration’s failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan, despite having months to do so.

Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont last July implemented a “paper bag only” requirement as it banned plastic shopping bags. The decision was well-received, as retailers and customers look to lower their use of plastics. Last summer, Walmart joined other major retailers in an effort to reduce use of limited-use shopping bags. Now, following a positive response and support from its customers, Walmart is converting all Vermont stores to bagless, effective February 15.

Walmart said in their announcement that this decision only further demonstrates the company’s commitment to advancing sustainable initiatives that support people and the environment and to its ongoing efforts to target zero emissions in its global operations within the next 20 years.

Vermont Business Magazine Gardener’s Supply Company, one of the nation’s largest multi-channel marketers of gardening products and accessories, has announced that Jim Feinson, CEO, has stepped down as of the end of 2020. The current President, Cindy Turcot, will be promoted to President and CEO. Feinson joined Gardener’s Supply Company in February 1988 and became President in 1999 and CEO in 2008. Under his leadership, the company transformed their catalog marketing business to online marketing, increased new product development and expanded to four retail garden centers in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University Applied Research Institutes (NUARI) announced today that it has successfully secured two contracts received under the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Broad Agency Announcement process totaling $1.12 million. Regarding the Arctic Microgrid program, worth $625K, work in this initial effort will identify the necessary requirements to characterize, design, simulate and develop plans to prototype and test the cold regions microgrids. These systems will be built upon an open architecture to allow modular construction and operation in response to location and operational issues. Consideration for remote monitoring and operations and cybersecurity constraints will be integrated into the program with oversight from the ERDC Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory (CRREL).

Vermont Business Magazine The KeyBank 2020 Financial Resiliency Survey, released today, finds that many Americans are now reporting greater financial confidence, increased emergency savings, and more financial awareness, compared to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic—an inspiring discovery considering the significant hardships faced by many over the past year. The 2020 Financial Resiliency Survey polled more than 1,200 Americans on their financial feelings after nearly a year of living through a pandemic, finding that 53% felt more financially confident approaching the end of 2020, compared to the beginning of the year; 51% would be able to immediately have $2,000 available in an emergency, up from 42% in 2019; and 48% felt more financially aware.

Vermont Business Magazine Four Vermont-based property management entities have settled claims by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that they violated federal lead paint laws. EPA recently filed a consent agreement and final order both initiating and resolving an enforcement action against Vanderbilt Development Corporation and Manchester Commons Associates, property management companies based in Manchester. Vanderbilt and Manchester Commons agreed to pay a penalty of $13,493.

by Jeff Tieman, VAHHS President and CEO After living in DC for 15 years, I have many fond memories at the US Capitol. Being in the gallery when the Affordable Care Act passed the House of Representatives. Sitting on a Capitol Hill train with Senator John McCain. Walking the flower-strewn grounds in springtime. Last week, those images gave way to TV footage that was so startling I had trouble believing it was real. I texted a friend who works in the Senate and was glad to find him in his home office.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Did you know, most agriculture products that are not animal products or grain, fiber, and oil field crops are considered specialty crops by USDA. The most common specialty crops we see in Vermont are fruits and vegetables; culinary herbs, spices, and medicinal plants; nursery, floriculture, horticulture, and Christmas trees; honey; hops; maple syrup; and mushrooms. You might be asking yourself, why does this definition even matter?

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger I recently made the difficult decision to veto the City Council’s proposed Charter Change to establish an independent community control board of the Police Department. I had multiple concerns with the details of this proposal that I discuss more in a memo to the City Council and follow-up statement. Fundamentally, I was concerned both that the proposal as written would further compromise our ability to provide the public safety services that the public expects, and that it was highly likely to fail at later stages of the Charter Change process – which would have resulted in setting back efforts for needed reform by years.

Burlington Fire Department Saturday morning at 0514 hours, the Burlington Emergency Communications Center received several 911 calls reporting a possible structure fire at 199 King Street, a six unit apartment building in the City of Burlington. Preliminary investigation into the fatal structure fire at 199 King Street reveal it to be accidental in nature. It was determined that one of the occupants fell asleep with smoking materials that ignited nearby combustibles. While we are not releasing the victim’s personal information, we can confirm that the victims were a 31 year old male and a 55 year old male.