Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) today announced that three more branch offices, in Bennington, Newport, and Springfield, are re-opening to the public by appointment only using the new online scheduling system. Customers can schedule appointments in Bennington, Newport, and Springfield online beginning Thursday, October 1. The first appointment times available will be for Monday, October 5. These join the Montpelier, South Burlington, and Rutland offices which previously reopened.

Vermont Business Magazine ­North Star Leasing, a national equipment leasing company committed to helping businesses grow, is pleased to announce it is being recognized by The Monitor Daily as one of the nation's top equipment and finance leasing companies. As the leading publication of the equipment leasing and finance industry, The Monitor Daily publishes annual rankings of the top equipment leasing and finance companies in the U.S. North Star Leasing captured No. 119 this year, a new achievement for the 41-year-old company that has seen record growth in the past six years.

Vermont Business Magazine Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) voted for the updated Heroes Act passed by the House late on Thursday night to deliver much needed coronavirus relief to communities across America. The updated Heroes Act was trimmed to $2.2 trillion from the more than $3 trillion bill passed in May in an attempt to engage Senate Republicans to pass a compromise aid package. The bill includes more than $800 million for Vermont state and local governments. It would also issue a second round of $1,200 payments to individuals and restores the $600 weekly federal unemployment payments through January.

Senate Republicans have continued to block passage of the original bill.

by Amy Spear, Vermont Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Tourism Vermont’s mountains and countrysides will soon be ablaze with vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows. Our hospitality businesses and attractions have implemented thorough safety measures so Vermonters and visitors can enjoy the state in both new and familiar ways. While Vermont is known as a visitor paradise, many Vermonters also look forward to this time of year when our state shows off its colorful splendor.

Vermont Business Magazine In July of 2020, Terje Anderson announced that he would be stepping down from his position as Party Chair due to health issues. Anderson served as chair from 2017 to 2020. The Vermont Democratic Party is honored to announce the election of the new Party Chair, Bruce Olsson, who was elected unanimously by the Vermont Democratic State Committee on September 10th. Olsson is a resident of Elmore, Vermont and is currently the Chair of the Lamoille County Democratic Committee.

A member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers for over forty years, Olsson worked on critical legislative issues in Washington, DC, and on political campaigns across America for his union. Most recently, Olsson served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for Senator Bernie Sanders.

Vermont Business Magazine As US employers and healthcare providers continue to struggle with the disruption and fallout from COVID-19, a majority of patients with chronic conditions have faced significantly reduced access to care. Marathon Health, a leader in creating best-in-class onsite, near site and virtual healthcare options for US employers, has developed a way to reverse this trend with its proactive primary care model.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, along with several partners, are bringing together the maple industry, specialty products, and maple-inspired activities all across the state in a campaign that will run throughout the month of October.

Vermont Business Magazine Some 180,000 rapid response antigen tests are coming to Vermont. They are intended to screen for people with symptoms. The Health Department today issued updating guidance to the state’s health care providers and facilities regarding the use of COVID-19 antigen testing in Vermont. Meanwhile, The VDH reported today that there were three new cases of COVID-19 in Vermont.

Public Assets Institute is partnering with the Center for Research on Vermont at UVM to conduct a survey about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of Vermonters. The purpose of this survey is to hear from everyday Vermonters about the challenges and opportunities of living and working in Vermont in 2020. Please help us understand your experiences in Vermont during the last year, and the impacts of COVID-19 on your daily life.

Vermont Business Magazine Rutland Regional Medical Center today announced its Housing for Health fundraising campaign in partnership with the Rutland Housing Authority, and its non-profit affiliate, Housing Initiatives Inc., to raise $150,000 to establish safe, secure and supportive transitional housing in our local region by year-end. Specifically, funds raised will support multifamily bridge housing units at 101 Woodstock Avenue in Rutland.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Clean Water Board is asking the public to weigh in on how they would like to see approximately $30 million, available in 2022, put to use to clean up water pollution across the state. Public input will help the Board prioritize funding for projects that improve water quality in Vermont’s lakes, streams, and wetlands. Vermont’s water quality funding helps municipalities, farmers, and others implement projects that reduce pollution washing into Vermont’s waterways.

Vermont Business Magazine The White River Junction VA Medical Center Homeless Veteran team is celebrating the end of Veteran homelessness in Chittenden County, Vermont. Chittenden County becomes the 79th community in the United States to declare an end to Veteran Homelessness. As part of a relentless effort to end homelessness among Vermont Veterans, the White River Junction VA Homeless team partnered with the Vermont Veterans Committee on Homelessness, Chittenden County Continuum of Care (CoC), and asked Vermont mayors to join the “Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness.”