Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont utilities are warning customers of a phone scam today. In a sudden surge of calls, the scammers claim to be from a Vermont utility, including Green Mountain Power (GMP), Burlington Electric Department (BED), VGS, Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC), Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (VPPSA), and Washington Electric Cooperative (WEC), and then demand immediate payment and threaten to cut off power. Your local utilities would never treat its customers in this manner. If you receive such a call, just hang up. It is a scam.

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, September 5th Bennington will become “Garlic Town, USA” for one day in celebration of garlic, agriculture and community. The actual event takes place from 10am-5pm throughout Bennington’s downtown district. Earlier this summer, when Vermont Governor Scott restricted festivals due to the COVID Pandemic, the Southern Vermont Chamber of Commerce, producers of the renowned “Garlic Fest” pivoted to create something more amenable to safety and the governor’s restrictions. Garlic Town, USA was born.

​Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Retail & Grocer Association seeks to clarify requirements of retail employees wearing masks. Retail employees are required to wear cloth face masks in the presence of other employees and all customers regardless of a translucent “sneeze guard.” VRGA has learned of confusion surrounding requirements set forth by the Vermont Department of Health and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and would like to ensure clarity for everyone’s safety.

Vermont Research News Phosphorus levels in Lake Champlain haven’t always been a cause for concern. It wasn’t until the early 20th-century when marginal farms were abandoned causing afforestation of the watershed that accumulation rates increased. Also, when human activity increases in protected wildlife areas, bobcats have been known to become more active at night. Even recordings of human conversation were found to decrease the diurnal activity of bobcats by 31%. And While Vermont/New York farmers’ markets could benefit by improving facilities and improving the presentation of the products, as they do in Quebec, both regions could benefit from increasing promotion.

Vermont Business Magazine Research Corporation for Science Advancement has awarded a team of faculty from 22 high-profile colleges and universities a small grant with a large goal: to help academic departments in the sciences overcome challenges that have consistently derailed them in the past in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). University of Vermont chemistry professor Rory Waterman is principal investigator on the grant, titled “Moving the Dial: A Network for Systematic Change.”

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Weinberger released the following statement regarding the protest at Battery Park: As Mayor, the safety of Burlingtonians is my top responsibility. I am concerned about the safety of the protestors who have demonstrated in Battery Park for the last week since the shooting of Jacob Blake. I applaud the work of the Burlington Police Officers who investigated Jordan Atwood for repeatedly approaching the demonstrators in Battery Park while brandishing an assault-style rifle, and arrested him for violating conditions of a prior criminal release.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Health Department continues to investigate an outbreak of COVID-19 cases associated with people who attended a private party at the Summit Lodge in Killington on August 19. At least 14 cases of COVID-19 are known from a party of about 40 people, with some of those cases related to non-party-goers. Some of the guests were from out-of-state. The VDH is emphasizing contact tracing on these and every case in Vermont. Health Commissioner Dr Mark Levine noted that here in Vermont, 92 percent of cases are interviewed within 24 hours, likely one of the highest in the nation.

Vermont Business Magazine The state’s leading small business organization, NFIB, released its small business voting record today for the 2019-2020 session for the Vermont General Assembly. Throughout each legislative biennium, NFIB tracks key votes that would positively or negatively impact our member’s ability to own and operate their business. The data is compiled and then sent to Vermont members so they can be informed about how their legislator voted before they go to the polls on Election Day.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Dr Etan Nasreddin-Longo, chair of the Racial Disparities in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System Advisory Panel, along with Panel members, Executive Director of Racial Equity Xusana Davis, and Attorney General TJ Donovan urged the Legislature to take further action to address racial disparities and systemic bias in Vermont. The coalition specifically called on the Legislature to reconsider policy recommendations outlined by the Panel in their December 2019 report. These recommendations include centralizing a bias incident complaint process, significantly expanding data collection efforts, and implementing reforms to reduce racial profiling.

Vermont Business Magazine In an effort to assist with thorough testing around the recent Killington COVID-19 outbreak, the Vermont Department of Health has asked Rutland Regional to open their testing facility on Wednesday, September 2, Thursday, September 3 and Friday, September 4. (This testing is IN ADDITION to the Vermont Department of Health’s pop-up test clinic scheduled for Wednesday, September 2 from 9am-3pm at the Rutland Office of Local Health in the Asa Bloomer Building-registration is required.)

Vermont Business Magazine As a part of its continued efforts to support job seekers and employers, the Vermont Department of Labor has announced additional dates for its #Hiring2DayVT Virtual Job Fairs. The Department will resume its series, highlighting statewide and regional career opportunities on Thursday, September 3 at 11 am.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released the final Three Acre Stormwater General Permit (GP 3-9050) today. This permit fulfills a key requirement of Vermont’s 2015 Clean Water Act (Act 64) and achieves all Phase One milestones outlined in the Lake Champlain Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Accountability Framework.