Current News

Vermont Business Magazine In a year when Vermont business has been faced with unique and difficult challenges, the Working Lands Enterprise Board has continued to facilitate financial investments to support agricultural businesses across the State. Along with $250,000 dollars of funding for COVID-19 related business development grants recently announced, the Board also deployed another $1.4 million in grants and contracts, to (35) Agriculture and Forestry businesses and service providers around the State in 2020.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont has announced that John Van Hazinga, aka “Big John,” 42 years old, was sentenced today by US District Judge Christina Reiss to 5 years of probation following his felony conviction for distributing marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance. Van Hazinga agreed in his plea agreement to the forfeiture of $67,189 of drug proceeds seized from three of his properties, and also agreed to file amended tax returns for this undeclared income.

Vermont Business Magazine As state data and expanded testing and tracing capacity continue to support reopening, Governor Phil Scott today announced he will expand the number of states covered under Vermont’s county-by-county quarantine-free travel policy, which allows direct travel from designated counties without a 14-day quarantine requirement. Effective July 1, this policy will be expanded to counties below this threshold in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

Vermont Agency of Transportation Here is a list of road construction projects happening throughout Vermont. Most crews will cease work Thursday afternoon and will be off Friday, 07/03, in observance of the holiday weekend. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.

Change The Story Vermont After closing down to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Campus Children’s School at the University of Vermont announced it would shut its doors permanently. St Michael’s College Early Learning Center did the same. The closures of two high-quality academic child care centers in Chittenden County are canaries in the coal mine. The pandemic is pushing an industry that was already operating on razor thin margins over the edge.

Vermont Business Magazine Telemedicine is on the rise in Vermont communities. In a recent statewide survey conducted by OneCare Vermont, healthcare providers overwhelmingly responded that they are providing telemedicine services to patients during the public health emergency. OneCare Medical Director Dr. Susan Shane presented the findings of the survey at the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care Telehealth Virtual Office Hours. 92% of respondents said they had utilized audio/video services in the past 60 days, and over 80% responded that they had provided audio-only services to patients.

Vermont Business Magazine The Central Vermont Medical Center announced today that patients, visitors, and staff entering its main hospital will now have their body temperature read by a thermal imaging camera. Since March 21, anybody entering a CVMC facility is required to pass a temperature screening due to COVID-19 concerns, but most methods of taking temperatures are time consuming, uncomfortable or invasive – creating lines as the hospital has returned to normal patient volumes.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual of Vermont announced last night that Michael W. Nobles, President and CEO of Union Mutual, passed away unexpectedly Thursday. He was 50 years old.

“Our Company, industry, and state have suddenly lost an inspiring, energetic and articulate leader,” said Josh Fitzhugh, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Union Mutual. “We grieve his passing and extend the deepest condolences to his family.”

Michael W. Nobles, President and CEO of Union Mutual

Nobles joined Union Mutual, based in Montpelier, in 1995 and served as assistant treasurer, treasurer, senior vice president, and chief operating officer before being elected president and CEO in 2014.

Vermont Business Magazine The Bank of Bennington is proud to have been able to serve its community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most notably, the bank worked quickly with local businesses to provide more than 360 Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Loans to local businesses in a four-week period of time. The bank's lending team working seven days a week put more than $27 million dollars into the local economy to assist businesses with the ability to retain their employees during this unprecedented time.

Vermont Department of Health As more of us are outside, being active, seeing family and friends, gathering in groups at events like barbecues or on the lake, health officials are reminding Vermonters the risk of transmission does increase. Please enjoy these summer activities, but make sure you understand the level of risk for you.

Vermont Business Magazine The Future Forest Economy Initiative awarded three grants that will drive a $1.7-million investment in the region’s forest economy, seeking to diversify markets for wood and wood products from the Northern Forest region. The Burlington Electric Department will receive $97,840 for design and pre-engineering to advance a wood-fired district heating system to serve the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, ahead of the Senate’s consideration of a proposed $740.5 billion military budget authorization, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) took to the Senate floor to call for a 10 percent cut in annual Pentagon spending to invest in education, health care and poverty reduction in America’s most marginalized communities.