Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) filed its adopted Vermont Hemp Rules with the Vermont Secretary of State on May 6, 2020. The Vermont Hemp Rules became effective May 21, 15 days after filing the adopted rule. These rules come in advance of the 2020 planting season.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) today notified the Rutland Superior Court that it is withdrawing its motion for preliminary injunction, filed on May 15, 2020, against Rutland gym Club Fitness of Vermont and its owner, Sean Manovill. In addition, the AGO and Defendants, Club Fitness of Vermont and Manovill, jointly requested that the Court convert the hearing on the motion scheduled for May 29, 2020, into a status conference. The State’s underlying Complaint remains.

Vermont Business Magazine Small businessman Scott Milne announced today that he will seek the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 2020. Milne nearly upset then-Governor Peter Shumlin in 2014 when he came within 2,500 votes of becoming governor.

Milne, 61, is president of Milne Travel, founded as a one-person woman owned business by Marion Milne in the 1970’s. During his thirty-three years leading the company, Milne Travel has grown into one of America’s most recognized travel businesses, with tens of thousands of clients, nearly 100 employees in ten states, and a network of community based offices stretching from Westchester County NY, to Northern Maine, with three offices in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) Commissioner Michael Pieciak today announced the approval of a premium relief plan submitted by Northeast Delta Dental, Vermont’s largest provider of dental benefits. In total, $2.89 million in premium relief will be provided to approximately 70,000 Vermonters after the suspension of most dental services due to COVID-19.

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of the Lake Champlain Chamber announced today the transition of executive leadership to Executive VP Cathy Davis from Tom Torti, effective November 5th, 2020. Torti will step down as President of the Chamber and retain his position as Chief Executive Officer while Davis will become President and assume leadership and direction of all chamber activities. Torti will focus on strengthening the Chamber’s 501(c)(3) foundation, which supports and promotes leadership, talent and economic development in the region.

“This transition has been in the planning process for the past two years,” said Kurt Gruendling, chairperson of the Chamber Board, “with Tom working to ensure that the Chamber was positioned, fiscally and organizationally, for a seamless transition.”

Vermont Business Magazine Marlboro College and Democracy Builders today announced a signed contract for sale of the 500-acre college campus in Marlboro, Vermont in anticipation of the completion of Marlboro College’s alliance with Emerson College. Democracy Builders will use the campus for an innovative new model of higher education that will dramatically reduce costs and improve outcomes for low-income and first generation students in particular. Upon state Attorney General and Agency of Education approval, Democracy Builders’ Degrees of Freedom program will offer a hybrid degree that will bring cohorts of students to the campus for multiple residencies each year and continue the tradition of higher education on Potash Hill.

AccuWeather After Burlington and other nearby regions set record temperatures this week, May will finish on a much cooler note following the recent stifling heat that enveloped the Northeast. Millions across the northeastern United States will experience another round of weather whiplash this week as a sharp surge of cool air will wipe away the unseasonable heat that was ushered into the region over Memorial Day weekend.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) launched a new package of incentives and programs called Go, Save & Share Green with GMP to help customers save money and help small businesses get back on their feet following the COVID-19 economic shutdown. GMP is increasing rebates on heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric mowers and electric bikes now through the end of August, and will launch a solar credit sharing program in June, as well as a new way for customers to reduce energy use that also raises money for the Vermont Food Bank.

Vermont Business Magazine People's United Bank, NA, with branches across Vermont, today announced that is has registered and obtained approval for more than 16,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), delivering more than $2.5 billion to business customers. These loans supported the paychecks of more than 250,000 employees across the Northeast.

Vermont Business Magazine Trees are greening and insects are awakening as spring continues its slow and steady progress. One such insect is the emerald ash borer (EAB). This destructive, invasive forest pest has been identified in numerous towns in Vermont and is expected to continue to move across the landscape, likely killing most ash trees in its path. To manage the pest and mitigate damage to ash trees and the multiple values they provide, Vermont adopted a “Slow the Spread” strategy in 2018, similar to our current effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, intended to buy time for development of control and mitigation measures.

Vermont Business Magazine ACCD hosted a series of webinars over the last week to explain the proposed $400 million dollar economic recovery and relief package and answer questions from impacted sectors. Recordings of those webinars will be posted to the Recovery Resource Center as they are available, for anyone who may have missed them live. The Legislature received Governor Scott proposal on Wednesday and will begin the process of developing legislation. The funding comes from the federal government's $1.25 billion COVID-19 relief CARES fund Vermont received.

Vermont Business Magazine Phil Scott this morning announced in an email from his campaign that he will seek a third term as governor of Vermont. He had to file by today's deadline. The announcement was expected. In the letter he said he is grateful for the sacrifice of Vermonters during this season of COVID-19, for their public service and he admitted that his least favorite part of being governor is the politics.