Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) is developing a new long-range management plan for the Worcester Range Management Unit and is conducting public scoping to better understand how Vermonters use and value these lands. The long-range management plan serves as a guide for land management on ANR lands, and typically lasts for 20 years. ANR conducts public scoping early in the planning process to develop a better understanding of the public’s interest in and use of state-owned lands. The public is asked to share their input through an online survey.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public Power Supply Authority and Encore Renewable Energy announced Wednesday that construction has begun on a new solar array along Route 100 in Morrisville, on land currently utilized for corn silage. Encore is evaluating the potential for establishing pollinator-friendly wildflower groundcover to provide support for the bees, butterflies and other creatures that are critical to the overall health of our ecosystem. Lawrence Brook Solar, the second project developed under a partnership formed in 2018 between VPPSA and Encore, will be sited on property owned by Morrisville resident Jeanette Davis. The new 2.2 megawatt (MW) array will generate income for Davis while allowing her to maintain ownership of the property through the duration of the 25-year lease agreement.

Vermont Business Magazine SunCommon hosted their first ‘Climate Action Film Festival’ earlier this year to inspire local climate action among attendees, while raising money for local environmental advocacy organizations. After hosting nearly a dozen local events throughout Vermont and New York’s Hudson Valley, SunCommon raised over $8,800 through ticket donations to the events.

Vermont Business Magazine Nearly 300 students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members joined the Community College of Vermont’s Green Up effort last Saturday, and worked together to clean up roadsides throughout the state. Both CCV and Green Up Vermont are celebrating 50th anniversaries in 2020, and have partnered this year in joint recognition of the shared milestone.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont businesses and nonprofits on the brink of bankruptcy got a bit of good news today as Governor Scott, the Speaker’s office and the Senate President Pro Tem saying they expected the $400 million financial aid package to be passed by the end of June, if not sooner. Lawmakers could release some emergency funds ahead of the rest. The massive, by Vermont standards, plan would provide emergency funds to the hardest hit industries and then help shore up other businesses and organizations moving forward.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported two new cases of COVID-19, no deaths and none hospitalized. However, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, provided an update of a "cluster" of cases in Winooski. He said there are 10-20 cases in the cluster. Some 200 people were tested over the last few days in Winooski. The positive tests need to be confirmed. He said this was not an institutional outbreak. Tracing and containment protocols have been enacted.

Vermont Business Magazine The FDIC periodically evaluates thousands of banks across the country to determine how well their community development and lending practices contribute to the success of all in their of local communities. Historically, less than 10% of financial institutions earn the coveted “Outstanding” rating which is reserved for banks that most effectively meet the credit needs of their local communities. In its most recent examination by regulatory agencies, Union Bank received an “outstanding” rating for its compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) in its two rated areas in VT and NH.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) announced a partnership with Fluid Education Inc, one of the newest and fastest growing education services companies in the nation, to provide program and business development, marketing, and recruiting services globally for its online undergraduate and select graduate level programs.

“With the rapid growth in online education and a changing economy, Norwich is positioned to deliver relevant, new online bachelor and master degree programs to the marketplace,” notes Vice President and Dean of the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies William Clements. “Our new partnership with Fluid Education will expand the Norwich brand and online education offerings to new markets around the world and add incremental expertise in marketing and enrollment management.”

Senator Patrick Leahy America is hurting. Reeling from a deadly pandemic that has taken more than 100,000 lives. Witnessing the broad daylight murder of yet another black man by an officer of the law. Seething with rage and sorrow about the racial injustices that still plague our society. And suffering from unprecedented political divisions, routinely worsened and deepened by a President whose every utterance only tears us further apart. In my 45 years in the United States Senate, I have never seen our country so in need of healing.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Wednesday unveiled the Congressional Power Of The Purse Act to restore Congress’ constitutional authority and rein in encroachment on federal spending decisions by the Executive Branch. Leahy said that for too many years, Congress has ceded its constitutional authority over the power of the purse too much to the Executive Branch, but no President has pushed the boundaries of and contorted appropriations law more than President Trump.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) outlined a sweeping set of policy reforms to be adopted in Senate Democrats’ legislative response to police violence, in order to “protect people and communities that have suffered this violence for far too long,” he wrote in a letter addressed to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Sanders listed the following goals “to seriously address an intolerable situation in this country:”

Vermont Business Magazine The 2020 project rankings for the Southern Vermont Economy CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) have been announced. A total of 59 projects were submitted to be included in the five-year plan for growing the southern Vermont economy, 12 of which have been ranked vital. The following list of Southern Vermont CEDS 2020 Vital Projects is presented in alphabetical order by project name.

The purpose of identifying Vital Projects is to publicly acknowledge the top actions the region can support that will make demonstrable progress towards our regional economic development goals, as outlined in the 2019 Southern Vermont Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS).