Current News

Vermont Business Magazine In place of the previously scheduled in-person meetings, the department is holding electronic public hearings to solicit input on deer and moose on the following dates from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. including tonight, April 16.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Public Service today announced an innovative collaboration with several partners that will increase internet access by means of public Wi-Fi hotspots for dozens of rural towns in Vermont. Deployment is already underway with installation of devices which began Saturday, April 11, starting at the Wheelock Town Offices.

US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) If the President is genuinely reaching out to listen to candid and diverse views on a decision that will profoundly affect millions of Americans for years to come, I look forward to sharing my views. They will be candid, and he knows if I disagree, I will tell him.

Vermont Business Magazine Todd Woodcroft was announced as the fifth head coach in Vermont men’s hockey history Wednesday evening by Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman. Woodcroft spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Winnipeg Jets. Over the last 20 years he has built an extensive resume in coaching and management in the NHL and international hockey.

Vermont Business Magazine There are many effects of COVID-19 upon our community. Learning to stay at home, keeping loved ones safe, working from home with children home and engaged in distance learning, helping more with schoolwork, working on the front lines, hearing the news cycle report on cases and deaths daily, experiencing an illness or death in the family, and more. The demands on everyone are overwhelming.

A recent tracking poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 45 percent of Americans said that the pandemic has affected their mental health, with 19 percent saying it has had a ‘major impact’. So if you feel COVID-19 is having an impact on your mental health, you are not alone.

Vermont Business Magazine Resort ecommerce and marketing platform Inntopia continues to ramp up their support of Goggles for Docs as the effort continues to gather momentum. Goggles for Docs helps facilitate donations of new or used ski goggles to health care workers on the front line battling COVID-19 who do not yet have access to personal protection equipment. The campaign was started by Jon Schaefer, Owner and General Manager of Berkshire East Resort, and was launched with the help of Gregg Blanchard, Inntopia’s VP of Marketing on the afternoon of March 29, just under three weeks ago.

Vermont Business Magazine Monday marked Lineworker Appreciation Day, celebrated by the nation’s electric cooperatives, and VEC is honoring all the committed men and women who work hard on the front lines to keep the lights on for our members.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The good news continues to be that Vermont appears to be at or near the peak of the COVID-19 infection rate. The bad news is that the economic impact on individual Vermonters continues, as the backlog of unemployment insurance cases continues to leave thousands of claims unpaid. The state has assured those still waiting for checks that they will not lose any money as they work fix the process.

Vermont Business Magazine At a press conference Wednesday, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD said Vermont may be seeing a trend toward cases beginning to plateau. He emphasized, however, that as we look to the future, we will still need to act to prevent spread of the virus and to protect Vermonters from getting infected. As we consider, in the Governor’s words, loosening the spigot, and easing restrictions, it may not mean an end to social distancing or limitations on large gatherings. Vermonters should not expect a quick end to the need for facial coverings or reducing our focus on respiratory hygiene. This is a long game, and individual efforts to prevent the spread of germs are essential, as is our continued testing and contact tracing efforts to contain outbreaks.

by Gabriella Marchesi, Community News Service Governor Scott's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order, which is in effect until May 15 and halts all non-essential work, has disrupted the Burlington International Airport's spring construction plans. Construction on the taxiway realignment project and other improvements to tarmac areas near the airport’s terminal is postponed until May 15, as it is not deemed to be an essential service under the governor's order.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Bankshares, Inc (NASDAQ - UNB) today announced results for the three months ended March 31, 2020, and declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. Consolidated net income for the first quarter was $2.2 million, or $0.49 per share, compared to $2.6 million, or $0.59 per share, for the same period in 2019. The reduction in earnings from the 2019 comparison period was due to a combination of factors including an anticipated flat interest rate environment, planned technology infrastructure spending, discretionary hiring of high value staff to allow continued growth in the franchise, continued development of newer branch locations, ongoing competition in all aspects of the business, and the initial impacts of the outbreak of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan and 13 other state attorneys general submitted a letter today to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denouncing the EPA’s March 26 announcement that it would roll back environmental enforcement. The announcement came in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The memorandum outlines a nationwide policy on the civil enforcement of federal environmental laws to respond to the crisis.