Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual of Vermont Companies is pleased to announce a 15% “Stay Home, Stay Safe Credit” on all personal auto policies. Union Mutual was founded in 1874 on the promise of “neighbors helping neighbors.” Over 140 years later, that commitment has never been stronger. While we all work together to be good community stewards and abide by stay at home orders, we understand the financial burden many in our community face.

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), is requesting the community to assist with donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today extended Vermont’s State of Emergency through May 15, which also extends the expiration date of all corresponding orders and directives issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The original State of Emergency, issued on March 13, was set to expire on April 15, as were the subsequent mitigation measures. As a result of this extension, all measures, including the Governor’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order, are now in effect until midnight on May 15.

Vermont Business Magazine A national real estate data firm has released its 2019 property tax analysis for more than 86 million U.S. single family homes, which shows that property taxes levied on single family homes in 2019 totaled $306.4 billion, up 1 percent from $304.6 billion in 2018 and an average tax amount of $3,561 per home — an effective tax rate of 1.14 percent. States with the highest effective property tax rates were Illinois (2.22 percent), New Jersey (2.19 percent), Texas (2.11 percent), Vermont (2.11 percent), and Connecticut (2.04 percent). Other states in the top 10 for highest effective property tax rates were New Hampshire (1.93 percent), New York (1.87 percent), Pennsylvania (1.75 percent), Ohio (1.68 percent), and Nebraska (1.57 percent).

Vermont Business Magazine Manufacturing Exchange - Vermont (MXVT.org) is now live with a primary mission of "connecting people and supply chains to deliver solutions." It also allows manufacturers and suppliers to post their needs and find business opportunities. MXVT uses familiar social media tools in a virtual collaboration space that empowers innovative thinking, helps solve problems, and can create new supply chains.

Vermont Business Magazine AARP is providing information and resources about COVID-19 to help older Vermonters and their families protect themselves from the virus and prevent it from spreading to others.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported today that there were 23 new positive tests for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state. This is the smallest increase since March 28. There were no new deaths. The number of total known cases in Vermont is 628. The number of deaths stands at 23. By sex, 54.3 percent of cases are female. Every county in Vermont has at least one case, with one positive test now attributed to a resident of Essex County. At Friday's press conference (11 am), Governor Phil Scott is expected to extend the "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order beyond April 15. He is also expected to update provisions of the order.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) continues a series of webinars connecting businesses dealing with the impacts of the novel coronavirus to resources and best practices relating to legal issues, crisis communication and resilience, guidance on SBA loans and VBSR member’s triple-bottom-line response. These webinars are free for VBSR members, and $20 for non-members.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont's Congressional delegation announced Thursday that the state's 11 federally qualified health centers received a total of $8.7 million for COVID-19 relief. This federal funding was provided to community health centers as a result of the CARES Act, the federal stimulus enacted last month to provide economic support to individuals, organizations, and businesses harmed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders will hold a telephone town hall with Vermonters Thursday evening. He will be joined by Governor Phil Scott, Senator Patrick Leahy, and Representative Peter Welch. The telephone town hall will begin at 5 pm on Thursday.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont has given nursing students the option of early graduation so they can enter the nursing workforce and provide support to overstressed healthcare workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. All 95 members of the class opted to graduate on May 1 rather than in the third week of the month when other students at the university will earn their degrees. UVM is among the first colleges in the country to allow nurses to graduate early.

Vermont Business Magazine As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, The University of Vermont Health Network is directing all employees in its facilities in Vermont and Northern New York to wear masks, aligning with the most recent best practices to protect staff and patients across the Network.