Current News
Vermont Business Magazine A key component of ReArch Company’s corporate mission is giving back to our communities. In keeping with their mission statement to support the community through being "engaged, involved and philanthropic," ReArch Company, Inc. has committed to donating a substantial percentage of our profit each and every year to local charities and organizations that are working towards bettering the lives of people in our communities. This year $11,000 was available for the employee-driven portion of ReArch’s employee-driven philanthropy program, and they have announced that they were able to make contributions to all 8 employee submission requests.
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Vermont Business Magazine The Upper Valley Business Alliance (formerly the Hanover and Lebanon NH Chambers of Commerce) announces the launch of the Upper Valley MedTech Collaborative (UVMTC). The purpose of UVMTC is to broaden awareness of the many companies located in the Upper Valley region of Vermont and New Hampshire that are researching, developing and manufacturing medical devices.
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Vermont Business Magazine Community organizations and small businesses in New Hampshire and Vermont will receive $330,000 in funding as part of a previously announced initiative through which Citizens Bank will direct more than $5 million to support relief and recovery across communities it serves, including $280,000 that will go directly to small businesses across New Hampshire and Vermont.
“We believe our approach strikes a strong balance between rapid aid to community partners addressing immediate needs and longer term support for small business recovery,” said Joe Carelli, New Hampshire and Vermont state president, Citizens Bank. “Our small business customers are a vital engine of the local economies so it is critical that we both give them an immediate leg up and bolster their long term viability.”
Citizens Bank and the Citizens Charitable Foundation will direct $330,000 in New Hampshire and Vermont as follows:
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by Melinda Moulton I first met Joyce Marcel when she interviewed me for a profile article in Vermont Business Magazine. She arrived with her husband of 20 years, Randolph T Holhut, the cover photographer for Vermont Business Magazine and news editor of The Commons. Joyce pulled up a chair to the front of my desk leaned in and unabashedly stated, “I was once a topless dancer.” I knew we were going to hit it off. She is a little woman with a strong stature and a head of graying curly hair that frames her face full of laugh lines and sad lines. Her eyes twinkled with curiosity. It did not take long for me to know that I wanted to write a story about Joyce Marcel – Vermont’s Biographer.
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The University of Vermont Health Network The COVID-19 pandemic has made all of us more thankful for the basic, important things in our lives – things like the health and safety of our families, and the support of our communities. So many people have come forward to say “thank you” and offer words of encouragement to health care workers all across the region. These simple acts mean so much. Our #ThanksHealthHeroes gratitude campaign, detailed in this newsletter, is a way to keep those messages coming during these difficult times.
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Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health on Sunday afternoon reported 52 more cases of COVID-19. This brings the total to 512. They also reported two more deaths, for a total of 22 in Vermont. Chittenden County is still reporting by far the most cases, with 271, but there has been a recent increase in the number of cases from southern Vermont. Windham County now has 31 cases and Rutland County has 27. Just on Wednesday there were only 16 cases in Windham County and 10 in Rutland, out of a statewide total of 321.
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by Jack Hoffman, Public Assets Institute Let’s all take a deep breath. Before we jump to the conclusion that $600-a-week federal unemployment checks on top of state benefits are going to destroy the work ethic and wipe out the labor force, let’s remember why we’re doing this.
The intended consequence of federal pandemic unemployment benefits through July is that workers will stay home. Until there is a vaccine, isolation is the best defense against the coronavirus. And if people are going to be confined to their homes, they need to have enough money to feed themselves and their families, make rent or mortgage payments, and pay for essential goods and services.
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Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger issued two important update to city regulations in order to encourage and enforce social distancing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and so that everyone follows Governor Scott's orders. One is that individuals will be warned and then fined if they do not follow the orders. Second is that in response to overwhelming constituent outreach that the Bike Path and sidewalks were too crowded to stay compliant with social distancing guidelines, the City is limiting some streets to local traffic only in order to allow for individuals or households taking walks and exercising to more easily keep a 6-foot distance with others.
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Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday evening, the Vermont Democratic Party’s State Committee -- meeting remotely -- approved a series of changes to the party’s Delegate Selection Plan. The election of State Convention delegates, originally scheduled to take place at town-level caucuses on April 21, will now be replaced with a process allowing voters to sign up on-line to be a caucus participant and file to become a State Convention delegate. The original May 30th State Convention, will be conducted virtually, including election of delegates and National Committeewoman/Committeeman. Any voter who cast a ballot in the March 3 Vermont Democratic primary is eligible to take part in the process.
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by Deb Billado, VTGOP Chair It is difficult each week to come up with a meaningful VTGOP message for you. I desire to show leadership that promotes real difference in how we do Republican politics in Vermont so I strive to say things that will show that Republicanism is more than just winning a political office. There is no question that I want the Vermont landscape to become “Rosy Red in 2020” but more than that, I want to see us return to a time of true caring about those around us, many who are not as fortunate as we are or are forgotten by a world that is so busy with gaining power, influence, control or success and money.
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VSECU Within the next three weeks, you should have a stimulus payment in your bank account. For many, this will offer much-needed financial relief and help you pay off some of those overdue bills. What can you expect to receive and how will you receive it?
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Vermont Business Magazine Community Health’s network of health care centers in Rutland, Brandon, Shoreham, Castleton and West Pawlet are open and providing our community with full health care services, including Telehealth remote appointments. During this difficult time, when so much focus is on the COVID-19 precautions, Community Health continues to provide patients with consultations and visits with our health care providers. Community Health’s goal of preventing the spread of the coronavirus and continuing to help our patients, staff and community stay healthy and safe remains the same.