Current News

Vermont Business Magazine At an unpredictable time for all of us, KidsGardening wants to share ‘tried and true’ plant-based activities that are joyful for any age and don’t involve any screen time. The Burlington-based national nonprofit reaches close to half of a million educators, parents and volunteers with free online gardening educational resources and activities.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont House gave final approval to H.681 and H.742, the legislature’s COVID-19 relief package. H.681 contains several updates to our elections and open meeting laws to ensure local municipal meetings and state elections can be conducted safely in the current public health crisis. H.742 updates our unemployment insurance program and gives greater flexibility to our health care system to meet the unknown needs we will be facing. Both bills originated in the House and were part of the package passed on March 13, 2020.

by Rachel Feldman, Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and Administration officials are making it clear that Vermonters can do one thing to help slow the spread of COVID-19: stay home. For Vermont employers and employees, this means finding unusual ways of doing “business as usual.” Yesterday the state Senate finalized an aid package. Today Congress was still putting the finishing touches on a $2 trillion financial deal to help individuals and employers make it through the impending financial crisis.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Wednesday released the bipartisan Senate agreement to provide relief from the coronavirus pandemic to our nation’s families and working people. As Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Leahy was a lead negotiator on the appropriations title of the relief package to provide direct assistance to the American people, preserve small businesses, and distribute billions of dollars in resources to hospitals, first responders, and those at the front line of the coronavirus pandemic. The Senate is expected to take up and pass the bill as soon as Wednesday.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Public Safety on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, issued guidance to local police departments regarding potential enforcement of Gov. Phil Scott’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order, announced Tuesday, March 24, and effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 25. Today, DPS and the Vermont State Police — the largest law-enforcement agency in the state — recommended to Vermont municipal leaders and law-enforcement executives that enforcement of this executive order be handled primarily through education and voluntary compliance.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Community Foundation announced nearly $500,000 in grants and mission investments to support Vermont communities responding to the spread of COVID-19 in Vermont. The first $380,000 in grants from the VT COVID-19 Response Fund will complement federal aid and focus on extending and expanding the capacity of nonprofits that provide basic needs to vulnerable populations, specifically the elderly and those who rely on the social safety net for human necessities.

Vermont Business Magazine USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Rural Development will keep our customers, partners, and stakeholders continuously updated as more actions are taken to better serve rural America.

Vermont Business Magazine Representatives Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) today introduced legislation in the US House of Representatives to create a $2 billion Keeping Critical Connections fund at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The fund would compensate small broadband providers that provide free or discounted broadband services for low-income families or students impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

“With millions of people required to stay home and students across the country learning from home, broadband access is essential,” Welch said. “Small providers get it – the service they provide is a lifeline to parents and children who need to learn, work, and stay connected with loved ones during these difficult times. This bill ensures small providers can continue to provide their essential service during and after this crisis. We should pass this bipartisan bill immediately.”

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan today issued a letter to Amazon, Facebook, eBay, Walmart, and Craigslist urging the businesses to more rigorously monitor price-gouging practices by online sellers using their services. Attorney General Donovan, who was joined by 32 attorneys general from across the US, is calling on the online retailers and platforms to make several changes to stop price gouging in real-time.

Vermont Business Magazine The most recent update from Vermont Department of Health on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is that 123 people have tested positive and there are now eight deaths. Also, Governor Phil Scott issued a "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order last night, meaning that only essential workers should be going to their place of business. If you are able to work remotely, you may do so. Vermonters are being asked to stay home as much as possible to keep everyone safe during this pandemic.

Yesterday Vermont’s Department of Corrections announced the first case of COVID-19 inside the Northern State Correctional Facility, and another person is under observation. This news comes as a growing number of states are taking action to reduce their prison populations to address the heightened risk of COVID-19 spreading to prisoners, workers, and corrections officials, and to the public at large.

Vermont Business Magazine Associated Industries of Vermont (AIV),VMEC, State of Vermont Regional Development Corporations (RDCs) and other partners are working together to identify Vermont manufacturers and other businesses who can currently supply, or could convert operations to supply, products and services in the COVID-19 crisis.