Current News

Vermont Business Magazine While other financial institutions are shuttering branches, consolidating with other institutions, and reducing services like drive throughs, One Credit Union, based in Springfield, Vermont, opened its doors to a beautiful new branch in the Shaw’s Plaza on John Stark Highway in Newport, NH on February 22. Newport marks One Credit Union’s seventh branch, and its second in New Hampshire.

Vermont Business Magazine United Counseling Service has hired Lori Vadakin as Director of Mental Health and Substance Use Services. United Counseling Service provides support and guidance to help individuals and families improve their quality of life. Vadakin will be responsible for the clinical and administrative oversight of the agency’s system of care for Mental Health, Substance Use Treatment and Community Rehabilitation and Treatment programs.

Vermont Business Magazine When a family learns that the child they have eagerly anticipated is stillborn, what they often want more than anything is more time with their baby. A special bassinet called a CuddleCot extends the amount of time that families can grieve with their child if they choose to. Scarlet’s Mission, a non-profit dedicated to giving families of stillborn babies the gift of time, has donated a CuddleCot to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s Women’s and Children’s Services Department, part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC).

Vermont Business Magazine On Monday, Vermont’s House Appropriations Committee voted in favor (6-5) of a bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales for adults 21 and older. S.

by Jack Hoffman, Public Assets Institute US News & World Report is out with its latest “Best States” rankings. Vermont was number five last year, behind Washington, New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Utah. The report adds a new perspective to some of the debates we hear in Montpelier—about Vermont’s strengths, its weaknesses, and what matters.

by C.B. Hall, Vermont Business Magazine A decision over where to store an Amtrak train overnight when the passenger rail provider begins serving Burlington remains elusive, as city and state officials and other stakeholders continue to ponder multiple options. The leading candidates for the purpose, among six that have received public consideration, are a new siding near the McNeil Generating Station just west of Burlington's Intervale Road, and a new siding adjacent to Burlington Union Station, at the foot of Main Street.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Peter Walke to serve as commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Walke has served as the deputy secretary for the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) since January 2017, after serving as chief of staff for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Walke replaces Emily Boedecker, who served as DEC commissioner for three years.

Peter Walke. State of Vermont photo.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) announced Monday that Mamava will join the organization’s Champion Members. VBSR is a business association with over 730 members who work to foster a business ethic that sets a high standard within the Vermont professional community for protecting the natural, human, and economic environments of the state. The support of Champion Members like Mamava is essential to advancing their year-round state-wide work bringing businesses together as a power for good.

Leonine Public Affairs As the work day drew to a close late on Tuesday afternoon the members of the House Judiciary Committee filed into the House chamber to take testimony from supporters and opponents on H.610. The bill would require alleged domestic abusers who have been served with a restraining order to relinquish their firearms. At the same time people from all over Vermont poured into the statehouse to weigh in at the public hearing. Additional security staff began segregating the opposing sides into two lines up the spiral stairways to the chamber.

Vermont Business Magazine The Scott Administration will be in Essex County on Monday, February 24 for its Capitol for a Day initiative, a 14-county tour launched by the Governor in 2018. Capitol for a Day gives local constituents, municipal government leaders and other partners the opportunity to connect directly with state leadership and staff.

“I’m really looking forward to visiting Essex County again, as it’s a top example of why we’ve undertaken this initiative,” said Governor Scott. “Capitol for a Day is about listening to those we don’t get to hear from every day in Montpelier. We need to understand how policies impact Essex, Orleans, Bennington and other counties differently than they do in Chittenden or Washington counties.”

Follow along on social media using the #VTCapitol4aDay hashtag.

WHEN: Monday, February 24

Vermont Business Magazine When Richard Schneider took over as Norwich University president in 1992 he knew he needed to make cuts to get the university back on solid financial ground. The college was $3 million in the red on what was only a $30 million budget. But he acknowledges now that those cuts were a mistake. Not because he made them, but because he did not make them deep enough.

The cuts to programs and, painfully to staff, eventually put the nation’s oldest private military college back on track (see story). But it took too long to get there. He says you must fully do what needs to be done because you’ll only get one good crack at it. Going back will be even more painful with a less efficient result.