Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont) Thursday reintroduced their legislation requiring the government to have reasonable suspicion or probable cause to search or seize Americans’ electronic devices at the border.  Currently, under the so-called “border search exception” to the Fourth Amendment, US government officials can seize or search Americans’ laptops, cell phones and other devices without any showing of probable cause to believe the device may contain illicit content. This raises serious constitutional concerns.

Vermont Business Magazine In a joint statement issued Thursday afternoon, "The Vermont State Employees’ Association (VSEA) and Secretary of Administration Susanne Young are pleased to announce the State and three bargaining units represented by VSEA, namely the Supervisory, Corrections and Non-Management Units, covering approximately 6000 state employees, reached a tentative agreement on a new two-year contract that will commence July 1, 2020."

"The details of the agreement will be released once the ratification process, requiring the approval of VSEA’s members, is complete.

"Bargaining for this contract commenced in August and has continued on a weekly basis. Agreement was ultimately achieved over two days of mediation with the assistance of Federal Mediator Annie Rutsky."

Source: Montpelier, Vt. – Secretary of Administration Susanne Young 10.24.2019

Vermont Business Magazine Flanked by store owners, hunting and angling groups and supporters of outdoor recreation, Governor Phil Scott in Barre today recognized the important contribution hunting, fishing and related activities have in strengthening and diversifying Vermont’s economy. A new report by the US Department of Commerce finds that Vermont is fourth among states when measured by contribution of outdoor recreation to Gross Domestic Product. This is greater than states like Alaska, Florida and Colorado.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Craig Cowles, 51, of Richmond, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to tax-related fraud charges. US Magistrate Judge John M Conroy released Cowles on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled.

On September 25, a federal grand jury in Rutland returned an indictment charging Cowles with five counts of tax evasion and 14 counts of structuring bank transactions to avoid currency reporting requirements. According to the indictment, Cowles is the owner of Cowles Excavating, an earth-moving business located in Richmond.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Gas (VGS) and NG Advantage (NGA) announced today a first-of-its-kind initiative to deliver renewable natural gas (RNG) to business and institutional customers – including hospitals – through VGS’ pipeline and NGA’s virtual pipeline infrastructure. This unique partnership allows NGA’s twenty-six current customers and new customers across New England and New York to take advantage of RNG, a benefit that until now has only been available to pipeline-connected users. Before NGA began service in 2013, these customers used No. 2 and No. 6 oil and some even used “bunker fuel” for their process and/or space-heating energy needs.

Vermont Business Magazine Is your local school looking for a great guest speaker? Would students in your town be interested in a field trip to learn how electricity gets delivered across northern Vermont?

Vermont Business Magazine A new study shows the nation is nearing Great Recession levels of mortgage refinancing and Vermont ranks No. 3 among states with the lowest level of recent refinancing. Meanwhile, many of the same culprits from back then (Arizona, Florida, Nevada) are leading the refi boom. It has taken nearly a decade for home values to rebound after the housing bubble burst and homeowners are once again taking advantage of their equity.

Vermont Business Magazine Superior Technical Ceramics (STC), a global leader in delivering technical ceramics manufacturing solutions, has been recognized by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems with their Three-Star Supplier Excellence Award.  Raytheon instituted the Three-Star Award as part of its Supplier Excellence Awards program to recognize suppliers who have provided outstanding service and partnership in exceeding customer requirements.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Futures Project announces recommendations to grow and sustain Vermont businesses with further development and additional support to enhance Vermont’s current innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. To secure our economic future, the Vermont Futures Project has identified the need to scale and grow Vermont’s mid-sized businesses, defined as having 20 to 499 employees. These companies are the mainstay of Vermont’s employment base which provide stable jobs, good pay and career opportunities at a scale that fits Vermont’s culture, region to region.

Vermont Business Magazine Gravel & Shea, the Distributed Ledger Governance Association (DLGA), Champlain College, and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office came together to host Vermont’s first digital identity summit on October 16 at Champlain College. Capitalizing on Vermont’s position as a blockchain legislative leader in the United States, the summit drew approximately 40 executives and government leaders from the US, Canada, and England to discuss issues around the implementation and use of digital identification in Vermont.

CEOs and technology officers from companies that both develop and utilize blockchain tools — such as London-based software developer Veridium, New York City-based cybersecurity company SecReliant, Florida-based Haven Health Solutions, and Hu.manity, a company designed to create decentralized human rights and located in New Jersey — connected with regulators, academics, and municipalities from Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC has announced that, through wholly-owned subsidiaries, it has acquired the rights to 31.33 megawatts (MW) of solar projects and partnered on an additional 3.5 MWs of solar in three separate transactions. This includes the 5.74 MW ground mount solar project at the former Brattleboro landfill.