Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Exit 4 in Randolph looks like it might get a new hotel after all. After many years of attempts to develop the exit, and recently and unsuccessfully with a vast mixed-use commercial development, a hotel is proposed across Interstate 89 on the southeast corner, on the right as you head up Route 66 toward Randolph Center and Vermont Technical College. The project has received local permits and a sewer authorization. The project began the Act 250 process with a hearing on October 4.

Vermont Business Magazine A Prevention Network Grant of $450,000 has been awarded to Mt Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) from the Vermont Department of Health, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs. MAHHC is the sole recipient of the grant, whose goals include reducing the prevalence of substance misuse by all ages through building regional prevention infrastructure and capacity.

Vermont Business Magazine Saturday (October 19) is the annual Vermont Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference. Senator Patrick Leahy launched the yearly conference 23 years ago, and he partners with several agencies and organizations to organize the workshops. This year’s keynote speaker is Jen Kimmich, CEO of Alchemist Brewery.  Under Kimmich’s leadership, the Stowe business has become one of Vermont’s most popular tourist destinations and is famous for its Heady Topper brew.

Vermont Business Magazine Last night, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a major drug pricing reform bill that includes a price negotiation initiative long championed by Rep Peter Welch (D-Vermont). The Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019 (H.R. 3) was approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 30-22. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will save at least $345 billion. It is expected to be considered by the full House in the near future.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan and Treasurer Beth Pearce met with community members at the Pope Memorial Library in Danville to discuss the importance of managing credit and protecting yourself from financial scams. They highlighted that as financial products become more complex and data breaches affecting consumers become more frequent, it is more important than ever that Vermonters manage their credit and regularly check their credit reports. In 2018, Vermonters filed 5,471 scam reports with the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program – making scams one of the most common consumer issues affecting Vermonters.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $25,000 Healthy Communities Grant award to the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. Announced during Children's Health Month in October, the grant will help create a new partnership project between the University of Vermont, middle school and high school teachers and students, and community partners to pilot a team-based approach to education, hazard reduction, and educational materials development related to addressing lead in water and soil in Burlington and Winooski.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Patrick Leahy visited the St Albans Town Education Center (SATEC) on Thursday, October 10th, to celebrate National Farm to School month and announce USDA grants awarded for school districts in Vermont to expand Farm to School activities. The grants total $300,000 and will help schools in Franklin, Grand Isle, Caledonia and Orange counties to connect their classrooms, cafeteria and community to local food and farms. The celebration was held in the school garden and orchard, which was the result of a state grant and where several new raised beds were being constructed on Thursday morning.

Vermont Business Magazine All three major data points were negative in September as unemployment rate went up for the first time in over ten years, as the Vermont Department of Labor reported today. According to household data, the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for September was 2.2 percent. This reflects an increase of one-tenth of one-percentage point from the revised August rate. If this preliminary data holds, it would be the first increase to the unemployment rate since April 2009.

Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility is proud to welcome New Chapter, King Arthur Flour & Vermont Creamery as newest Champion Member
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) Board of Directors is pleased to announce New Chapter, King Arthur Flour and Vermont Creamery have become VBSR’s newest Champion Members. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, October 19 from 10 am to 2 pm, Vermont’s leading and emerging outdoor recreation businesses, trail and conservation organizations, and state officials will gather at Bolton Valley Resort for an expo hosted by the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) and the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative. The public will have a chance to demo bikes and sample products from a wide variety of Vermont’s outdoor recreation brands at VOBA’s first-ever Outdoor Expo. 

“We’re excited about gathering leaders from Vermont’s best-known outdoor recreation businesses – Burton, Darn Tough, Orvis and Rome to name a few – as well as newer brands, trail and stewardship organizations, and state agencies to explore ideas for strengthening outdoor recreation opportunities and increase our sector’s economic impact in Vermont,” says VOBA Executive Director, Kelly Ault. 

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) raised over $60,000 to support programs and services for central Vermonters at the 20th annual Seasons of Life Fashion Show, Live Auction, and Dinner. Over 200 guests gathered on Friday, October 4 in the Governor’s Ballroom at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier, where they mingled, watched models walk the runway, bid on live-auction packages, and celebrated the platinum anniversary of CVHHH’s largest annual fundraiser.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) crews made significant progress restoring power after a Nor’Easter socked the region Wednesday night packing strong winds that did more damage than forecasted. GMP crews and 30 external crews have been working non-stop to get the lights back on, restoring power to more than 25,000 customers. About 4,800 customers are still without power while new outages continue to be reported from the storm, mostly in southwestern Vermont. Crews are working around the clock, and expect the majority of customers will be back on by Friday afternoon. Isolated damage in some of the worst hit areas could take into the weekend. Throughout the Northeast region, more than 600,000 were without power because of the storm earlier Wednesday.