Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Winooski School District (WSD) School Board approved a recommendation from the Capital Project Executive Committee to accept the Construction Management bid from ReArch Company.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment numbers fell again last week to a very low level and the lowest in memory. Summer usually brings low claim levels. Initial claims for the week of August 31, 2019, totaled 205, down 57 from last week. Claims are 129 fewer than they were at this time last year. Altogether 2,768 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 480 from a week ago, and 253 fewer than a year ago.

Vermont Business Magazine SunCommon, a Certified B Corp, has been named a Best For The World honoree in recognition of their environmental performance and sustainable business practices.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce has been elected president of the National Association of Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers (NASACT), a nonpartisan organization made up of state government finance leaders in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.

Vermont Business Magazine For two years the White River Junction Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center has been a proud leader in healthcare equality. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released the 2019 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), listing White River Junction VA Medical Center as Vermont’s only leader. This year there were 680 healthcare facilities nationwide that participated. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott joined local, state and federal partners Thursday to announce over $2.7 million in community development grants to 10 communities in six different counties throughout the state. The grants were announced at the St Albans City Hall. St Albans is the site of a successful redevelopment. That redevelopment included Tax Increment Financing. The TIF helped build an new hotel in the city center and transform the downtown. Scott considers the TIF crucial to St Albans' resurgence. He wants to expand the program to towns in the southern part of the state, like Springfield. 

Vermont Business Magazine As part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s investigation into cases of severe respiratory illness associated with e-cigarettes and vaping, the Vermont Department of Health has asked the state’s health care providers to watch for and report any suspected cases. According to the CDC, 215 possible cases of severe pulmonary disease associated with e-cigarette products have been reported in 25 states as of August 27. Two deaths, one each in Illinois and Oregon, have been reported. Vermont health officials are investigating one suspected case.

​Vermont Business Magazine KnowledgeWave, a leader in business software training specializing in Microsoft Office 365 based in South Burlington, today announced that it placed #26 on Fifty Five and Five's Digital Marketing Excellence Report (2019-2020) for Microsoft Partners. This year, the Insights Report from Fifty Five and Five evaluated over 39,000 Microsoft Partners on digital marketing measures such as their company's website presence, blog activities, and social media usage. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Growers Association is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization formed in 2019 as a political action committee and trade association. Founded by Geoffrey Pizzutillo and Jennifer Dye, and joined by cannabis advocate and lobbyist Eli Harrington, the Vermont Growers Association has created a policy platform survey and is actively recruiting board members as it kicks off grassroots lobbying efforts.

Vermont Business Magazine Middlebury-based Bee’s Wrap brought home kudos in early September from the B Lab, earning the 2019 Best For The World: Environment award for the business’s top-notch attention to environmental stewardship. Bee’s Wrap, a Certified B Corporation, is one of three Vermont businesses to earn this honor, alongside Seventh Generation and SunCommon. Granted by the B Lab, the global nonprofit that certifies and supports Certified B Corporations, the award honors B Corp members who are taking bold action to preserve our planet’s most precious resources. These companies consider the impact of their everyday footprint, including energy usage, materials, facilities, supply chain, and more. 

Vermont Business Magazine Airbnb announced today that its Vermont hosts earned a combined $20.4 million in supplemental income while welcoming approximately 139,400 guest arrivals to the state this summer, from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day. Airbnb said the summer results follow a similarly successful ski season in Vermont earlier this year, with ski communities welcoming approximately 123,600 guest arrivals and local hosts earning a total of approximately $22.3 million in supplemental income. Chittenden County generated the most Airbnb summer business with over $5 million, with Lamoille next at over $3 million and Rutland and Washington counties next at $2 million.

Vermont Business Magazine The Working Lands Enterprise Board announces the 2020 Service Provider application period is now open. The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative supports innovative entrepreneurs at the forefront of Vermont’s Working Lands economy through technical and financial assistance to help growing businesses thrive. Types of technical assistance provided for Working Lands businesses may include: Market development, Marketing plans, and sales; Business and financial planning; Succession planning; Access to capital; Manufacturing efficiencies or process flow;  Business research and development; and/or pilot programs.