Current News

Vermont Business Magazine It was a banner week for the Jasper Hill Farm team of Greensboro Vermont; on Wednesday it was announced that Bayley Hazen Blue took Reserve Supreme Champion at the International Cheese Awards and on Friday the cheese medaled in its entry class, along with other accolades for the cheesemaker, at the American Cheese Society Competition (ACSC).

Vermont Business Magazine Continuing to fight for safe food, Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan announced that his office joined five other states to file a lawsuit challenging an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to allow the continued use of the toxic pesticide Chlorpyrifos on foods.

Vermont Business Magazine LaunchVT, an early stage business accelerator, has been awarded $10,000 under the ThinkVermont Innovation Grant Program, an initiative that responds to the growth needs of Vermont small businesses with 20 or fewer employees by funding innovative strategies that accelerate small business growth.

Vermont Business Magazine The Whitney Blake Company (WBC), a manufacturer of wire and cable, Koil Kords and cable assemblies, has been awarded $350,000 through the Windham County Economic Development Program (WCEDP). The proceeds of this loan will be used to restructure debt and increase operating capital, as the company reorganizes and expands its Rockingham operations.

Saint Michael's College Come Monday morning, August 12, Founders Hall and Founders Hall Annex will be completely empty and the President’s Office, Academic Affairs, and the Registrar will be operating from their new home Klein Hall, reports Joel Ribout, associate director of facilities and the one responsible for planning the Founders tear-down process scheduled to begin this fall semester.

Vermont Business Magazine Superior Technical Ceramics (STC), has been awarded $116,683 through the Vermont Training Program (VTP). The funding will support the implementation of a new learning management system. Since being acquired by Artemis, a capital investment company, in October 2018, STC has formulized a new strategy to increase the company’s value over the next 5 years. Focusing on employee development and transformation into a sustainable culture, the manufacturer partnered with Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC) to take part in its Lean Leadership Transformation Program.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointments of Laurel Mackin of Thetford and Michael R. McCarthy of Georgia to fill assistant judge vacancies in Orange and Franklin counties, respectively. “Both Laurel and Mike have displayed a strong commitment to public service and dedication to their communities,” said Governor Scott. “I’m confident they will serve with distinction in these important roles.”

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment numbers rose by a handful of claims last week, but remain low. Summer usually brings low claim levels, but sub-300 claims indicates very low volume. Initial claims for the week of August 3, 2019, totaled 296, up 7 from last week. Claims were 23 fewer than they were at this time last year.

Altogether 3,411 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 35 from a week ago, and 91 fewer than a year ago.

Nationwide, for the week ending July 27, initial jobless claims decreased to 209,000, down 8,000. The 4-week moving average increased 250 to 212,250.

For most weeks of 2017 and 2018 claims were lower than the year before, but have been up and down in 2019. This suggests the labor situation has settled after several years of a tighter and tighter labor market following the Great Recession of 10 years ago.

​Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Police is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting involving members of the Montpelier Police Department. Preliminary investigation indicates the incident occurred shortly after 5:30 am Friday, August 9, 2019, on Spring Street. The man who was shot was transported to Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, where he was pronounced deceased. The deceased man is identified as Mark Johnson, 62, of Montpelier.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont small group health insurance rate requests have been reduced by regulators, but still represent double-digit increases for 2020. The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) announced today its decision regarding BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont’s (BCBSVT) and MVP Health Care’s (MVP) requested rate increases for insurance plans offered through Vermont Health Connect (VHC) in 2020. Amended from the original filings, BCBSVT was granted a 12.4 percent increase (requested a 14.3% to 14.5% average annual rate increase) while MVP received a 10.1 percent increase (requested a 10.9% average annual rate increase).

“The Board is very frustrated about the unaffordable rate increases but must adhere to our statutory obligations,” said Board Chair Kevin Mullin.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Medical Center Interim President, Dr Steve Leffler, today announced that Kate FitzPatrick, Chief Nursing Officer, DNP, RN, FAAN, will be leaving the organization on October 1. FitzPatrick, who also serves as Associate Dean for Academic and Practice Integration at the University of Vermont College of Nursing and Health Sciences, has accepted a position as the new System Senior Nursing Vice President for Practice and Clinical Development at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, a 14-hospital health system in the greater Philadelphia region.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Thursday announced in Burlington that the University of Vermont is receiving $6.6 million from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Communities Opioid Response Program for Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders.