Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) Secretary Julie Moore invites the public to join her on June 25 from 4:00-5:00 pm to discuss a variety of environmental topics. The conversation will begin with a discussion on composting. The Secretary will provide more information about the universal recycling law which requires food and food scraps to be kept separate from trash by 2020, offer a recap of 2019 composting legislation, give tips for how to start composting and reducing food waste, and provide guidance for how to compost in a way that doesn’t attract wildlife.  

Vermont Business Magazine REI Co-op is launching a new venture to lift up environmental and outdoor journalism through the debut of its own print magazine this fall, and a new partnership to channel matching funds directly to local, nonprofit newsrooms covering crucial issues facing the outdoors. Among others across the nation, REI is supporting the general news online site vtdigger.org based in Montpelier. REI is also opening its first Vermont store this fall in Williston.

Vermont Business Magazine Green America’s People & Planet Award recognized two small businesses offering innovative plastic-alternative products to help reduce plastic pollution, a growing problem globally. “No Plastics” was the theme of this award cycle, and the winners of the award and $5000 were Bee’s Wrap of Middlebury, Vermont, and bioDOGradable Bags of Lake Forest, California.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (“VPPSA”) and Encore Renewable Energy were joined by Congressman Peter Welch today to celebrate the completion of their 866 kW Trombley Hill Solar project. The project came online earlier this month and is the first developed under a partnership formed last year. This project is expected to produce approximately 1,500,000 kWh per year, enough to power approximately 208 homes.

Vermont Business Magazine Six of the top 10 states in overall child well-being — including New Hampshire (1) and Massachusetts (2) — call the Northeast home, according to the Annie E Casey Foundation's 2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book. Vermont ranked 6th overall. States in Appalachia, the South and Southwest populate the bottom of this year's overall rankings. In fact, save for California and Alaska, these regions claim 18 of the lowest-ranked states, including Mississippi (48), Louisiana (49) and New Mexico (50).

by Paul Costello I’ve been wrestling with a sentence that typifies the mission of our times, and have come to this: “We need to end the fundamental threat that climate change presents to our ability to provide for our children.”

We can accomplish this by engaging two of the most wonderful features of common humanity: Our creativity and our neighborliness―our care for one another.  These Vermont attributes seem like a strong foundation for our collective commitment for mutuality in decision-making and action, and hence to our democracy.  Creativity, plus neighborliness, plus democracy, equals power. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Revenue collection in the General Fund was essentially on target for the month of May and remains significantly above target for the year at about $50 million. The Transportation Fund performed above its monthly target for May but remains slightly below its annual target. The Education Fund was slightly below its monthly and annual targets. Secretary of Administration Susanne Young today released Vermont’s Revenue Results for May 2019. May marks the eleventh month of Fiscal Year 2019.

Vermont Business Magazine Sarah Leblanc seems never to have encountered a closed door she couldn’t open. Take, for example, the challenges she encountered when starting up Georgia’s Next Generation, her new early care & learning center. Located in Georgia, Franklin County, where need for quality early care & learning programs is among the highest in the state, Sarah’s plan for Georgia’s Next Generation would open doors for local families and children from the get-go.

Vermont State Police On June 19, 2019 at approximately 0800 hours Vermont State Police Troopers responded to Charlotte to investigate the larceny of tools from a Middlebury Fence Company, Renovate construction site located at 3488 US Route 7 in Charlotte. Unknown individual(s) accessed the construction site and stole approximately $10,410 worth of tools from a locked trailer.

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (Blue Cross) and the University of Vermont (UVM) Medical Center have announced the launch of a new program for people living with chronic pain: The Partners Aligned in Transformative Healing (PATH) program at UVM Medical Center’s Comprehensive Pain Program (CPP). By treating chronic pain holistically, PATH participants gain a variety of skills and techniques to manage symptoms, increase comfort, and improve function.

Vermont Business Magazine Innovative dairy and brewery owners are breathing new life into many Vermont communities, catering to growing consumer demand for fine craftsmanship, quality, and responsibly-made products. To help support environmental sustainability and profitability in these industries, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is launching a Green Dairy Cohort and Green Brewery Cohort. 

Vermont Business Magazine NorthCountry Federal Credit Union held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, June 14 at 854 Center Street for a new 3,400 square feet building. Work is expected to be completed in January 2020.