Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The following street closings are planned in conjunction with the University of Vermont’s commencement ceremonies over the weekend, provided the weather is good and ceremonies are held outside on the UVM green.

​Vermont Business Magazine On Sunday, May 12th, the Marlboro College community celebrated the college’s latest graduates with a ceremony in Persons Auditorium. Degrees were conferred upon a total of 49 graduates, including 26 undergraduates and 23 graduate students, who were applauded for their Plans of Concentration, Capstone projects, and many other accomplishments.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is launching two new rebate programs for customers looking to green up their heating and cooling, and their commutes. GMP customers can get a $400 rebate when they buy a cold climate heat pump. Customers can also get a $200 rebate when they buy an electric bicycle at participating Vermont bike shops.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Environmental Consortium and Vermont Technical College (VTC) announced that registration is open for their annual environmental Conference, The State of Vermont’s Water. The conference will be held June 11, 2019 at VT Technical College in Randolph, VT. The conference will include topics like groundwater and storm water rule updates, nitrates and chloride in water, agricultural best practices, permits, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) announced Wednesday that Grace Oedel will be leading the organization as its new executive director, starting July 1, 2019. During the last 30 years, under the leadership of the late Enid Wonnacott, NOFA-VT has grown to become an active, thriving organization deeply woven into the fabric of Vermont agriculture, with a $2.6 million operating budget encompassing many diverse programs managed by a team of 20 talented staff. NOFA-VT has a devoted Board of Directors, and a passionate and committed membership.

Cooperative companies join forces to promote solar to Energy Co-op members

Vermont Business Magazine The Energy Co-op of Vermont of Colchester and Catamount Solar of Randolph, two companies organized under cooperative principles, have announced a partnership to promote solar installations for Energy Co-op members. Energy Co-op is a fuel dealer. The agreement includes a range of co-marketing and promotion programs and a discount of up to $1,000 on new residential solar installations for Energy Co-op members.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s correctional facilities compost nearly 11,000 pounds of food scraps each week. Annually, these correctional facilities keep 572,000 pounds of food waste out of the garbage. At the facilities, inmates separate coffee grounds, banana peels, and spoiled food before sending these items to compost facilities that feed the soil at farms and gardens throughout Vermont. Composting food scraps also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When food scraps end up at landfills, they produce methane, a greenhouse gas 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House on Wednesday evening gave preliminary approval to gun violence prevention measures in S.169 on a vote of 82-58. The law is intended to provide a "cooling off" period for people considering suicide. The bill also updates language regarding the purchase and use of high-capacity ammunition magazines.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is bringing back its popular tours at the Kingdom Community Wind Project in Lowell, Vermont this summer. It will be the seventh season that Vermonters and tourists alike can see a wind farm up close to learn more about how wind energy works. The tours are free, but you have to register in advance.

Vermont Business Magazine The 18th Annual Strolling of the Heifers weekend (June 7,8,9) celebrates local agriculture and food, attracting thousands of residents and visitors to the Friday evening festival, Saturday morning parade, and all-day Slow Living Expo at the Brattleboro Common, and Sunday Tour de Heifer dirt road bicycle ride and Farm Tours. The Stroll’s festivities feature hundreds of vendors, exhibitors, and entertainers. A new theme is selected each year and participants in the parade are encouraged to decorate their parading heifers, horses, and floats to reflect this year’s theme, “Farmers Are Our Heroes.”

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont House gave preliminary approval to S.23, the Minimum Wage bill on a vote of 90 - 53. The amended House version would increase the minimum wage by 2.25 times the inflation rate. The original Senate version called for a minimum wage of $15 an hour starting on January 1, 2024. However, the House inflation-based (Consumer Price Index) bill would achieve $15 an hour, at current inflation levels, in about seven years. The just-released US CPI now stands at 2.0 percent, up one-tenth from year-end 2018. The Vermont minimum wage is now $10.78, up 2.7 percent from 2018's $10.50. If the CPI stays at 2 percent, the next hike would be 4.5 percent, or $11.26 for 2020. It would reach $15 an hour (about $15.30) in 2027 at current rates.

Vermont Business Magazine US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will expand its Information Services Modernization Program to the St Albans field office on May 28.  The St Albans field office provides immigration benefits to all of Vermont in addition to three counties in New York. Detailed information on the office service area is available online. USCIS anticipates expanding the program to all remaining field offices by the end of FY 2019.