Current News

Vermont Business Magazine On April 6, almost 400 students in grades 5 through 12 brought history to life at the Davis Center at the University of Vermont (UVM) during Vermont History Day, organized by the Vermont Historical Society. Local historians, educators, and other professionals judged the entries and chose winners in 10 categories, along with handing out 16 special prizes. Vermont History Day is an exciting education program that encourages students to develop research and critical thinking skills through the study of history. Vermont History Day is affiliated with National History Day. 

Outright Vermont On Saturday, 200 students from 50 middle and high schools in 72 towns across Vermont are coming together for the 13th annual Queer and Allied Youth Summit in Chester. The Youth Summit, co-hosted by Green Mountain Union High School (and in Windsor County for the first time), is themed “Coming OUT soon!” emphasizing the power and complexity of visibility within LGBTQ+ identities, and the importance of creating our own narratives.

by Bruce Edwards, Vermont Business Magazine Whether hemp and marijuana are able to replicate Vermont’s successful craft beer industry will depend on a number of factors, some of which are out of the state’s control. 

by Bruce Edwards, Vermont Business Magazine Shayne Lynn is at the forefront of one of the most sought after medicinal products to come along in quite a while: CBD. That’s short for cannabidiol – a non-intoxicating cannabis extract made from hemp used to treat a variety of medical issues.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) on April 19 released a set of proposed rules that set the stage for growing the Vermont hemp industry and the state’s economy.

by Bruce Edwards, Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont offers a non-credit course in cannabis science and medicine. Program Director Monique McHenry, PhD, responded to e-mailed questions about the program and its future. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott took the following action on bills between May 1 and May 10, 2019.

Vermont Business Magazine A local small business that makes traditional Nepalese food is being recognized for its financial success and community involvement. Sherpa Foods, founded and owned by Nurbu Sherpa, has been named the 2019 Vermont Microenterprise of the Year by the Small Business Administration. By SBA standards, a microenterprise is a sole-proprietor business with five or fewer employees. Sherpa Foods specializes in making momos, a Nepalese dumpling, and momo sauce, a Himalayan style hot sauce.  Sherpa says all of his company’s food is made locally and with fresh and natural ingredients.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment numbers fell steeply last week by more than 300 claims. Claims had spiked to nearly a 1,000 in April. Claims for the week of May 4, 2019, totaled 380, down 283 from last week. Claims were 53 fewer than they were at this time last year. Altogether 4,255 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 839 from a week ago, and 326 fewer than a year ago. For most weeks of 2017 and 2018 claims were lower than the year before, but have been up and down in 2019. Vermont, like the nation as a whole, is locked into a historically low period of unemployment and a tight labor market.

Vermont Business Magazine Lamoille Housing Partnership (LHP) and the Lamoille County Planning Commission (LCPC) recently hosted their Housing Solutions Summit, a discussion-based forum that gathered local community leaders, decision makers and members of the public to discuss and propose locally focused, collaborative, actionable solutions to the Lamoille region’s housing opportunities and challenges.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House on thursday gave preliminary approval to S.96, the Clean Water Bill, on a vote of 124-14. The legislation focuses on the watersheds of Lake Champlain and Lake Memphremagog, with a later goal of protection for the whole state.

Vermont Business Magazine The “first-of-its-kind” Northern Tier Dairy Summit was held April 1-2, 2019 at Jay Peak Resort. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) organized and convened the summit to develop actionable next steps to help a dairy industry impacted by a fifth year of record low prices, a volatile export market, and an oversupply of milk. The initiatives include proper labeling of dairy products and putting higher-fat milk back on the school menu. The event was attended by 240 participants with 115 dairy farmers present from across New England.