Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) announced Friday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded $1,153,409 to repair the Colchester Causeway. The popular Island Line Trail connects the towns of Colchester and South Hero on a three-mile long causeway in Lake Champlain that was part of the former Rutland Railroad. A May 2018 wind storm that saw gusts as high as 80 mph caused powerful waves that eroded large sections of the causeway and shut down the internationally renowned recreational path. The State of Vermont moved quickly to provide funds to complete repairs so the path could reopen for most of the 2018 biking season. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Public Service Department today announces nearly $220,00 in grant awards to internet service providers to boost broadband internet speeds at more than 220 eligible locations in twelve rural Vermont communities. The Department awarded $63,250 to ECFiber to bring fiber optic cable service to 49 homes and businesses in the towns of Tunbridge and Corinth. Consolidated Communications, Inc. received $44,498 to expand broadband to 37 homes and businesses in Barnet. Pear Networks and Kingdom Fiber received a grant of $85,000 to bring fiber optic cable service to 126 homes and businesses in Bloomfield, Brighton, Brunswick, Canaan, Ferdinand, Lemington, and Maidstone. MCFiber received $21,200 to extend fiber optic cable service to six locations in Underhill. Southern Vermont Cable received $5,636 to provide cable internet to 11 homes in Putney.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and members of his Cabinet will be in Washington County on Monday, April 29 for their Capitol for a Day initiative. The group has now toured all 14 counties, beginning in Rutland County in June of 2018. Capitol for a Day gives local constituents, municipal governments and other partners the opportunity to connect directly with State leadership and staff. The Administration plans to continue this initiative, beginning a new round of visits this summer.

“This initiative has been great for me and my team. I’m looking forward to visiting our 14^th county, and then starting a new round of visits across the state,” said Governor Scott. “We’re learning a lot, and it’s important to get out and see what different regions are doing, and the challenges they face.”

Follow along on social media using the #VTCapitol4aDay hashtag.

WHEN:                Monday, April 29

Vermont Business Magazine AM Best, a global rating agency, has improved the ratings outlook of the insurance companies of National Life Group from stable to positive, reflecting the companies’ “continuing trends of strong sales growth, outperforming the broader life insurance market.” AM Best also reaffirmed the insurance financial strength rating of A (Excellent) for National Life’s two insurance companies, National Life Insurance Company and Life Insurance Company of the Southwest.

“We’re gratified by this third-party endorsement of our strong and balanced growth,” said Mehran Assadi, Chairman, CEO and President of National Life. “With a focus on our cause and our mission, National Life has been growing steadily and responsibly for the past decade.”

Vermont Business Magazine Ledyard Financial Group (Ticker Symbol: LFGP) announced today a regular quarterly dividend of $0.18 payable June 3, 2019 to shareholders of record as of May 13, 2019. Ledyard Financial Group, Inc, headquartered in Hanover, NH, with a branch in Norwich, VT, is the holding company for Ledyard National Bank. Ledyard National Bank, founded in 1991, is a full service community bank offering a broad range of banking, investment, tax and wealth management services.

​Vermont Business Magazine Vermont PBS is pleased to announce it has been nominated for seven New England Emmy nominations this year. The New England Emmys are awarded for excellence in video content. Last year the station was nominated for five awards and brought home two, and Vermont PBS looks forward to surpassing last year’s record-setting count with additional statuettes this year. Winners will be announced on June 15.

Vermont Business Magazine For the third consecutive week, unemployment claims have increased. Claims for the week of April 20, 2019, rose by 246 claims to a total of 944. However, claims were 8 fewer than they were at this time last year. Altogether 5,343 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 264 from a week ago, but 185 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 until recently. Vermont, like the nation as a whole, is locked into a historically low period of unemployment and a tight labor market.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Economic Development’s Vermont Training Program (VTP) has granted $9,760 to Green State Biochar. The three-person startup produces biochar, a hard carbon made from local waste wood, which is used in a myriad of applications; including the production of energy.

In 2015, Green State Biochar owners designed, engineered and built an innovative, working prototype pyrolysis unit (kiln) which produces biochar. The VTP grant will allow them to onboard new employees to increase operational capacity and grow the business over the next three years.  It will also support the development of a biochar injection system and assembly of new production equipment.

Vermont Business Magazine Music fans from near and far will be able to enjoy live music at the Castleton Pavilion this summer thanks to Heritage Family Credit Union signing on as the presenting sponsor for the 2019 concert series, which returns in June for its 24th season.

Heritage Family Credit Union Presents: Castleton Summer Concerts at the Pavilion will feature eight weeks of live entertainment by outstanding local area musicians and bands. The concerts are free and open to the public.

"We are so pleased to be joining the University and community in celebrating the sounds of summer. Heritage Family Credit Union is here to serve our members where they live, work, and play and what a wonderful way for us all to get out and enjoy the time together. We look forward to meeting old friends and new at the concerts," said Carrie Allen, senior vice president of marketing and business development at HFCU.

Vermont Business Magazine Effective on April 15, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Patricia Prelock has been appointed Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of the University of Vermont. She will serve as a key partner and chief academic officer to UVM President-Designate Suresh Garimella, who will assume his position on July 1.

Vermont Business Magazine Laura Gebhart, Montpelier Development Corporation’s (MDC) Executive Director announced her resignation this week. Gebhart is stepping down to take a field hockey coaching position at a Division I university in Rhode Island. Gebhart has a strong connection to the sport, having volunteered with University of Vermont Field Hockey program this past year, and previously played on the US Women’s National Field Hockey team and for Penn State University, while earning her degree in Community, Environment, and Development. 

Laura Gebhart, Montpelier Development Corporation