Current News

Vermont Business Magazine After a slight drop last week, unemployment claims increased last week. They've been bouncing up and down this spring. Claims for the week of April 13, 2019, rose from a relatively average level of 519 to 698 last week. Weekly unemployment claims were also 73 higher than they were at this time last year.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor released the March 2019 unemployment rate, which shows that it has dropped to 2.3 percent, a historic low and again tied for the lowest rate in the nation. This is third consecutive month in which the state's jobless rate has set a new record low.

Vermont Business Magazine On the evening of April 18th, the Burlington Board of School Commissioners unanimously ratified a contract agreement with Paraeducators in the District for the 2019-2020 school year. "We are glad to see the continued collaboration between the para's BEA bargaining team, the board, and the District has resulted in the collective bargaining process resolving much sooner than in previous years," said Superintendent Obeng and Board Chair Clare Wool in a joint statement. "We are most pleased that we were able to avoid mediation this year and we look forward to continuing to work together to strengthen relationships and serve our students."

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Glove (GMG) of Randolph has been granted $6,330 from the State of Vermont, Vermont Training Program (VTP). This grant will allow GMG to train skilled leather sewers and meet increasing demand. More specifically, the company will develop and implement their own workforce processes congruent with robust quality assurance programs. The training will also position them to obtain ISO 9001 certification (International Standards Organization), which will enable them to break into new markets.

“We feel extremely lucky to own and operate our business in Vermont because there are so many resources on the state level designed to help small businesses like ours grow and positively impact on our economy, our employees, and our local community,” said GMG Owner Sam Hooper.

by Julie Moore The Blue Marble is an image of planet Earth made in December 1972 by the crew of the Apollo 17 at a distance of about 18,000 miles from the earth’s surface. It is one of the most reproduced images in human history. It is also the image my dad gave me when he and my mom dropped me off for my first semester of college, saying, “This is why you are here.” This charge felt a bit overwhelming. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott signed new legislation into law strengthening Vermont’s captive regulation in a variety of areas. This year’s bill proposed several updates to Vermont’s leading captive law, including modifications to the captive examination schedule and improvements to the statute governing group captive investments. The many enhancements included in this year’s bill highlight the state’s ability to work closely in partnership with Vermont’s Governor and state legislature to ensure its captive law remains the industry gold standard.

Vermont Business Magazine Tim Burke, of White + Burke Real Estate Investment Advisors, Inc in Burlington, is pleased to announce the signing of two leases totaling 22,000 square feet for the University of Vermont Medical Center at 55 Community Drive in South Burlington. UVMMC is the state’s largest hospital and part of The University of Vermont Health Network, a four-hospital network serving patients and their families in Vermont and northern New York. 

Burke represented UVMMC; ReArch Company represented the Landlord, 55 Community Drive LLC, in the lease transaction.

White + Burke Real Estate Investment Advisors specializes in commercial real estate development services, asset management, permitting, and brokerage.

Source: SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT (4/17/19) - White + Burke Real Estate Investment Advisors, Inc

Vermont Business Magazine The Champlain Housing Trust announced today that it had closed on the permanent financing for its efforts to transform the St. Joseph School into the Old North End Community Center. The $8.8 million transaction secured $2.6 million in federal tax credits by leveraging several other local funding sources. CHT will now initiate construction and ensure that rents remain affordable for the nonprofit tenants and public uses. Just two weeks ago the Trust announced a lead gift of $500,000 from Trey and Dominique Pecor. Since then, $90,000 in donations have come in, leaving just $110,000 to raise from the community to finalize the $8.8 million project.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Medical Center released the findings of its 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Thursday, highlighting issues identified by the community as central to improving people’s lives in Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties. The report is issued every three years, and serves as a guide for targeting funding and other resources. The top six topic areas identified in 2019 are mental health, substance use disorder, affordable housing, childhood and family health, disease prevention and cancer.

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Club (GMC), the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR), and the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) call on Vermonters and recreational tourists to be wary of the return of mud season to the Green Mountains and to respect associated trail closures and advisories.

The wet soils on and around hiking trails are very susceptible to erosion at this critical time of year. To protect fragile soil and surrounding vegetation, some trails may be closed by land managers. We ask everyone to please respect the signage you see. Hikers walking on saturated soils or on the sides of trails cause damage to surrounding vegetation, widen trails, and inhibit natural drainage of our beloved hiking trails.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Electric Co-operative members will be able to get the very latest on the fast-moving electric vehicle marketplace in Vermont and also enjoy a complimentary breakfast and great door prizes at the co-op’s annual meeting May 11 at Jay Peak Resort. The meeting’s theme is Driving into the Future: Electric Vehicles in Rural Vermont, and the event will feature a panel of experts on electric vehicles - including a VEC member who owns an all-electric Nissan Leaf - who will share their expertise and experience with this emerging technology.

A variety of electric vehicles will also be on display, and members will also have a final opportunity to vote in VEC’s 2019 director election, and the results will be announced.

The event starts at 8 am with breakfast and an exhibitor showcase, and the formal part of the meeting runs from 9:30 am to 12 pm.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has garnered a national reputation for its award-winning specialty food and drink products and inventive, locally focused cuisine. For the last decade, Seven Days’ Vermont Restaurant Week has celebrated the state’s chefs, farmers, producers and others food-service professionals that have helped put the Green Mountain State on the map. The event has also raised $95,375.32 and counting for the Vermont Foodbank, the festival’s beneficiary.