Current News

by Rob Roper Let’s say you run a small, struggling business in Vermont and, like many if not most, are operating on thin profit margins. If our Legislature has its way, after this year you will have to pay your employees a higher minimum wage on the way to $15 an hour, devote time to the new paperwork required by a new 0.57% payroll tax, and deal with the labor complications associated with a mandatory Paid Family Leave program. There will be a doubling of your fuel tax, making it more expensive to heat your shop, prepare food, etc. You will also have to eliminate the use of convenient “single use” plastic bags and start charging your customers at least ten cents for each leaky paper bag instead. No Styrofoam coffee cups or food containers can go into those leaky paper bags, or you’ll face state imposed fines, and heaven forbid you offer a customer a plastic straw.

Vermont Business Magazine Alzheimer’s Association Vermont Chapter recently joined more than 1,200 advocates from around the country in Washington, D.C. for the Alzheimer's Association AIM Advocacy Forum, the nation's premier advocacy event to raise awareness and increase legislative support for policies that will improve the lives of 5.8 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, including over 13,000 individuals and their 30,000 caregivers in Vermont. 
 

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Songwriters is pleased to announce we have a new meeting and open mic space, thanks to a partnership with Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront.  The new location is in the Old North End Community Center (the former St. Joseph's School) at 20 Allen Street. Burlington Songwriters will be holding meetups for songwriters, lyricists, composers, and musicians to share music and get kind, constructive feedback and suggestions in a safe and supportive space, as well as open mics to share original music.

Open mics will be the second Tuesday of each month. The first Burlington Songwriters Open Mic at 20 Allen Street will be Tuesday April 9th, 2019 at 7 PM.

Vermont Business Magazine ExporTech is a hands-on export development program that helps small to midsize Vermont companies tap into new markets with a customized export expansion strategy that has the greatest revenue potential and the least risk. 
Up to eight non-competitive companies (with up to four leaders per company) share three full-day events scheduled approximately 4-6 weeks apart; in addition, one-on-one company coaching sessions round out the course. Participants learn how exports can dramatically drive growth, identify hurdles to expansion and develop a customized international growth plan.
 

Vermont Business Magazine The last of Vermont Air National Guard’s F-16 fleet will depart the Burlington International Airport on April 6. The ceremony will commemorate 33 years of flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon at the 158^th Fighter Wing. The Vermont Air National Guard is celebrating the heritage of the F-16, which arrived in Vermont in spring of 1986, and has been called to support the nation in several instances including, 122 consecutive days of combat air patrols over New York City after 9/11.

Vermont Business Magazine The Pomerleau Family Foundation, along with Mayor Miro Weinberger, today announced the donation of $25,000 to the City of Burlington to create the Pomerleau Family Children’s Recreation Fund, a scholarship fund for Burlington youth to participate in the programs and camps offered by the City. Created in memory of Antonio “Tony” Pomerleau, the fund’s dedication commemorates the one-year anniversary of his passing.

Vermont Business Magazine Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) voted yesterday in favor of H.R. 1585, a long-term renewal of the federal Violence Against Women Act, which was approved on a bipartisan 263-158 vote. The landmark Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 recommits the federal government to protecting all Americans from violence and abuse and will ensure all victims, survivors and their advocates have the support they need. 

The bill was approved by the House on a bipartisan of 263-158.

“Violence against women should never be tolerated,” said Welch. “This important  legislation will ensure that survivors of domestic and sexual violence get the services they need and that their advocates have the resources to do their vital work.”

Vermont Business Magazine Community Bank NA recently presented Intervale Center with a $1,000 donation to support its capital campaign to invest in the beauty, productivity and accessibility of the Intervale Center. Specifically, this donation will help fund the restoration of the Calkins Farmhouse silo. A team from Building Heritage will insert handcrafted wood and metal rings into the historic silo to stabilize and relocate it.

Photo (left to right): Community Bank N.A. College Street Branch Manager Erin Pond and Intervale Center Development Manager Chelsea Frisbee.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Donovan announced today that he joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief asking the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to affirm a lower court’s finding about a Kentucky abortion law. The lower court found that the regulating abortion services is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. The brief argues that the availability of abortion services in neighboring states does not excuse a state from the Constitution’s prohibition on unduly burdening a woman’s ability to access abortion services in her home state. Additionally, the brief urges the Court to ensure that regulations imposed on abortion services actually promote women’s health without erecting substantial obstacles to the availability of these services.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) awards $60,000 to 13 Vermont produce growers making on-farm improvements that prevent or reduce produce safety risks. VAAFM’s Produce Program issued a third round of Vermont Produce Safety Improvement Grant (VPSIG) funding to help Vermont producers continue to grow food safely, efficiently and economically.

Grants were awarded through a competitive process in this round to help Vermont produce growers implement on-farm food safety practices, transition to compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, and meet market demands for on-farm food safety.

To date, the Vermont Produce Safety Improvement Grant program has awarded $208,000 in grants to 30 Vermont farms. Each round saw an impressive range of applications and, due to high demand, not everyone who applied was able to receive funding.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Donovan, as part of a coalition of 20 states led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, today filed a motion to block the Trump Administration’s attempt to unlawfully divert $1.6 billion in federal funds to build a border wall. The motion was filed in the Northern District of California as part of the coalition’s ongoing lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unconstitutional action to divert funding and resources meant for law enforcement, drug interdiction, and military construction projects. The coalition requests the court immediately stop the Trump Administration from diverting $1.6 billion in funding that Congress intended for state and local law enforcement agencies.

Vermont Business Magazine A $500,000 gift has been pledged by Trey & Dominique Pecor to the Old North End Community Center Campaign, campaign committee Chair Peter Clavelle announced last night. “This is a very significant pledge of support – the largest in the campaign. This generosity will support generations of people from Burlington and beyond gain access to programs that build community and support our basic needs,” said Clavelle, a volunteer leading the campaign.

The Champlain Housing Trust purchased the former St. Joseph School on Allen Street in Burlington to create Old North End Community Center in July, 2017. The organization has secured funding to make initial improvements to the building – such as adding an elevator to make it accessible, the installation of a new commercial kitchen and expanded parking – while seeking permanent financing and capital campaign contributions to make more significant renovations to the Center.