Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Stone Valley Community Market, a natural- and organic-foods cooperative in Poultney, has decided to dissolve in view of operating losses and a heavy debt load, according to a press release dated February 22. At a meeting last Thursday evening, members of the cooperative voted to approve the co-op board's recommendation to dissolve and liquidate the co-op's remaining assets.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, in a victory following a two-year long dispute with the Trump administration, on Monday announced that approximately $2.3 million in Department of Justice grants to fund public safety needs and combat the opioid epidemic in Vermont will finally be released. 

In 2017, the Vermont State Police was awarded a $1.3 million COPS Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) grant that, in addition to two-years’ worth of Byrne Justice Assistance formula grants totaling roughly $1 million, were withheld by the Department of Justice due to the Trump administration’s controversial and ill-founded immigration policies regarding so-called “sanctuary cities.” 

Leahy and the Vermont Department of Public Safety (VDPS) repeatedly pushed back against the administration and successfully argued that VDPS was in compliance with federal law.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and members of his Cabinet will be in Orange County on Tuesday, February 26 for their Capitol for a Day initiative. This is the twelfth county the group has toured since last summer. Capitol for a Day gives local constituents, municipal governments and other partners the opportunity to connect directly with State leadership and staff. The Administration will visit each of the state’s 14 counties as part of this initiative.

The governor and members of his Cabinet and Extended Cabinet have previously toured Rutland, Caledonia, Windsor, Franklin, Bennington, Addison, Chittenden, Orleans, Windham, Lamoille and Essex counties as part of this initiative.

Follow along on social media using the #VTCapitol4aDay hashtag.

WHEN:                Tuesday, February 26

                             8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

(Details below)                              

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power is closely tracking multiple forecasts calling for strong winds through the day Monday. Meteorologists say gusts ramp up Monday potentially reaching 60 MPH and scattered outages are possible with greater risk for more along the eastern slopes of the Green Mountains. The strong winds are the second part of a storm that first brought wintry mixed precipitation to the area starting Saturday night.

“We follow any changes in the weather very closely so we can respond quickly and safely for our customers,” said Eric Lemery, from GMP’s operations division. “We have been tracking this storm for days and we’re prepared for the forecast.”

Vermont Busines Magazine The Vermont Republican Party announced Monday that its National Committeeman, Jay Shepard, was unanimously re-elected Chair of the Northeast Region, will continue to serve as Vice-Chair of the Republican National Committee and sit on the Executive Committee.

​Leonine Public Affairs This week action in the legislature was dominated by extended House floor debate on H57, which puts in statute a woman’s right to have an abortion. There were also elections by a Joint Assembly of the House and Senate to pick a new Adjutant General for the Vermont National Guard, the legislative members of UVM’s Board of Trustees and the statehouse Sergeant at Arms. As a result, the House Committees did not meet nearly as much this week as they otherwise would have.

Vermont Business Magazine Bennington-based Pool Shark H2O Inc’s patented web application, which helps commercial pool managers ensure water quality, safety and compliance to health department regulations, has been awarded certification from the Center for Disease Control’s Council under their Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC). Pool Shark H20 is only the second US organization to receive this certification, the first being The National Swimming Pool Foundation.

Vermont Business Magazine NoSwear Headwear is a new Vermont business born from a life of hands-on hard work and educated at the school of hard knocks…frequently to the head!

Vermont Business Magazine Dairy-free fans: your chip has come in. Ben & Jerry's has created a vegan version of its #1 fan favorite, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. These decadent, vegan-certified flavors are boldly loaded with everything but the cow. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has long been a Ben & Jerry's fan-favorite—now even more people can enjoy the gobs of cookie goodness.  Chocolate Caramel Cluster was created exclusively with Non-Dairy fans in mind, but everyone can appreciate its salty sweetness.

Vermont Business Magazine When City Market purchased just over 4.5 acres at 207 Flynn Avenue in Burlington’s South End, their plan was to subdivide the lot and work to sell the south parcel. The south parcel is 1.67 acres with an address of 75 Briggs Street. The Co-op started that process by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) in March 2017 and then selecting Petra Cliffs Climbing Center & Mountaineering School in January 2018.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan and members of the Attorney General’s Office will co-host an expungement clinic with Vermont Legal Aid and the Windsor County State’s Attorneys Office on Monday, February 25^th, in White River Junction Vermont. This is the third in a series of expungement clinics that Attorney General Donovan has co-hosted around the state.

Expungements clear old criminal records after an individual has lived without further criminal involvement for a period of time. Only certain criminal convictions are eligible for expungement, including most misdemeanors and some felonies. As of July 1, 2018, all dismissed charges are eligible for expungement. Attorney General Donovan has been an outspoken advocate to expand access to expungements by decreasing the fees necessary to file a petition for expungement with the courts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House of Representatives gave final approval to H.57, “an act relating to preserving the right to abortion,” Thursday on a vote of 106-36. This bill codifies current state of Vermont practice, which has no restrictions on a woman’s access to reproductive healthcare services, including abortion.