Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott visited SunCommon on Tuesday in Waterbury and shared his thoughts on energy independence and how Vermont achieves that goal during a visit with 120 employees of the solar-energy company. Governor Scott told the crowd, which included solar installers, customer support and managers, “Energy independence, from my perspective, is the goal. That’s where we want to be. Now I believe the climate is changing. I believe we should be doing everything we can to wean ourselves off of carbon emitting fuels.”

Vermont Business Magazine US Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Wednesday introduced legislation to ensure that health insurance companies are held accountable for pricing drugs.  Their bill, the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act amends McCarran-Ferguson, which exempted insurance companies from federal antitrust laws.

“For far too long, health insurance companies have gotten away with taking advantage of consumers and charging them outrageous prices for their health care,” Daines said. “It’s time we look into these companies practices by demanding transparency in order to hold them accountable.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) today announced that Cassie Polhemus has been named the Authority's new Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2019. Polhemus is the current Chief Operating Officer at VEDA and joined the Authority in 2013 as a Commercial Lender. She will succeed Jo Bradley, who has served as VEDA's CEO since 1997 and is retiring on March 31st.  

Vermont Business Magazine On January 29th, Lamoille Housing Partnership (LHP,) Lamoille County Planning Commission (LCPC,) and Stowe Land Trust (SLT) hosted a Housing Needs Summit that featured a data report of the Lamoille Valley’s housing landscape, and a panelist discussion that identified opportunities and challenges to address the region’s housing needs. 

Vermont Business Magazine The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered Hermitage Club Realty LLC – a real estate company based in Wilmington, Vermont – to pay a former employee $22,693 in back pay and bonuses with interest, and $20,000 in compensatory damages. Hermitage Club Realty LLC terminated the employee on December 18, 2017, after informing the company of what he reasonably believed were illegal real estate referral fees, and after filing a formal complaint with Vermont regulators. An OSHA investigation determined that the employee’s actions were protected activity, and his discharge violated the whistleblower provisions of the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims fell slightly again last week. For the week of January 26, 2019, there were 528 claims, 48 fewer than they were the previous week, and 61 fewer than they were a year ago. The holiday season usually sees wild swings in claims, as retailers in particular hire and layoff workers in spikes in November and December and then claims quiet down in January.

by Vermont Governor Phil Scott and New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu Last month, we introduced a bi-state family and medical leave insurance program – the Twin State Paid Family Leave plan – that would build a public-private partnership to provide access to paid family and medical leave for all residents of the Granite and Green Mountain states. As the Governors of two New England states, where affordability and quality-of-life are top priorities, we strive to be innovative and fulfill the expectations of the people who have elected us.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Creative Network and the Vermont Arts Council released results of a six-month study that examined and documented the creative assets in the Northeast Kingdom (NEK). The outcome of the study is an action plan to support and expand those assets to bolster the economy throughout the region.

Vermont Business Magazine Cere’s Natural Remedies, Vermont’s original CBD Store based in Burlington, today announced it has acquired Vermont based Tretap beverage company, creator of 100 percent organic sparkling water beverages from sustainably harvested maple tree water. The move will align the wellness based missions of both brands and create a new line of high quality hemp derived CBD infused beverages. Both companies have grown in popularity by building reputations for high quality organic wellness based products and innovative cultures that cater to a wide range of health minded consumers.  

Vermont Business Magazine The US Department of Labor has awarded a $900,000 grant to ReSOURCE YouthBuild as part of an $85 million national grants award to YouthBuild programs in 32 states. ReSOURCE offers the only YouthBuild programs in the state of Vermont. ReSOURCE YouthBuild students, ages 16-24, have the opportunity to graduate with their high school diploma, learn construction skills, and earn construction certificates in OSHA10 and NCCER. 

The Burlington and Barre YouthBuild program students are also co-enrolled as AmeriCorps members and are required to complete 675 hours of direct community service. They complete their service hours through affordable housing construction, weatherization, and disaster response services and through the weekly, student-led, direct service projects for community organizations and individuals in need.

Vermont Business Magazine Over the last three years, the State investment in clean water has more than tripled, and its completed more than 1,400 water quality improvement projects. The newly-released Clean Water Investment Report and Clean Water Project Dashboard give all Vermonters insight into where and why dollars have been spent.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), joined by other leading Judiciary Committee senators, on Tuesday reintroduced legislation to combat anticompetitive practices used by some brand-name pharmaceutical and biologic companies to block entry of lower-cost generic drugs. The Creating and Restoring Equal Access To Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act would deter pharmaceutical companies from blocking cheaper generic alternatives from entering the marketplace.