Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Tobacco use remains the nation’s leading cause of preventable death and disease, taking an estimated 480,000 lives every year. This year’s “State of Tobacco Control” report from the American Lung Association finds Vermont had mixed progress on its efforts to reduce and prevent tobacco use. While the state is leading the way on Smokefree Air with an A grade, the American Lung Association calls on Governor Phil Scott to increase funding for tobacco prevention and control funding and raise the age of sale of tobacco products in order to reduce youth tobacco use and save lives.

Vermont Business Magazine The employee-owners of Heritage Aviation have formalized their commitment to using business as a force for good by converting to a Vermont Benefit Corporation, a decision that requires the company to consider not only financial responsibility to shareholders, but also social responsibility to employees, the environment, and their communities.

Vermont Business Magazine The Small Business Administration Vermont District Office is accepting nominations for its 2019 small business awards. The nomination date has been extended to February 4. Previous Vermont winners include Ben and Jerry’s, Switchback Brewing Company and Mamava, the 2018 Small Business Person of the Year winner.

Vermont Business Magazine FirstLight, a leading provider of fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud and voice services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast, announced today the latest addition to its comprehensive portfolio of fiber-based services: Managed Edge. FirstLight’s Managed Edge enhances the company’s high quality, fiber-based communications services by offering customers a single solution for connectivity coupled with fully managed devices for a complete end-to-end solution.

by Katie Keszey Kris Matheson is obsessed with socks. He brags about the drawers full of them he has at home, and the fancy materials they’re made of, like merino wool and something called Coolmax; he ogles the rows of sewing machines that knit them; he shows off the dozens of new designs displayed inside the Cabot Hosiery Mills in Northfield, where Darn Tough socks are made. “I love this place,” he says—as if he needed to.

Vermont Business Magazine Bitter temperatures are once again expected later this week and Vermont Gas wants to make sure natural gas safety is top of mind. As always, if you smell gas or detect a problem with your heating system call 911 and then call Vermont Gas right away at 800-639-8081.

Vermont Business Magazine Addressing a room of new graduates at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Joyce Judy, Community College of Vermont President, asked Monday’s class of new medical assistants to reflect on how they had felt 14 weeks ago upon entering their training program.  Without hesitation, the responses echoed each other: “nervous,” said some; “overwhelmed,” replied others.  And when Judy then asked them to describe their feelings upon graduating, the responses were equally unanimous: confident proclamations of “excited,” and “grateful,” were met all around with nods and smiles.

by Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan Just as young parents rightly prioritize the health and well-being of our children, at mid-life we also begin thinking more about the health and well-being of our own parents. By 2030, Vermont will be one of the oldest states – if not the oldest state – in the country. Forty percent of Vermonters will be 55 or older. Vermont’s aging demographic presents a tremendous opportunity to tap that experience to benefit our state. We will also need to plan for the future to ensure safe and affordable housing options, healthcare, and prescription drugs and to combat isolation, financial exploitation, and elder abuse.

It is essential that leaders in Vermont invest in supporting older Vermonters and their families now. Collectively, we should engage in a conversation about the issues facing our state as our population ages. We need to take this opportunity to make Vermont the best place to live and grow older.

Vermont Business Magazine The 2019 Vermont Farm Show kicks off today, January 29, at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction. This year, in celebration of Cabot Creamery reaching 100 years in business and all the great work the company has done throughout Vermont, the Vermont Farm Show, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, Vermont Farm to Plate’s Rooted in Vermont and Cabot Creamery will be giving away a year’s supply of Cabot cheese to one lucky attendee along with other prizes.

Vermont Business Magazine RateBeer, the leading online beer rating and review site, has released its annual RateBeer Best list, naming the Top 100 Brewers worldwide. This year’s winner is Vermont’s very own Hill Farmstead Brewery, based in Greensboro, Vermont, clinching the top spot for the fifth year in a row. RateBeer founder Joe Tucker and Portland beer personality Ezra Johnson-Greenough announced the awards Monday night from River Pig Saloon in Portland, Oregon, via a Facebook Live broadcast. Lawson's Finest Liquids of Warren came in 80th as the other Vermont representative on the top 100 list.

Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont has reached an agreement in principle with Saint-Gobain for the properties on Bennington’s east side affected by perfluorooctanoate acid (PFOA) contamination. This represents a critical milestone in Vermont’s response to the contamination that impacted hundreds of homes across the two communities. The agreement in principle will expand municipal water service to the majority of impacted homes on the east side of Bennington. The state and Saint-Gobain are awaiting the final design of the water system prior to formally finalizing the agreement. Once finalized, the state, Town of Bennington, or the Town’s engineers will contact individual residents to discuss how the settlement agreement relates to their long-term drinking water solution.