Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, & Markets (VAAFM) seeks proposals from qualified organizations or individuals for the Dairy Education in School Communities (DESC) initiative. This program utilizes support from the Vermont Dairy Promotion Council to enhance educational outcomes through dairy-related programming and fostering a stronger connection between Vermont dairy farmers and students. VAAFM hopes to meet this mission by partnering with teaching professionals to develop dairy related educational programing that will align with Vermont standards while enriching school experiences for students in preK-12^th grade.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision in favor of ACLU client Gregory Zullo, who challenged an unlawful 2014 stop by Vermont State Police in Wallingford. The Court ruled that the stop of Zullo and seizure of his vehicle violated Article 11 of the Vermont Constitution, and that the state is not immune from liability for those violations. The Court remanded the case back to the lower court for further proceedings.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims spiked again last week as the holiday layoff escalated. For the week of December 29, 2018, there were 1,503 claims, 388 more than they were the previous week, but 67 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.

Vermont Business Magazine After nearly 80 years, the apartments on the top two floors of Montpelier’s 1875 Federal-style French Block building will finally re-open its doors to the community. Downstreet Housing & Community Development and Housing Vermont partnered to restore the building to its former glory while creating much-needed housing apartments in the heart of downtown Montpelier.

Vermont Business Magazine Southern Vermont’s highest peak will debut its new high-speed Snow Bowl Express quad Saturday, January 5. The new lift is the highlight of Stratton Mountain’s $10 million capital plan. First chair will spin at 10 am and those who ride the new Snow Bowl Express will also be able to get first tracks on one of Stratton’s new trails, Mike’s Cut Through.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott has requested federal disaster funds to assist five Vermont counties in repairing public infrastructure damaged in the recent severe winter storm that began on November 26, 2018. Communities and public utilities in Franklin, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans and Washington Counties sustained damage exceeding the minimum threshold for federal disaster assistance eligibility.

A Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) identified $1.1 million in public infrastructure damage in the five affected counties, exceeding the $1 million minimum required for a disaster declaration consideration. Each of the five counties exceeded the $3.78 per capita threshold to qualify communities and public utilities for assistance.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) on Thursday announced more than $3.1 million in approved funding commitments for the Putnam Block redevelopment project in the heart of downtown Bennington. The project is being funded through a combination of federal, state and local sources, including the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) ($1.25M), a Downtown and Village Center Tax Credit Award ($1.3M), as well as ACCD Brownfields program ($150,000) and Windham Regional Commission’s Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund ($430,000) – both of which are Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sub-grants.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce are accepting nominations until March 1st for the Deane C Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award that honors an outstanding Vermont business. The deadline for nominating a business is March 1, 2019. Nominees and applicants are encouraged to complete the 2018 Deane C Davis Award nomination form online.

Vermont Business Magazine M Joseph Cook, Schuyler M Ryan and Matthew Miles were recently promoted by Union Mutual, the Company’s President and CEO Michael W Nobles announced. Cook was named Vice President of Union Mutual and Executive Vice President of Community Mutual, a member of the Union Mutual Companies. Ryan was named Director of Accounting of the Union Mutual Companies and was also elected to serve on the Board of Directors for Community Mutual. Miles has been named Director of Subrogation.

“Our Companies and independent agency partners have experienced tremendous growth over the last few years and I am thrilled that we are able to recognize the efforts of our dedicated staff through continued expansion of their roles and responsibilities,” Nobles said.

by Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts As we enter a new year, many Vermont dairy farmers, as well as farmers nationwide, continue fighting through their economic fog. Trapped in an antiquated federal dairy pricing system, Vermont’s hard-working stewards of the land are at the whim of a highly competitive global structure. Compensation for their milk is out of farmers’ control and unpredictable, while honor and stability are considered the cornerstones of good business.

The State of Vermont, Congressional delegation, consumers and farmers themselves will all need to work together to solve this mammoth problem with international roots.

Vermont Business Magazine Consolidated Communications (NASDAQ: CNSL), a leading broadband and business communications provider and the largest telecom provider in Vermont, has announced it is partnering with SimpliSafe, the nation's fastest growing home security company, to bring award-winning security services to residential and small business customers across its service area.