Current News

​Vermont Business Magazine Consolidated Communications, Inc (NASDAQ: CNSL) today announced it has completed more than 500,000 broadband upgrades across Northern New England this year offering faster speeds to residents and small businesses.

Senator Leahy “I am very disappointed and concerned that the Department of Defense will lose the exceptional leadership of Secretary Mattis. He has been an outstanding leader there at a time when his steady hand and decades of experience were sorely needed. He and I and most Americans share the belief that the United States is stronger when we work with our allies and partners to defend an international order that protects our security and upholds our commitment to peace and respect for human rights. I deeply regret that his advice has often summarily been rejected by the President, and that he therefore felt he had no choice but to resign.”

Vermont Business Magazine President Trump today signed into law the new five-year Farm Bill that the Senate and House passed earlier this month by large bipartisan margins. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) again played a key role in writing and negotiating the bill and was a conferee as the Senate and House ironed out their differences on the bill. Leahy is a former chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, And Forestry Committee.

Leahy said in a statement: “Every Farm Bill is important to Vermont, and this Farm Bill reflects Vermont’s priorities, through and through.”

Leahy’s summary of Vermont Highlights in the Farm Bill is BELOW:

Vermont Highlights In The 2018 Farm Bill

(The Agriculture Improvement Act Of 2018)

Office Of Senator Patrick Leahy

(Senator Leahy Is A Farm Bill Conferee)

Dairy and Commodity Programs

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Opioid Coordination Council released its progress report for 2017-2018. The report, Strategic Actions and Progress, is a summary of statewide actions to date, in response to the Council’s recommended strategies issued in January 2018. “The opioid crisis is one of the most complex challenges we have faced here in Vermont and across the nation,” said Governor Scott. “Far too many people and their loved ones face the daily struggles and terrible toll that comes with opioid addiction. This report highlights the work of the Council, in collaboration with many state and local partners, legislators and providers, to strengthen and advance a cohesive statewide system of supports for prevention, treatment, recovery and enforcement.”

Vermont Business Magazine A $720,000 gift from alumnus Richard (‘66) and Elaine Barrett will expand opportunities for University of Vermont students seeking real-world solutions at the intersection of engineering and the environment. The gift creates the new Barrett Doctoral Fellows program, a PhD partnership between UVM’s newly expanded Gund Institute for Environment and the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS). It will also strengthen the existing Barrett Scholarships program for undergraduate CEMS students.

Vermont Business Magazine Each year brings new research showing that oil and natural gas wells leak significant amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane. A new study just published in the journal Environmental Geosciences is the first to offer a profile of which wells are the most likely culprits. The research, conducted by George Pinder of the University of Vermont and James Montague, a former doctoral student at the university, is based on a study of 38,391 natural gas and oil wells in Alberta, Canada.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced a new four-year contract between the City and City employees who are represented by Local 1343 of the American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The union represents more than 200 City employees who work across multiple City departments: Public Works; Parks, Recreation & Waterfront; the Airport; the Library; the Community and Economic Development Office; the Clerk and Treasurer’s Office; and civilian employees of the Burlington Police Department.

Vermont Business Magazine The ACLU of Vermont family is deeply saddened by the passing of Scott Skinner. Skinner was the ACLU of Vermont’s seventh Executive Director, from 1982 to 1988, served on the Board of Directors from 1991 to 1993, and remained a close friend and supporter of the organization for the rest of his life. He died December 15 of complications from lung disease.

Some of the highlights from Skinner’s ACLU tenure included investigating and filing suit in the Island Pond raid (1984); winning a Superior Court ruling that it was unconstitutional for the state to refuse Medicaid funding for medically necessary abortions (1986); initiating and supporting passage of bill limiting workplace drug testing (1987); establishing the ACLU of Vermont’s first development program (1987); and supporting efforts to revitalize the Vermont Human Rights Commission (1988).

Vermont Business Magazine RE/MAX INTEGRA, New England today released its 2018 HMO Report that shows Vermont showed strong gains in home values with a balanced market anticipated heading into 2019. Vermont had the highest increase in total properties sold in New England, up over 9% to 921 from 843 compared to this time last year. It also had one of the highest decreases in average days on market in New England, down almost 14% to 104 days from 120 days last year. With strong gains in home values and a balanced market anticipated heading into 2019, agents are keeping an eye on the national economy, possible increases in interest rates, and the national real estate market.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power is preparing for possible outages as a multi-faceted storm heads toward Vermont. The National Weather Service says the system will arrive late tonight and first bring winds up to 50MPH, along with rain, freezing rain, and ice followed by warming temperatures and possible river flooding.

Vermont Business Magazine The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) signed an agreement with Norwich University at the DLIFLC facility in Monterey, Calif., with the goal of maximizing the allowable credit transfer resulting in a smooth transition for students transferring into a Norwich University College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) online bachelor’s degree program beginning on its signed date of December 18, 2018.

As of October 25, 2018, the DLIFLC has awarded 15,000 Associate of Arts (AA) in Foreign Language Degrees to members of the active and reserve U.S. Armed Forces and civilian employees of Department of Defense (DoD) or other federal agencies. Pairing with Norwich University’s nearly 200 years of military heritage, this collaboration between leaders in U.S. military education aims to provide students with a quality learning experience while enhancing their academic and professional success.

Vermont Business Magazine In the midst of the worst farm crisis since the 1980s, Farm Aid announced today that it distributed more than half a million dollars in grant funding in 2018, including Rural Vermont in Montpelier. Farm Aid grants invest in organizations working to build resilient farmers, who are key to the creation of a thriving farm and food system. In 2018, Farm Aid granted $695,679 to farmers and 78 family farm, rural service and urban agriculture organizations in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Emergency grants totaling $45,000 were made to farm families to cover essential household expenses. These $500 emergency grants are recommended on a case-by-case basis by Farm Aid's farm advocates.