Current News

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.

Vermont Business Magazine No Waste Compost L3C (NWC), a local, affordable, food scrap hauling and waste diversion company, is changing the way residents and businesses alike contribute to the wider Vermont reuse system. Formed in July 2017 by Jacob Wollman and Cameron Scott, NWC works to close the loop of food reuse in Chittenden County.

​Vermont Business Magazine The Bennington Regional Chamber of Commerce recently released its annual membership survey results. The survey, which was sent to 569 member representatives consisting of 430 businesses, was completed in November. Twenty five percent of the representatives who were sent the survey via SurveyMonkey completed the survey.

Senator Patrick Leahy Baseball has always been a bridge between our two nations, facilitating people-to-people connections and larger agreements that have brought our countries closer together. One of the first breakthroughs in US-Cuba relations was a baseball game that I attended in Havana in 1999 between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cuban national team. I vividly remember the crowd’s enthusiasm for both the American and Cuban players, an enthusiasm that was reciprocated by American fans when they played in Baltimore.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced the appointment of David E White, FAICP as the acting Director of the Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO), replacing the outgoing interim CEDO Director, Neale Lunderville. White has served as Burlington’s Planning and Zoning Director for 11 years, after having been the City’s Assistant Planner for 12 years, and will continue serving as the Planning and Zoning Director for the duration of this appointment. White was recently named to the American Institute of Certified Planners College of Fellows.

“I am pleased that David has agreed to serve in this capacity during this transition,” said Mayor Weinberger. “David is a dedicated public servant, with outstanding institutional knowledge, community respect, and commitment to making Burlington a vibrant, affordable, and sustainable City.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Education Association, the union representing Burlington public school teachers, sent its members the following email today indicating that it has reached a deal on a new contract with the Burlington School Board. Bitter negotiations the previous two years led to rancor in both cases and teachers went on strike for the first time since 1978 in September 2017. This new contract was negotiated without the threat of a strike and under the radar of the press.