Current News

Vermont Business Magazine In a White House ceremony Wednesday, President Trump signed into law a bipartisan package of opioid legislation, including four bills co-authored by Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont). While supporting the package, Welch decried the lack of a more comprehensive approach to combatting the opioid public health epidemic ravaging communities in Vermont and across the country.

“If the first principle of legislation is to do no harm, we have succeeded,” said Welch. “But if the goal of legislation is to solve a problem, we have failed. What we need, in addition to these good bills, is a full-scale opioids Marshall Plan that provides significant resources to those working on the front lines of this public health epidemic.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Parks is excited to announce a newly extended operating season for Burton Island and Kamp Kill Kare State Parks. Starting in 2019, both parks will remain open through the last weekend of September. Burton Island State Park is a 253–acre island located in Lake Champlain’s Inland Sea. The Park offers a 100–slip marina with dockside electricity, bathhouses, water, and a pump-out facility. In addition, Burton Island offers tent-sites, waterfront lean-tos, and rustic cabins available for rent. Kill Kare is a day use park located on the southern tip of Saint Albans Point. Kill Kare offers a beach, boat launch, and picnic areas.

Vermont Business Magazine When land is broken up into smaller parcels from parcelization and subdivision, the result is typically an increase in the number of parcels with housing and infrastructure such as roads, septic and utility lines. When this development occurs, it “fragments” the landscape and can affect plant and animal species, wildlife habitat, water quality and recreational access. It can also affect the contiguous ownership and management of forest parcels, and thus the viability of large tracts of forestland to contribute to Vermont’s rural economy and working landscape.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont has again been named a Top 50 Green School by the Princeton Review, climbing to the #3 spot this year, up from #4 last year. “UVM’s commitment to the environment, both in academics and in our sustainable practices, is at the heart of the University’s identity. It is a strong source of our appeal for students and families,” said UVM president Tom Sullivan.

Vermont Business Magazine Supporters of Farm to School in Vermont gathered Monday morning at Berlin Elementary School to celebrate National Farm to School Month, as well as the awarding of an USDA Grant to NOFA-VT to support Farm to School efforts in the state. The group also participated in a tour of the school garden, hosted by several of the students at the school.

Vermont Business Magazine Home to the industry leader, Darn Tough Vermont, Cabot Hosiery Mill honored their 40 years of dedication to the Northfield community and to outfitting feet with premium socks worldwide on October 18, 2018. Having not only survived, but rather thrived by keeping textile manufacturing in small town Vermont following the mass exodus of many manufacturers to overseas factories, Cabot Hosiery Mill has been a cornerstone of the town and region. Employing nearly 300 hard-working residents and considering the population of Northfield is just shy of 3000, Darn Tough has become a leading example that American manufacturing is alive and well in the heart of Vermont: the sock capital of the world.

Vermont Business Magazine Sterling College President Matthew Derr has announced that Philip Ackerman-Leist, author of A Precautionary Tale and Rebuilding the Foodshed, published by Chelsea Green Publishing, has been appointed Dean of the School of the New American Farmstead and will take up the role January 1, 2019, in time for the start of the spring semester.

Ackerman-Leist has decades of experience and expertise in founding and in leading sustainable agriculture and food systems programs for undergraduate and graduate students. Most recently, he has served as Professor of Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems and Sustainable Food Solutions Initiative Director at Green Mountain College, where he was instrumental to that college’s sustainability initiatives.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) announces a new association health insurance plan for their members available through a new partnership with Business Resource Services (BRS). VBSR members located in Vermont with fewer than 100 FTEs can now save up to 10% on the cost of providing healthcare for employees by choosing from four BRS Blue Cross Blue Shield including plans which are HRA & HSA compatible. VBSR members can take advantage of these plans during open enrollment, November 1^st through December 15, 2018. Businesses that do not currently offer health insurance can enroll in this association plan when they join VBSR at any time during the year. VBSR members who take advantage of this plan will also receive access to all BRS member services at no additional cost.

Vermont Business Magazine Two projects to create digital solution for delivering education have been selected to receive grants of $10,000 each as part of the 2018 BTV Ignite Reverse Pitch Competition. Announced as part of the 2018 BTV Ignite Innovation Week event TechJam, “Code Shepherd” and “Learning Portals” both offer the promise to bring 21st century technology to Vermont’s classrooms.

Vermont Business Magazine Social Sentinel, a Burlington-based company that identifies threatening content on social media, was among the winners of the 2018 Tech Jam awards, presented last Friday at the 12th Vermont Tech Jam. The prizes, given annually by the Vermont Technology Alliance, BTV Ignite and Seven Days, recognize leaders in the state's tech ecosystem.
Social Sentinel won the Innovation award. Burlington Code Academy, a 12-week coding bootcamp, won the Startup award after triumphing in the LaunchVT competition in the spring. Maureen McElaney, founder of the Burlington Chapter of Girl Develop It, is the area's top tech ambassador.

by Bill Schubart The EB-5 debacle in the Northeast Kingdom has posed an interesting dilemma. As Vermonters, we all care about the transparent and just administration of business conducted by our government officials on our behalf. To that end, every Vermonter should want to know what went wrong that brought us to the single largest financial scandal in our history – in which some 700 investors have lost hundreds of millions dollars they invested, and 400 likely will not receive the green cards they were promised.

And I would argue that in this instance, our chief objective should be to investigate and pursue what happened so we might all learn from it.

The Tram Haus Lodge at Jay Peak was the first of its EB-5 projects. VBM photo.

by David R Coates Vermont recently lost one of our most important, influential and relevant leaders for the last 50 years. I was one among many who were fortunate enough to have Fred as a mentor and dear friend. Fred Hackett served our state in so many ways that his loss will leave a profound void for years to come. A statesman who worked tirelessly, both publicly and behind the scenes, for the betterment of Vermont. Never seeking the limelight, just making sure important public policy was sound and meaningful.