Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan announced that Vermont and 49 states and the District of Columbia have reached an agreement with California-based ride-sharing company Uber Technologies, Inc. The settlement addresses the company’s one-year delay in reporting a data breach to its affected drivers. Vermont will receive $600,000 as its portion of the settlement. Uber’s payments across the country total $148 million.

Vermont Business Magazine GMP is alerting customers that crews are ready to respond to possible outages this afternoon and evening as thunderstorms are forecasted to hit Vermont. Forecasters say the line of storms is ahead of a cold front and it could pack strong winds with gusts that could top 50 MPH in some spots.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has approved $7.4 million in financing to support manufacturing, agricultural, small business and energy development projects throughout Vermont. Among the awardees were: Smugglers' Notch Distillery; Northern Gas Transport, Inc; Flex-A-Seal, Inc; Packetized Energy Technologies, Inc; The Afterschool Collaborative; Kid Logic Learning; Londonderry Community Solar; and Eurowest Solar.

"Manufacturing and other jobs will be created by a number of Vermont businesses approved for VEDA financing," said Jo Bradley, VEDA's Chief Executive Officer. "In addition, VEDA's Farm Operating Loan Program continues to provide cash flow relief to Vermont's dairy farmers to help them withstand the pressures of several years of low milk prices."

Vermont Business Magazine In what the mayor calls an important step for the stability of the city’s financial future, on Monday, September 24, the Burlington City Council voted unanimously to adopt a first-known debt policy for the city, just as $100 million in bonding will go to voters. The policy outlines a target and a maximum for the amount of General Obligation debt that the city can incur, as well as for the amount of “overlapping debt,” or the total amount of combined General Obligation Debt incurred between the city and the Burlington School District.

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Our Flavor Gurus are having a bit of a conundrum, so they're enlisting Ben & Jerry's fans for help. From now until October 9th, fans are encouraged to visit BenJerry.com and cast their vote to bring back a Limited Batch flavor. The winning flavor will appear in freezers nationwide this December.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation and the organizing committee for the Con Hogan Award for Creative, Entrepreneurial, Community Leadership are pleased to announce that James Baker will be honored with this year’s award. Baker is the former police chief in Rutland and the current leader of a community revitalization effort in Arlington, where he lives. The $15,000 award, to be used however the recipient chooses, will be presented at a reception on October 3 at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Governor’s Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities (GCEPD) recently announced the employer award recipients for the “Spirit of the ADA” Awards. Among those recipients is Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC). The awards will be presented to Molly Perry, (Sr. HR Generalist) and Fran Kelly, (retired, Senior Recruiter) RRMC’s Human Resources Department. In addition, four Project Search sites ; Rutland Regional Medical Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, and the University of Vermont Medical Center and THE EDGE Sports and Fitness of Burlington will be receiving the GCEPD Partner Award. Project SEARCH® is a business-led transition program for developmentally and cognitively disabled adults between the ages of 18- 40, who learn employability and independent living skills that will help them successfully transition from school to adult life or obtain competitive employment.

Vermont Business Magazine Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), together with Representatives Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Doug Collins (R-GA), released the following statements after introducing the American Royalties Too (ART) Act of 2018 in the Senate and House of Representatives. The legislation will provide a measure of equity to visual artists by allowing them to receive a portion of the sales price of their art. The ART Act amends the Copyright Act to provide creators of visual art a 5 percent royalty of the price paid for their art when it is resold at auction.

Vermont Business Magazine For the eighth year in a row, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel, Darn Tough Vermont and Smartwool have teamed up to donate over $13,000 worth of socks and support to local non-profits serving the areas homeless. The donations are the result of a joint effort between the three businesses to help provide warm, Merino wool socks and much-needed support to the areas homeless population in preparation for the areas colder months.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and members of his Administration will bring their “Capitol for a Day” initiative to Chittenden County on Wednesday, September 26. The Administration has visited Rutland, Caledonia, Windsor, Franklin, Bennington and Addison counties as part of this initiative, which aims to give local constituents, municipal governments and other partners the opportunity to connect directly with state leadership and staff. The Administration will visit each of the state’s 14 counties as part of this initiative.

Follow along on social media using the #VTCapitol4aDay hashtag.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 26

7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

(Details below)

WHERE: Various locations throughout Chittenden County

GOVERNOR SCOTT’S PUBLIC SCHEDULE

7:30 – 8:10 a.m.

Vermont Business Magazine The State Committee of the Vermont Democratic Party has officially endorsed the following candidates for statewide office in Vermont. The State Party scheduled the endorsement process to take place after the August Democratic primary to remain unbiased throughout the process. On Saturday, at the September meeting of the State Committee, the Party voted unanimously to endorse the Democratic primary winners.

The candidates enddorsed are:

Vermont Business Magazine US Transportation Secretary Elaine L Chao announced today that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will award $366.2 million in grants to improve the safety and reliability of America’s bus systems and enhance mobility for transit riders. Vermont will get $2 million. A total of 107 projects in 50 states and territories will receive funding from FTA’s Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program.

The Vermont Agency for Transportation will receive funding for the construction of the Bradford Vermont Public Transit Facility. The project will provide a base for rural transit operations for service to a region in east-central Vermont valued at $2,080,000.

A full list of the selected projects is available online.