Current News

Vermont Business Magazine US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today it is adjusting the premium processing fee for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker beginning on October 1, 2018, to more effectively adjudicate petitions and maintain effective service to petitioners.

Vermont Business Magazine A Finnish company might distribute thousands of winter tires from its warehouse in Vermont, but it now relies on the power it gets from the sun to do it. Nokian Tyres has installed solar panels to help power its Colchester distribution facility. Currently, the total annual output of the facility is approximately 427,500 kWh, which covers over 110% of the facilities annual usage, allowing the solar array to send excess energy to the renewable power grid.

“We continuously work to protect the planet and want to ensure we are doing everything possible to contribute to our long-term work towards environmental sustainability,” said Hans Dyhrman, director of marketing, Nokian Tyres. “Not only will this project contribute to keeping business costs at a minimum, but it will assist in our efforts to generate clean and renewable energy.”

Vermont Business Magazine College is an exciting time full of new faces, newfound freedom, and new expenses. While it’s important to find a campus that gels with your personality, it’s no secret a city’s living cost—and a school’s tuition—can end up making your decision for you. Between rent, utilities, and groceries, a weekly $4.50 trip to Starbucks can push your monthly student budget over the limit. Lucky for you, Move.org got its hands dirty and dug up the 25 most affordable college towns to help you vet your options and Burlington came in at 13.

Vermont Business Magazine A grant from the US Department of Agriculture will help fund startup and operational costs in the first year of the Lyndonville Coworking Space, an initiative of Northern Vermont University-Lyndon scheduled to open November 1 downtown. The one-year Rural Business Development Grant of $51,377 and a contribution of $65,123 from NVU will support expenses from rent and marketing to event hosting and bike racks.

Vermont Business Magazine What do a brewery, a coffee company, and a semiconductor facility all have in common? These businesses represent some of this year’s winners for the Governor’s Award of Environmental Excellence. Every year, the Governor recognizes several organizations and companies that are striving for excellence when it comes to sustainability. The 2018 winners are the Alchemist Brewery, Downstreet Housing and Community Development, Global Foundries, Vermont Coffee Company, and the Village of Essex Junction.

Alchemist photo of founders John and Jen Kimmich

The awardees took on a range of ambitious and innovative projects from renewable energy to water conservation initiatives. Here's a quick look at the five award-winning projects:

Vermont Business Magazine Farmers, chefs, food producers and others working in Vermont agriculture are invited to apply to the third round of Vermont Fresh Network (VFN) Conference Scholarship Program grants. This round of funding supports participation in the Food Loves Tech expo, including access to all panel discussions and “The Future of the Cocktail” opening reception. The expo takes place November 2nd & 3rd in New York City. Apply by Wednesday, Sept 19 to the Vermont Fresh Network Conference Program.

Vermont Business Magazine Announced during the awards dinner at Jayco, Inc's annual Dealer Homecoming this week in Indianapolis, Pete's RV Center, based in South Burlington, was announced number three in the category of Top Ten Towable Dealers for Model Year 2018. The Pete's RV South Windsor, CT, store led the charge with the sale of a combination of nearly seven hundred Jayco travel trailers and fifth wheels. An outstanding achievement considering Pete's RV Center was not ranked in the top ten last year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals announced today that they are holding a public Vote of No Confidence. The Vote of No Confidence is set to target UVM Medical Center CEO John Brumsted and President Eileen Whalen, along with the hospital Board of Trustees. VFNHP said in a press release Thursday that the hospital’s recently released Form 990 tax statement "expos(es) the exorbitant executive salaries earned by these administrators while nurses are still fighting without a contract for safe staffing and fair wages." The VFNHP press release said they are taking action to hold the administration accountable to the community it serves.

Vermont Business Magazine On August 30, 2018, the Vermont Public Utility Commission issued amendments to its procedures that govern the use of the Commission's online case management and filing system, known as ePUC, to make it easier for interested persons to participate in Commission proceedings. In part, the amendments largely eliminate the requirement that any document filed electronically using ePUC must also be filed with the Commission in paper.

Previously, the procedures governing the use of ePUC required parties to file a paper copy with the Commission of any document filed electronically. This requirement was imposed when ePUC was first introduced to the public, to ensure that paper copies of documents that were filed electronically were available in the event that errors were made in the electronic filing process or that the ePUC system did not function as planned.

​Vermont Business Magazine A New York City couple won the prize of a lifetime – a brand new, fossil-fuel-free, 1,500 square-foot home packed with the latest in smart energy technology including heat pumps, solar panels, Level 2 electric vehicle charger and Tesla Powerwall batteries. Martin Schreiner, a food blogger, marketer and part-time opera singer, and Lucas Hough, a pathologist’s assistant, got engaged after learning they’d won, and plan to move from New York City to their new Rutland home soon.

Vermont Business Magazine The board of the state’s largest union, which representas most of the state's teachers, has voted unanimously to recommend Christine Hallquist for governor, saying she will forge a better path for schools, communities, and children. Vermont-NEA is the first union to throw its support behind Hallquist. Hallquist, the Democratic nominee, is the former CEO of the Vermont Electric Cooperative and the first major party transgender candidate for governor in the nation.

“Listening to Christine, it is clear that she has a vision for a civilized Vermont,” said Don Tinney, a high school English teacher who serves as president of Vermont-NEA. “It’s a vision where we adequately fund our public schools; where we provide opportunities for all Vermonters; and where we focus on lifting up all Vermonters, no matter where they live.”

by Christine McGowan People in the forest products industry find their way to wood in different ways. For some, it’s a part of their family DNA. For others, it’s a passion. For Lucas Jenson, owner of The Tree House Hardwoods & Millshop, it’s a vocation that aligns with his belief in supporting the local Vermont economy.