Current News

by CB Hall How much can malted grain, hops, water and a bit of yeast do for a little state's economy? Vermont's breweries numbered 58 at press time, by VBM's count, and the growth in Green Mountain State brewing continues at its almost frantic pace. It makes one wonder if beer has supplanted maple syrup as the state's trademark liquid, but it also makes one ask: How long can the boom keep booming?

Fuse, Burlington, Vermont In the past decade, there have been frequent reports about the decline in sports participation. But in a reverse of that trend, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) recently revealed sport participation is growing again. While the SFIA study details what participants are playing, we thought it important to understand why the growth is occurring, so in June 2018 Fuse surveyed 2,000 US teens to find out.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Medical Center is preparing to get back to a regular work schedule Saturday morning after a nursing strike sent about 1,700 union members to the picket line for 48 hours starting Thursday at 7 am. This is the first nurses strike in the hospital's history.

Nurses were scheduled to strike during what would be their usual shifts. Of the 1,800 unionized nurses, 93 elected to go to work on Friday, a few more than the hospital reported came to work on the first day of the strike.

UVM Medical Center President Eileen Whalen said Friday afternoon that the hospital is ready to welcome back all nurses starting Saturday morning.

She said they've budgeted $3 million to cover the full cost of bringing in nearly 600 replacement nurses, though they will not know the full costs, higher or lower, until a full accounting is taken after the strike.

Senator Bernie Sanders: "The indictments announced today by the Justice Department confirm once again that Russia interfered in our elections to benefit Donald Trump. The fact that these indictments name 12 members of Russia’s military intelligence service strongly suggests that the interference was directed from the highest levels of the Russian government."

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters and others who purchased tickets to a concert gone wrong will be eligible for refunds. The Office of Attorney General TJ Donovan has resolved its investigation of Shrinedom 2017, a rock festival that was supposed to take place on Saturday, September 16, 2017, in Irasburg. Seven bands were contracted to play, including local bands and national acts Vince Neil, Slaughter, Warrant, Lita Ford and Firehouse. On the day of the festival, the organizers had not sold enough tickets to pay the national bands, who did not perform.

Vermont Business Magazine It’s not every day one gets the chance to weigh in on a multi-million dollar budget. This month, the Clean Water Board is asking Vermonters to do just that. Public ideas and feedback on how to prioritize the $19 million in clean water funds will help the Clean Water Board develop the Clean Water Fund budget for 2020. The easiest way to participate in the conversation is to take the Board’s 9-question survey, available online or by mail. The board is accepting comments through July 31.

Senator Patrick Leahy: An indictment charging 12 Russian intelligence officers with conspiring to interfere with our presidential election is no witch hunt. I agree with Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein that as Americans we must stand together against any and all foreign interference in our democracy.

Vermont Business Magazine Ten families from New York to California have been selected as finalists in GMP’s Rutland Innovation Home Contest – and one will win a cutting-edge, super-efficient home in the next several weeks. The finalists, selected from more than 160 applicants, participated in interviews this week with a selection committee that included political, business and community leaders from Rutland. Applicants wrote a 500-word essay explaining why they want to live in the GMP Rutland Innovation Home and what the individual or family would bring to community life in Rutland.

“To say we were impressed with the finalists would be a huge understatement,” said Mayor Dave Allaire, who serves on the committee. “They include people with deep ties to and profound feelings for Rutland, and hard-working couples and families who have demonstrated tremendous commitments to building community and becoming integral to the ongoing revitalization of Rutland.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont is in the middle of the pack and South Dakota is the best state in which to retire, according to a new Bankrate.com report. Utah, Idaho, New Hampshire and Florida comprise the rest of the top five. Vermont was ranked 26th-best state (tied with Wisconsin). The study examined 7 categories: cost of living, taxes, health care quality, weather, crime, cultural vitality and well-being. Vermont did well in cultural vitality (#1), health care quality (#2), well-being (#2) and crime (#3). However, it was dragged down by bottom-10 rankings in cost of living (#41), weather (#44) and taxes (#47).

The study examined seven categories (weightings in parentheses): cost of living (20%), taxes (20%), health care quality (15%), weather (15%), crime (10%), cultural vitality (10%) and well-being (10%).

Vermont Business Magazine Bethel, Vermont-based advanced manufacturing company GW Plastics has announced the recent promotions of three executive team members. Cathy Tempesta has been promoted to Vice President of Human Resources. Tempesta joined GW Plastics 15 years ago as the Director of Human Resources, and in her new role as Vice President, she will work to bring best practices to all of GW Plastics’ worldwide operations, including workforce training and career development, employee engagement, and retention.

Vermont State Police Alfred Wolfsohn was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Wolfsohn, 88 of Stamford, CT, died as a result of internal injuries sustained during a head-on crash. State Troopers from the Westminster Barracks responded to a two vehicle, serious injury crash on VT Route 9, west of Auger Hole Road, in the town of Marlboro Thursday morning.

Initial investigation into the crash determined that vehicle #1 (Wolfsohn) was traveling west at an undetermined rate of speed. For an undetermined reason, vehicle #1 traveled across the center line and struck a VT AOT dump truck head-on as it was parked in the brake down lane facing east.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan gathered at the Newport waterfront with Governor Phil Scott, Auditor Doug Hoffer, Newport Mayor Paul Monette, and others involved in economic development in the Northeast Kingdom to announce a settlement in the State’s EB-5 enforcement action. The State of Vermont today filed a motion with the Washington Superior Court seeking approval of the settlement reached with Ariel Quiros. A separate settlement was reached with William Stenger. The settlements resolve the State’s enforcement actions in connection with EB-5 projects. Funds from the settlements, totaling $2.1 million, will be designated for economic development in the Northeast Kingdom.