Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The American Lung Association’s 2018 “State of the Air” report found that the Burlington-South Burlington metro area to be the only city in the Northeast to be ranked on all three Cleanest City lists for Ozone pollution, for year-round particle pollution and for short-term particle pollution, based on data from 2014-2016. Compared to the 2017 report, all three reporting counties in the state of Vermont, Bennington, Chittenden and Rutland maintained low levels of ozone and short-term particle pollution while slightly improving exposure to year-round particle pollution.

Vermont Business Magazine A brewing company in Essex Junction has been named the 2018 Vermont Veteran-Owned Business of the Year. Kevin Jarvis and Shawn Trout, owners of 1st Republic Brewing Company, are being recognized by the US Small Business Administration for rapid growth, financial success and community involvement.

Vermont Buisness Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced changes in three City leadership positions: the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the Chief Innovation Officer (CIO), and the Chief of Staff. The Mayor appointed Beth Anderson the CAO, named former Chief of Staff Brian Lowe the Acting CIO, and appointed Jordan Redell to serve as his new Chief of Staff.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs joined a group of Vermont citizens, sporting-goods stores, and shooting clubs in filing a lawsuit, today, challenging the state’s recently enacted ban on the possession of certain commonly owned firearm magazines.

by Representative Heidi E Scheuermann (R-Stowe) Approximately one year ago, I informed you through a similar email of a proposal that had passed the Vermont Senate Finance Committee to institute a $2 per room, per night Occupancy Fee on all of our state's visitor room nights to fund a Workforce and Supportive Housing Fund.

Vermont Business Magazine Manufacturing Solutions, Inc. (MSI) has been accepted into the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive (VEGI) program by the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development. MSI received support and assistance throughout the process from the Lamoille Economic Development Corporation. This incentive will support the company’s plans to expand space and improve tooling, resulting in new and improved jobs.

Vermont Business Magazine Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today released its Outdoor Recreation Economy report for Vermont, the first report of its kind that comprehensively captures the power of a vast multi-billion dollar economic engine in communities and across the nation. Every year, Vermont residents alone spend $1.51 billion on outdoor recreation, and at least 128 outdoor companies call the district home. Including the vast number of tourists coming to the state, Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy generates $5.5 billion in annual consumer spending and supports 51,000 jobs. The report states that the industry provides $1.5 billion in wages and $505 million in state and local tax revenue.

Vermont Business Magazine Recently released data shows that the rate of asthma-related hospitalizations in Vermont has decreased more than 30 percent in the past decade. State health officials say the declining rate indicates that the focus on improving Vermonters’ self-management for keeping asthma under control is working.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) introduced legislation Tuesday to hold drug companies accountable for the extraordinary harm they have caused by fueling the opioid crisis. Sanders’ bill, the Opioid Crisis Accountability Act of 2018, prohibits illegal marketing and distribution of opioids, creates criminal liability for top company executives, penalizes drug manufacturers who illegally advertise, market or distribute an opioid product and requires drug makers to reimburse the country for the negative economic impact of their products – an amount that the CDC estimates to cost more than $78 billion each year.

Vermont Business Magazine Monday night, Governor Phil Scott vetoed S103. The bill would give the Department of Health additional authority to regulate manufacturing and the sale of products in Vermont. S103 lowers the scientific criteria required to classify chemicals as dangerous and allows the Commissioner of Health to unilaterally regulate or ban the sale of children’s products in Vermont, especially for children's products. The governor said the bill is duplicative to the state's already strong standards on hazardous materials and could increase costs of goods to consumers and businesses.

Vermont Business Magazine Kevin Daignault of Swanton recently got a life-changing call in the middle of the night -- after a long wait, a new heart had finally become available for him. Daignault hopped in the car immediately for a trip to Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital to have the transplant operation. Luckily for him, it was only the second time he’d had to make that drive because, due to a special partnership between the University of Vermont Medical Center and Massachusetts General, most of his pre-operative care happened in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont has recognized University of Vermont Medical Center (UVM Medical Center) with a Blue Distinction Center designation in the area of bariatric surgery (bariatric, metabolic and weight loss surgery) as part of the national Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are healthcare facilities shown to deliver quality specialty care based on objective patient safety and health outcome measures developed with input from the medical community.