Current News

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for February was 2.8 percent, as all three major metrics (labor force, employed and unemployed) all improved slightly. However, there was a small drop in the number of jobs. The February rate reflects a decrease of one-tenth of one percentage point from the revised January rate. The rate has been unchanged at 2.9 percent since last September. The national rate in February was 4.1 percent. As of the prior month’s preliminary data, the Burlington-South Burlington Metropolitan NECTA was tied for the seventh lowest unemployment rate in the country for all metropolitan areas. Overall, Vermont’s unemployment rate was tied for the fourth lowest in the country for the same time period.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) will deliver the keynote address at VSAC’s College and Career event at the Johnson State College campus of Northern Vermont University on Saturday morning. “This will be a great opportunity for high school students and their families to learn more about what kind of post-high school training is needed for the jobs that are available in our changing economy,” said Sanders, who serves on the Senate education committee.

By 2020, two-thirds of all jobs in Vermont will require some education beyond a high school degree. “That could mean a two-year associate degree, a certificate or credential program, or a skilled trades apprenticeship. Or, it could mean a four-year college degree,” said Sanders. “That is why it is critically important that students and their families have the information to make the best choices for the future.”

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, March 24, the lights of iconic sites like the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building, and the Space Needle will be turned off between 8:30 and 9:30 pm to show solidarity in the fight against climate change as people around the world celebrate the 12^th annual Earth Hour, an event that originated as a symbolic “lights out” event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Burlington Electric Department General Manager Neale Lunderville and Church Street Marketplace Director Ron Redmond are encouraging Burlington homeowners, renters, and businesses to join City Hall, Burlington Electric, the Church Street Marketplace, and the Unitarian Universalist Church (UU) in turning off non-essential lights during that special hour to symbolize their commitment toward addressing climate change. Unique to Burlington's celebration will be star and planet gazing on the UU lawn, sponsored by the Vermont Astronomical Society.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont’s Sustainable Innovation MBA in the Grossman School of Business continues to gain international recognition by earning top-tier status in CEO Magazine’s 2018 Global MBA rankings. The Tier I ranking by the London-based business publication places UVM’s Sustainable Innovation MBA among the top 116 programs worldwide. It was also listed among the top 71 Top Tier programs in North America, with both rankings focusing on programs that combine exceptional quality with great return on investment.

Vermont Business Magazine E4H Environments for Health Architecture, a Williston and Boston-based architecture firm focused exclusively on healthcare, today announced it has merged with Virginia-based RSG Architects, an 18-year old firm focused solely on designing best in class medical facilities. As part of E4H, RSG will continue to operate independently, but will have the advantage of being part of a national firm with offices in New England, New York, Tennessee and Texas.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement Thursday on the appropriations bill released last night to fund the federal government through September 30: “As the ranking member of the Budget Committee and a member of Democratic leadership, I am proud of the many initiatives that I fought for in this budget that will help Vermont’s working families, the elderly, the children, the sick and our veterans.

Vermont Business Magazine Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) issued the following statement following his vote in favor of the fiscal year 2018 omnibus appropriations bill, which passed the House on a vote of 256-167: “I voted for this bill because, on balance, it is good for Vermont and good for the country. First, it is a bipartisan agreement that restores stability and predictability to the federal budget process through fiscal year 2019. We must end the practice of short-term continuing resolutions, budget brinkmanship and government shutdowns. This bill is a significant step in the right direction.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) secured a key transparency win in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill – which funds the federal government for the rest of this fiscal year – released Wednesday night. The final bill includes a provision he added to make all non-confidential reports prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) freely available to public schools and libraries across the country. That means they will be freely available online to individuals, schools and universities, researchers, and libraries. CRS is Congress’s research arm.

by Annette Smith Most Vermonters accept the reality of climate change and support shifting our energy needs towards renewables. But in my conversations with Vermonters I have found that almost no one fully understands the mechanisms that have been put in place to achieve the state’s renewable energy goals. In fact, our energy policies are so complicated and convoluted that even Vermont legislators – many of whom consistently vote in favor of bills purporting to bring the state closer to a goal of 90% renewables by 2050 – don’t really understand them.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate and House Appropriations Committee leaders Wednesday morning completed lengthy and intense negotiations on an appropriations bill to fund the federal government through September 30. Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, played a leading role in the negotiations, on which work began last May, and secured several key victories for Vermont.

This will be the first appropriations bill completed from start to finish with Leahy as the committee’s Vice Chairman. Leahy became Vice Chairman in January 2017, and then worked to complete the Fiscal Year 17 appropriations bill negotiations.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Public Radio Board of Directors has appointed Scott Finn as its new President and CEO. VPR announced the appointment today. Finn, 46, is the CEO and Executive Director of West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB), a public radio and television network with a statewide audience of more than 2 million. During his tenure, Finn oversaw the transformation of the organization, enhancing its financial sustainability and overhauling content and programming to dramatically increase fundraising and audience. He also led the network to adopt its first formal strategic plan, which resulted in the station launching the national podcast Us and Them, doubling the number of stations carrying its NPR music program Mountain Stage and creating its health reporting project, Appalachia Health News.