Current News

by Secretary of State Jim Condos March 11-17 is Sunshine Week, a national celebration of access to public information and what it means for you and your community. All across Vermont new board members and other town and city officials are being sworn in and taking their seats for the first time. I am thankful for the many Vermonters willing to serve their communities and sacrifice their time for the greater good. This is what makes Vermont great.

In my 18 years on the South Burlington City Council, 6 years on the Vermont League of Cities and Towns’ Board, 8 years in the Vermont Senate, and now 7+ years as Vermont’s Secretary of State, I know the personal satisfaction that comes from serving others and making a difference. On the other hand, it’s not always about smiles and pats on the back.

Vermont Business Magazine On March 15th, 2018, the Vermont Rail Action Network will present Safety First! at the Vermont State House, Cedar Creek Room at 2:30 - 4 pm. Legislators, rail advocates and media representatives are invited to attend.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University in Northfield will hold the 23^rd Annual William E. Colby Military Writers’ Symposium April 11-12, 2018, on the theme of “Won the War, Lost the Peace: The U.S. Legacy in Iraq.” The Colby is a two-day event hosted at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. The only program of its kind at an American university, this unique and powerful program invites distinguished authors and experts in the fields of military history, intelligence, or current affairs to campus for social events, book signings, presentations, classroom sessions, and a moderated panel discussion on the theme for the year.

Vermont Business Magazine Ensuring Vermont has enough high-quality, affordable child care is essential to supporting gender equality in the workplace, according to a new report co-authored by Let’s Grow Kids (LGK) and the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW). The report outlines policy recommendations—including increasing investments in Vermont’s Child Care Financial Assistance Program and passing paid family leave—as key strategies to supporting working women and their families.

The report, “Women, Work, and Child Care,” was released during a press conference on International Women’s Day (March 8, 2018) at a Williston child care center featuring remarks from LGK, VCW, Vermont Works for Women, a child care program director and a working mom. The report is available online here: http://bit.ly/VT-women-work-childcare.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Creamery earned top honors at the World Championship Cheese Contest this week, taking "Best in Class" for Coupole in the mold-ripened goat cheese category and second place for Fresh Crottin in the soft goats' milk cheese category. The annual contest that garners global participation was held March 6-8 in Madison, Wisconsin.

by J. Churchill Hindes, Chair of the Vermont State Colleges System Board of Trustees The higher education business is not for the faint of heart. Colleges and universities around the nation are challenged as never before by declining numbers of high school graduates, rising costs, and declining support from state governments.

New Designation Aims to Increase Investment in Low-Income Areas, Time Running Out

Vermont Business Magazine A bill that would protect small businesses targeted by aggressive lease financing companies has passed unanimously out of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs. The bill, S206, addresses many of the common themes found in complaints filed with the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program by small businesses who lease credit card terminals. Currently, a small business may pay thousands of dollars for a terminal that commonly retails for less than $500. This high pricing would be eliminated by the bill through a cap.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims were up again last week and have risen above claims from the same time last year. For the week of March 3, 2018, there were 889 claims, 147 more than than they were the previous week and 104 more than they were a year ago. Altogether 6,456 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 374 from a week ago, but 841 fewer than a year ago. For most weeks of 2017 and into 2018 claims fell below the year before. This could reflect a transition from winter tourism season with the early onset of warmer weather. The coming weeks will show whether this is so, or if claims are trending up.

by Julie Moore, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources One of my favorite writers, David Quammen, penned an article for National Geographic more than 10 years ago, titled Hallowed Ground: Nothing Is Ever Safe. In it he notes: “In the world of conservation professionals, there is a dour saying: All our victories are temporary; only the defeats are permanent.” He goes on to conclude the article, however, with a slightly more cheerful variant – reminding the reader that our natural resources are only as good as “the intensity with which we treasure them.” To me, a critical piece of this necessary intensity is the work of the Agency to promote and celebrate good, concrete examples of people doing the right thing, in the right spot, and in the most responsible way. Front and center in this approach are some of the amazing opportunities for reuse and redevelopment that exist here in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Family Network has announced that it has received a $15,000 grant from the Doug Flutie Jr Foundation for Autism. This funding makes it possible for us to support families whose children have autism with grants of up to $200 to address family-identified needs such as respite, summer camp, or specific training/supports.

Vermont Business Magazine The weather has been kind to Vermont’s ski resorts and trails this March, with 6-12 inches of snow expected to reach the state and more snow in the long-range forecast. The heavy snowfall, combined with an ongoing stretch of consistent weather, will ensure that conditions for skiing, riding, and other winter sports will be excellent this spring. Vermont ski resorts are celebrating the March 8^th snowstorm with weekend events that celebrate winter, family, and Vermont’s outdoor recreation lifestyle. The recent snowfall has made for fantastic trail conditions that will compliment all of this weekend’s events.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott is urging regional winter enthusiasts to take advantage of the storm and enjoy this weekends conditions and scheduled events.