Current News

Q: How’s the local economy doing? A:Pretty well, actually. We have a new company relocating to Montpelier, Caledonia Spirits (makers of the Bar Hill brand). That will improve net job creation by 30 or so persons. Enrollment in schools is up this year, we have several housing projects underway and a major hotel coming to downtown. Our pipeline of projects looks positive for the next 24 months or so. We are also hoping to add a new Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district in Montpelier that would be a huge boost to many projects and lift both our local and regional economy in the coming years. That process is already underway.

by Bruce Edwards, Vermont Business Magazine When the talk turns to the economy of Washington County and its major employers the usual names pop up: State of Vermont, Central Vermont Medical Center, Darn Tough, Keurig and National Life Group among others. But one educational institution, the oldest private military college in the country, plays no small role in the county’s economy.

Norwich University with a student body of 2,509 students and 850 employees makes a significant economic contribution.

Norwich President Richard Schneider said business is “booming.”

by Bruce Edwards, Vermont Business Magazine With Montpelier as the state capital and a rebuilt state office complex in Waterbury, Washington County is anchored by a contingent of thousands of state workers that help drive the economy. After the great flood from Tropical Storm Irene decimated the state complex and many other places in central Vermont, the rebuilding and resurgence is evident everywhere.

The Goodrich Family Farm in Salisbury will be the site of a new anaerobic digester that will produce renewable natural gas for the College.

Vermont Business Magazine Middlebury College will significantly reduce its carbon footprint thanks to an innovative partnership with Goodrich Family Farm in Salisbury, Vt., Vanguard Renewables of Wellesley, Mass., and Vermont Gas. Representatives from the four organizations involved discussed the partnership at a press briefing on November 16 at the College’s Kirk Center.

Vermont Business MagazineApplications are now open for Generator Jump/Start, a free twelve-week intensive residency program combined with a public lecture series created in collaboration with LaunchVT. Jump/Start is designed to connect very early stage entrepreneurs with the resources and education they need to turn their prototypes into viable products and bring them to market. Applications are due December 8th.

Vermont Business MAgazinea Two Massachusetts organizations were honored nationally by the US Environmental Protection Agency for their work keeping wasted food out of landfills and incinerators and putting it to better use. Another 24 organizations across New England received certificates recognizing their work reducing food waste as part of EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge. Three Vermont groups were honored.

Signature Bread in Chelsea, Mass. won the national “Data Driven Award” for achieving the highest percent increases in food waste diversion for the food manufacturing sector in a comparison of yearly data.Spoiler Alert in Boston, Mass.won the “Narrative Award” in the education and outreach category.

Vermont Business Magazine Whether it’s a favorite swimming hole, an iconic stream running through town, or a fishing spot along the shores of Lake Champlain, every Vermonter has a connection to the state’s many lakes, ponds, wetlands, and streams. Each resident can also play a meaningful role cleaning up Vermont’s polluted waterways. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) invites residents with connections to Vermont’s waterways to attend public meetings to weigh in on water quality improvement projects and hear updates on the overall restoration plans.

AccuWeather Global HeadquartersAccuWeather reportsrain may slow travel for a time in part of the east coast of the United States, while significant travel delays are likely in the Northwest and near the Great Lakes leading up to Thanksgiving. Tuesday,Wednesdayand Thanksgiving Day represent some of the busiest travel days of the year for all means of transportation, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

While the weather will cooperate for a large portion of the nation, there will be some areas of concern for holiday travel.

Rain to hug Atlantic coast

In lieu of a major storm, a weak storm is likely to brush part of the Atlantic Seaboard prior to Thanksgiving Day.

Wet weather is in store over much of Florida into Tuesday night. Rain is forecast to brush the coastal areas of the Carolinas and the mid-Atlantic coast late Tuesday night and then coastal New Englandon Wednesday.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Loan Fund loanedover $5,560,000 to Vermont’s small businesses, child care programs, community facilities and affordable housing developers in the second and third quarters of 2017. “The Loan Fund is proud to help finance and support these innovative entrepreneurs, child care programs, community facilities and affordable housing developers,” said Executive Director Will Belongia. “These programs and projects are creating jobs, homes, opportunity, and financial stability for Vermonters across the state,” he added.

Vermont Business Magazine Construction is underway at Vermont’s first vertical farm, which is designed to grow leafy greens and herbs. Ceres Greens is set to open in January 2018, growing fresh produce year-round in their newly constructed 12,500-square-foot space. Founders Jacob Isham and Greg Kelly have spent the past 14 months perfecting the technology and methods needed for growing produce indoors in a controlled environment.

Jacob Isham and Greg Kelly, Ceres, Greens, Barre. Courtesy photo.

Vermont Business Magazine Many small businesses throughout Vermont will be participating in the eighth annual Small Business Saturday two days after Thanksgiving. Wedged between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday was started by American Express in 2010 to increase spending at independent retail stores.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) has announced the opening of the Request for Proposal (RFP) period for at least $1 million in grant funding associated with the Ag Clean Water Initiative Program (Ag-CWIP). This grant program is made possible and supported by the Clean Water Fund — a fund created by Act 64 of 2015, Vermont’s Clean Water Act.