Current News

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.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine The Personal Income tax took another hit last month and dragged down General Fund revenues for October. The PI is by far the most important GF revenue source. The disappointing GF revenues report came despite a rebound by the Corporate Income tax, which has been lagging much of the fiscal year and is still much in the red. The usually reliable Rooms & Meals tax, which largely tracks tourism activity, was slightly down as was the Sales Tax, which has been unreliable the last few years.

Vermont Business Magazine This morning an email sent from a fake account meant to mimic an official Vermont Secretary of State email address was sent to some municipal officials soliciting donations for a family “in dire need” claiming a 3-year old girl “desperately needs your help.” Anyone with a heart is likely to be moved by such a plea, especially around Thanksgiving, a time when Vermonters actively look to help their neighbors in need. But, this Thanksgiving season, Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan and Secretary of State Jim Condos are warning Vermonters about a scam targeting municipal officials that preys on the good intentions of others.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday renewed his call for a bipartisan budget deal that would allow for real investments in the American people. Leahy said: “With just 17 days until the current continuing resolution expires and the threat of sequestration looming in January, our toughest path remains ahead. We must come together to reach a bipartisan budget deal that allows for an increase in both defense AND non-defense spending to alleviate the devastating consequences of sequestration on our domestic priorities and military readiness. I look forward to working with Chairman Cochran and leadership on both sides of the aisle in accomplishing that goal.”

Vermont Business Magazine Slamming the proposal as “bumper sticker budgeting,” Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Tuesday focused on a provision in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill that would provide $1.6 billion from American taxpayers for President Trump’s border wall with Mexico.

Vermont Business Magazine Longtime Municipal Manager Frank Heald has announced his plans to step down from his position after more than 15 years piloting the Town & Village of Ludlow. Heald’s plans were announced after the Select Board, Village Trustees and Water Commission meeting in November.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has the second highest incidence of children with parents who are or were incarcerated, according to the The Annie E Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT Data Center. While the state is slightly below the national average (7 percent), most of its peer-group states had lower rates than Vermont's 6 percent, including New Hampshire (5 percent), Massachusetts (5 percent) and New York (4 percent). Close to 6 million kids in America have experienced losing a parent to prison or jail at some point in their lives — and this number is growing.

Nationwide, this population has increased by 636,000 children since 2011–2012.

At the state level: 30 states and the District of Columbia reported an uptick in the number of kids with a parent incarcerated between 2011–2012 and 2015–2016.