Current News

Vermont Business MagazineToday the Senate Appropriations Committee made public the Chairman’s Mark of the fiscal year 2018 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Bill. The bill provides a total of $21.035 billion, including $159 million in disaster funds. This funding level is $480 million less than the fiscal year 2017 enacted level and nearly $2 billion less than the fiscal year 2018 President’s request. Also Monday, the Committee made public the Chairman’s Mark for the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations Bill. The Senate bill recommends $32.536 billion in discretionary funding for agencies funded by the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill, which includes $32.030 billion in discretionary funds and $507 million in emergency funds to pay for wildland firefighting needs.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) on Monday announced that five rural Vermont law enforcement agencies will receive a total of nearly $600,000 to help hire new officers through the Department of Justice COPS Hiring Program. The program covers a large portion of the costs that communities face when adding officers to their ranks, thereby supporting the goals of community policing.

“These funds are critical to small law enforcement agencies that would otherwise find it too costly to bring a new officer on board,” said Leahy, a longtime champion of the program who continues to support its funding through his role as Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “With the increase in opioid abuse and its inherent problems, our law enforcement agencies and officers are stretched to their limits. This is the type of federal spending that just makes common sense.”

Vermont Business MagazineTheVermont Manufacturing Extension Center has released a months-in-the-making video project, which includes success stories, workforce development assistance, and innovation opportunities, among several other resources to help Vermont manufacturers grow and thrive.

Vermont Business MagazineGovernor Phil Scott today announced appointments to his Cybersecurity Advisory Team, which he established viaExecutive Order 18-17in October.The Executive Order charges the Cybersecurity Advisory Team with developing a strategic plan for protecting the state’s information and systems, evaluating statewide cybersecurity readiness, developing best practices for policies and procedures, and building partnerships with local universities and colleges to better leverage cybersecurity resources.

Vermont Business Magazine Summer's car shopping peak may be in the rearview mirror, but the autumn chill isn't leaving dealers out in the cold. That is the main finding from the November Dealer DataView index, by Burlington-based Dealer.com, which captures year-to-date data throughOctober 31, 2017. The index showed that after a relatively light post-summer dip, total traffic to dealership websites is once again on the rise, growing by 3 percent in October from September. Vehicle detail page (VDP) views, a strong indicator of sales intent, also rose by 2 percent last month.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Canadian owner of Vermont's Highland Sugarworks in Websterville continues to acquire competitors in the raucous maple syrup industry.LBMaple Treat Corporation of Granby, QC, has acquiredDecacer, a major bottler and distributor of branded and private label maple syrup and maple sugar based in Degelis, QC, for CD$40 million, subject to post-closing adjustments, from the Levasseur Family. LBMT's parent corporation,Rogers Sugar Inc (TSX:RSI)drew on its existing $275 million revolving credit facility to finance the Transaction.

Vermont Business MagazineTheEnergy Action Networktoday shared with theVermont Climate Action Commissionand Vermont legislative leaders nearly 50 energy and climate policy ideas. Over the past two months, EAN invited its members to submit “policy pitches” following Governor Scott’s creation of the Vermont Climate Action Commission, which is tasked with proposing at least three substantive actions on climate by the end of the year. Network members across Vermont responded with 48 pitches received from over 40 different businesses, organizations, and individuals.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Board of Directors of the Vermont Energy Co-op, a member-owned fuel services and energy efficiency cooperative located in Colchester, Vermont has named Brian Gray as the Co-op's new General Manager.

Gray comes to the Energy Co-op with 30 years experience serving the local utility community, most recently as Energy Services Manager with Vermont Gas Systems where he was responsible for customer growth, marketing and energy efficiency programs.

"The General Manager of the Co-op wears many hats,"says Richard Faesy, Board Chairman."Brian's depth of experience in fuel supply negotiation, building strategic partnerships, key account maintenance, employee enrichment, lean process evaluations, and value stream mapping is a great fit for the job."

Vermont Business Magazine The Public Safety Broadband Network Commission will recommend to Governor Phil Scott that Vermont opt-in to the federal FirstNet plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the state’s public safety community. Today’s recommendation culminates a more than year-long evaluation effort by the Governor-appointed commission to evaluate the best option for the build-out of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network in Vermont.

by Mike SmithThis is not in dispute: Jody Herring is a murderer.She pleaded guilty to shooting to death three of her relatives and a social worker. Last week a judge sentenced Herring to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

But at the sentencing hearing her lawyer, David Sleigh, asked the court to look at Herring not solely as a murderer, but also as a victim. Sleigh showed — through a parade of witnesses — that Herring was trapped in a family with a history of physical, mental and sexual abuse; that as a child she endured seizures after the untimely death of her father; that she became homeless for a time while in her preteens; and that she was abused by men throughout her life.

Sleigh also contended that if the mental health system hadn’t failed Herring, then there’s a possibility this tragedy could have been avoided.

Vermont Business Magazine Phase 2 is in the waning days of the 2017 construction season and the whole team is working hard to pave the remaining 1 ¼ miles from North Beach to Shore Road. Meanwhile, the push is on to complete as many intersections as possible before winter shutdown. As long as Mother Nature stamps an OK, our contractor plans to move in paving equipment today (Friday, November 17) and begin laying the base course of asphalt. The bike path's asphalt will consist of two layers, a lower layer called the base course (made with larger stone or aggregate to provide a strong and stable base) and on top of that the wear course (made with finer stones and aggregate to provide a smooth riding finish). At this point, our contractor, paving subcontractor and resident engineers are all predicting that we will be able to get the base course in this year, but the wear course may have to wait until the spring.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont's Congressional Delegation recently secured $18.9 million dollars in federal funding for the Low-Income Heating Assistance Program. These funds will help 20,000 Vermont households keep warm this winter. Low-income households across Vermont can expect to receive an average of $879 to assist with winter heating costs.

On Monday, Congressman Peter Welch will participate in a ride along with a heating fuel truck and deliver fuel to the Stone Family in Rutland. This will highlight federal funding for the Low Income Energy Home Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Split the Ticket Fund, and Vermont’s new Fuel Oil Tank Regulations.