Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Care Board is charged with reducing the rate of health care cost growth in Vermont while ensuring that the State of Vermont maintains a high quality, accessible health care system. The Legislature assigned the GMCB three main responsibilities: regulation, innovation, and evaluation. The GMCB regulates not only health insurance rates, but also hospital budgets, Accountable Care Organizations, and major capital expenditures. The Board also innovates, testing new ways to pay for and deliver health care as part of its role in building a new system.

Thursday, November 2^nd: GMCB Meeting (12:00)

Vermont Business Magazine SVHC has installed its third StoryWalk^, an innovative way for children to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time at Molly Stark Elementary. The StoryWalk concept was originally created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, with the help of Rachel Senechal of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in 2007. SVHC’s StoryWalk began this past summer when AmeriCorps 2016 – 2017 VISTA Volunteer Rachel Newton initiated a project to install the area’s first StoryWalk at Willow Park in Bennington with support from Stewart’s Shops. This fall, the program continued at Bennington and Pownal Elementary Schools under direction from Americorps 2017 – 2018 VISTA Volunteer Adriana Hazelton.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Electric Cooperative crews have been restoring power to many of its members during the day, but there is plenty of hard work ahead some of which may take several days to complete. At the height of the outage early this morning, approximately 40 percent of VEC’s 38,000 members did not have power. VEC has restored power to 3,130 members, leaving about 12,000 members still without power as of5pm Monday.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont's congressional delegation has issued the following statements in response to the charges filed against three former Trump campaign officials, including campaign chairman and chief strategist Paul Manafort, in the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Vermont Business MagazineOn November 7, more than 150 business and nonprofit leaders will ascend on Killington Grand Hotel for “Creating Irresistible Companies.” The half-day conference, put on by Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibly (VBSR), will run from 12:30 to 5:00 PM and is designed to help leaders recruit and retain employees by focusing on company culture, vision, and purpose.

Vermont Business MagazineVermont Attorney General TJDonovan announced that he joined a coalition including 12 other state attorneys general and state agencies to oppose a proposed USDepartment of Energy (DOE) rule to subsidize coal and nuclear power plants. The coalition argues that DOE’s proposed rule would undermine state energy laws and policies, burden customers with additional costs and risks, and threaten the progress states like Vermont have made in reducing emissions.

Vermont Business Magazine Darn Tough Vermont, the fastest growing American manufacturer of premium performance outdoor and lifestyle socks, continues to outpace forecasts with profound growth across all categories. The brand claims a 32 percent increase for the third quarter, year-over-year, spurred by the addition of nearly 100 new retail partners, increased brand awareness nationwide and product development within key categories. In anticipation of strong winter and holiday season, preseason bookings have the brand poised for a vigorous year-end.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Emergency Operations Center has been activated to assist towns, utilities, and others in storm recovery. Representatives from state agencies, the Vermont National Guard, Red Cross, Green Mountain Power, and others are staffing the EOC and will continue into the night. More than 70,000 customers are or have been without electrical service from last night into this morning. Utilities note that some customers could be out for several days.

“The state is working to provide resources to towns and our utility partners,” Governor Phil Scott said. “About a third of Vermont customers are without power right now and several roads are blocked by trees and debris. I encourage everyone to be safe and listen to state and local responders as we work to address damage and restore services throughout the state.”

Vermont Business Magazine Touchstone Investments announced the completion of its acquisition of Sentinel mutual funds, formerly managed by a subsidiary of National Life Holding Company in Montpelier. The addition of these funds brings Touchstone's total fund lineup to 39 and assets under management to$19.5 billion. The planned acquisition was announced in April.

Vermont Business Magazine Logic Supply, a South Burlington-based computer hardware company, has received a Vermont Employment Growth Incentive Award by the Vermont Economic Progress Council and approval for a Vermont Training Program grant to support its expansion of facilities and new jobs in Vermont.Conditioned on creating 83 net new jobs by the end of 2020 and the completion of an $8.5 million capital construction project for a brand new Manufacturing & Warehousing facility, up to $757,000 will be earned by Logic Supply over five years, provided annual performance requirements are met. Logic Supply plans for the permitting and construction process to begin in the fall of 2018 and will immediately begin recruiting for new roles with the company.

Vermont Business MagazineSevere winds with gusts up to almost 80 MPH late Sunday and early Monday morning hit the east coast, including Vermont, very hard, causing broken poles and knocking down trees and branches onto lines all across the state. GMP has approximately 45,000 homes and businesses without power, impacting more than 112,500 people as of 7:00 am in 177 towns. VEC reported early this monring that over 13,000of its customers had lost power. Various roads and schools were closed across the state.The storm is the result of a strong low pressure system which also pulled effects from Tropical Storm Phillipe off the east coast. An army of more than 350 lineworkers, tree workers, and field teams will be working to repair all the damage.

byMike SmithIt’s an oft-repeated phrase: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” In the past, Burlington Telecom, a city-owned internet, cable and phone company, discovered it was undercapitalized. In need of cash, it turned to the city administration. Unbeknownst to many,some officials agreed to transfer $17 million from the municipal general fund to Burlington Telecom.