Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont public power utilities, including Burlington Electric Department (BED), Stowe Electric Department (SED), and Washington Electric Cooperative (WEC), will be sending lineworker crews and bucket trucks to the US Virgin Islands to assist in restoring the power grid that was destroyed as part of the devastation from Hurricanes Irma and Maria last month. The effort has been organized through the Mutual Aid Network of the American Public Power Association (APPA), the non-profit trade association for the more than 2,000 local- and state-owned electric utilities in the US that collectively serve more than 48 million Americans.

Vermont Business Magazine Co-operative Insurance Companies, with over 100 years of providing reliable insurance coverage, today announced that it has won the prestigious ValChoice award for Number One Best Value in the states of New Hampshire and Vermont for the year 2016. To win this award, Co-op provided their customers with a unique combination of excellent customer service, claims handling and value in the auto insurance products they sold over a three-year period. They ranked ahead of 62 other insurance companies in Vermont, and 80 other insurance companies in New Hampshire

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s congressional delegation announced Friday that firefighters throughout Vermont have received $1,635,648 through 15 federal grants. The awards are part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, which helps fire departments purchase critically needed equipment to better protect the public and first responders. This year’s Assistance to Firefighters grants will help buy a range of equipment, including turnout gear, breathing apparatus, a brush truck and radios.

“Our firefighters play an invaluable role in communities throughout Vermont. We are pleased to be able to help provide the resources they need. These federal grants will play a crucial role in purchasing essential equipment to help our first responders protect Vermonters,” said Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of John R. Treadwell as a Vermont Superior Court Judge and Frederick “Fred” M. Glover as the Windsor County Probate Judge. Treadwell will sit on Vermont’s Superior Court, the state’s trial court consisting of civil, criminal, environmental, family and probate divisions. He has served in the Vermont Attorney General’s Office for more than a decade, currently as the chief of the criminal division.

“I’ve spent my career representing all Vermonters as a prosecutor in the criminal justice system,” said Treadwell. “It is a privilege to be able to continue the work of providing justice for Vermonters as a member of Vermont’s Superior Court. I am grateful to the Governor for this opportunity to help people change their lives for the better.”

Vermont Business Magazine Williston Walmart shoppers got their first look at the newly remodeled store at 863 Harvest Lane Friday morning, as the much-anticipated project is now complete and a grand reopening ribbon-cutting took place. The relatively small store, by Walmart standards, has always been a busy and successful one since it opened in January 1997. By comparison, the Williston store is 114,000 square feet and the new St Albans store is 150,000 square feet. The "multi-million dollar renovation" to the Williston store improves signage and logistics. It also expands grocery, cosmetic and electronic offerings, while less popular, un-named products will be reduced.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Electric Department today is warning customers about an ongoing bill payment phone scam targeting primarily Burlington restaurants and encouraging them to sign up for scam alert notifications from the Attorney General’s Office. In a new wave of calls today, Burlington Electric customers have been receiving calls threatening disconnection if payment is not made immediately.

These calls are not from Burlington Electric, and customers should hang up if they receive a call with such demands. If customers have any questions about their account status, they should call Burlington Electric at 802.865.7300 to let us know.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) will hold two college fairs for Vermont high school students and their families this month. This first college fair is Saturday at 10 am at Lyndon State College. Sanders will speak at 12:30 pm. The second college fair will be held on October 14 at Castleton University. Vermont colleges, universities, and certificate and apprenticeship programs will be on hand to describe post-secondary educational opportunities that are available in Vermont. The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation will explain different financial aid options that students may be eligible for, and will help students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Saturday, Oct. 7 - Lyndon State College

Vermont Business Magazine The Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce has chosen Tom Huebner, President & CEO of the Rutland Regional Medical Center, the “Business Leader of the Year 2017.” The award will be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting (sponsored by GE-Rutland) on Thursday, October 19 (5pm) at The Paramount Theatre in Rutland. During Huebner’s tenure, the Rutland Region Medical Center has grown into the County’s largest employer with over 1,600 employees.

Vermont Business Magazine The Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO) is partnering with Champlain College to host a “Pathways to College and Career” Fair on Friday, November 3 from 3 to 6 pm at Champlain College. This free event in the Champlain Room of the Center for Communication and Creative Media (CCM) is designed to support high school students’ access to career resources and opportunities. The event will feature a resource fair and workshops on applications and financial aid with refreshments provided.

Vermont Business Magazine After 11 months of negotiations, the South Burlington School Board and the South Burlington Educators’ Association (“SBEA”) agreed to the terms of a two-year contract for the city’s teachers in the early morning hours of October 4. They released terms of the new deal Friday morning. The contract spans the period from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019. Salaries and cost-sharing arrangements for healthcare benefits were the most significant proposals still under discussion as the parties entered the final 10-hour mediation session on Tuesday evening.

“We are pleased that we have been able to negotiate an agreement that we believe reflects the needs of all stakeholders, including teachers, children, families, and taxpayers,” said Martin LaLonde, Clerk of the School Board.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims fell again last week to hold at a historically low level. Claims have been falling steadily since early July. Claims also are lower than they were the same time last year, which has been the case for most weeks in 2017. For the week of September 30, 2017, there were 292 claims, 6 fewer than than they were last week and 36 fewer than they were a year ago.

Altogether 2,482 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 50 from a week ago, and 407 fewer than a year ago.

Claims during the summer usually hold at a relatively low level because of vacation hiring, until the next transition, which typically happens in September when school resumes. But claims this year did not experience that fluctuation, as hiring remains tight and the weather remains unseasonably warm.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Simmering Bone, a Waitsfield company, is recalling approximately 56 fl-ounces of beef and chicken bone broth products that were adulterated and produced without the benefit of state or federal inspection, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture has announced.