Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott on Friday announced more than 150 appointments to boards and commissions throughout the state. “I thank each of these appointees – and those already serving – for their commitment to Vermont and public service,” Scott said. “Vermont’s boards and commissions provide an opportunity for Vermonters to give back to their communities and serve their state, playing an important role in both advisory and policy making capacities.”

The Governor’s office is currently soliciting applications to fill additional vacancies and upcoming term expirations. All those interested in serving on a board or commission should visit the Governor’s website at http://governor.vermont.gov/boards-commissions to apply.

The Governor’s recent appointments can be found below.

Apprenticeship Council

Vermont Business Magazine The Way to Go! Challenge is back this September 25 - October 6th. New this year, the event is geared specifically to K-12 schools, encouraging students, staff and faculty to battle carbon pollution head-on for at least one day. Dozens of schools have already signed-up, and registration remains openat www.waytogovt.org thru through October 5th.

Vermont Business Magazine The Champlain Housing Trust announced today that NorthCountry Federal Credit Union has awarded the organization with a $10,000 grant to go toward sustaining and expanding their financial literacy and counseling programming. This is the third year in a row the Credit Union has supported CHT’s financial services which include homebuyer education, pre-purchase counseling, financial capabilities education and mentoring, foreclosure and delinquency intervention services, and a new eviction program.

“As a community credit union, we are pleased to sponsor programs that help people create a base of financial stability, and to secure and keep housing,” said Brian Jaffarian, NCFCU’s Public Relations Specialist.

CHT expects to be busier than ever with the State’s newly announced $35 million revenue bond to support the development of affordable housing over the next several years.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University presents the fall lineup of the Writers Series. All presentations are free and open to the public and held at 4 pm in the Kreitzberg Library Carol Todd Multipurpose Room. Beginning the series on Tuesday, September 26, is former Al Qaeda hostage in Syria, author of “My Life Has Stood a Loaded Gun” and “Undercover Muslim,” and subject of the documentary film, “Theo Who Lived,” Theo Padnos.

Vermont Business Magazine September has been designated National Hunger Action Month by the Vermont Foodbank, and to raise awareness and fight hunger in Vermont, Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced the start of the 1st Annual “Lawyers Fighting Hunger Food Drive.” The Lawyers Fighting Hunger Food Drive is a collaboration between the Office of the Attorney General, the Vermont Bar Association and the Vermont Foodbank and will run from September 15th through 30th. Thirty Vermont law firms and law offices have signed up in advance to participate in this first-ever event.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont responded late Friday with a letter that both cajoled and scolded an attempt by the federal government to shutter Vermont’s immigrant investor program, known as EB-5, by immediately closing the Vermont Regional Center. Governor Scott has also desired to close the state-associated program, but favors an orderly and cooperative plan with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont poverty rate went up last year while median household income barely rose. The state's poverty showed the only significant increase of any state in the nation. As for income, Vermont held onto its position as 21st in the nation, but is now just barely above the US average. Vermont's povertyrate is 14th lowest (11.9 percent)in the nation (14.0 percent). New Hampshire has the lowest rate (7.3 percent); no other state is less than 9 percent. Most states are above the Us average, which is dragged down by several populous states above average, such as California (14.3 percent) and Texas (15.6 percent).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott has announced that the Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) has licensed Vermont’s 1,100th captive insurance company. AssureCap Indemnity, LLC was licensed as a Sponsored Captive Insurance Company. It was formed by Assurance Agency, Ltd., which was recently named the 41st largest insurance broker in the United States by Business Insurance magazine and is now the largest independent insurance brokerage in Illinois. Assurance creates value by minimizing risk and maximizing health for 6,000 businesses and individuals across the country. Headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., it is a repeated “Best Place to Work” winner.

Vermont Business Magazine Where Winston Churchill gave his "Iron Curtain" speech, US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) will deliver the Green Foundation Lecture Thursday at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. Sanders will lay out his vision of a progressive American foreign policy, one that defines power and leadership not primarily through the use of force but through the building and mobilization of international consensus, that prioritizes human dignity and well-being against the depredations of unaccountable government and corporate power, and that sees new opportunities for cooperation around shared challenges like climate change, authoritarianism, wealth inequality and terrorism.

Vermont Business Magazine All three major labor metrics improved last month. Vermont’s unemployment rate fell in August, but the better news was that the Labor Market expanded, if only modestly, and the number of employed also expanded, while those looking for work declined. The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for August was 3.0 percent – a drop of one-tenth of one percentage point from the revised July rate (3.1 percent). However, a shortage of workers continues to be a problem. The national rate in August was 4.4 percent. Overall, Vermont’s unemployment rate was seventh lowest in the US in August.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont ski and snowboard resorts have joined together to support the hosting of the Women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Killington Resort, a move characteristic of the supportive ski community in Vermont. In Spring of 2017 the Vermont Ski Areas Association (VSAA) Board of Directors, comprised of leadership from nine Vermont resorts, agreed to sponsor the Killington Resort based event with a $50,000 sponsorship contribution.

Vermont Business MagazineAttorney General TJ Donovan on Sunday acknowledged that Vermonters are understandably angry, frustrated, anxious, and upset to learn of a massive data breach exposing more than 240,000 of us to the loss of sensitive data. This loss of data includes our names, social security numbers, and even in some cases our credit card and drivers’ license numbers. Upon learning of this data breach my office immediately sent out an emergency alert to Vermonters throughout the state urging them to take steps to protect their sensitive information.