Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Foodbank received nearly 40,000 pounds of donated pet food from PetSmart, equaling more than 187,000 meals for pets in need. Tom Abbiati, Director/Food Resources at the Vermont Foodbank said, “Over the past couple of years pet food has become a very important item we offer our clients. Many of our clients will feed their pets before themselves so having this product will help every community we serve in the state of Vermont.”

Vermont Business Magaziner.k. Miles, Inc, a third generation, family-owned business based in Manchester Center with locations in Vermont and Massachusetts, announced today that it will acquire Morrisville Lumber, Inc, with locations in Morrisville and Stowe.Morrisville Lumber Company, a family owned business for 71 years, has a longstanding, proud tradition of providing quality service, hardware and building materials throughout Vermont from its Morrisville and Stowe locations.

“We think the best fit for a supplier in our market is r. k. Miles Inc.,” said Mark Loati, second-generation Owner and President of Morrisville Lumber. “We are looking forward to working with Joe and his crew through a successful transition.”

Vermont Business MagazineOne of the largest, most academically talented and diverse classes in university history will arrive on campus, ready to begin their journey as Catamounts, as students return Friday to the University of Vermont campus in Burlington.

Vermont Business MagazineGreen Lantern, the Waterbury-based renewable energy developer, has received a Certificate of Public Good (CPG) from the Vermont Public Utility Commission and plans to build and sell ownership shares in a new group-net-metered Community Solar Array (CSA) in Guilford.The array, on land beside Guilford Center Road leased from the Margery Evans family, will have a capacity of 252 kilowatts (kW AC), and will be able to serve between 50 and 100 homes or the equivalent.

Anyone with an electric bill from Green Mountain Power is eligible to buy panels, including households, businesses, non-profit organizations, and local government. When all panels have been reserved, construction will take place, most likely between late 2017 and early 2018.

Vermont Business MagazineBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) is supporting the American Heart Association by hosting the Central Vermont Heart Walk for the third year running on Saturday, September 16, 2017. In 2015 and 2016 combined, BCBSVT, family and friends joined together to raise $10,000 for the American Heart Association.

Vermont Business MagazineCompassion & Choices and Patient Choices Vermont on Wednesdayfileda motion to strikefrom the court record thestate's Consent Agreementwith physician plaintiffs in a dismissed federal lawsuit seeking to limit information provided to patients underVermontlaw. The case sought to weaken the physicians' duty to inform patients about all of their end-of-life care options. The groups oppose the Consent Agreement because it causes confusion about physician obligations to patients underVermontlaw.

Vermont Business MagazineVermont has been awarded the inaugural Pacesetter Prize for Affordability and Access in recognition of its continued progress in improving the lives of older adults and people with disabilities across the state.Vermont was selected by The SCAN Foundation as the Pacesetter Prize winner for Affordability and Access because of its innovative practices inproviding accessible, affordable, quality health andlong-term services and supports (LTSS)coverage for its residents.The prize was awarded based on Vermont’s performance on AARP’s 2017Long-Term Services and Supports State Scorecard.Vermont moved up from being ranked 19^thin the 2011 Scorecard to 3^rdin the nation in 2017, exhibiting more improvement in affordability and access than any other state.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC)steering committeewill host a series of public forumsto gather input from Vermonterson how to leverage and strengthen the State’s outdoor recreation assets to growthe economy. The first is September 12 and they run through October 24.

Vermont Business Magazine Northfield Savings Bank is donating $100,000 to support construction of the Robert E and Holly D Miller Building at the University of Vermont Medical Center, which will contain 128 new single-patient rooms. Completion of the building is expected in the Fall of 2019. To honor the gifts, the UVM Medical Center will name two rooms for Northfield Savings Bank, both of which will directly support patient- and family-centered care.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), locally representing ESGR, a Department of Defense agency, announced that Governor Phil Scott has signed a proclamation declaring August 20-26, 2017 as Vermont Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week. This proclamation mirrors the spirit and intent of a Presidential Proclamation signed earlier in the week, giving gratitude to our many employers who have provided exceptional support to our citizen warriors.

Vermont Business Magazine A new incident has been reported (or existing incident has been modified) for Essex Junction Wastewater Treatment Facility in Essex Junction. The Vermont Watershed Management in the Department of Environmental Conservation at ANR reports incidents of discharges from wastewater treatment facilities, usually related to heavy rain.

by Lauren Hierl, Political Director, Vermont Conservation Voters Governor Scott and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources have declared this “Clean Water Week” in Vermont. While I believe it is important to highlight the value of clean water, we have a lot of work to do to achieve clean water for all Vermonters. It makes me wonder: what are we actually celebrating this week? To me, clean water means ensuring all Vermonters have safe, healthy water coming out of their faucets – whether they live in Bennington, Burlington, or Bradford. We can celebrate the work being done in communities across the state, but we’re not there yet.