Current News

Vermont Business Magazine New England Federal Credit Union’s (NEFCU) summer Shred Fest, held on Saturday, July 15th at its Main Branch, 141 Harvest Lane in Williston, destroyed 24,000 pounds—12 tons—of sensitive documents and 300 computer hard drives. By destroying documents and computer drives with sensitive personal information, NEFCU Shred Fests help prevent identity theft. Document and hard drive destruction is one of the best defenses against unauthorized access to personal data.

Vermont Business Magazine Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc, with branches in southern Vermont, reported second quarter 2017 net income of $19.7 million, or $0.53 per share. Core earnings totaled $21.6 million, or $0.58 per share. Net income was up 23% year-over-year, while core earnings grew 31% due to the benefit of business expansion. Net income per share increased by 2%, while core EPS increased by 7%. Net income was impacted by net non-core charges related primarily to acquisitions.

Vermont Business Magazine At a time when over 5.3 million young people in America do not have jobs, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) announced Wednesday at the Sasha Bruce Youthwork center in Washington, D.C. that they will introduce legislation to help young people find work.

Vermont Business MagazineMarty Illick and the Lewis Creek Association, a leading Vermont water quality and conservation organization, have been honored with the eighth annual GMP-Zetterstrom Environmental Award. The award, named for famed osprey advocate Meeri Zetterstrom of Milton, was presented Wednesday for more than 25 years of work and education to improve the Lewis Creek watershed, which spans Ferrisburgh, Monkton, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Starksboro and Bristol in Addison and Chittenden counties.

Vermont Business Magazine Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), along with Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vermont), announced Wednesday that Burlington had been selected for a $500,000 Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program competitive grant from the National Park Service, which will help the city acquire 12 acres on shores of Lake Champlain to develop a new city park and eventually develop a trail connecting two other park properties as well as other recreational amenities. Funding for this project was awarded after a 2016 letter of support from the Vermont congressional delegation. The ORLP program is also funded through the Department of Interior’s Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that Leahy has long championed as a leading member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Vermont Business Magazine For the ninth consecutive year, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group has been recognized as one of the top 50 Property and Casualty insurers in the United States by Ward Group, an Aon Hewitt company and one of the industry’s most respected benchmarking organizations. Every year Ward Group identifies the industry’s top insurance companies through a comprehensive financial analysis of approximately 3,000 U.S. property and casualty insurers. The “Ward’s 50” recognizes insurers for their consistency, safety and superior financial performance.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources announced today that Andrew Mitchell is to pay $9,937 for operating properties in both West Burke and Lyndonville as salvage yards without first obtaining state and local permits. Salvage yards provide important waste management services to Vermonters by reusing and recycling materials from junk automobiles, including hazardous waste like battery acid, gasoline and other vehicle fluids. If released to the environment, hazardous materials like these can negatively impact public health by infiltrating drinking water, or damage the environment by saturating soils and groundwater.

Vermont Business MagazineAccording to a newUSDepartment of Agriculture-funded study, lack of access to affordable health insurance is one of the most significant concerns facing American farmers, an overlooked risk factor that affects their ability to run a successful enterprise.

Vermont Business Magazine After 10 years leading the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, longtime Executive Director Mary Alice McKenzie is leaving her position. She will be replaced by Tanya Benosky, the Club’s Director of Development and Communications. Prior to join the Boys & Girls Club, McKenzie had career opportunities that included serving as Chief Executive Officer of McKenzie of Vermont, General Counsel of the Vermont State Colleges and Chair of Central Vermont Public Service.

“However, it is the Club that has transformed me as a person,” McKenzie said. “To be part of something bigger than yourself, in service to our youth, makes you realize that you are the caretaker of an important legacy that must be passed on in the best shape possible. I hope I have done that.”

Among her many accolades, in 2014 she received Champlain College's Distinguished Citizen award.

by Jack Hoffman Public Assets InstituteDespite the recent turmoil in Rutland, Vermont owes it to itself to take a good, hard look at the benefits of welcoming the world’s growing numbers of refugees. We have excess capacity in our schools, and refugees’ families could fill many of the empty classroom seats while bringing diversity to our communities. It’s not just the right thing to do, it would also give a boost to the state’s economy. Vermont should lead the way—like we did with same-sex marriage and equitable education funding.

Vermont Business Magazine Following the direct actions of June 28 and July 10, in which 140 Americans, including many with serious health conditions, were arrested in their senator’s DC offices for civil disobedience, still more constituents plan to flood Capitol Hill Wednesday to stop the repeal of the ACA. Organizers say Vermont residents will also participate in this latest oppostion to "repeal and replace" Obamacare.

People with disabilities and life-threatening chronic illnesses, cancer survivors, Medicaid recipients, Affordable Care Act (ACA) policyholders, registered nurses, doctors, and others directly impacted by the Senate healthcare bill will be traveling from all states represented by Republican senators to descend upon Capitol Hill on Wednesday, July 19, with a strong message: “Kill the bill—don’t kill us!”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Attorney General TJDonovan has concluded that the Department of Motor Vehicle’s (“DMV”) facial recognition program is not fully compliant with Vermont law and should remain suspended unless or until the Vermont Legislature provides DMV with authorization to use biometric technology.

DMV’s use of facial recognition technology does not comply with Act 154. This is based upon a review of the relevant legislation and legislative history and DMV’s use of biometric technology. Act 154, which required DMV to issue photo IDs, also prohibited DMV from using biometric technology as part of that process — except as might be required by federal transportation laws relating to commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). The statute reads, in pertinent part: