Current News

Vermont Business Magazine After three years and donations from more than 2,000 supporters, Vermont Public Radio surpassed the $10 million goal for its VPR Next Capital Campaign on June 29. The successful completion of the campaign positions VPR to embrace the opportunities of a dynamic and changing media landscape, while solidifying its strong foundation built on 40 years of public service.

The campaign focused on two important initiatives: $8 million for an expansion and renovation of VPR’s headquarters in Colchester and $2 million to create an Innovation Fund to help launch new programming and news projects.

Vermont Business Magazine Washington and Lamoille counties have been added to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) request after Vermont Officials identified additional damages last week. In conjunction with state personnel, the PDA is being conducted by FEMA beginning today. Rain storms and resulting floods washed out roads and damaged other public infrastructure in several Vermont towns from June 29 – July 1. The state has identified more than $6.5-million in public infrastructure damage, far exceeding the $1-million threshold Vermont must show to be considered for a major disaster declaration. Washington and Lamoille counties join Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Orange, Rutland, and Windsor counties in undergoing an assessment to determine if damages reach the county minimum of $3.61 per capita to qualify for a declaration.

Vermont Business Magazine The Franklin County Regional Chamber of Commerce will present the 2017 Tim Bovat Civic Involvement Award to 14^th Star Brewing Founders Steve Gagner and Matt Kehaya, and CEO Andrea Gagner. The presentation will be made during the Tim’s House Annual Golf Classic on Friday, August 18^th at the Champlain Country Club, following lunch at approximately 2 pm. The Golf Classic is held annually to benefit Tim’s House, a transitional housing shelter built in Bovat’s memory.

Vermont Business Magazine Comcast announced thatXfinity Mobile,a new wireless service designed for the way people use their phones today,is beginning to roll out in Xfinity Stores in Vermont. Comcast is introducing the service in its retail stores market-by-market and it is now available at the Xfinity Store in South Burlington. “We’re excited to be one of the first areas of the country to unveil Xfinity Mobile at Xfinity Stores,” said Michael Parker, senior vice president for Comcast’s Western New England Region, which includes Vermont. “Xfinity Stores are the ultimate showcase for consumers to experience how Xfinity Mobile integrates with our other Xfinity products including X1, Xfinity Home,and xFi – and our goal is to ensure our customers leave knowing a lot more about our capabilities and the benefits of being a Comcast customer.”

Vermont FoodbankThough many students eagerly await summer, millions of children in America may be dreading summertime because it means long, hot days without enough food. Nationally, more than 22 million children receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program during the school year. But when school is out during the summer, less than 4 million receive meals through the USDA Summer Food Service Program.

Vermont Business MagazineLast December, staff from Healthy Living Market & Cafe and Otter Creek Brewing Company traveled to Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company to collaborate on an alehouse cheddar. The final product, Brown Bottle Cheddar, was created with milk sourced from Vermont Farmstead’s dairy cows, and Backseat Berner IPA from Otter Creek.

Vermont Business MagazineOn August 21st Governor Phil Scott will issue a proclamation declaring Clean Water Week for the State of Vermont. We invite you to join us in celebrating Vermont’s waters, and the efforts of businesses, organizations, and communities to protect and restore clean water statewide.Vermonters and visitors alike drink, swim, fish, boat, and admire the scenic beauty of Vermont’s waters. Join us and be “All In” for clean water!

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of Trustees of the troubled New England Circus Arts, in an attempt to save the institution, has reached out to coaches and the recently fired founders and announced that both the president of the board and the executive director of NECCA have resigned. The letter is dated Friday and indicates that they are attempting to appease these people and the community at large, which was shocked by the news of the firing of the founders, twin sisters Elsie Smith andSerenity Smith Forchion, on Wednesday.Michael Helmstadter, executive director, was not named in the letter nor was president Elizabeth Harris-Warner. Mel Martin, a long-time supporter, is coming back to the board as president.

Vermont Business Magazine Hunger Mountain Co-op in Montpelier is now accepting grant applications in support of local businesses and organizations whose work enriches our central Vermont community and furthers the Co-op’s mission of building a dynamic community of healthy individuals, sustainable local food systems, and thriving cooperative commerce.

Hunger Mountain Co-op began its community fund endowment in 2005. With support from Co-op member-owners, Twin Pines Cooperative Community Fund, and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, the fund has grown steadily. Since 2012, the Co-op has awarded grants annually, resulting in nearly $40,000 in charitable giving. Last year’sgrants totaled just under $10,000 and benefited Another Way, Barre Senior Center, Bethany Church, Calais Agriculture Committee, Central Vermont Council on Aging, and the Good Food Good Medicine Program (A Food Justice Program of Highgate Non-Profit).

Vermont State Police July 14, 2017The Vermont State Police - StAlbans Barracks was notified of an embezzlement circumstance involving the Isle La Motte Volunteer Fire Company funds/account and a former treasurer for the Fire Company. The former treasurer was identified as Scott Newman, 56, who had been involved with the Isle La Motte Fire Company for more than fifteen years. As of the transfer of his treasurer responsibilities in January 2016, he has no longer been involved with the Fire Company.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University welcomes 36 Vermont high school students on Sunday, July 16, for its inaugural Governor’s Institute on Architecture, Design & Building, a brand new Governor’s Institute of Vermont (GIV) program. The institute offers a residential week of hands-on learning in working with concrete, masonry and wood across the disciplines of architecture, engineering, and construction management with an emphasis on regional materials and best practices of sustainable design and craft.

Vermont Business Magazine DIY Networkheads north to New England and the shores of beautiful Lake Champlain for the first-everUltimate Retreat, which has been reimagined after ten successful years as DIY Network Blog Cabin.