Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and Representative Linda Joy Sullivan (D-Bennington-Rutland) hosted dozens of Vermonters at a town hall-style meeting Friday in Dorset. Sullivan was one of several House Democrats who voted for and nearly pushed through legislation that would create a statewide, teacher health insurance plan. Democratic leadership and the teachers' union oppose Scott's proposal.

In Dorset, a press release said the discussion focused on the governor’s education savings proposal, which would allow the state to realize up to $26 million in annual education savings available through a transition in school employees’ health plans, while investing nearly $50 million to keep out-of-pocket costs the same.

Vermont Business Magazine The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) is recruiting citizens interested in water quality to serve as cyanobacteria monitors for Lake Champlain and select inland Vermont lakes. LCC will host training sessions starting June 6 for new and returning monitors. The program provides critical data on where and when blooms are happening and is relied on by health, environmental and recreation agencies to keep people informed about lake conditions.

LCC initiated the citizen-based near-shore monitoring program in 2003 and has steadily expanded the network of trained volunteers and monitoring sites every year. During the 2016 season LCC monitors submit nearly 1,200 reports from over 100 sites on Lake Champlain and several inland lakes. The focus of the cyanobacteria monitoring program is to raise awareness of the issue, build a database of information on bloom frequency, and identify and publicize potential health hazards.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power customers who bring their energy statements and a special code to Freedom Nissan in South Burlington now throughSeptember 30will get $10,000 off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of a 2017 Nissan Leaf. The newly dubbed “Leaf Power Program” is the newest in GMP’s many programs encouraging Vermonters to go green and reduce costs. The Nissan Leaf is a 100 percent electric vehicle.

“At GMP, we are committed to helping our customers find ways to use clean sources of energy and to save money, as we partner on a new energy future,” said Mary Powell, GMP’s President and CEO. “The Leaf, a fully electric car, allows the owner to never have to rely on gasoline or get oil changes again. And with the growing number of charging stations for electric vehicles across the state, Vermont is ready to go electric.”

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced Friday that Vermont will join the US Climate Alliance, a new bipartisan coalition of states committed to meeting the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. “Vermont is a leader in environmental policy and natural resource management. That’s one reason Governor Charlie Baker and I encouraged the Trump Administration to remain committed to the Paris Climate Agreement,” said Gov. Scott. “The President’s decision to withdraw the nation from the agreement only strengthens our commitment and makes the work of states more important. I am proud to join this bipartisan group of governors and reaffirm Vermont’s commitment to fighting climate change through the U.S. Climate Alliance.”

Vermont Business MagazineThe Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) to clean up and begin redeveloping the neglected property at 11 Arch Street in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont. The grant is one of 279 FY17 Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup grants awarded by the EPA to 172 communities throughout the United States.

by Julie Moore, Secretary, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources President Trump’s call to abandon the Paris Climate Agreement, slash federal funding for clean air and water, and reduce protections for threatened and endangered species have made national headlines, and created grim reading for those who care about protecting the health of our people and our environment.

But, as is often the case, we are charting a different course in the Green Mountain State. Instead of political gamesmanship, Vermonters of different parties and across branches of government are expanding our commitment to clean water.

Vermont Business Magazine MSI is hosting a Certified Production Technician (CPT) course offered through Community College of Vermont (CCV - http://ccv.edu/explore-ccv-programs/credentials-training/certified-production-technician/) for 15 interested employees at their Morrisville headquarters. The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council created the Certified Production Technician Credentialing as a new set of tools to ensure that both entering and incumbent workers are flexible, easily trainable, and highly motivated knowledge workers able to keep pace with technological change—the “Industrial Athlete of the Future.” CPT is the only certification in manufacturing which has been accredited by the American National Standards Institute under ISO standard 17024.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to forty-seven separate price scanner violations, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markers has issued more than $210,000 in penalties to Vermont Dollar General stores since 2013, including $24,000 in penalties this year, said in a press release issued Thursday. Agency inspectors have observed repeated pricing inaccuracies which could shortchange consumers, such as discrepancies between the posted shelf price and the price charged at the register.

By enforcing weights and measures standards at retail stores, the Agency’s Consumer Protection Section works to make sure Vermonters get what they pay for. Inspectors are on the look-out for faulty price scanners and inaccurate scales – errors that cost shoppers money.

Vermont Business Magazine The 158th Fighter Wing Commander Colonel Patrick Guinee will relinquish command to incoming Wing Commander Colonel David Smith onSaturday, June 3, 2017. After an honorable career of 26-years serving our country and leading the Airmen of the 158th Fighter Wing Colonel Guinee will be retiring from the military. ColonelSmith has served as the 158th Fighter Wing Vice-Commander for the past two-years and has had a successful career as a leader within the Vermont Air National Guard to include 26-years as an accomplished F-16 pilot.

Vermont Business Magazine At ExxonMobil Corporation’s May 31 annual meeting a majority of shareholders, includingVermontStateTreasurerBethPearceand theVermont Pension Investment Committee (VPIC), voted to support a resolution urging ExxonMobil to act to address climate change. The successful action comes after repeated efforts by Pearce and VPIC to urge greater transparency and disclosure about exposure to carbon risk.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims fell dramatically last week to under 400, which is more typical of a summer-time level, after Manufacturing layoffs caused a spike to 900 claims the week before. There also could be some volatility comingsoon after school lets out. Claims spiked to over 1,100 five weeks ago before falling steadily. Claims are lower than they were the same time last year, which has been the usual case for most weeks in 2017. For the week of May 27, 2017, there were 389 claims, down 511 from the previous week's total and 101 fewer than than they were a year ago.

Altogether 4,349 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 403 from a week ago, and 429 fewer than a year ago.

Claims during the summer hold at a relatively low level because of vacation hiring, until the next transition when school resumes in September.

Vermont Business MagazineUnion Mutual of Vermont presents the 2017 Special Olympics Vermont Summer GamesJune 3-4at the University of Vermont. Nearly 600 athletes will compete in basketball and bocce.The weekend begins onSaturday, June 3with preliminary bocce and basketball games. The Opening Ceremony event will take place in Patrick Gym featuring the culmination of the Law Enforcement Torch Run. Darren Perron, award-winning reporter and Executive Producer for WCAX-Channel 3 News will emcee the event and celebrity guest, Amanda Pelkey presented by Union Mutual, will address the crowd. Pelkey is a Montpelier native and member of the US Women’s National Hockey Team. Opening Ceremonies is open to the public and all are welcome to come experience the joy.