Current News
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael's College President John JNeuhauser announced plans to leave the College in June of 2018 in a memo to the College community onMay 26, 2017.Named 16thpresident of the residential liberal arts Catholic College on July 1, 2007, President Neuhauser successfully led the College through the USfinancial crisis to dramatically improve the College’s academic standing, the student experience, and facilities.
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Vermont Business MagazineNew England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) President/CEO John JDwyer, Jrannounced today a $1 million grant from NEFCU to Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) to address the critical need for affordable housing. The money will be awarded by VHFA over the coming year to several housing developments that have funding shortfalls.
The grant is a bold step toward helping Vermont’s 30,000 low-income renter households who receive no housing assistance but face rents that are out of line with their income. More than half of the state’s low-income renters live in Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille and Washington counties—the 6 counties served by NEFCU.
by katie
Vermont Business Magazine Four years of planning and 16 months of construction culminated in the May 25 open house celebration at Red Clover Commons, a 55-unit apartment building which will provide replacement housing for residents of Melrose Terrace and others.
Melrose Terrace, constructed by the Brattleboro Housing Authority in 1965, is adjacent to the Whetstone Brook and much of the property is in the floodway and flood plain. The entire site was flooded by Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 and 60 of the 80 apartments were damaged. Those units have been repaired and re-occupied, but it was clear to the Housing Authority that the senior and disabled residents needed to be relocated to a safer site.
by tim
Leonine Public Affairs Little will be remembered about the 2017 legislative session beyond what happened during the last four weeks. The end of session debate over teachers’ health insurance contracts and Governor Phil Scott’s subsequent threat to veto the budget largely defines the first year of the biennium.
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Vermont Business Magazine Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), joined by 28 of their colleagues in the Senate, introduced legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Reps Bobby Scott (D-Va) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn) introduced a companion bill Thursday with 152 cosponsors in the House.
“Just a few short years ago, we were told that raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour was ‘radical.’ But a grassroots movement of millions of workers throughout this country refused to take ‘no’ for an answer,” Sanders said. “Our job in the wealthiest country in the history of the world is to make sure that every worker has at least a modest and decent standard of living.”
by tim
Vermont Business MagazineLyft, the fastest growing ridesharing service in the US, has launched in Vermont. The service area extends from Burlington to Montpelier to Middlebury. Lyft was founded in June 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer to reconnect people and communities through better transportation. Lyft is the fastest-growing rideshare company in the US and is available in more than 300 cities.
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by Nils BehnLast Tuesday the Public Service Board published their final rules on sound level restrictions for wind turbines. The restrictions added up to a rule that is the equivalent of a ban on wind power. Such an action is out of touch with Vermont’s commitment to sourcing 90 percent of our energy from renewables, and is contrary to Vermont statute. Furthermore, it threatens a clean energy sector which has brought millions of dollars into the state in the form of taxes, jobs, and environmental benefits. The wind industry creates good paying jobs where people are rebuilding our local economies, and protecting the planet.
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Vermont Business Magazine A total of $21,380 was donated to the Vermont Foodbank as a result ofSeven Days' 8th annual Vermont Restaurant Week. This popular event was presented by Vermont Federal Credit Union and organized bySeven Days.“Vermont Restaurant Week is an incredible celebration of food for our community. It raises awareness about the issue of hunger in our state and helps us ensure all of our neighbors have the quality food they need to thrive,” said Vermont Foodbank CEO John Sayles. “We are so grateful toSeven Days, Vermont Federal Credit Union, City Market, the Vermont Community Foundation, sponsors, restaurants and customers who came together to make this generous gift possible. Their commitment helps work toward a reality where everyone in our community can celebrate the joy of good food.”
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Vermont Business Magazine FirstLight, a leading fiber-optic bandwidth infrastructure services provider operating in the Northeast, announced Wednesday that it has completed the next step in its integration process with Sovernet Communications, which is that Sovernet has been rebranded to FirstLight. FirstLight said in a statement that this brand change marks an exciting time of growth for the company. FirstLight will retain the former Sovernet offices and staffing in Bellows Falls, where it was formed in 1995.
Both FirstLight and Sovernet have been serving the communications needs of Vermonters for more than 15 years, and now combined, FirstLight has expanded its network reach and enhanced its capabilities throughout the state of Vermont.
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Vermont Business Magazine Regulators in Maine and New Hampshire reached settlements with Consolidated Communications this week that help clear the way for the FairPoint sale to Consolidated. The company is still meeting with regulators in Vermont, and a settlement is expected there soon, according to the IBEW union. FairPoint is Vermont's largest telecom. Consolidated is expected to acquire FairPoint this quarter.FairPoint agreed to be acquired by Consolidated last December in an all-stock deal valued at about $1.5 billion (includes $887 million in debt).
As part of the settlement with Maine's Public Advocate, Consolidated has agreed to spend $17.4 million per year for calendar years 2018, 2019, and 2020 to grow and maintain the network in Maine.
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Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Thomas J Donovan, Jr has announced that Vermont has joined with 46 other states and the District of Columbia in an $18.5 million settlement with the Target Corporation to resolve the states' investigation into the retail company's 2013 data breach. The settlement represents the largest multistate data breach settlement achieved to date. Vermont will receive $170,000 from the settlement. Although there is no Target in the state of Vermont, the breach is estimated to have affected approximately 120,000 Vermonters.
The breach affected more than 41 million customer payment card accounts and contact information for more than 60 million customers.
by katie
eSmartwater program is 0.99centsper month for anAquanta water heater controller and Nest Learning Thermostat to reduce customers’overall energy costs
Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power is excited to offer its customers a new opportunity to be part of the energy revolution by reducing energy use, saving money and helping GMP reduce peak energy demand for all customers.
GMP’s new eSmartwater program includes anAquantaTMsmart water heater controllerthat lets you heat water when you need it, andsave money when you don’t.The Aquantagets installed on your existing water heater tobring it out of the basement and into the palm of your hand to provide convenient control and hot water usage information.