Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University will celebrate commencement and commissioning with ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday, May 13-14, in Shapiro Field House. Both events are free and open to the public. At a 2 pm ceremony on Saturday, General David G. Perkins, Commanding General of the US Training and Doctrine Command, will deliver the university’s 2017 Commencement address to over 380 students matriculating from 32 undergraduate programs and one master’s program.

Vermont Business Magazine Since the completion of the Addison Natural Gas Project last month, Vermont Gas has been helping Middlebury families and businesses save money by switching to more affordable natural gas. Vermont Gas officially started serving several businesses on April 12 and recently began helping families make the switch to natural gas.

“It’s cheaper and I have already noticed a huge difference in how it cooks,” said Elizabeth Bolduc, of Middlebury, in a press release announcing the expansion of service to homeowners. “I am very excited to have natural gas service. The crew at Vermont Gas has been wonderful to work with. I would recommend this service and company to all of my neighbors.”

Vermont Business Magazine Valener Inc (TSX: VNR)(TSX: VNR.PR.A), the public investment vehicle in Gaz Metro Limited Partnership ("Gaz Metro"), today reported adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders of $32.9 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2017, up $0.8 million or 2.5% from the second quarter of fiscal 2016. This resulted in an adjusted net income of $0.85 per common share for the second quarter of fiscal 2017 compared to $0.83 per common share for the second quarter of fiscal 2016. Gaz Metro is the parent company of Green Mountain Power and Vermont Gas Systems.

Net income attributable to common shareholders was $31.5 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2017 compared to $28.4 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2016.

Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce Thursday night announced Marathon Health of Winooski as the winner of the prestigious and highly anticipated Deane C Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award. The announcement came during VBM’s Best of Business Awards at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel.

Vermont Business Magazine The Legislative Workers Caucus, a group of legislators that meets weekly during the legislative session, is opposing Governor Scott's proposal to take health insurance negotiations away from local school districts and have one teacher health insurance plan negotiated at the state level. The lawmakers say that doing so will interfere with the bargaining rights of teachers to negotiate their health insurance benefits. In a letter issued Wednesday, they say, "One of the core values of the caucus is to protect collective bargaining and workers’ rights. Another one of our core values is fiscal responsibility. Governor’s Scott's plan does not support either of our values."

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott has signed legislation designed to help Vermonters with long-term care needs and protect vulnerable adults from financial exploitation. The new law updates the Long-Term Care Ombudsman statute to conform to the Older Americans Act (OAA). The law also creates a civil private right of action for vulnerable adults who have been subjected to financial exploitation.

“My Administration is committed to ensuring that vulnerable Vermonters are safe and protected from financial exploitation,” Scott said in a statement released Thursday morning. “That means ensuring our laws conform to federal laws designed to help them and providing access to the courts to stop or prevent financial exploitation.”

Vermont Business MagazineAttorney General Thomas J Donovan Jr, launched a series of informational programs educating seniors about issues facing Vermont’s elder community. The program includes discussion of the legal concepts of abuse, neglect and identification of resources and legal documents that may be available through the courts to help protect people. On May 11, 2017, at 12:30 pm, the Attorney General’s Office returns to the Mad River Valley Senior Center to discuss scams targeting the elderly.

Vermont Business Magazine, has been named by the UVM Alumni Association as the 2017 recipient of its George VKidder Outstanding Faculty Award. The Kidder Award honors one full-time University of Vermont faculty member for excellence in teaching and extraordinary contributions to the enrichment of campus life. Established in memory of DrGeorge VKidder, UVM Class of 1922 and former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences who served the university for more than 70 years, the prestigious award has been presented annually since 1974.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board recently voted on the Fish & Wildlife Department's proposal for antlerless deer hunting for 2017. Public hearings will be held May 11 in Randolph and May 16 in Manchester. "We are recommending an increase in muzzleloader season antlerless deer permits this year to account for the increase in the deer population following another mild winter in 2017," said Nick Fortin, deer project leader for the Fish & Wildlife Department. "Much of Vermont has experienced two consecutive very mild winters. As a result, the recommendation is intended to stabilize or reduce deer densities in some parts of the state while allowing for moderate population growth in other areas."

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House voted Wednesday to concur with the Senate’s version of S22, which would eliminate penalties for personal marijuana possession and cultivation by adults 21 and older beginning in July 2018; it would also create a study commission on regulating and taxing marijuana for adult use. The vote was 79-66 in the House, which featured some Republicans voting in favor and some Democrats voting against. S22 originally was a bill thatincreased penalties for possession, sale, and dispensation of fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid.

Vermont Business MagazineGovernor Phil Scott today announced the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) is awarding $547,571 in grant money from the Recreational Trails Program to help fund 14 significant trail projects across Vermont. Grant funds are made available each year through the federal Recreational Trails Program for municipalities and nonprofit organizations to build and maintain public recreational trails.

“This is another banner year for this program,” said FPR Commissioner Michael Snyder. “We are able to fund some excellent and diverse trail projects all over the state. The health, economic and social benefits of trails are well-documented, and our Department is proud to support these community-based efforts.”

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and Agency of Digital Services (ADS) Secretary John Quinn announced today the appointment of Scott Woodward as Deputy Secretary of Digital Services.Woodward will join Quinn in leading the newly formed agency, created by the governor under Executive Order 06-17 and approved by the Legislature. Woodward brings more than 25 years of leadership, consulting and IT experience to the position. He began his career as an officer in the US Army, having served in the Federal Republic of Germany and a tour of duty in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. Since leaving the Army as a Captain, Woodward has worked in the private sector in a variety of roles.