Current News

Vermont Business Magazine As announced by The Federal Reserve Board onMarch 16, 2017, People's United Financial, Inc(NASDAQ: PBCT) has received approval by the Board of Governors of The Federal Reserve for the merger of Suffolk Bancorp, ofRiverhead, NY(NYSE: SCNB) with and into People's United Financial. The transaction, announcedJune 27, 2016and approved by the shareholders of Suffolk Bancorp onOctober 13, 2016, also received approval by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") onFebruary 6, 2017.

Senator Patrick Leahy Today marks the first time that the Senate Judiciary Committee has met publicly to take action on the Supreme Court vacancy that resulted from Justice Scalia’s death 13 months ago. Just hours after we learned of Justice Scalia’s sudden passing, the Majority Leader declared that the Senate would not provide any process to any nominee selected by President Obama, despite the President having nearly a year left in his term. This was an extraordinary blockade, and one backed by then-candidate Donald Trump. Committee Republicans met behind closed doors and declared that they would surrender the independence of this Committee to do the Majority Leader’s bidding, and they ignored the Constitution in the process. This unprecedented obstruction is one of the greatest stains on the two-hundred-year history of this Committee.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s congressional delegation announced Monday that a joint town meeting will be held by U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) on Saturday at Hazen Union School in Hardwick. In a joint statement, they said: “There is no shortage of issues of major consequence being discussed in Washington these days. Massive budget cuts, the gutting of environmental enforcement and Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act are just some of the crucial issues that affect people in Vermont and throughout the United States. We wanted to provide Vermonters with the opportunity to address the delegation in one forum through a joint town meeting to discuss these and other important issues.”

Vermont Business Magazine A prominent former Republican legislator is among two named to Vermont’s State Board of Education. Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointments of John Carroll of Norwich and John O’Keefe of Manchester Center to the Board. The Board is responsible for the establishment, advancement and evaluation of public education policy, including regulations governing attendance, student performance standards, adult basic education programs, independent school approvals, and disbursement of funds and equal access to education. Carroll and O’Keefe will replace former Chair Stephan Morse (Windham County) and Sean-Marie Oller (Bennington County), whose terms expired February 28.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Burlington School District notified the Burlington Education Association (BEA) Friday, March 17, that a state of impasse exists in contract talks for the 2017-2018 school year. That said, the Board has notified the union that it is willing to continue meeting in the weeks leading up to mediation and fact-finding. The union, meanwhile, said in a statement thatBurlington’s teachers are striving to settle a contract that ensures the district attracts and retains quality teachers who can provide the city’s students with the quality education they deserve. The union said it hopes that a respectful and fair contract can be hammered out without the Board again pushing the parties to the level of crisis experienced last October,which nearly led to a teacher strike.A sizablegap exists on a wage increase.

Leonine Public Affairs A mid-week press conference by House leadership to "remind" Governor Scott that"Vermonters expect him to present responsible budget proposals" put a spotlight on the tension between lawmakers and the Governor on the development of the FY18 state budget. House leaders in a statement pointed out Vermonters approved 90 percent of school budgets at Town Meeting. They argued the Governor's proposal for school boards to level fund K-12 budgets in order to invest in higher education and early education had been rejected by Town Meeting voters. Governor Scott responded through a spokeswoman that his budget proposal is balanced and put the burden back on lawmakers to come up with a budget of their own if they didn't want to adopt his plan.

Vermont Business Magazine United Children’s Services has been awarded an Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant to expand high quality early learning opportunities for Bennington’s most vulnerable infants and toddlers. The grant is for $1.2 million from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and will support 48 infants and toddlers in Bennington County.

“We are pleased we will be able to offer Early Head Start to children in our community,” says Lorna Mattern, Executive Director of United Counseling Service . “When children attend high quality programs they are better prepared for school and have improved outcomes. “

Vermont Business MagazineVermont’s famous Maple Season will continue to be a top tourism draw throughout the month of April, culminating with the immensely popularVermont Maple Festivalin downtown St. Albans during the weekend ofApril 28 to 30.Coming on the heels ofMaple Open House Weekend(March 25-26), which provides visitors a firsthand opportunity to experience Maple Season at the state’s legendary sugarhouses, the Vermont Maple Festival is a three-day celebration that showcases maple producers, vendors, exhibits, and attractions and events for kids. Growing in popularity, the Vermont Maple Festival drew a record estimated crowd of 40,000 people in 2016.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET) and Hotel Vermont are thrilled to announce that March’s “Food & Beverage” event will feature Allison Hooper, co-founder of Vermont Creamery, and Jen Kimmich, co-founder of The Alchemist. The event will be heldMonday, March 20th,5:30-7pmin beautiful Juniper Hall at Hotel Vermont, 41 Cherry Street in downtown Burlington. All are welcome, but tickets are limited so interested parties are encouraged to act fast.

The cost of each event in the series is $15 per person, and 100% of proceeds benefit a local charity or nonprofit. March’s “Food & Beverage” event will benefit the The Good Food Truck, whose goal this season is to “provide 120 days of free meals to low income Vermonters.”

Vermont Business Magazine Dr Robert K Triest, vice president and economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, will talk on economic conditions in Vermont and regional economic conditions at a forum March 22 at Johnson State College. The forum, co-sponsored by Johnson and Lyndon State Colleges, will be at 5:30 pm in Stearns Performance Space at Johnson State College. The event is free and open to the public.

The forum will include a panel discussion and an opportunity for attendees to network afterward.

Panelists will include Lyndon State Assistant Professor of Business Bill Morison, Johnson State Business and Economics Department Chairman Jim Black, Apple Tree Learning Director Sonya Raymond, Lamoille Economic Development Corporation Executive Director John Mandeville, Founder and co-owner of Eden Specialty Ciders Eleanor Leger, and Northeastern Vermont Development Association Executive Director David Snedeker.

Vermont Business Magazine The Champlain College Women’s Empowerment Initiative’s Spring Symposium will be held on April 3. A series of events will be held throughout the day to celebrate the 2017 theme -- “Being Brave: Cultivating Our Courage and Confidence.” The third annual Spring Symposium will bring together members of the Champlain College faculty, staff, students, alumni and community for learning and engaged discussion. Events are open to the public.

The day will begin at 8:30 am with a breakfast in the Morgan Room of Aiken Hall to recognize “Champions at Champlain” who have made a difference for women-identified people in the community.

Vermont Business Magazine David S Silverman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank announced today that, on February 15 the Board of Directors of Union Bankshares, Inc appointed Nancy C Putnam of Jeffersonville to the Board of Directors of Union Bank. Previously employed as a CPA with Marckres Norder & Company in Morrisville, Nancy recently retired after 21 years of employment. Prior to that she was Vice President and Trust Officer at the former Franklin Lamoille Bank in Morrisville and Vice President, Tax and Estate Officer for the former Howard Bank in Burlington, covering a span of 14 years between both positions. Nancy received her BA in Political Science from the University of Maine. She furthered her career with studies at Northwestern University in Chicago and Roosevelt University.