Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Winooski announced today the appointment of Jessie Baker as city manager effective March 13, 2017. Baker currently serves as assistant city manager of Montpelier. Baker is a graduate of Harwood Union High School in Moretown. She holds degrees from Columbia University and Tufts University. Prior to serving as Montpelier’s assistant city manager for the last four years, Baker worked for the Vermont Department of Health on systems improvement and performance management. Before returning home to Vermont, she held a number of management positions with the City of Somerville, Massachusetts.

Vermont Business Magazine With a goal of expanding access to safe drinking water to underserved children and families in the developing world, Pure Water for the World, Inc, based in Rutland.announced last week the acquisition of Michigan-based nonprofit, Safe Water Team. Safe Water Team (SWT) was established in 2009 to help families living in underdeveloped regions receive access to clean water through the use of the Hydraid biosand water filter. SWT, started byRotariansand businessmen in the Grand Rapids area, was founded on the belief that corporations have a social responsibility to act to the benefit of a greater society.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces the availability of grant funds for the purpose of enhancing the competitiveness of Vermont specialty crops, defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture crops (including honey, hops, and maple syrup), and nursery crops (including Christmas trees and floriculture). These funds are awarded through a competitive review process guided by industry, nonprofit and government stakeholders. Prospective applicants may download the Vermont Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Request for Proposals on the Agency’s website athttp://go.usa.gov/3JGBG.

Vermont Business Magazine CFA Society Vermont is pleased to announce they will be holding their first annual Local Research Challenge which will be held in Burlington on February 8. The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis. Students work in teams to research and analyze a publicly traded company. Each team writes a research report on their assigned company with a buy, sell, or hold recommendation and may be asked to present and defend their analysis to a panel of industry professionals.

The Vermont Research Challenge has five teams participating from four local colleges: Champlain College, Lyndon State College, Norwich University, and St. Michael’s College. The subject company was Casella Waste Systems (CWST) an Industrial Goods Sector, Waste Management Industry stock headquartered in Rutland, VT.

by Mike Smith There is a battle going on that ultimately may have more of a lasting impact on this country than any executive order President Donald Trump recently signed. The president and much of America’s national media seem to be on a quest to delegitimize one another. No one is backing down. Both sides are concentrated on destroying each other, seemingly blind to the longterm ramifications or consequences this battle has on the country. It is a silly and dangerous game, and although the president may ultimately win, winning this battle will have a lasting negative impact on all of us.

Leonine Public Affairs Significant political attention in Vermont this week focused on the executive order President Trump signed concerning immigration. That’s not to say that there wasn’t other activity in the Statehouse this week--there was actually quite a bit. But, by far-and-away our statewide elected leaders were focused on better understanding the ramifications of the President’s order banning immigration from seven Muslim nations on residents of Vermont.

Bernie SandersUSSenator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement Saturday afterUSDistrict Court Senior Judge James LRobart temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order barring entry by people from seven predominantly Muslim nations.

Patrick Leahy The President’s hostility toward the rule of law is not just embarrassing, it is dangerous.He seems intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis.He fired the nation’s top law enforcement official for recognizing that his so-called ‘travel ban’ was indefensible.It is in fact an arbitrary and shameful attempt to discriminate against Muslims.

Vermont Business Magazine Spoon and bowl manufacturers around the world are taking note of Ben & Jerry's newest innovation. Pint Slices, inspired by the very best part of the pint, give fans a way to enjoy euphoric flavors, chunks and swirls in a round single serving that's enrobed in a decadent chocolatey coating. It's a to-go order of ice cream goodness that's easy to take on the road, and hard to resist.

Vermont Business MagazineThe 2016 Stowe Wine & Food Classic again provided a celebration of good food, exquisite wines and refreshing craft beer, thanks to the hard work of Stowe Charities, Inc. The Stowe-based not-for-profit organization has donated $12,500, a portion of the proceeds raised by the event, to Copley Hospital to outfit two new Chemotherapy/Infusion Rooms that will be built later this year in the hospital’s Center for Outpatient Services. The gift enables the hospital to outfit each private room with a special reclining chair, Infusion Pump and IV pole, television, and comfortable seating for family and friends.

BioTek has been granted US patent 9,557,217 for imaging and microplate reading in one instrument.The intellectual property protected by this patent is used in BioTek’s award winning line of Cytation™ Cell Imaging Multi-Mode readers. Other patents are pending.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that workers’ compensation insurance would cost less for most Vermont employers when new rates approved by the Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) become effective on April 1. This is Vermont’s first rate decrease in two years and represents the largest rate decrease in more than eight years.

Gov. Scott applauded the good news for Vermont workers, their employers and the overall Vermont job market. “I am pleased to announce this substantial decrease in workers’ compensation rates, which will directly lower the cost of doing business in Vermont,” said Gov. Scott. “These considerable savings will contribute to making Vermont a more affordable place to do business and creates more opportunity for businesses to thrive, grow their operations and support more workers.”