Current News

Vermont Business MagazineGovernor Phil Scott todayannounced he has appointed Michael Harrington as deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor.Before joining the Governor’s Administration, Harrington, 35, was a consultant and trainer for his family's firm, New Directions,where he helped to provide national and international companies with employee development and organizational management services. Harrington also served as the economic and community development director for the Town of Bennington.

Michael Harrington, VBM file photo.

Vermont Business Magazine With the naming of a new executive leadership team, Beau Ties Ltd of Vermont has also renewed its commitment to Middlebury. Beau Ties Ltd has named Elizabeth Smith and Cy Day Tall as the company’s new Co-President/CEO. The pair will assume leadership over all corporate functions including merchandising, operations, production, marketing, technology, finance and sales.

David Mutter, co-owner and Chairman, said in an announcement, “This is long overdue recognition of the leadership roles Liz and Cy have brought to Beau Ties over the last decade, and reconfirms our commitment to the Middlebury, VT community.

Vermont Business MagazineWeekly unemployment claims fell nearly 600, as post-holiday employment levels returned to a more stable level. The holidays produce wild swings in these numbers, as retailers, especially, hire then lay off workers in short order. By industry, Construction reported the most claims last week. In an average week, Services usually have the most claims.

For the week of January 7, 2017, there were 940 claims, down 591 from the previous week's total and 215 fewer than than they were a year ago (1,155).

Altogether 7,765 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 488 from a week ago, and 483 fewer than a year ago.

The Department processed 0 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08).

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Homeland Security released on Thursday a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, once implemented, will make significant improvements to the EB-5 Regional Center Program. The proposal would raise the minimum investment levels for the first time since the EB-5 program was created in 1990, and it would restrict the ability of high-end real estate developers to take advantage of development incentives intended for distressed areas.

Vermont Business MagazineThe owner of the shuttered Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in Vernon wants to get out of the merchant power business entirely.The two operating units at the Indian Point Energy Center will close in2020-2021 after poweringNew Yorkformore thanfour decades, according to Entergy Corp. The early and orderly shutdown is part of a settlement under whichNew York Statehas agreed to drop legal challenges and support renewal of the operating licenses for Indian Point, located inthe Village ofBuchanan in northernWestchester County.

The shutdown will complete Entergy's exit from its merchant power business because of sustained low wholesale energy prices. Entergy closed Vermont Yankee in December 2015 because it was losing money on the 605 megawatt plant. Entergy wants to sell the Vernon plant, which could lead to a decades-faster remediation of the site.

Vermont Business Magazine The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) has attracted two international giants in the food and farming world to speak at the 35th annual winter conference on February 18-20 at University of Vermont. Dr Fernando Funes Monzote of Cuba and Dr Vandana Shiva of Indiawill both bring a message of resilience, hope, and the power of people to make slow—but radical—change.

This year’s theme, “Beyond Borders: Our Role in the Global Food Movement” is a departure from years past, which have focused on themes such as local food and soil. But Executive Director Enid Wonnacott and board member Mimi Arnstein—who leads farmer-to farmer exchanges in Cuba and elsewhere—felt the time was ripe to break open the boundaries of how we think about the impact of our local food movement in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Lyman CHunt and Edmunds Middle Schools have been awarded grants from Verizon Innovative Learning for $20,000 each, for the creation of makerspaces at their respective schools, the Burlington School District announced today. Schools nationwide applied for the grant, which will be used to design a space where people can go to create, invent and learn in a do-it-yourself and hands-on setting.

Quoting from Hunt’s grant application: “Children are naturally creative and our school should provide frequent opportunities for wonder and creativity. This grant is a perfect opportunity to help level the playing field for our students and allow them to continue to progress with their STEAM skills and interests, with greater access and exposure to a more student-centered and challenge-based focus curriculum.

Vermont Business MagazineAttention, high school seniors: The most pressing challenges of our time await your innovative solutions.Green Mountain College, the nation's number-one college for sustainability based education, wants to empower you to make a better world. The college has announced a new First in Sustainability Scholarship Award for one student who is passionate about ensuring social, economic and/or environmental sustainability.The winning student will receive free tuition, room, board and fees for all four years at Green Mountain College—a total value of$200,000.

Vermont Business Magazine TheASPCA(The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) andVermont Law School'sCenter for Agriculture and Food Systems(CAFS) have released a comprehensive guide for farmers seeking to better understand or obtain animal welfare certification. The demand for higher animal welfare and transparency in the food system is on the rise as consumers become more concerned about inhumane factory farming practices.

Vermont Business Magazine Environmentalists are nervous about climate change protections being rolled back under the incoming United States administration.However, Pavel Cenkl, Associate Dean of Academics at Sterling College in Vermont, will be expressly addressing climate change deniers as he sets out this August to attempt a record-setting 12-day, 500-mile solo run across Scandinavia. This run, dubbed “Climate Run 2017: Arctic Trail,” will both highlight what climate change has wrought and inspire conversations and action around climate change.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Personal Income taxes surged, but could not completely make up for declines in other key revenue sources as all three major funds finished below targets for the month of December 2016 and for fiscal year 2017 to date. Corporate Income taxes alone were off by more than half or nearly $9 million.