Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) has announced the appointments of Wayne Granquist; Connie A Jastremski, CNRN, CNAA, CHPN, NP, BSN, RN; and Angeline Marano, FACHE, to its Board of Trustees. “These individuals have unique skills and experiences and will make tremendous contributions to our Board of Trustees,” said Tommy Harmon, the board chair. “I am delighted to welcome them and eager to see what we can accomplish together.”

by Mike Smith In a few days Vermont will have a new governor. For incoming governor Phil Scott, here’s some unsolicited advice: Don’t act like the outgoing governor. Most Vermonters want their governors to be successful. Scott will benefit from a reservoir of good will and trust that awaits an incoming governor. GovernorPeter Shumlin was the recipient of this same good will and trust when he took office. He even enhanced his standing with Vermonters by leading recovery efforts after Tropical Storm Irene.

However, good will and trust can be fleeting, especially when Vermonters feel a governor isn’t being straightforward with them. For Shumlin, his popularity began to wane when his words didn’t live up to his actions.

Vermont Business MagazineWeekly unemployment claims spiked last week as the usual holiday layoffs hit. While they were up over 700 for the week, they were substantially lower than last year at this time. Most industrial sectors saw at least some increase for the week, except for Construction which already had gone through its seasonal downsizing. Services recorded nearly half of all layoffs, typical of the season. Manufacturing also increased to an unusually high300 claims.

The holidays typically produce wild swings in unemployment claims, because of an increase in hiring in the Service sector, from retail to delivery-related businesses, and then an abrupt round of layoffs.

For the week of December 24, 2016, there were 1,533 claims, up 752 from the previous week's total but 617 fewer than than they were a year ago (2,150).

Vermont Business Magazine Based on an alert from the US Department of Homeland Security, Burlington Electric Department confirmed that it had discovered late Thursday presumed Russian malware in one of its laptops, which was not connected to its network. Homeland Security issued the alert to all US utilities.

A statement from BED Saturday said: "Cybersecurity is an issue that the Burlington Electric Department and all US utilities take very seriously and on which we focus every day to protect the integrity of the electric grid and the personal information of our valued customers. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today issued 10 pardons to people convicted of various felonies and misdemeanors. These pardons were issued separately from the marijuana pardon program announced earlier this month. Today’s pardons mark a total of 16 issued by Governor Shumlin to date. Among the pardons is the son of former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro. Ferraro's son John Zaccaro Jr was a student at Middlebury College when he was caught and ultimately convicted in 1988 of selling cocaine to an undercover police officer. Ferraro and Walter Mondale were the Democratic candidates who lost to Ronald Reagan and George H Bush in 1984.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont, already a national leader in clean energy deployment, could spur additional job creation and economic growth by forging new public-private partnerships to increase financing for local clean energy projects, according to a study released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), in coordination with the Northeast Solar Energy Market Coalition (NESEMC).

The analysis shows how the state could expand clean energy financing programs to make additional low-interest loans available to homeowners, businesses and municipalities who want to make energy efficiency improvements, install solar panels, or invest in other types of clean energy projects. Establishing the program with an initial $7 million public investment would leverage $148 million in private sector investments over 15 years, according to the study.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor-elect Phil Scott has announced the appointment of three extended cabinet members. Bradley Ferland has been named as deputy secretary of the Agency of Administration. Ferland has been with the Agency - which is responsible for the state budget and provides administrative and support services - for more than two decades. He currently serves as the deputy commissioner of the Department of Finance and Management and previously as the director of financial operations. Prior to that, he spent 11 years as the director of administrative services in the Department of Buildings and General Services. Ferland is a Veteran of the US Navy, Submarine Duty.  

Ted Brady accepting the 2014 Rising Stars Award from then Lt-Governor Phil Scott and VBM editor Tim McQuiston.

Public Assets Institute While Washington and the rest of the nation sort out the meaning of a Donald Trump presidency, new leaders in Montpelier have an opportunity to address the needs of low- and moderate-income Vermonters for whom a secure middle-class life seems unaffordable and out of reach. A higher minimum wage, access to high-quality child care, an expanded public education system including at least two years of college, and a program to help workers save for retirement can address the affordability problem for Vermonters struggling to make ends meet.

Vermont Business Magazine With Governor Phil Scott, SunCommon will unveil a week from Monday its latest innovation, the Solar Canopy. This timber frame solar structure is a first for Vermont and expands solar access beyond the traditional rooftop and backyard. The Solar Canopy allows all Vermont households and businesses to go solar over their driveway, parking lot, patio, woodpile, or create a functional, new, outdoor space.

“Vermont is a beautiful place, and we want solar to fit into our built environment and working landscape. I designed SunCommon's new Solar Canopy to be both beautiful and functional, embracing Vermont’s classic heritage and its clean energy future,” said James Moore, co-founder of SunCommon.

Vermont Business Magazine Ski Vermont is working with partners in Vermont and across the country to provide programs and incentives to get on the slopes this season. Long time skiers and riders, as well as those looking to learn a snowsport for the first time can win great prizes like lift tickets to Vermont resorts, skis from Rossignol and snowboards from Burton, among many other prizes this season. 

Ski Vermont image.

Vermont Business Magazine The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission is trying to prepare for the worst, or at least something worse than usual. The CCRPC has completed the Final Draft of the 2017 update to the Chittenden County Multi-Jurisdictional All Hazards Mitigation Plan. The purpose of mitigation planning is to identify policies and actions that can be implemented over the long term to reduce damages to lives, property, the environment and the economy from future disasters.

Vermont Business Magazine Forecasters are calling for the season’s first nor’easter on Thursday, and Green Mountain Power is prepared to ensure customer safety and reliability throughout the storm. “Our hope is that the light and fluffy snow forecasted only causes minimal outages, but we are prepared for more significant effects if the snow turns out to be heavier and brings down trees and branches,” said Dorothy Schnure, Green Mountain Power spokesperson. “Crews are prepared to respond to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.”

Due to the wintery weather, Green Mountain Power is rescheduling a brief power outage that had been planned for late Thursday, affecting parts of Underhill, Westford, Essex and Jericho to safely repair damaged equipment. That one-hour interruption has been rescheduled for 11 pm on Wednesday, January 4. In case of inclement weather, the outage will be postponed until the following day, January 5, at the same time.