Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Electric Department and Green Mountain Power today are warning customers about an ongoing bill payment phone scam. In a new wave of calls today, Burlington Electric and Green Mountain Power customers have been receiving calls threatening disconnection if payment is not made immediately. These calls have been targeting primarily restaurants, but other customers have received similar calls.

These calls are not from Burlington Electric or Green Mountain Power, and customers should hang up if they receive a call with such demands. If customers have any questions about their account status, they should call the authorized phone number for GMP, 888.TEL.GMPC (888.835.4672), or for BED, 802.865.7300.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University has been named Organization of the Year by Special Olympics Vermont. The university was recognized at an annual awards luncheon held on Sunday, December 11, at the Killington Resort. “Norwich University has been an important partner of Special Olympics Vermont for many years, hosting two annual sports events and providing volunteer support at numerous other events including the well-known Penguin Plunge,” said Lisa DeNatale, President and CEO of Special Olympics Vermont. “The support that faculty, staff and students at Norwich University provide advances our mission by enhancing the lives of Special Olympics athletes all across the state.”

Vermont Business Magazine Common Senses, a therapeutic bodywork studio, is now open for business in Craftsbury Common. Common Senses is owned and operated by Emily Kniffin, a nationally certified massage therapist and certified craniosacral therapist. Kniffin has 18 years experience practicing therapeutic bodywork.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont DMV has announced that DMV Express, Vermont’s online vehicle registration service, recently surpassed a total of 2 million online registration renewals since its launch in 2005. With nearly 700,000 vehicle registration renewals processed annually through the Vermont DMV over all channels, over 30 percent are now processed through the convenient online service.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims increased last week, with Construction taking the biggest hit. 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. The post-Christmas downsizing typically will produce many claims in the Service category.

For the week of December 17, 2016, there were 781 claims, up 115 from the previous week's total and 112 than than they were a year ago.

Altogether 5,349 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 248 from a week ago, and 61 fewer than a year ago.

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

by Bill Schubart

Jeeter’s friend Zephyr invited him to his mother’s memorial service in the Methodist church basement. He knew Jeeter had run out of venison, winter was setting in, and Jeeter’s meager garden plot was now frozen solid. What little Jeeter hadn’t picked and eaten, shared with ravaging critters, or stored in the garbage can beside his trailer that he used for a winter freezer was now frozen in the earth.

The church ladies always turned out a fine meal of casseroles ranging from the ever-popular mac and cheese with hot dog slices and hamburger goulash, to the less popular “Cheese Whiz broccoli,” a mortar-like dish made of frozen broccoli florets, Minute Rice, and a jar of Cheese Whiz.

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Transit (GMT) Leadership Committee has announced the resignation of GMT General Manager Karen Walton. The Leadership Committee thanked Walton for her work and her many accomplishments under her leadership. No explanation for her resignation was given.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor-elect Phil Scott today announced new appointments and reappointments, including his senior legal counsel, two agency deputy secretaries and three department commissioners. Jaye Pershing Johnson will serve on Scott’s senior staff as Governor’s Legal Counsel. Newly appointed deputy secretaries include Martha Maksym to the Agency of Human Services and Peter Walke to the Agency of Natural Resources.

Governor-elect Scott also reappointed Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living Commissioner Monica Caserta Hutt; and Department for Children and Families Commissioner Ken Schatz. Christopher Cole will move from his current role in the Agency of Transportation to serve as the new Commissioner of the Department of Buildings and General Services.  Ethan Latour will join Scott’s staff as Assistant Director of Policy and Communications and Tracy Delude will serve as his Director of Scheduling.

Vermont Business Magazine For decades Merchants Bank and Merchants Bank employees have been pledging to the United Way throughout Vermont. This year, Merchants Bank continued its tradition of running a successful campaign, with individual employee pledges of over $24,000 and a corporate pledge of $35,000.  Merchants Bank employee pledges combined with the Merchants Bank donation, contributed to over $59,000 in pledges to United Way throughout Vermont and Massachusetts.  

Vermont Business Magazine In 2016, what might appear to be a small food shelf in the northwest corner of Vermont served 5,715 people, during 8,844 visits. This includes single mothers, elderly, veterans, underemployed and unemployed, disabled, refugees and Native Americans. Food shelf staff and volunteers distributed 308,806 pounds of food, not only at its location in St. Albans, but delivering food to those homebound at elder care facilities, and satellite sites throughout the two counties. Most of this food is donated by community members, but in addition the food shelf purchased $14,476 worth of food from the Vermont Food Bank.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Department of Agriculture announced Thursday that it invested over $365 million in Vermont and New Hampshire communities in Federal Fiscal Year 2016 in housing, community and economic infrastructure through USDA Rural Development. The federal investment touched 465 communities, nearly every Vermont and New Hampshire town, and focused on increasing residents’ wellbeing by reducing poverty and investing in opportunity sectors including local food systems and renewable energy.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office has issued a summary of propane rights and responsibilities. “Vermont has a robust set of propane rules, both to protect consumers and to promote fair competition among propane dealers. With another heating season upon us, we want to remind consumers of their rights and what to expect from a propane dealer,” said Attorney General Bill Sorrell.