Current News

Vermont Business Magazine At a press conference in the Statehouse Wednesday, Governor-Elect Phil Scott thanked voters and appointed a transition director and co-chairs of a leadership advisory committee to help collect applications for the new administration.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Loan Fund has closed or committed over $4.6 million in financing to support 20 Vermont small businesses, nonprofit organizations, early care & education programs and developers of affordable housing in 2016. The Loan Fund’s year-to-date financing represents jobs for 279 Vermonters, early care & education for 356 children and their families and affordable homes for 100 families.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Teddy Bear Company proudly announces it has created a VTSTEAMspace on its campus, in conjunction with Doug Webster of Champlain Maker Faire. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.  The new space opened last week as an afterschool robotics program for 9-12 year olds and is a permanent, dedicated space on the Vermont Teddy Bear campus. 

“This space, created with Champlain Maker Faire, is all about creation and innovation for kids,” says Bill Shouldice, Chief Executive Office of Vermont Teddy Bear Company. “It is an honor to help promote this kind of creative and critical thinking for the children in our communities.”

Vermont Business Magazine Organizations looking to rebrand the greater-Rutland region and put to bed myths about a lack of local jobs today issued a request for proposals for a digital marketing campaign unlike any contemplated in Rutland County before. With funds donated by more than a dozen local businesses, communities and organizations, the campaign will have three key focuses – population growth; improved tourism marketing; and an intensive effort to retain more local students and young professionals.

by Michael Bielawski Amid a festive atmosphere on election night, Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Scott won a convincing victory over Democratic rival Sue Minter. With the exception of Progressive/Democrat David Zuckerman's closer-than-expected victory over Republican Randy Brock for lieutenant governor, Democrats swept the rest of the statewide seats by wide margins, including Patrick Leahy's eighth term in the US Senate.

As Veteran’s Day approaches this Friday, November 11th, Win Smith, Jr, president and majority owner of Sugarbush Resort in Vermont, and former chairman of Merrill Lynch International, shares a personal letter.

by Win Smith Just before Veteran’s Day in 1968 my stepfather, dressed up in his Navy uniform and holding a toy sailor, put a revolver to his head and committed suicide on our front steps in Litchfield, Connecticut. Admiral Charles Butler McVay III was in need of hugging, but instead he took his own life to ease his pain. 

Vermont Business Magazine A local fire chief, an Assistant State Fire Marshall, an emergency response team, and a non-profit have been recognized for their contributions to emergency preparedness and response in Vermont.  The awards were presented during the Vermont Emergency Preparedness Conference this past weekend.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Colleges are proud to honor our nation’s veterans over the Veteran’s Day holiday. We invite community members to join us in thanking veterans for their service and remembering the sacrifices they have made on behalf of our nation.

Vermont Business Magazine The owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power station announced today that it intends to sell the closed power station to a third party, which, if approved, could move up the ultimate decommissioning date by 45 years to 2030. That decommissioning, however, would likely not include moving the radioactive spent fuel from the Vernon site.

Vermont Business Magazine EPA has awarded 12 grants across New England under its 2016 Healthy Communities Grant Program, totaling approximately $270,566, to fund community projects addressing environmental and public health issues.  The projects will reduce environmental risks, protect and improve human health, and improve the quality of life for communities and residents across New England.

by Mike Smith Most anticipate the state of Vermont will soon sign a waiver with the federal government that will fundamentally change the way health care is delivered in Vermont. The all-payer model changes the way doctors and other providers are paid from the current fee-for-service system — where providers are reimbursed for each service they provide — to one where they would be given a global budget and be required to manage the health of their population to that budget number. The all-payer model has three advantages: It makes the payment structure to providers less complex; it focuses on preventative health care; and it attempts to ease the administrative burden on providers. Governor Peter Shumlin has said the all-payer model could save the state $10 billion over the next 10 years.

Vermont Business Magazine Another positive performance by the Personal Income Tax has pushed annual revenues ahead of projections for the year. Secretary of Administration Trey Martin released Vermont’s “preliminary” revenue results today for October. Preliminary data reflects a good month for the General Fund but a down month for Transportation and Education Funds. October is the fourth month of Fiscal Year 2017.