Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin, AHS Secretary Hal Cohen, and DCF Commissioner Ken Schatz announced today announced that the average Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) benefit will increase for most Vermont households this year. Last winter the average benefit was $699; That will rise to $865 this year, or just over half the anticipated average heating cost. Vermont anticipates receiving approximately $18.9 million in federal funds for this year’s LIHEAP program.  These funds will help over 21,500 low-income Vermont households to heat their homes this winter by paying a portion of their home heating bills. “Most Vermonters will get a higher fuel benefit this year because fuel prices have remained steady while caseloads have been going down,” said AHS Secretary Hal Cohen.

Vermont Business Magazine The Farm Store, a natural foods store with a focus on local, organic produce and artisans, has outgrown their fifth retail space in the last six years. Owner Jennifer Bishop has purchased the commercial property at 168 Main Street to serve as the permanent location for her store after years of leasing properties across town. Serving as a woman-owned and operated business, the store’s exponential growth comes as result of the demand for such niche offerings in the Smugglers’ Notch destination area.

The Farm Store owner Jennifer Bishop (left) and manager Jennifer Dirkmaat (right). Courtesy photo.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) provided capital support to 17 Vermont businesses transitioning to renewable or energy efficient technologies to cut costs and reduce energy consumption this year. Vermont farms and small businesses used more than $3 million in grants and loan guarantees through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

“Energy costs remain one of the largest expenses for a rural small business,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Ted Brady. “By providing these businesses with capital, the USDA aims to incentivize small businesses and farms to invest in new technology that not only increases their profitability, but also reduces greenhouse gases, fossil fuel consumption, and increases our nation’s energy independence.” 

Vermont Business Magazine The following statement was provided by the Green Mountain Care Board on Monday to clarify the justification for the Board’s vote on Wednesday, October 26, 2016, to allow the Green Mountain Care Board Chair to sign the Vermont Accountable Care Organization All-Payer Model Agreement. The statement was signed by four of the five board members, with Allan Ramsay, MD, not signing. In conclusion, they say the All-Payer Model "provides an opportunity for Vermont to move forward towards a more efficient health care system that rewards quality care and positive health outcomes."

by Tom Pelham In times of trouble, from floods to recessions, citizens turn to their government for stability and help. They expect their leaders have the wisdom to keep the peoples’ government on solid footing such that when help is needed, help is available. Unlike the federal government, which can “print” money in times of crisis, state governments do not have such luxury.  Further, elected leaders can overly leverage state finances and the state’s economy such that when times of trouble arrive, rather than a helping hand, there are only empty pockets for those in need.  Over the past six year, Vermont’s leaders have taken us far down the empty pockets road.

Recessions are often caused by private sector “bubbles” that suddenly implode. A housing “bubble” dominated the last recession and before that it was a “tech” bubble. The great depression was attributed to a stock market “bubble”. “Happy days were here again” they said, until they weren’t.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife With youth deer weekend just around the corner, young hunters are encouraged to take to the field to hone their skills and to also help Fish & Wildlife biologists by reporting their deer at one of 24 biological reporting stations around the state. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is also offering youth hunting tips. And the preliminary count reveals hunters took 73 moose in this year's regulated hunting seasons.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s fourth-and eighth-graders scored among the best of 46 states in the nation on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test of Science, the Agency announced today However, the 2015 test scores have essentially remained unchanged since the last NAEP science assessment was administered in 2011. This is contrasted by results in many other states that have seen significant increases in test scores compared to previous years. Scores on the 2016 New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP), Vermont’s statewide science assessment, also show little improvement compared to the 2015 results.

by Emma Lamberton Vermont Watchdog OneCare has contracted with Medicaid to transition providers into a global budget in 2017, and independent doctors have until November 4 to decide if they will participate in the agreement. “The Medicaid agreement moves away from fee-for-service to a global budget, consistent with the all-payer model,” Vermont Care Organization Chair and Rutland Regional Medical Center CEO Tom Huebner told Vermont Watchdog on Monday.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine ArcLight Capital Partners, based in Boston, announced Tuesday that its affiliate, Great River Hydro, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire TransCanada’s New England hydroelectric power portfolio for $1.065 billion. These dams include those on the Connecticut and Deerfield rivers in Vermont. All workers are expected to be retained. The state of Vermont formed a committee and briefly considered purchasing the dams itself after TransCanada announced in March of this year that it would sell the hydro plants to help it buy a Texas gas pipeline company. The state also considered buying the facilities in 2005, when USGen ultimately sold them to Calgary-based TransCanada for $505 million.

Vermont Business Magazine FairPoint Communications, Inc (Nasdaq:FRP), a leading communications provider, has announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2016. Revenue for the quarter was $207,141 versus $ 221,569 for the same time last year. Net income was $40,207 versus $ 53,054 last year.

Vermont Business Magazine The landscape of Northwest Vermont‘s property market continues to show healthy growth, with prices and sales rising at sustainable rates, according to the just released Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman Fall 2016 Northwest Market Report. The Northwest market is likely to continue to see similar trends within the next year, given growing local and national economies and low mortgage rates. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing has named 13 Vermont organizations and businesses as recipients of this year’s Market Vermont program’s matching grants, which total $75,000. Each grant recipient will receive between $5,000-$10,000 to promote themselves outside of the state. The Market Vermont grant monies are to be invested exclusively in out-of-state marketing, advertising, promotion, sales materials, publicity, trade shows, consumer events or other activities specifically designed to encourage out-of-state guests to visit Vermont individually or in groups.

The grant recipients were chosen by a panel comprised of members of the Vermont Travel and Recreation Council.