Current News

by Mike Smith We find ourselves in an interesting predicament as we consider candidates for president in the closing weeks of what has been anything but an ordinary campaign. The majority of Americans dislike and distrust the nominees of both major political parties. Polls have consistently found that if voters had the opportunity to vote for either Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump or “neither,” they would choose, “neither.” So, why do we lack enthusiasm for the two major party presidential candidates? Much of the blame can be directed at both Clinton and Trump.

Most Americans believe that Hillary Clinton represents the status quo. It’s a perception that has dogged her throughout this election process. In addition, she has shown herself to be cavalier about following rules or laws — the same rules or laws the rest of us must follow and labor under. And she is regularly embroiled in controversy, often self-created. This constant drama exhausts a nation.

Public Assets Institute Unemployment rates in New England are mostly lower than in the US as a whole. But job growth in the region is mixed. This year through September, Vermont saw a 1.2 percent increase in private sector jobs—the same as the national average. Massachusetts and New Hampshire have been adding jobs faster than the US and the remaining New England states have lagged behind the national rate.

Vermont Business Magazine A lone Canada lynx was photographed in the southern Vermont town of Londonderry this June, marking the first confirmed evidence of lynx in Vermont outside the Northeast Kingdom in decades. Lynx are listed as ‘threatened’ under the federal Endangered Species Act and ‘endangered’ in the state of Vermont. The lynx was photographed in the back yard of a rural Londonderry home. Biologists with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department confirmed the identification of the animal from the photos and visited the site to confirm the location of the photos. Unlike bobcat, lynx cannot be hunted or trapped in Vermont.

Canada lynx. Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department photos.

Vermont Business Magazine Ethan Allen Interiors Inc (NYSE:ETH) commented today, in advance of its Fall Investor Meeting, on its financial results for the fiscal 2017 first quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016. Results will be reported October 25 and investor meeting will be held on October 26. With expanded offerings and advertising, both expenses and sales have increased. Ethan Allen has a major manufacturing plant in Orleans.

by CB Hall Vermont Business Magazine The litigation between the town of Shelburne and the Vermont Railway over the latter's transloading facility just north of Shelburne village continues, and the town may now have gained a new legal foothold by virtue of a federal judge's decision rendered on October 18. Judge William Sessions, of the US District Court in Burlington, ordered the release of documents relevant to almost $4 million in loans to Burlington's Barrett Trucking, which is playing an increasingly controversial role in the development of the 34-acre site, from which Barrett's trucks will transport road salt received by rail on to towns around the state.

Sessions declined, however, to grant other motions from the town, in particular rejecting its request for a temporary restraining order that would have halted the ongoing, and largely completed, construction at the site. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund Independent Expenditure - PAC (PPVTAF IE PAC) released their first television ad of the general election cycle.  Titled “Different Choices,” the ad lays out the case for why Sue Minter is the strongest pro-choice candidate for Vermonters.

Vermont Public Radio Who leads the race for president and the key statewide offices in Vermont? What are the top issues on voters' minds and how much do they trust some of Vermont's institutions? VPR has once again partnered with The Castleton Polling Institute to ask Vermonters what they think about the big issues facing our state and the choices voters face on November 8.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Supreme Court has reversed a lower court and denied an Act 250 permit for a proposed large commercial and retail development at the I-89 Exit 1 interchange near Quechee. The Vermont Natural Resources Board, together with the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission, appealed the lower court’s ruling. In its decision earlier today, a unanimous Court agreed with the Board and the Regional Commission that the proposed development conflicts with the regional plan.

Vermont Business Magazine An improved set of practices designed to protect water quality on logging jobs goes into effect as a revised rule tomorrow, October 22. The Acceptable Management Practices for Maintaining Water Quality on Logging Jobs in Vermont, or AMPs, are a set of practices designed to protect water quality by minimizing soil erosion and runoff during and after logging activity. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation revised the AMP rule as a requirement of Act 64, an act passed in 2015 to improve the quality of State waters. The final AMPs are a result of significant public input and numerous discussions with foresters, landowners, loggers, environmental groups and other departments within the Agency of Natural Resources. It will apply to all logging operations on public and private lands in Vermont regardless of the purpose of the logging.

by Timothy McQuiston The unemployment rate was unchanged last month, but the key indicators were all slightly worse, as the labor force and employment both fell, while the number of jobless increased. The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for September was 3.3 percent, the same as the revised August rate. The national rate in September was 5.0 percent, up one tenth.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims rose last week, as Manufacturing claims spiked. This was offset somewhat by a fall in claims for both the Service and Construction industries. After running at a very low level during the latter part of the summer, overall claims have edged up the last two weeks. For the week of October 15, 2016, there were 571 claims, up 123 from the previous week's total and 18 more than than they were a year ago.

Altogether 3,179 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 198 from a week ago, and 131 fewer than a year ago.

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

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC), Encore Renewable Energy, and SoCore Energy, held a Community Appreciation Event at the site of VEC’s first Co-op Community Solar project on Route 78 and Dump Road in Alburgh. The Community Appreciation Event was held  to thank VEC members and the Town of Alburgh for helping to bring the one-megawatt solar project to fruition. VEC’s Co-op Community Solar project provides Co-op members with a new opportunity to save money by sponsoring solar panels and obtaining monthly bill credits. Developing cost-effective, well-sited, locally-generated, renewable energy is a VEC priority.