Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Lake Monsters and Oakland Athletics have announced that the two teams have extended their Player Development Contract for the next two seasons through the year 2018, the New York-Penn and American League teams jointly announced today. The signing of the two-year agreement assures that the Lake Monsters will continue as Oakland's short-season Single-A New York-Penn League affiliate for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Vermont has been an affiliate of the Athletics since the 2011 season when the Lake Monsters won the Stedler Division title.

“The Oakland Athletics have been great partners, both on and off the field,” said Vermont Lake Monsters Vice President Kyle Bostwick. “We are excited to continue to work together to help develop ballplayers into future Major Leaguers."

Vermont Business Magazine Matt Dunne today sent the following letter to Sue Minter regarding information his campaign received about a single source state contract with Ariel Quiros for management of the Newport State Airport.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Representative Joe Courtney (CT-02), Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), joined by a bipartisan coalition of 57 other members of the House and Senate that includes Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont), sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack asking for assistance for dairy producers struggling with declining milk prices.  Specifically, the lawmakers are asking for the USDA to use its existing authorities to expand and maintain U.S. domestic markets, encourage the domestic consumption of dairy products, and help dairy farmers through this financial crisis.  Leahy is a leading member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and a former chairman of the panel.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environmental Conservation announced this month that it formally settled environmental violations involving Whitcomb Construction Corporation.  The corporation owns and operates a rock quarry, stone crushing operation, manufactured sand and processing operation, and hot mix asphalt plant in Colchester.  The settlement includes a $42,600 penalty for a series of violations of its Air Pollution Control Permit.  

The Permit contains particulate matter emission limits, annual hot mix asphalt production limits, and annual fuel consumption limits. Compliance with these limits protects the public from exposure to various types of harmful air pollution.  

Vermont Business Magazine Merchants Bank was a proud sponsor of the Flynn Garden Tour, held in Hinesburg, VT. The Bank's $5,000 sponsorship invests in the Flynn Theatre's wish to share the arts with students of all ages, regardless of financial resources. All funds raised from the Flynn Garden Tour benefit Vermont school children in the form of ticket subsidies, grant projects and scholarships. The Flynn Theatre offers theatrical performances, afterschool classes, youth theatre programs, classroom arts integration as well as play writing to over 45,000 students each year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center (CSC), with the help of additional community partners, will be hosting the second annual Water Works Fair to celebrate and learn about Lake Champlain. This free, family-friendly community event will take place at Waterfront Park, adjacent to the ECHO Center, on Sunday, July 31^st from 10:00am – 2:00pm, in conjunction with the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival.

Vermont Business Magazine Weather perfect for an outdoor festival is forecast just in time for the Stowe Brewers Festival this weekend! Back for the second year, the event – bigger, better, brewier – has added a third session and features more than 40 craft brewers from Vermont and across New York and New England, live music, food trucks, Vermont spirits, cider makers and more. The festival will also feature free workshops and demonstrations and a variety of specialty food and product vendors.

Phil Scott today laid out his plan for improving Vermont’s roads and bridges, and reiterated his opposition to higher transportation taxes, a carbon tax and infrastructure debt supported by his opponents. At an event where he also accepted the endorsement of the Vermont Vehicle and Automotive Distributors Association, Scott highlighted his work to reduce the Legislature’s raid on the Transportation Fund and outlined his plan for transportation when he serves as Governor.

“I am proud to have VADA’s endorsement. Supporting small businesses, and making Vermont more affordable for families and business, is critical to growing our economy, so I applaud VADA’s ongoing work to champion transportation related businesses, and fighting to ensure those businesses and their employees thrive,” Scott said. “Transportation is a key piece of growing the economy and making Vermont more affordable and I appreciate the opportunity to release my priorities in this area.”

Vermont Business Magazine Phil Scott, candidate for governor, today released a new television ad highlighting his priorities leading up to the August 9 primary election. Scott, who throughout his campaign has outlined his priorities to strengthen the economy, make Vermont more affordable and restore faith and trust in government, explains in the ad, “trust and integrity are very important. Vermonters are yearning for that again.”

“I firmly believe that we cannot tax people any more. There isn’t that capacity,” he continues. “So we have to grow the economy. We have to build that revenue in order to ensure prosperity for Vermonters.”

Watch the full advertisement here:

Vermont Business Magazine Former Governor Howard Dean, and former Chair of the Democratic National Committee, today announced his endorsement of Sue Minter for governor. “I am proud to support Sue Minter to serve as the next Governor of Vermont,” said Gov. Dean.  “She is a strong leader and a true progressive who has the experience and dedication we need to keep moving Vermont forward.”

Gov. Dean said Minter’s call to address challenges ranging from cleaning up Lake Champlain, expanding access to affordable health care, and ensuring working Vermonters can afford college and job training programs are critical to Vermont's future. "Sue has proven she can get the job done."

Gov. Dean also articulated his support for Minter’s economic vision for the state, and her focus on helping working families.

Vermont Business Magazine For the third consecutive year, FreshTracks Road Pitch will take place August 1-5. Road Pitch is a five-day motorcycle tour of Vermont in which a gang of “business bikers” (comprised of investors, entrepreneurs and business advisers) ride around the state and stop in 10 towns to listen to entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts. This year, the tour will stop in Essex Junction (Aug 1), Rutland (Aug 1), Bennington (Aug 2), Brattleboro (Aug 2), Barre (Aug 3), Randolph (Aug 3), St Johnsbury (Aug 4), Lowell (Aug 4), Hyde Park (Aug 5) and Grand Isle (Aug 5).  

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today lifted the “Do Not Drink” order for Pownal’s municipal drinking water system, Fire District Number Two. The system had been contaminated with slightly elevated levels of the possible carcinogen PFOA. Results this week show that a new treatment system is effectively removing all PFOA from the town’s drinking water. Governor Shumlin will hold an event on Monday Auugust 1 at 3:30 pm to acknowledge the milestone and community members involved in achieving clean water again. The gathering will be held at the site of the town’s supply well and treatment system at 735 Route 346 in Pownal.