Current News

Will help create opportunities for small and emerging businesses

Vermont Business Magazine The Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC) will strengthen its support of Vermont and New Hampshire’s small businesses thanks to a $605,000 funding package from the US Department of Agriculture. NCIC will use USDA Rural Development’s Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to provide aspiring Northeast Kingdom and North Country businesses with financial support and technical assistance.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Public Service is developing a new protocol for handling complaints about the potential failure of a company to comply with the terms and conditions of a certificate of public good (CPG) issued by the Public Service Board under 30 V.S.A. §§ 248 or 248a.  The Department will follow the protocol to keep a record of these complaints, research and investigate, track progress and respond. The first report of complaints tracked under this new protocol is due to the legislature in January of 2017.  The purpose of this protocol is to ensure compliance with CPG conditions and to enable neighbors of projects to easily and effectively report on circumstances they feel may not be in compliance with applicable CPG conditions.

Vermont Business Magazine Community members, early depositors, and Gifford staff and board members gathered on July 12 to celebrate groundbreaking for 49 independent living apartments at the Morgan Orchards Senior Living Community in Randolph Center. Planning for the multi-phased project, the largest building project in Gifford Hospital’s history, began in 2010. The apartments are scheduled to open in late July/early August, 2017.

Vermont Business Magazine Calling it a testament to Sue Minter’s leadership and her ability to get things done, 79 past and present lawmakers including 14 committee chairs and 2 former Speakers of the House endorsed Sue Minter for governor. At the State House in Montpelier, several legislative leaders highlighted Minter’s commitment to renewable energy and cleaning up Vermont’s waterways, plan to provide two-years free tuition to Vermont Technical College and the Community College of Vermont, commitment to creating jobs and economic vitality, and more in offering their strong endorsement.

Vermont Business Magazine Matt Dunne, Democratic candidate for Governor, today released his detailed plan for fighting poverty in Vermont, beginning with five actions that can be taken to immediately help the neediest Vermonters. Dunne unveiled his policy agenda during an event at the Vermont Foodbank, and was joined by longtime anti-poverty activist Chris Curtis, Sara Kobylenski from the Upper Valley Haven, former Department for Children and Families Commissioner Dave Yacovone and activist Dustin Tanner.

Dunne also announced that he and campaign staff, volunteers and supporters will launch a series of service politics actions at locations across the state, with the first taking place at Listen Furniture Store, a branch of Listen Community Services in White River Junction on Saturday.

Vermont Business Magazine A Vermont non-profit corporation formed in 2012 to provide public education about single-payer healthcare and its political committee have acknowledged violations arising out of their campaign activities in the 2012 and 2014 election cycles, according to Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell. Vermont Leads, Inc and an independent expenditure-only PAC that it created, Vermont Leads PAC, will pay civil penalties totaling $3,000.

Vermont Business Magazine Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement on recent revelations the Shumlin Administration allowed Jay Peak’s owners to continue to solicit investors months after the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched its investigation. Scott is also a Republican candidate for governor.

“As a public servant and candidate for Governor, my priorities are growing the economy, making Vermont more affordable and restoring faith and trust in state government," Scott said in a statement. "With proper oversight, the EB-5 program can be a useful tool for stimulating much-needed investment and economic growth in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Darn Tough Vermont, the American manufacturer of the fastest growing collection of performance outdoor and lifestyle socks, is proud to announce it has again achieved high double-digit growth, this time during the second quarter of 2016. Darn Tough points to increases across all categories and strong international sales, each contributing to the 53 percent gain. The Vermont-based company maintains focus on their mission to make the world’s best sock in Vermont, USA without compromise to comfort, durability and fit, and the brand’s growth isn’t slowing.

Vermont Business Magazine Representatve Peter Welch (D-Vermont) took to the House floor this morning in opposition to House legislation that would preempt Vermont’s GMO labeling law with what he, Senators Leahy and Sanders and Governor Shumlin call a weaker national standard for foods containing genetically engineered (GE or GMO) ingredients. The legislation (S 764), approved by the Senate on July 7, passed the House by a vote of 306 to 117. Leahy and Sanders voted against the bill as it made its way through the Senate. It will now go to the White House for consideration by President Obama, who is expected to sign it.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont State Colleges (VSC) Board of Trustees unanimously approved one-year, interim appointments to fill two presidential vacancies. Patricia Moulton has been appointed as interim president at Vermont Technical College (Vermont Tech).  Moulton currently serves as the Secretary for the Agency of Commerce and Community Development for the State of Vermont. As Secretary, she facilitated the expansion of many Vermont companies, helped attract new companies, assisted in rebuilding Vermont after Tropical Storm Irene and helped create the nation’s first statewide comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS) that has led to millions in federal grants for Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The endangered little brown bat has a new home at Kingsland Bay State Park in Ferrisburgh. Green Mountain Power partnered with Vermont Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Forests, Parks, and Recreation to install a new “bat condo” to give the bats a safe and secure habitat in the park and aide in the recovery in Vermont. The condos look like a tree house on stilts and provide shelter for raising young and safety from predators.      

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the National Alliance for Jobs and Innovation (NAJI) released "Protection of Intellectual Property Rights Under State Consumer Protection Laws," a report card on the effectiveness of laws in 50 states in protecting manufacturers' intellectual property (IP) and the jobs that depend on trade secrets and other IP. For many American manufacturers today, IP is the most valuable asset they own – more valuable than their factories and other physical plants.