Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today announced two positive developments in the State’s continued response to PFOA contamination in Southern Vermont. The potentially-responsible party for the former Warren Wire manufacturing facility in Pownal, APU, has agreed to step forward and cover costs related to releases from that facility, including costs for drinking water sampling, bottled water, a filtration system for the impacted municipal water supply (Fire District #2), and point-of-entry water filtration systems on private wells impacted by PFOA. The governor also announced today that test results from South Hero municipal water supply show no PFOA contamination. That well was tested as part of the expanded statewide testing announced earlier in April.

by Patrick Leahy Years ago when I began working to reform the national EB-5 program, the problems we saw seemed far removed from the many promising EB-5 development projects in Vermont. It is heartbreaking, and it is maddening, to see such problems here at home. It is now painfully clear to all Vermonters that the EB-5 Regional Center program is flawed. The program once promised to transform the Northeast Kingdom and other underserved communities through millions of dollars of investment at no cost to taxpayers. Yet it has become mired in fraud and abuse across the country, and unfortunately such allegations have now reached our state.

Vermont Business Magazine Lake Sunapee Bank Group (NASDAQ: LSBG), the holding company for Lake Sunapee Bank, fsb, today announced results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Consolidated net income for the first quarter of 2016 was $2.5 million, or $0.29 per diluted common share, compared to $2.3 million, or $0.28 per diluted common share, for the same period in 2015 and $2.2 million, or $0.26 per diluted common share, for the fourth quarter of 2015. The bank operates 30 offices in New Hampshire in Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack and Sullivan counties and 15 offices in Vermont in Orange, Rutland and Windsor counties.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer today released a report on the success by the Vermont Department of Taxes on collecting unpaid personal income taxes. In 2013 and 2014, there was a total of $22.5 million in uncollected taxes (25,478 cases), of which VDT collected 57 percent, or $12.9 million. Delinquent personal income taxes comprised about 41 percent ($7.2 million) of delinquent taxes due to the State as of June 30, 2015. Hoffer said that based on his analysis that the state could increase the amount by starting the collection process sooner, especially for the smaller ("low dollar") collection amounts.

by Bill Schubart There are many actors in the Jay Peak/Q-Burke tragedy playing out on our Northern Vermont stage. The unfortunate investors whose investments were by law “at risk,” have been clearly deceived and may never see their promised green cards or any return on their investments. For some, the half-million-dollars will be missed but well worth the cost of entry to the U.S. for them and their families. Others will be badly hurt by the financial loss. Hopefully, the appointed “recovery attorney” will be able to recover some of their losses.

Then there are the business principals, Bill Stenger – liked by those who know him, including this observer – and the mysterious Ariel Quiros, whom few know. The stinging civil charges brought by Vermont’s Attorney General and the S.E.C. against the two are pervasive and well documented. Naiveté will not play as a defense, even as both are innocent until proven otherwise.

Vermont Business Magazine Our biggest hit is back! Last year, just when consumers thought a burrito couldn't get any better, Ben & Jerry's delivered the BRRR-ito: a chewy crepe-like wrap surrounding your choice of ice cream flavors, drizzled in hot fudge and topped with cookie crumbles. Beginning on April 20th, the scoop shop fan favorite, BRRR-ito, will return, but hurry as it is only making a limited appearance at participating scoop shops.

Vermont Business Magazine The Recycling Partnership has announced that Keurig Green Mountain, Inc is joining its diverse circle of members. Both organizations share a vision to enact system-wide solutions to the recycling challenges of today, working across materials and the supply chain for a bright, sustainable recovery future. Keurig, based in Waterbury, Vermont, is a personal beverage system company that has revolutionized the way consumers create and enjoy beverages.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health announced Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the state's first case of Zika virus in a Vermont resident, an adult who traveled to a Zika affected area before developing symptoms.  

Zika is a virus spread by the bite of certain Aedes species of mosquitoes. Illness is usually mild, with the most common symptoms of fever, rash, joint pain, and pink eye (conjunctivitis), although often a person infected with Zika has no symptoms.

Zika virus has caused microcephaly, a serious birth defect of the brain, in babies of mothers who had the virus while pregnant, and may cause other severe fetal brain defects..

Vermont Business Magazine In an effort to help prospective parents find hospitals that deliver quality maternity care, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont announced that Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is one of the first hospitals to receive the Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care designation, a new designation under the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

Vermont Business Magazine NBT Bank President of Wealth Management Timothy Brenner announced that NBT Bank, based in Norwich, NY, was named 2015 Financial Institution of the Year  at the 12th Annual LPL Financial Institution Services Program Leadership Conference held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. NBT has branches in western Vermont. NBT Bank was nominated by LPL growth consultants and selected from more than 750 financial institutions based on quantitative and qualitative factors, including year over year growth, thought leadership and innovation.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Division of Fire Safety Director Michael Desrochers is again kindly reminding Vermonters to have properly installed and maintained smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes. So far in 2016 five Vermonters have been killed in fires and two more have died as a result of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. “Smoke alarms, when properly installed and maintained can provide you the necessary early warning needed to escape a life threatening situation,” Desrochers said.  A fire that starts while you sleep immediately becomes a deadly hazard for you and your family, so early detection absolutely critical.”

Smoke alarms should be installed outside the immediate vicinity of sleeping rooms, in each sleeping room, and on each floor of the home – including the basement.  Never re-enter a burning home – get out, stay out, and call 911.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that Saint-Gobain has agreed to cover costs for two engineering studies in Bennington and North Bennington. The engineering studies will determine the feasibility and costs of expanding municipal water supply infrastructure to service residences impacted by PFOA in the two towns. Additionally, the Governor announced that the preliminary soil testing results from around the former Chemfab facility in North Bennington show PFOA levels that do not pose significant risk of PFOA uptake into plants and vegetables from garden soils.