Current News

by Bill Schubart Vermont’s VTHC911 coalition is exploring the drivers behind Vermont's soaring healthcare costs. Newsletters to date have focused on the high operating costs of the University of Vermont Medical Center compared to other academic medical centers in our region and across the country. National data shows that non-patient care labor costs are among the highest in the country including the costs of labor for administration and management. Our key question today is why the governing boards of UVMMC, and the University of Vermont Health Network (UVMHN), allow this to happen. How did we get to the point where our nonprofit academic medical center stands out as one of the most expensive and least cost-effective centers in the nation?

Vermont Business Magazine Community National Bank (CNB) has committed $20,000 over two years to support Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity (CVHFH) to assist with operating costs and new repair and building projects. Beyond their financial support, CNB employees will also volunteer on-site, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to community involvement. Chris Caldwell, CNB’s new President and CEO, has a deep connection to Habitat for Humanity, having volunteered alongside his father. Upon stepping into his new role, he was eager to strengthen CNB’s partnership with CVHFH. 

Vermont Business Magazine Meadow Bee Deodorant, made just outside the tiny village of Peacham in the Northeast Kingdom, wins big in the 2025 Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards just announced on March 7. This contest featured both giant and little brands around the world and gave them all an equal playing field. Contest organizers in Europe said, “It has been the strongest year ever, by far - not just the volume of entries but also the caliber and diversity of products. What these winning brands have in common is “doing things right”, fine-tuning intelligent formulations that harness the goodness and intuitive healing of Mother Nature’s plants, foods, herbs and minerals.” 

Vermont Business Magazine New Chapter, a Vermont-based vitamin and supplement company with a mission to deliver the wisdom of Nature to nourish mind, body, and soul, has announced its first-ever Liquid Multivitamin packed with 22 essential vitamins and minerals for comprehensive wellness support – all in an easy-to-consume liquid form. New Chapter's Liquid Multivitamin offers 45% more nutrients than the leading liquid multivitamin§, including fermented B vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and superfoods to support heart health, bone health, brain health, cellular energy, immune function, hair, skin & nails, and digestion. The new product by New Chapter was designed to meet the needs of the entire family, with one bottle offering age-appropriate doses for adults and children aged 2 and up. It comes in two delicious flavors – Orange Mango and Mixed Berry – offering a tasty and convenient option for everyone.

Vermont Business Magazine What's better than companies who want to preserve the world for future generations, unveiling the ice cream truck of the future? Rolling out two electric "scoop trucks," a sweet collaboration between Ben & Jerry's, Vermont's beloved ice cream maker, and Rivian, the all-electric automaker. Built on the Rivian Commercial Van, the new Ben & Jerry's scoop trucks will modernize everything people love about an ice cream truck. Fans will have a chance to check out the new scoop trucks when one debuts at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas this week.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims increased for the week ending March 1, 2025, and climbed over 600 as claims have doubled in the last two weeks. New claims were 671, up 256 claims from the week before and are 69 more from last year. Claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 181 at the end of September 2024. It is not clear if this increase is the result of the dismissal of federal workers by DOGE, or an earlier than usual increase resulting from seasonal ski season layoffs. CNBC is reporting that nonfarm payrolls increased by a seasonally adjusted 151,000 on the month, better than the downwardly revised 125,000 in January but less than the 170,000 consensus forecast. CNBC said outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported earlier this week that announced layoffs under Musk’s efforts totaled more than 62,000.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Public Safety and the State Police Advisory Commission today are releasing the latest semiannual detailed summary of internal investigations involving members of the Vermont State Police. The release of these synopses provides greater transparency, public awareness, and oversight to the activities of the Vermont State Police, while balancing requirements regarding internal investigations and the need to have internal investigations completed before public dissemination. A report attached to this statement contains synopses of the 19 investigations that came before SPAC from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine EastRise Credit Union has been selected to receive the maximum $11 million in funding as part of Inclusiv’s Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) program. The funds from this program will allow EastRise to offer more options for affordable clean energy financing that can reduce energy costs for families in low-income communities. It will also support local economic development through partnerships with clean energy vendors. EastRise was one of 108 credit unions selected from around the United States and Puerto Rico to receive a combined $651 million in the first round of CCIA awards by Inclusiv.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday in a joint statement, the Vermont Woodlands Association (VWA) and Vermont Loggers Education to Advance Professionalism (LEAP) announced they are merging. "As many of you know, VWA and LEAP have always shared a common goal—supporting responsible forest stewardship and the professionals who implement the practices that keep our forests healthy, productive, and resilient. With the upcoming retirement of David Birdsall as Executive Director of LEAP, VWA and LEAP are working to bring LEAP under the VWA umbrella as a continued program."

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Michael I. Goldberg, the court-appointed receiver for the sale of the Burke Mountain Hotel and Conference Center, on Wednesday released a statement on its possible sale, of which he said he is in the final stages of completing. The hotel is part of the $200 million fraud case brought by the federal government and the state of Vermont in April 2016 involving the former Jay Peak Resort owners. It included the several developments at Jay along with the proposed AnC Bio facility in Newport and the Burke Mountain Hotel. 

Vermont Business Magazine At Governor Phil Scott’s weekly press conference, the Scott Administration reiterated the need to address education reform this legislative session. Vermonters made it clear they want to fix the education system because our kids are not getting what they deserve from the $2.4 billion we spend – and neither are our teachers or taxpayers. By fixing the system, it will benefit taxpayers and give a high-quality education to all students.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark and a coalition of 20 attorneys general filed a lawsuit yesterday against numerous federal agencies for conducting illegal mass layoffs of federal probationary employees. “Probationary” refers to employees who were hired recently. Federal agencies claimed, in the form of termination letters, that these probationary employees were fired for unsatisfactory performance or conduct. The firings were instead part of the Trump administration’s attempt to restructure and downsize the entire federal government. In the lawsuit filed on March 6, the attorneys general argue that the administration was required to follow federal laws and regulations that govern large-scale federal “Reductions in Force” (RIF).