Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is recognizing 103 WIC clinics, among 10,000 nationally, with WIC Breastfeeding Awards of Excellence for work being done to help moms and babies successfully breastfeed. In Vermont, three clinics received awards: Middlebury District Office, Middlebury, VT, Elite- the sole Elite awardee in the nation, with 60% of moms fully or partially breastfeeding; Vermont Department of Health, Brattleboro, VT, Premiere, with 52% of moms fully or partially breastfeeding; White River Junction WIC, White River Junction, VT, Gold, with 56% of moms fully or partially breastfeeding.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Outdoor Recreation Businesses Discuss Flood Impact to Northeast Kingdom Economy (NEK) as part of Governor's Capital for the Day in Caledonia County.  Kingdom Trails will help facilitate a discussion with local area businesses on flood impacts, recovery and climate resiliency and adaptation for Governor Scott's staff who will be visiting Caledonia County for the day on Tuesday at 9:30 am. 

Vermont Business Magazine A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Plainfield, at Goddard College from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The joint DRC, a temporary facility established in partnership between Plainfield, the state of Vermont and FEMA, will have disaster assistance specialists available to help disaster survivors apply for FEMA Individual Assistance, upload documents needed for their application and answer questions in person. FEMA specialists and representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which can provide low-interest disaster loans to survivors, will be on hand at all DRCs to discuss available assistance.

The Vermont State Police is investigating an attempted armed robbery that occurred Monday afternoon, Aug. 26, 2024, in Rockingham that is believed to be connected to two other robberies at banks in southeastern Vermont. The identities of the two suspects, a man and a woman, are under active investigation. The public is cautioned that the pair should be considered armed and dangerous. At about 2 p.m. Monday, troopers from the Vermont State Police Westminster Barracks and detectives from the VSP’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations Troop B East responded to the Rolling Twenties Dispensary located at 440 Rockingham Rd. in Rockingham following a report of an attempted robbery. Investigation revealed that a man and a woman entered the business and demanded money and marijuana. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) announced today that federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits will be available to Vermonters left without work due to the significant flooding that occurred in Vermont on July 9-10, 2024. The Biden Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) have approved Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans, and Washington Counties for Individual Assistance, which includes Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Under this declaration, individuals living, working, or scheduled to work in these counties may be eligible for DUA. This includes independent contractors, self-employed individuals, and agricultural workers.  

Vermont Business Magazine Ask an incoming Catamount where they’re from, and you’d better have your atlas handy. The University of Vermont’s Class of 2028 is most notably distinguished by a continued increase in students from Vermont, befitting UVM’s position as the state’s flagship public university – but its growing appeal is not confined by the state’s borders. Roughly 50 percent of the class is from outside New England—including approximately 47 states and 28 countries—reflecting the university’s growing national and international recognition.  

Vermont State Police On the morning of Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, troopers from the Shaftsbury Barracks were notified of a vehicle over an embankment on Tunnel Street in the town of Whitingham. The vehicle matched the description of Harold Lavanway’s 2011 Honda Civic. Troopers responded to the location and confirmed that Mr. Lavanway was deceased inside the vehicle. Initial investigation by VSP shows that Mr. Lavanway was traveling northbound on Tunnel Street and navigated a left-hand curve in the roadway. As the roadway straightened, Mr. Lavanway veered off the northbound shoulder, coming to a position of rest about 10 feet down a steep embankment.

Vermont Business Magazine This September, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is challenging Vermonters to save money and greenhouse gas emissions by preventing food waste. The DEC Solid Waste Program is hosting the second annual self-guided Scrap Food Waste Challenge from September 9 – 30, 2024. According to ReFED, a leading food waste solutions organization, consumers are the biggest single source of food waste in the United States. ReFED found that 37% of wasted food happens at home. Of that, only 24% of the wasted food was thrown out because it was inedible (for example, peach pits or eggshells).

Vermont Business Magazine ZymoChem, based in California with an office in Burlington, Vermont, today announced it has been selected as a recipient of the United States Department of Defense's (DoD’s) Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program (DBIMP) award in the amount of $1.57 million. This selection underscores ZymoChem's innovative approach to manufacturing bio-based ingredients and its potential to strengthen the domestic supply chain for critical materials. The DBIMP, part of a broader initiative outlined in President Biden's Executive Order 14081, aims to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation for a sustainable, safe, and secure American bioeconomy. ZymoChem's selection for this program highlights the company's alignment with national priorities to expand domestic production capabilities and bolster the bioindustrial manufacturing base here in the U.S. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.36/g, down 2.1 cents per gallon from last week's $3.38/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.89/g while the highest was $3.79/g, a difference of 90.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 6.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.30/g today. The national average is down 20.7 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 49.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

by Vermont State Treasurer Michael Pieciak As Vermont’s State Treasurer, I work every day to empower hard-working Vermonters in their financial lives. This Labor Day, in honor of workers’ contributions and the labor movement’s impact, I want to speak directly to Vermonters about Proposition 3, a proposed constitutional amendment to permanently protect the rights of Vermont workers and ensure that all Vermont workers have the right to unionize. Proposition 3 would shield Vermont labor rights from any future political action at the federal or state level, ensuring that every Vermont worker can negotiate for good pay and a decent work experience. 

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets New funding is available through the Northeastern Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) for research and development projects that support dairy processing and packaging innovation across the Northeast. With a focus on scalable and replicable alternatives to current industry standards, projects funded through the Innovation in Dairy Processing and Packaging Grant will help processors make informed, long-term business decisions with positive environmental and economic impacts. Awards will range from $75,000 to $350,000, with a 25% match requirement. The application is expected to be open from September 12th to October 31st. The Request for Applications will be available August 27th.