Current News

Vermont Business Magazine American Meadows and its sister company, High Country Gardens, are driven by their shared purpose of doing good through gardening.  Their commitment to supporting local communities and positively impacting the environment has led to a pledge to divert all organic materials from the waste stream. At the end of each season, unsold plants are donated to community-focused organizations rather than discarded into landfills. This season, plant donations have supported the creation of new community and memorial gardens, habitat restoration, and educational initiatives. These contributions have benefited approximately two dozen recipients, including urban gardening organizations in Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Taos, Santa Fe, and Salt Lake City. 

Vermont Business Magazine Tim Rademacher is taking on a sweet new role at the University of Vermont—as the new Scientific Director of UVM’s Proctor Maple Research Center (PMRC). The PMRC is a field research station of the Department of Plant Biology at the University of Vermont and is the oldest and most scientifically renowned maple research center in the world. Since 1947 it has produced cutting edge research on maple, supported maple sugar producers, and bolstered maple syrup production in Vermont—and globally.

Vermont Business Magazine From constructing and operating green facilities and sustainably sourcing meat and poultry products, to innovative clinical initiatives that reduce environmental impacts, University of Vermont Medical Center has once again been honored for leadership on environmental sustainability in health care. As communities across central Vermont grapple with the impacts of flash flooding that occurred on the one-year anniversary of last year’s devastating storms, UVM Medical Center leaders who have spent years finding wants to integrate environmental sustainability concepts into health care planning and operations say the destruction is a visceral reminder of the importance of climate initiatives.

Vermont Business Magazine As of July 1, 2024, employers and self-employed individuals will be required to pay the Vermont Child Care Contribution tax. Per Act 76 of 2023, enacted by the Vermont Legislature, employers will pay a 0.44% payroll tax on wages paid, with an option to withhold up to 25% of the tax from employees. Self-employed individuals will pay a 0.11% tax on self-employment income. Employers will remit Child Care Contribution payroll tax payments to the Department in the same manner and frequency as they remit Vermont Income Tax Withholding.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, State Treasurer Mike Pieciak and Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore announced they are seeking expert input related to implementing Act 122, The Climate Superfund Act. This marks the first step in effectuating the historic legislation, which authorizes the state to recover financial damages from fossil fuel companies for the impacts of climate change to Vermont. Funds recovered would support climate adaption projects.    

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation has distributed $130,000 in immediate relief funds to assist communities that were turned upside down by the flooding that ripped through the state two weeks ago. The grants are helping with clean-up, shelter, food, and also funding local long-term recovery groups as they dispatch volunteers and assist people coping with everything from replacing sheetrock to filing for state and federal help. The flooding earlier this month occurred on the one-year anniversary of the disastrous 2023 flooding in Vermont, deepening the loss and challenge.

Vermont Business Magazine On July 24, 2024, at approximately 7:33 a.m., the DMV was notified of a tractor trailer that had rolled over onto its side on VT 9 in Marlboro near Butterfield Road. The tractor trailer, a 2020 International LT625, was hauling a 2021 53-foot Vanguard National box trailer and traveling east on VT 9 in Marlboro when it pulled over to the right side of the roadway to stop. The operator, Joshua L. Thomas, 33, of Longview, Texas, began to drive back onto the roadway when the truck got pulled into the soft shoulder causing it to roll onto its side off the eastbound side of the roadway. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Jeffrey Newbegin, 67, of Derby, Vermont, was sentenced today in Vermont Superior Court, Orleans Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to one felony count of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials. The Court, Judge Rory Thibault presiding, sentenced the defendant by plea agreement to 18 months to five years in jail, all suspended with an eight-year term of probation with conditions that he complete sex offender treatment, restrict access to pornography, limit internet usage and contact with minors. If he violates the terms of his probation, he could face up to five years in jail. 

Vermont Business Magazine Following major flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl on July 10-11, 2024, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) is launching a new Flood Impact Survey to understand the impact on Vermont’s forest economy. Forest economy businesses and landowners affected by July 2024 flooding are asked to complete the 2024 Flood Impact Survey. This survey aims to document the type and extent of the damage experienced by Vermont’s forest products sector and forest landowners. The survey will remain open to capture information on loss and damages until August 20, 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Vermont House Speaker Jill Krowinski issued the following statement to update Vermonters on the Affordable Heat Act process and call out the significant misinformation campaign being waged on Vermonters: “There has been a significant and intentional misinformation campaign circulating across Vermont about the Affordable Heat Act (Act 18). Much of this information is coming from groups outside of Vermont, like Americans for Prosperity. Founded in 2004 by brothers David H. and Charles Koch of Koch Industries, this Super-PAC has emerged as a leading defender of the oil and gas industry and a well-funded opponent of climate and environmental initiatives nationwide."

Vermont Business Magazine Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'AA+' rating to the following Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) multiple purpose bonds: $16.91 million 2024 series E-2 (Non-AMT) (Social Bonds). The Rating Outlook is Stable. The 'AA+' rating reflects the continued strengthening of the program's asset quality, as indicated in the growing percentage of the mortgage-backed securities (MBS) portion of the portfolio; the program's continued financial strength demonstrated by the FY23 results and cash flow asset parity levels; and the low percentage (2%) of variable rate debt exposure.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Tuesday night spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming address to a joint meeting of Congress and the ongoing, horrific humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Sanders’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched live here: "M. President: Wednesday will be a unique moment in Congressional history. Throughout the many years of our country, leaders from dozens of countries with all kinds of political backgrounds and persuasions have been invited to address a joint meeting of Congress. To the best of my knowledge, however, (Wednesday) will be unique: in bringing Prime Minister Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of Congress, it will be the first time in American history that a war criminal has been given that honor."