Current News

by C.B. Hall VermontBiz by The rapid rise in health care costs came into focus this spring when Vermont’s Legislature, facing a projected increase of about 18% in the property taxes that help finance Vermont’s schools, approved tax increases that reduced the projected bump to about 14%.

The Yield Bill, as it is known, makes no reference to savings in the school system’s costs, which conspicuously include employee health care benefits. Instead, it called for a commission to make recommendations aimed at a “sustainable“ future for public education in the state. But public discussion surrounding the bill highlighted health care costs, which, as it happens, have been projected to rise throughout the state by roughly the same percentage as overall school expenditures.

VermontBiz The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) has grant funds available to support new dairy processing projects throughout the Northeast. These grant funds are available to dairy farmers looking to diversify by adding processing to their operations, and to non-farm value-added dairy business start-ups.

VermontBiz Average gasoline prices in Burlington have risen 7.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.47/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 100 stations in Burlington. Prices in Burlington are 4.4 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 17.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 3.6 cents in the last week and stands at $3.81 per gallon.

Vermont Agency of Transportation This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will impact traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  

The Vermont State Police and the St. Johnsbury Police Department are investigating an incident that occurred Sunday morning, July 7, 2024, in St. Johnsbury. The investigation began at about 5:50 a.m. when St. Johnsbury police received a report involving an altercation that had occurred inside a home on Cottage Street. Responding officers located one man deceased and several others with apparent injuries. The injured individuals were transported to area hospitals for treatment; their conditions are currently unknown.

Vermont Business Magazine

by Vermont Auditor Doug Hoffer The 2024 Legislative session started and finished the same way – with universal concern about significant looming educational tax increases. Original estimates indicated average property tax bills could rise 18.5% for the upcoming year. In the end, using one-time stop-gap funding that defers the financial reckoning to future years, the actual increase was lowered to a still-significant 13.8%. A primary driver of rising education costs (and the taxes that pay for them)? Teacher health care costs. Just this year, they’re estimated to grow a staggering 16%. It doesn’t need to be like this.

by Small Business Administration Ahmed Omar, the youngest of 13 children who fled his native Somalia with his family in search of a better life, was well on his way to living the American dream when he died suddenly last year at the age of 36. The owner-chef of Kismayo Kitchen, the first Somali restaurant in Burlington, Omar was known throughout the community for his warmth, compassion, determination and authentic Somali cuisine.

In recognition of his determination, perseverance and entrepreneurial success, Omar was posthumously honored by the SBA with its 2024 Community Legacy Award for Vermont.

by Small Business Administration Herbs, plants and other earthly treasures have many uses beyond the culinary realm. Everlasting Herb Farm in Peacham uses these items to make body care solutions that soothe the skin and heal the planet.

Owner Wendy Mackenzie is passionate about making effective body care solutions that are also kind to the Earth. Her commitment to environmentally friendly practices is reflected in her diverse range of products, including soothing salves, nourishing creams, luxurious lotions and even a surprisingly effective plant-based deodorant for people with sensitive skin.

by Small Business Administration Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It offers numerous advantages, such as being your own boss, setting your own schedule and earning a living doing something you love. But entrepreneurship also brings with it a variety of challenges, especially for young people.

Emiliano Void, founder and CEO of nuWave Equity Corp. and this year’s SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year, has all the characteristics of a successful young entrepreneur: innovativeness, creativity, persistence, resiliency, flexibility and passion.

by Small Business Administration Sometimes the best ideas arrive when you least expect them. For Dr. Marie Pavini, inspiration struck one morning while conducting rounds in the intensive care unit at Rutland Regional Medical Center, observing how her patients were being immobilized and sedated to prevent tubes and lines getting dislodged.

“The problem with this is that it causes delirium, profound weakness and hospital-acquired complications like pneumonia, blood clots and wounds,“ Pavini explained. “It increases re-admissions, the need for nursing homes and home caregivers, and so many other quality-of-life-reducing things. I figured if I could solve the problem of restraint, this cascade of complications wouldn’t have to happen.“

by Small Business Administration Marie Teme, founder and CEO of this year’s SBA Minority-Owned Business of the Year for Vermont, Green Vision Cleansing, doesn’t see a contradiction in having an MBA and working in the cleaning business. In fact, she proudly embraces her education and professional choices.

“One of the things that I’m trying to promote in my business,“ Teme said, “is that people don’t get value from a job simply because of the label. I have an MBA, and many people can’t accept that I am in the cleaning industry; they think it isn’t a decent job.

by Small Business Administration As a seasoned banker, Geoffrey Hesslink is passionate about empowering business owners through access to capital and strategic partnerships. It’s no surprise then that he would conceive of and create his own bank. Recently named SBA Vermont’s 2024 Financial Services Champion of the Year, Hesslink’s efforts to bolster capital flow to Vermont businesses through Bank of Burlington have not gone unnoticed.