Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Magic Mann Premium Cannabis is proud has announced that it has received final approval from Vermont’s Cannabis Control Board to move forward with the cultivation and manufacturing of cannabis and cannabis products for the adult recreational market. Both cultivation and manufacturing will take place in a new 4,000 square-foot facility adjacent to Magic Mann’s dispensary location at The Essex Experience. Mann, a long-time medicinal cannabis patient, entered the industry in 2019 with BTVLocal420 in South Burlington. In 2020, she opened Magic Mann at The Essex Experience in Essex as a CBD café and storefront. Then, in 2023, Magic Mann received Vermont’s 13th license to legally retail THC products for recreational use. 

Vermont Business Magazine Health officials are urging people to take steps to prevent mosquito bites after mosquitoes from Grand Isle and Franklin counties tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus — a serious and potentially fatal mosquito-transmitted infection. This is the first detection of EEE virus in the 2024 mosquito testing season in Vermont. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets collects mosquitoes at locations throughout the state for testing at the Department of Health Laboratory. So far this season, nearly 18,000 mosquitoes have been tested. The positive EEE virus samples were collected on July 22 from Alburgh and Swanton. There have been no human cases of EEE or West Nile in Vermont this year. The most recent confirmed cases of EEE were in two people in 2012, both of whom died.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today introduced legislation to address the long COVID crisis that is affecting more than 22 million adults and 1 million children across the United States – and millions more around the globe. The Long COVID Research Moonshot Act of 2024 provides $1 billion in mandatory funding per year for 10 years to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support long COVID research, the urgent pursuit of treatments, and the expansion of care for patients across the country. Joining Sanders on the legislation are Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vermont).

Vermont Business Magazine This week, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, introduced the Rural Opportunities and Revitalization Act, legislation to empower the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) to carry out research, technical studies, and demonstrations to support business growth and development and job training in rural communities. This bill grants USDA flexibility to test new methods for improving access to RBCS programs for small farms and rural businesses. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont officials and Vermonters continue to contend with flood debris removal from Vermont waterways. If left in place, these piles of rocks, sediment, and woody material may pose a risk to property and public safety. With rain in the forecast this weekend, it’s important to check drainage around your home. To make sure flood debris removal around your home is not delayed, the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are sharing additional guidelines.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims fell slightly last week to their lowest levels since last year. For the week ending July 27, 2024, new claims were 232, which is typical of summer lows. Meanwhile, unemployment claims and hiring have stalled nationally, and the stock market has reeled as the Federal Reserve Bank decided not to lower interest rates this week. For the week, initial claims were down 6 for the week and down 170 from this time last year. Meanwhile, the state unemployment rate remains near historic low levels as employment and the labor force have increased (2.1 percent in June 2024). 

The Vermont Department of Tourism is staying abreast of severe weather impacts, with a specific focus on whether and how it might impact people’s plans to come to – or travel around -- our state. We have compiled a list of resources for visitors and industry partners alike, dedicated to providing trail, swimming, and road conditions updates/resources. Beyond specific actions related to recent severe weather, VDTM’s summer advertising campaign is in full swing right now and we have not pumped the brakes in any way. In fact, we have advertised more than ever before in these past two years due to additional federal funds made available to us.

Vermont Business Magazine The State today submitted a request for a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to determine whether the state qualifies for a federal major disaster declaration for flooding and resulting damage on July 30 and July 31, 2024. The request asks for Public Assistance (PA) assessments in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties and Individual Assistance (IA) assessments in Caledonia and Essex counties for damaged caused by the storms. A very early assessment by the state has already discovered damage to public infrastructure resulting from the storm exceeding $6 million. To qualify for a major PA disaster declaration, FEMA must verify at least $1.183 million in response and public infrastructure recovery costs. Individual counties must also show damages of $4.60 per capita to qualify.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on August 1, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment charging a Chinese woman, alleging she attempted to smuggle eastern box turtles, a protected wildlife species, from the United States to Canada for the illegal global pet trade. Wan Yee Ng, 41, of Hong Kong, is charged with attempting to export merchandise contrary to law. Her arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) is proud to announce that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Vermont’s Initial Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which describes Vermont's plans to use $229 million allocated to the state. This funding is key to finishing the work of ensuring every Vermonter has access to high speed and reliable broadband. The Initial Proposal outlines the process Vermont will use to select the Internet Service Providers who will receive BEAD money to build out unserved and underserved addresses and details the requirements these providers must meet to be eligible for funding. With this approval, Vermont can move from the planning phase to the action phase. It enables the state to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) is developing the 2026-2027 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP), which guides the Agency in deploying Vermont’s largest pool of federal affordable housing resources. VHFA is seeking public input on recommendations that the Agency will consider for this update. To facilitate input, VHFA has begun hosting in-person QAP public meetings around the state starting in July and continuing in August, as well as a virtual public comment meeting.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to multiple recent flooding events, Vermont Public and the Vermont Community Foundation are joining forces to raise money for the VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund beginning today and running through August 16. Donations to the fund will help communities where torrents of water destroyed homes, cratered roads, and filled farm fields and businesses with mud and debris. The two-week campaign will include on-air promotions on Vermont Public urging people to give to the VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation, which was created after catastrophic flooding in July of 2023. The fund is now being reinvigorated to respond to the fresh disasters that took place in July 2024, triggering a new wave of damage and heartbreak.