Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain Valley Exposition has announced the 2024 Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees. With over 20 years of history and over 100 inductees, the Ag Hall of Fame is an honored tradition among Vermont farmers and growers, service providers, and dedicated employees. Over the last few years the categories have been expanded to include an Emerging Leader under the age of 40, an Ag Innovator and up to three inductees in the Lifetime Achievement category. The thoughtfulness of each nomination makes for competitive judging each year. The 2024 inductees will be celebrated during the Champlain Valley Fair later this summer. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, June 1, 2024, 122 members of Bennington College’s Class of 2024 gathered, along with their family members and friends, faculty, staff, and leadership on a green expanse of lawn at the southern end of campus to receive their degrees. Graduates hailed from twenty-eight states and eighteen countries, including Egypt, India, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam, and ranged in age from 19 to 53. The institution conferred three master’s degrees, two in dance and one in public action, and 119 bachelor’s degrees. Undergraduate students studied Cultural Studies and Languages; Dance; Drama; Environmental Studies; Literature; Music; Science & Mathematics; Society, Culture & Thought; and Visual Arts. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott signs today signed nine bills into law. These include: H.546, An act relating to administrative and policy changes to tax laws; H.657, An act relating to the modernization of Vermont’s communications taxes and fees and H.707, An act relating to revising the delivery and governance of the Vermont workforce system.

Vermont Business Magazine A new voice is keeping an Eye on the Sky: meteorologist Megan Duncan will create and produce forecasts beginning this month for the venerable weather service from the Fairbanks Museum and Vermont Public. Duncan is the museum’s first female meteorologist. She’ll join Mark Breen and Lawrence Hayes, taking over for Steve Maleski, who is retiring this summer. Vermont Public will broadcast a tribute to Steve and an introduction to Megan during Vermont Edition on Tuesday, June 4 at noon and 7 p.m.

Vermont Business Magazine NEK Broadband and CVFiber announce a preliminary plan to join the two Communications Union Districts (CUDs) under 30 V.S.A 3052a, a recent addition to the law under S.199. The proposed merger would unite resources, experience, expertise, and a shared commitment to deliver exceptional high-speed internet services to their collective 71 communities. Working together, they say they will be better able to support digital equity, economic growth, and community development across the Northeast Kingdom and Central Vermont. Specifically, NEK Broadband and CVFiber propose to work together under the new business name, Northeast Central Broadband. The service plans, customer service, and pricing for both CVFiber and NEK Broadband areas will not change for the foreseeable future.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Scott and Vermont Emergency Management announced today $90 million of federal funding is now available to Vermont municipalities to implement hazard mitigation measures that reduce future flood risk. These funds are available to all Vermont towns with no local match requirement. The federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides funds to municipalities to harden infrastructure against future flood losses and for voluntary buyouts of homes in floodplains. The program traditionally requires towns to pay 25% of total project costs; the state of Vermont will now pay the local match.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that it has filed civil enforcement actions against two Vermont Medicaid providers for fraud. The lawsuits, currently pending in Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit, Civil Division, were investigated and brought by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit (MFRAU) and allege separate violations of the Vermont False Claims Act. In the first case, psychotherapist Robert Martin DuWors, PhD, of Cotuit, Massachusetts, and his business associate, Peter Lang, of New York, New York, are accused of conspiring to “upcode,” or unlawfully increase Vermont Medicaid reimbursement by billing with inaccurate information. In a separate case, mental health counselor Lauren Ann LaSante of Rutland, Vermont, is accused of Medicaid Fraud after Ms. LaSante, who was the subject of multiple public complaints regarding quality of care, refused to provide Vermont Medicaid treatment records to State authorities, nor to her own patients, as required by law and professional ethics.

Vermont Business Magazine New England’s power system is prepared to meet the peak demand for electricity this summer, according to ISO New England (ISO-NE), operator of the region’s electric grid. This summer, assuming typical weather conditions, ISO-NE predicts electricity demand will reach 24,553 megawatts (MW). However, above-average summer weather, such as an extended heat wave coupled with high humidity, could push demand up to 26,383 MW, tightening supply margins. ISO-NE is prepared to take steps to maintain the region’s power system reliability if needed. ISO-NE creates forecasts of demand and available capacity for each summer and winter season, taking into account-estimated contributions from all resources; unplanned resource outages; imports from neighboring regions; and resource additions and retirements. These estimates will help ISO-NE operators prepare and plan for the increase in electric demand over the summer months. Weather is the largest driver of energy use.

Vermont Business Magazine The Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Vermont Arts Council are hosting two powerful conferences in one remarkable village. The 2024 Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference on Wednesday, June 5 and the 2024 Creative Sector Convening on Thursday, June 6 both take place in Bellows Falls. At the 2024 Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference participants will learn proven strategies for community revitalization. Sessions will be centered around resiliency, adaptation, inclusive spaces, and creativity. Public investment in our historic downtowns and village centers helps to attract small businesses and private investment, improving quality of life for Vermonters and experiences for tourists. Bellows Falls is a great example of that. The village’s vibrancy is the result of preserving its historic integrity while encouraging new and creative uses for it.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced the schedule for this year’s annual Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference, which includes interactive workshops on growing economic opportunity, cultivating new audiences, and improving skills. The one-day-only event will kick off with remarks from stand-up comedian Tina Friml, Representative Becca Balint and Senator Welch. The conference will be held in Randolph on June 8th.

Vermont Business Magazine VCIA announced today its special event keynote for the 39th Annual VCIA Conference, taking place August 12-14th, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Burlington, Vermont. Leading futurist, and global trends and innovations analyst Jim Carroll will deliver the address on Wednesday August 14th at 2:45pm. Mr. Carroll is to present “The Future of Insurance” as it specifically relates to the captive insurance sector. He comes with an acclaimed reputation, having given remarks at The World Bank, NASA, and The World Street Journal, among other prestigious organizations.  

Vermont Business Magazine Join the Vermont SBA to learn more about federal opportunities available for Vermont following the flood disaster. Meet key players from state, federal, and philanthropic organizations and learn about the tools you need to recover from this disaster and prepare for the next. Workshops will be held around the state on June 4 Stratton Mountain Resort, June 5 Vermont State University Johnson and June 6 Vermont State House.