Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) enthusiastically invites nominations for Vermont’s 2024 Early Childhood Educator of the Year. The prestigious professional annual award honors exceptional early childhood educators and spotlights the importance of high-quality early childhood education for Vermont’s children, families, and communities. Presented by VTAEYC and sponsored by Let’s Grow Kids, the 2024 award comes with a $2,500 cash prize and all expenses paid to NAEYC’s Annual Conference. Nominations are encouraged from anyone who recognizes an early childhood educator’s excellence and impact. Nominators may include family members of children enrolled in child care programs, colleagues, friends, and other community members.

Vermont Business Magazine KeyBank, with branches across Vermont, has issued its 2024 Small Business Month Survey results. Overall, Small business owners are concerned about the future economy yet remain resilient, perhaps having learned how to navigate their business from past economic downturns. Often the first to feel the effects of inflation and economic volatility, small business owners are optimistic about their businesses, even as economic challenges remain. KeyBank's 2024 Small Business Survey found that 65% of small business owners feel confident they could fund their operating expenses for one month with their cash reserves, if an unexpected need arose.

Vermont Business Magazine American Red Cross of Northern New England volunteers and staff on Saturday teamed up with the Berlin, Warren, Montpelier and Barre Fire Departments as well as the Vermont Division of Fire Safety to install 146 free smoke alarms for families during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety event throughout Washington County. They also shared information on the causes of home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan. Most people don’t realize they have just two minutes to escape a home fire before it’s too late. Working smoke alarms provide critical early warning to help save lives.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Legislature passed legislation (S.25) to ban per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) and other toxic chemicals from personal care products, and to ban PFAS from apparel, cookware, artificial turf, and children’s products. The bill includes a first-in-the-nation ban on phthalates, formaldehyde, mercury, and lead among other harmful chemicals in menstrual products, and the first ban on PFAS in incontinence products. Each vote on this bill in the Vermont Senate and House was unanimous, and it now heads to the governor’s desk for consideration. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Senate has voted in favor of H. 298 on the 3rd reading by a voice vote. The bill would make numerous changes to the Renewable Energy Standard (RES). It would require that most retail electricity providers’ annual load be comprised of 100 percent renewable energy by January 1, 2030. For GlobalFoundries and municipal providers, the deadline would be January 1, 2035. The bill would also increase the required amounts of distributed renewable generation, new renewable energy, and load growth renewable energy. Some exceptions are spelled out in the bill. 

Vermont Business Magazine On May 6th, 2024, at approximately 8:55 PM, the Vermont State Police received a report regarding a male pedestrian who had been struck by multiple vehicles on Interstate 89N near mile marker 92 in the Town of Colchester.  The victim, identified as Bhim Jogi, 38 years old and a resident of Colchester, was lying in the travel lane along the white fog line when he was struck by two passenger cars and a tractor-trailer truck.  Jogi succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the incident. 

Vermont Business Magazine Funding is now available to nonprofits and municipal organizations through the Walter Cerf Community Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation. The Walter Cerf Community Fund makes grants to address charitable needs in the state of Vermont. Priority interests are the arts, education, historic preservation, and social services. The fund will consider both small ($500-$5,000) and large (up to $25,000) grant requests. Organizations applying for a small grant may request program/project support or general operating support. Large grant requests must be program/project-specific and from organizations serving Addison County or Brandon.

Vermont Business Magazine Four colleges and universities have committed to simplify transfer for students who earn associate degrees at the Community College of Vermont (CCV) and want to pursue a bachelor’s degree program at a four-year institution in Vermont. Champlain College (including Champlain College Online), Norwich University, Saint Michael’s College and Vermont State University have joined the New England Transfer Guarantee, a program of the New England Board of Higher Education.  Interested students should visit the student portal. This is the first year of Vermont’s participation. The institutions have signed a memorandum of agreement joining the Vermont Transfer Guarantee.

Vermont Business Magazine For the first time, students will cross the stage to receive a diploma inscribed with Vermont State University. This first class of grads includes students who initially began studies at then-named Castleton University, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College. Commencement will occur on the Castleton and Johnson campuses on May 18 and at the Lyndon and Randolph campuses on May 19. Williston campus students will graduate in Randolph.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that COVID-19 cases fell again, from 39 to 31. In addition, hospitalizations were unchanged as COVID overall remains at a low level. There was one fatality last week. The pandemic death total now stands at 1,147 as of April 20, 2024 (the most recent data available). Total reported deaths in January were 28, which is the highest monthly total in a year, but only 16 in February, 11 in March and 3 in April. At this rate April will finish with the fewest COVID deaths since the summer of 2021. 

Vermont Business Magazine The University of New England (UNE) and the University of Vermont (UVM) have announced a collaboration aimed at expanding access to medical education for qualified students, particularly those interested in bolstering rural healthcare in Maine and New England. The new agreement — between UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) and UVM’s Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical program — provides a pathway for qualified UVM post-baccalaureate pre-medical students to pursue a medical education at UNE COM. UVM’s Post-Bacc Pre-Med program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip students with the necessary health prerequisite requirements and advanced science courses needed for acceptance into medical school and other graduate health professions programs. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor is participating in the first-ever National Youth Apprenticeship Week, observed from May 5 to May 11, 2024. This event celebrates the benefits and value of registered apprenticeship opportunities for youth and young adults ages 16-24. During this week-long celebration, the Vermont Department of Labor, in collaboration with local businesses, educational institutions, and community organizations, will showcase the various pathways and benefits of apprenticeship programs for youth.