Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Senate gave preliminary approval to S.191, a bill that would enable New Americans to access advancement grants through the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC). This bill intends to support New Americans in affording and entering into non-degree educational programs after arriving in Vermont. An advancement grant is intended to help Vermonters enhance job skills and improve employability. These grants can be used for non-degree educational purposes, or to help an individual start the process of getting their licensure in a specific field. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation announced the issuance of Bulletin 229, principally adopting the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Model on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Systems by Insurers. This approach balances important consumer protection and market integrity concerns with the advancements that AI may offer for insurance. The bulletin emphasizes transparency and accountability, and addresses issues related to the use of AI such as potential inaccuracies or unfair bias. It explains DFR’s position that existing state insurance laws and rules apply to insurer use of AI. Insurers are reminded that any decisions or actions impacting consumers that are made or supported by AI Systems must comply with all applicable insurance laws, including those addressing unfair trade practices and prohibiting unfair discrimination.

Vermont Business Magazine Monday night, Mayor Weinberger secured unanimous City Council approval to advance three priority projects that will support future growth and investment in Burlington and the creation of new housing, jobs, and improved transportation and public infrastructure for the future. At the regular meeting of the City Council, the body approved three separate actions: a pre-development agreement for the Memorial Block, a pre-development for the coordinated redevelopment of 13 acres of surface parking lot in the newly created South End Innovation District, and a slate of budget and contract amendments which together enable ongoing design and construction of the Champlain Parkway.

Vermont Business Magazine Standard Solar, a leading commercial and community solar developer and asset owner based in Maryland, has announced the acquisition of an 18.5-megawatt (MW) solar project portfolio in Vermont from local developer MHG Solar. The six projects, owned and operated by Standard Solar, will provide clean energy to Vermont’s electric utilities under the state’s Standard Offer Program. This purchase underscores Standard Solar’s commitment to promoting sustainable energy solutions and advancing the development of solar power in the region. The projects include Evergreen Solar, 2.9 MW in Fair Haven; Halladay Solar, 3.3 MW in Middlebury; Midway Solar, 3.3. MW in Berlin; Steinberg Solar, 3.3 MW in Brandon; Stone Mill Solar, 2.8 MW in Castleton; and Trolley Tracks Solar, 2.8 MW in Poultney. All projects are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Vermont Business Magazine iSun, Inc (NASDAQ: ISUN), a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company based in Williston with 50-years of experience accelerating the adoption of innovative electrical technologies, today announced the appointment of Robert J. (Bob) Zulkoski as Chief Executive Officer. Effective immediately, Bob Zulkoski is appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of iSun, Inc. Jeff Peck will remain full-time with iSun in a strategic advisory and operational role to support the CEO. He previously was with Conduit Capital Holdings US (now Infusive) and RuralWorks Partners, LLC in Middlebury.

Vermont Business Magazine NuHarbor Security and Champlain College are launching a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity partnership that establishes a NuHarbor presence on Champlain’s campus for unprecedented access to internships, mentors, hands-on learning, and scholarships for students. Together, the company and the college will create a results-oriented and collaborative workforce development model for the cybersecurity industry. NuHarbor will lend its support and expertise to expand undergraduate cybersecurity programs at Champlain College, already a leader in cybersecurity education. Expert-led experiential learning will accelerate knowledge transfer and skill-building to shape the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. For NuHarbor, the partnership provides access to a proven talent pipeline in a burgeoning industry where demand is widely outpacing supply. NuHarbor Security will establish a co-located presence on the Champlain Lakeside Campus next to the college’s Leahy Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity. The building renovation will be complete in January 2025.  

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Weinberger provided an update on recent initiatives to combat the drug crisis and announced that the City has seen its first sustained decrease in monthly overdoses since before the pandemic. From January 2021 to September 2023, monthly overdose responses from the Burlington Fire Department (BFD) have consistently increased year over year. They dropped from an all-time high of 67 in September 2023 to only 25 in October and have stayed at that level through February. In the four months before Burlington launched its Community Response Team (CRT), there were a total of 211 overdose responses by the Burlington Fire Department, in the four months since the launch that number dropped by more than half.

by Dr. Erin Forbes, DVM, VVMA Communications Committee Chair April is Lyme Disease Prevention Month. While many people have heard of Lyme disease and know how prevalent it is in Vermont, they may not know much about how it spreads, the signs of disease, and how best to treat and prevent it. Lyme disease is spread through deer tick bites and caused by a bacteria called borrelia burgdorferi. This disease can cause your dog to be lame, lethargic, and not want to eat and can also lead to kidney disease and rarely death. Preventing Lyme disease through vaccines and preventatives is the best way to keep your dog healthy.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor’s Workforce Development Division has announced a new partnership with the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC) aimed at increasing Registered Apprenticeships in manufacturing. This partnership, funded by a $225,000 grant from the Vermont Department of Labor, aims to strengthen Vermont’s workforce development and expansion efforts by fostering connections between employers, service providers, and partners to build a sustainable talent pipeline. As a key component of this collaboration, VMEC will take on the responsibility of serving as Vermont's designated Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Center for the manufacturing sector. This designation highlights VMEC's dedication to offering support and guidance to manufacturers as they embark on the journey of Registered Apprenticeship.  

Vermont Business Magazine Alice Hyde Medical Center (AHMC) and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH), northern New York partners of The University of Vermont Health Network, have been featured in the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) Member Spotlight for their innovative and collaborative approach to training a new generation of surgical technicians and preserving access to patient care. The Surgical Technician Pathway is part of a series of pioneering initiatives by the UVM Health Network Center for Workforce Development designed to enhance the skills of its existing workforce and increase the overall number of health care professionals in northern New York and Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Springfield Gynecology is the first clinic in Vermont to introduce the Acessa procedure, an innovative and minimally-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment for women suffering from symptomatic uterine fibroids. Fibroids are painful growths within the uterus that range in size and can cause reproductive health issues.   Some common symptoms include heavy periods, stomach swelling and bloating, leg and back pain, stomach and pelvic pain, digestive changes, anemia, pain during sex and frequent urination. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, fibroids affect up to 80% of women by the time they reach age 50.

Public Assets Institute Total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 2,000 in January, topping 311,500 for the first time since March 2020. But the mix of jobs has changed. Jobs in the Professional and Business Services sector have increased by nearly 4,000. Meanwhile, the numbers in the Private Education and Health Services and Leisure and Hospitality sectors remain below their January 2020 levels—falling about 2,700 and 2,300 short, respectively.