Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today led the committee in a hearing titled, “Why Does the United States Pay, by Far, the Highest Prices in the World for Prescription Drugs?” – with the CEOs of Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck all testifying.

Vermont Business Magazine Grant funding is now available to support projects through the South Lake Champlain Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation. The South Lake Champlain Fund supports projects focused on education and research concerning the cultural and ecological history and heritage of southern Lake Champlain. Projects must be located in the area of Lake Champlain that is south of Crown Point in both Vermont and New York, with a preference for projects directly on the lake or in close proximity. School-based projects are encouraged. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor and the Vermont State Workforce Development Board are seeking public comment on the 2024-2028 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Combined State Plan. Every four years, the State of Vermont is required to submit a state plan to the U.S. Departments of Labor and of Education. This plan outlines the state's initiatives to support its residents, with a focus on empowering young individuals and those encountering barriers to employment to attain meaningful and high-quality jobs and careers. It also outlines the state's efforts to aid employers in recruiting and retaining skilled workers. In order to receive funding for core programs, states must have their plans approved.  

Vermont Business Magazine LaunchVT, a division of the Lake Champlain Chamber, is now accepting applications for its 2024 Accelerator. The selected startups will be the 12th cohort through LaunchVT’s flagship acceleration program. Entrepreneurs selected for the cohort will work with a dedicated business coach and strategic advisors to address their startup’s most pressing needs. They will also participate in peer sessions, office hours with business advisors, and workshops with content experts over the ten-week program, which begins on April 3rd and concludes on June 18th. The highlight of the program is Demo Night on June 11th at Hula, when the cohort of founders will pitch their businesses to investors and the public.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott on Wednesday signed into law S.160, An act relating to State education property taxes and flood-related damage. The act will reimburse municipalities for certain state education property tax payments if the municipality granted state education property tax abatements to property owners for damage caused by severe storms and flooding in 2023. JFO estimates this bill will cost $ 1.1 million to the Education Fund in fiscal year 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine Leadership from Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), Seventh Generation, SunCommon, and more called for bold climate action this legislative session at the State House in Montpelier. On February 1, as part of a Businesses for Climate Action Lobby Day, over 60 of Vermont’s business leaders from a broad array of industries spent the day urging legislators, other businesses, and the people of Vermont to champion legislation that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and strengthens the state’s resiliency to a changing climate.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Fish and Wildlife has announced that a Longnose Gar taken by a bowfishing angler in 2023 has been certified as a new state record. In May of 2023, Pennsylvania angler Jeremy Bicking was out bowfishing in the evening on Lake Champlain and took a gar that weighed 18.6 pounds.  This big fish measured 54 ¾ inches in length, a ¼ inch longer but 3 ounces lighter than the current record Longnose Gar taken by rod and reel in 2007.  State records are kept separately for four species of fish that can be taken both by hook-and-line and bowfishing.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) Board of Trustees named Alden Smith the next Executive Director of the Quechee-based environmental education nonprofit. Smith will serve as chief strategist, fundraiser, educational leader, and operational manager of the organization. Smith will report to the Board of Trustees and will lead a staff that includes 24 full-time and 8 part-time, seasonal employees and volunteers. From 2002 to 2022, Smith served as the Director of the Mountain School of Milton Academy, a semester school for high school juniors located on a farm in Vershire, Vermont. 

by Bill Schubart In 2016, for only the second time in my life, I bought a new car, an emission-free Nissan Leaf. I named it “Greta.” I recently ran into a friend who has a Tesla all-electric vehicle (EV) also named “Greta.” I’m now wondering how many EVs there are in the world bearing the Swedish teenager’s name. I’m comfortable saying it was the extraordinary courage of this young woman who could be my granddaughter that drove my decision to go all-electric. “Okay, boomer,” I said to myself, “It’s your turn to help leave a habitable world for the next generation." Almost eight years later, I’m now on my fourth Nissan Leaf.

Vermont Business Magazine Individuals have the opportunity to join the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) and the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) in shaping the future of outdoor recreation in Vermont through the Move Forward Together Vermont Public Survey. The survey seeks public input about recreation needs and priorities and will be open until March 31, 2024. The mobile-friendly online survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is recognizing World Wetlands Day and invites Vermonters to celebrate the value of wetlands. From fens and bogs to marshes and swamps, Vermont’s diverse wetlands mark where land and water meet. Spanning over 300,000 acres statewide, wetlands may be saturated or flooded with water either year-round or for only a few weeks of the year. First celebrated in 1997, World Wetlands Day raises awareness about wetlands and the functions and values they provide for people and for the health of the land. This year’s theme centers on the ties between wetlands and human wellbeing.

Vermont Business Magazine Farmers who are actively working on or managing a commercial farm operation in the state, are residents of Vermont, and have not received this award in the past may qualify for a $5,000 award for land stewardship, innovation, and service to community. Applications accepted until February 29, 2024. This is a change from past years when applications closed end of June. A selection committee consisting of leaders in the Vermont agricultural community will review and score the applications and select a winner. The award will be announced at the Vermont Land Trust’s annual meeting in the fall.