Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and the “State of Lung Cancer” report reveals that it is detected at high levels in about 21.7% of homes in Vermont. During January for National Radon Action Month, the American Lung Association in Vermont is urging everyone to help save lives by testing their home for radon and mitigating if high levels are detected. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas emitted from the ground. Radon is odorless, tasteless and colorless, and can enter a home through cracks in floors, basement walls, foundations and other openings. Radon can be present at high levels inside homes, schools and other buildings. It is responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year and is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who have never smoked.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets Are you looking for funding to purchase specialized equipment like milk storage tanks, milk pipelines, glycol chillers, milk loading systems, reclaim systems for water, cooling equipment, plate coolers/heat exchangers, and more? If so, apply to the On-Farm Milk Storage & Handling Grant! Applications close on January 18th at 2pm. Awards will range from $15,000-$50,000 with a 25% cash or in-kind match requirement. Review the Request for Applications for the full program details. 

Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies Verde Technologies Inc. is developing an innovative alternative to traditional silicon solar panels. Headquartered in Burlington, this renewable energy company manufactures thin-film solar panels using the mineral perovskite. The product adheres to virtually any surface, making solar energy a viable option for all sunlit households.

Vermont Business Magazine On January 5, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined EMS providers at White River Valley Ambulance to tour the facility and discuss the Emergency Medical Services Reimbursement for On-scene Care and Support (EMS ROCS) Act, a bicameral bill that requires the government to pay for vital EMS services, regardless of whether a person needs an ambulance ride to the hospital. The bill was recently introduced in the Senate by Sen. Welch and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and in the House by Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL). 

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) on Monday, January 8 at 12:30 pm will hold a rally with members of the Montpelier community and the Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience on the effort to restore the state capital’s post office. “The residents of Montpelier need and deserve a restored post office in their community – just as Vermonters in every corner of our state deserve reliable service and postal workers deserve the safe and fair working conditions,” said the Vermont Congressional Delegation. Since the catastrophic flood damage this summer, more than five months ago, the Montpelier Post Office has operated out of a series of temporary locations, including two trucks that failed to provide safe working conditions for employees or reliable service to the community. 

Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies From cow to consumer, Boyden Farm does it all. Farmer/CEO, Mark Boyden, takes us through his entrepreneurial approach running the fifth-generation farm. Boyden Farm does everything from feeding their cattle with Boyden crops to selling their grass-fed beef at local stores and restaurants. Whether you want to grill at home or enjoy a night out at the Burger Barn, Boyden beef will not disappoint. By the end of this, you'll crave a burger just like we did.

Vermont Business Magazine Author Melinda Moulton of Huntington and Illustrator Ron De Long will be launching their children's book "Bobby Blue" at the Main Street Landing Black Box on Saturday the 20th of January from 6 to 8 p.m.  This event is free and open to the public.  Melinda & Ron will be presenting Bobby Blue and providing background on why this story is important for children and adults alike.  They will be personalizing and signing books after the Q & A.  There will be a cash bar.  Main Street Landing is the host sponsor of this event.

by Guy Payne In the Heart of Vermont, a market transformation is underway in the world of homebuilding construction, and it’s not your average headline. This isn’t just about bricks and beams; it’s about creating homes that are healthier, more energy efficient, and built to last. Picture this: The year is 2023, and the Legislative Committee’s Building Energy Code Study Committee has just released a report. While it delves into the intricacies of ACT 47, it takes an unexpected turn, shining a spotlight on something that affects us all – education and continuous learning with the building trades. The committee’s findings are eye-opening. They reveal that a lack of understanding of building science is causing buildings to fall prey to costly problems like mold, mildew, and rot. 

Vermont Business Magazine Snapshots of a Life: Essays, a debut memoir by former director of the Vermont Association for Mental Health, Ken Libertoff, of Montpelier, Vermont, will be released by Rootstock Publishing on January 16, 2024.  In Snapshots of a Life Libertoff shares his memories from the bleachers at old Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, working at Boggiano’s Bar and Grill in Rockaway, and playing on the basketball courts of New York City, to a full career as a mental health advocate in New England with work and travel to South Africa, Botswana, and Swaziland. His stories capture his life in various settings while never losing sight of home.  

Leonine Public Affairs Legislators returned to the Vermont statehouse on Wednesday, January 3 to kick off the 2024 legislative session. The second year of the biennium is always a fast start, but 2024 felt particularly busy out of the gate. This is because legislators and the Governor Phil Scott are eager to address critical issues like flood recovery - and because tensions between the Republican governor and the Democratic supermajority continue to simmer. Governor Scott delivered his eighth State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature on Thursday. In his speech, the governor highlighted what he views as the top issues facing Vermont: public safety, affordability and housing. 

Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company announced on Monday that it is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2024. The Company, founded in 1874 by act of the Vermont Legislature, is now a regional property and casualty insurance carrier serving more than 100,000 individuals and small businesses throughout New England and parts of New York. As a mutual company, Union Mutual does not answer to corporate stockholders and instead exists to provide value to its policyholders. The Company does not engage in direct-to-consumer sales, but rather partners with more than 250 independent insurance agents located throughout New England.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Ice conditions across Vermont are inconsistent due to warm and variable weather, and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is urging anglers to put safety first if they venture out ice fishing. Ice conditions are currently variable across Vermont. At higher elevations and in the Northeast Kingdom many lakes and ponds have frozen over completely and have fishable ice. But in southern Vermont and the Champlain Valley, many lakes and ponds are not yet safe for ice fishing.