Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Avfuel Corporation, the leading independent supplier of aviation fuel and services, added Heritage Aviation (KBTV) to its branded FBO Network. Avfuel Network said in its announcement that this strategic partnership marks a significant expansion for the firm, contributing to the fuel supplier’s ongoing growth strategy and further solidifying its commitment to providing a robust service network for flight operators. Burlington International Airport (BTV)-based Heritage Aviation's FBO division has been ranked as the #1 FBO in New England for seven consecutive years by AIN based on its seamless customer service coupled with unparalleled technical expertise in ground handling, fueling, deicing and comprehensive aviation support capabilities.

Vermont Business Magazine Berkshire Bank, with branches in southern Vermont, has announced a new down payment assistance program to help first-time homebuyers achieve the dream of homeownership. Rising home prices and low inventory are creating affordability challenges for potential homebuyers, especially those looking for their first home. The new offering from Berkshire will help make that dream a reality and the program can be combined with many local, state and federal down payment assistance offerings.

Vermont Business Magazine The three Disaster Recovery Centers in Vermont will be closed Monday, October 9 in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day. They will reopen Tuesday, October 10 with normal hours. If you were affected by Vermont’s July storms, visit a Disaster Recovery Center to get in-person help from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Specialists can help you apply for assistance, answer questions and provide referrals to resources. The deadline to apply for assistance is October 12, 2023.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) applauded the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) investment of more than $7 million in the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center, housed within the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. The Innovation Center, which was a priority of former Senator Patrick Leahy established in the 2018 Farm Bill, supports small and mid-sized dairy businesses in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products. This funding will help Vermont and regional dairy producers increase sales, open new markets, create jobs, and expand infrastructure.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced he’s appointed 180 Vermonters to State boards and commissions from May to September. Boards and commissions serve an important role in state government, giving Vermonters numerous opportunities to serve their state and communities. The Governor’s Office is currently soliciting applications to fill vacancies and upcoming term expirations. All those interested in serving on a board or commission should visit the governor’s website at governor.vermont.gov/boards_and_commission to apply.

Vermont Business Magazine After Maximus, a major contractor that operates call centers for the federal government, failed to respect its workers constitutional right to organize, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today sent a letter to the company’s CEO Bruce Caswell requesting information on Maximus’s failure to respond to workers’ demands as they continue to fight for better compensation and working conditions. Maximus currently holds contracts with dozens of federal agencies as well as state and local governments in all 50 states. Approximately 47 percent of Maximus’s 2022 revenue came from federal government contracts and 35 percent from state and local government contracts. Nearly 18,000 workers fulfill Maximus’s federal government contracts alone. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), the statewide, nonprofit business association advancing a just, thriving, and transformative economy that works for all people and the planet, has launched ClimateReadyVT, a new, free program designed to help small businesses in Vermont adapt to our changing climate and build resilience to climate-related business interruptions. Registration is open and the cohort will convene starting in early November.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association On Saturday, October 14th from 10 AM to 1 PM, Island Pond & the Town of Brighton are hosting one of Button Up Vermont’s annual campaign events. This event’s theme is Weatherization for All: Programs & Resources for Making Efficiency Affordable. The event will be held at the Brighton Town Hall Gymnasium. Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA), Energy Committees and Energy Partners from across the NEK have worked together to offer a free, family-friendly, and affordability-focused event to everyone interested in energy efficiency. A panel of representatives from HEAT Squad, NETO, NEKCA, RuralEdge, Efficiency Vermont, VPPSA, and VEC will provide information on incentives, rebates, grants, and programs for homeowners, renters, and landlords, alike. This is the opportunity to ask questions such as “How can I afford to weatherize?”, “Is it worth the time and cost?”, and “Where do I start?” 

Vermont Business Magazine The George D. Aiken Center, home of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, has officially become a net zero energy building. Located next to the Davis Center on UVM’s central campus, the Aiken Center now produces as much or more energy than it uses on an annual basis. In 2016, the Rubenstein School and UVM’s Office of Sustainability commissioned VEIC, a clean energy consulting firm, to develop a Zero Energy Framework that could be used to evaluate progress toward the net zero goal. 

Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer Below you will find two short memos addressing the state’s 10-Year Telecommunications Plan. The plan, which is supposed to guide Vermont’s telecom policies and spending, is being updated and we wanted to share our concerns while it’s in process. We are not conducting an audit, but the shortcomings in the existing plan (and the scope of work for the new one) are sufficient to warrant communication with the Legislature and the Public Service Department in the hopes they can be remedied.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, U.S Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) on Wednesday led 16 of their Senate colleagues in a letter to President Biden, expressing their support for the prospect of a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel and sharing their views on the parameters of the United States’ involvement in a potential normalization deal. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America and a POWDR resort, announced today that tickets for the 2023 Stifel Killington Cup will be available for purchase starting October 12 at 10:00 a.m. ET at killington.com. Taking place November 24-26, the Audi FIS Ski World Cup will once again bring the women’s giant slalom and slalom races to Vermont. The event is expected to attract Stifel US Ski Team superstars, including five-time Stifel Killington Cup slalom victor and winningest alpine skier in history Mikaela Shiffrin, and former University of Vermont skier and 2023 world champion Paula Moltzan.