Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Burlington had four voter-approved charter changes awaiting state approval this legislative session. Last week, Governor Phil Scott allowed bill H.508, an act relating to the ranked-choice voting provisions of the charter of the City of Burlington, to become law without his signature, and he signed bills H.506, relating to election boundary provisions, and H.507, relating to polling place provisions. The governor vetoed bill H.509, an act relating to voter qualification provisions, which if allowed to become law, will expand voting rights for City elections to individuals who are 18 years of age or older on the day of the election, legally living in the United States, and who can claim Burlington as their primary residence. 

Vermont Business Magazine Catherine Turyamureeba can’t forget the day she climbed into an Uber and uttered a few words providing directions to the driver. To her surprise, he immediately recognized her distinctive Ugandan accent. Catherine and her driver, Hannington Kasagga, shared that they’d both emigrated to Vermont from Uganda, as had Catherine’s sister, Barbara Asiimwe. A friendship - and then a business - was launched.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington City Council yesterday approved settling a civil rights lawsuit involving the 2018 arrests of three brothers, Jeremie, Albin, and Charlie Meli. The ACLU of Vermont filed an amicus brief with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals last year on behalf of one of the brothers, Charlie Meli, asserting his arrest was one of several arrests in recent years in which BPD officers have targeted Black men for engaging in lawful First Amendment activity, and another example of a “troubling practice of police responding to Black men’s speech with handcuffs.”

Vermont Business Magazine Unseasonably hot temperatures are expected to impact Vermont this week, with high temperatures forecast in the upper 80s to low 90s from Wednesday through Friday. These conditions create a serious risk for heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke, and state officials want people to know how to stay safe and healthy when the thermometer climbs. Vermonters can find tips and information in 12 languages, as well as an interactive map of cooling locations, at HealthVermont.gov/hot-weather. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today vetoed S.39, An act relating to compensation and benefits for members of the Vermont General Assembly. Legislative leaders had sought a pay hike for lawmakers in large part as a recruitment tool. They argued that it has become harder and harder to convince qualified Vermonters to run for office because of the relatively low pay given the time commitment. Scott, however, said in his veto: "it does not seem fair for legislators to insulate themselves from the very costs they are imposing on their constituents by doubling their own future pay."

Vermont Business Magazine When a Vermont employer fired an employee who said they would contact the “labor board” if they did not get paid for job-related travel time, the company violated federal protections against retaliation and found themselves facing costly consequences after a US Department of Labor investigation. An investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined Bevins & Son Inc — operating as Bevins Excavating in Milton — terminated a worker for asking to be paid in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and fitness icon Jake (Body by Jake) Steinfeld, chairman of the National Foundation for Governors' Fitness Councils (NFGFC), today announced the three Vermont schools that were selected to each receive a state-of-the-art $100,000 DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center. The multi-million dollar DON’T QUIT! campaign has named Essex Middle School in Essex Junction, Milton Middle School in Milton, and Missisquoi Valley Union School in Swanton as the state’s most outstanding schools for demonstrating leadership in getting and keeping their students fit. 

Vermont Business Magazine Ahead of a hearing today in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on child care funding, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the committee, and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a senior member and former chair of the committee, released a stunning new report finding that if Congress fails to act before September 30, 2023, child care across the U.S. could become more expensive and more difficult to find. The critical child care funding Democrats delivered in the American Rescue Plan saved the child care sector from collapse as the pandemic hit – saving high quality child care slots for 10 million children nationwide and 1 million child care jobs. But the funding is set to expire on September 30th, putting access to affordable child care at risk. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest mountain resort in Eastern North America and a POWDR company, today announces the culmination of the 2022/23 Winter Season with a bonus day of skiing and riding on Thursday, June 1. The May sun has done a number on the Superstar Glacier, but thanks to our advanced snowmaking and grooming techniques, we’ve managed to hold on to enough of our stockpile to provide great skiing and riding for the second June in a row. The Superstar Express Quad spins starting at 9 a.m. and we anticipate top-to-bottom turns. Arrive early for the best coverage and help us cap off the longest season in the East.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Changemakers Table, with contributions from the Vermont Community Foundation, has distributed eight grants totaling $40,000 to provide unrestricted operating support for organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) working with rural communities across Vermont. The Vermont Changemakers Table, convened by the Vermont Community Foundation and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), hosts an annual cohort of approximately 20 leaders under the age of 35 from across Vermont. The group collaboratively designs a grant round to distribute a pool of funds aimed at addressing needs across the state.

Vermont Business Magazine After a long, successful run with the Champlain Valley Fair and citing rising costs, the iconic Al’s French Frys has adjusted their business model and will no longer participate with the Champlain Valley Fair. The following are the statements from Al’s French Frys and the Champlain Valley Exposition . “For decades, Al’s French Frys has served up their delicious pints of Frys during the ten best days of summer. We’ll miss our working relationship but understand the need to adjust their business model as they eye more satellite options. We wish the entire team at Al’s French Frys and the Bissonette’s all the best in their future endeavors

Vermont Business Magazine The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced eight grants totaling $1,116,440 to Vermont arts and cultural organizations, including the Vermont Arts Council, which has been approved for an $968,940 NEA FY 2023 partnership agreement to deliver arts programs, services and activities throughout Vermont. The Vermont awards are part of more than $103.1 million in recommended NEA grants to organizations in all 50 states and US jurisdictions.