Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Vermont released three notices of of funding opportunities (NFO) for Farm Bill conservation planning and implementation support and fulfillment of the NRCS Vermont Strategic Plan. NRCS Vermont is seeking support from and opportunities to partner with like-minded natural resource conservation partners. The overall intent of this solicitation is to seek conservation partners to provide technical services for activities related to conservation delivery assistance identified in Section A of this announcement.

Vermont Business Magazine The Arlington Common, a hub for community, wellness and creativity, will host the second annual Battenkill Fly Fishing Festival, April 27 – 30th. The event will take place at its two-acre community campus located in Arlington’s downtown and less than half a mile from the Battenkill River, the heart of the fly fishing community and one of the United States’ premier fly fishing destinations for wild brown and brook trout. Attendees from as far as Canada and North Carolina will again be traveling to Arlington to join the celebrated history of fly fishing on the legendary Battenkill River, with event proceeds earmarked for the nonprofit Arlington Common and Battenkill River conservation projects while showcasing the Arlington area’s local inns, restaurants, small businesses and nonprofits.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s reclassification of the northern long-eared bat from threatened to endangered status came into effect Friday, March 31, 2023. In Vermont, the northern-long eared bat received a state endangered status in 2011 due to rapid and drastic declines caused by the deadly fungal disease white-nose syndrome. It received federal threatened status in 2015 after the disease had spread throughout the Northeast, but not the entire range of the species. Following white-nose syndrome’s expansion across the United States and Canada, the northern long-eared bat has experienced similarly dramatic population declines throughout most of its range. In Vermont, this once-common species of mature forest habitats has declined by 98% in the underground hibernation sites where it overwinters.

Vermont Business Magazine After more than three years of all of us dealing with this global pandemic, VermontBiz, is proud to announce the 2023 Best of Business Awards (BOB Awards) winners. This awards program celebrates the best Vermont companies in more than 100 business-to-business categories. Vermont businesses are very resilient and deserve to be recognized for their commitment to Vermont consumers. VermontBiz readers chose the winners! Starting on January 1, 2023, and closing on March 1st, VermontBiz surveyed its magazine and digital subscribers. We asked our readers – the business leaders of Vermont – who they trust to provide their services in over 100 different categories. After over 81,000 votes, up more than 20% over 2022, we compiled the go-to list in the state for everything from Best Hotel and Best Engineering Firm to Best Vermont Made Product. Some of the questions and answers were based on a regional perspective while most of the categories were looking for statewide winners.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today joined the First Lady of the United States, Dr Jill Biden, and US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona at BETA Technologies in South Burlington as part of the Biden Administration’s Investing in America Tour. The event included a walkthrough of the BETA Technologies, a growing Vermont electric aerospace company, where BETA employees showcased their work on the control mechanisms for ALIA aircraft. The visit also highlighted the importance of investing in Career and Technical Education. Students from North Country Technical Center in Newport, Vermont, gave a tabletop presentation to test the voltage, and tension components of electric vehicles.

Vermont Business Magazine 1% for the Planet, a global organization that exists to ensure our planet and future generations thrive, announced record philanthropic giving in 2022, rapid growth of its global network of businesses and environmental partners, and an ambitious agenda in 2023 to catalyze critical action to address the global environmental crisis. 1% for the Planet certified a record $66 million in giving to 3,000 approved environmental partners in 2022—growing the organization’s lifetime certified giving to $450 million since its founding in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies. 1% for the Planet also added more than 1,800 new members in 2022, bringing total membership to 5,300 businesses.

Vermont Business Magazine Olympia Hotel Management has announced that it has been selected to operate Sun & Ski Inn and Suites on the Mountain Road in Stowe, the state’s premier four-season destination. The 39-room hotel, which features Stowe Bowl and Stowe Golf Park, caters to families and guests with an active lifestyle. Bordering the West Branch Little River, it has an enviable location midway between historic Stowe Village and Stowe Mountain Resort. The property is co-owned by Mark and Rachel Vandenberg, as well as Michael and Debi Diender, Rachel’s parents. The Dienders have a lengthy history in Stowe. They previously owned Grey Fox Inn and the Dutch Pancake Café and assumed ownership of Sun & Ski Inn and Suites in 1996. The Vandenbergs took over hotel operations from the Dienders in 2012.

Vermont Business Magazine Five nonprofit organizations in New Hampshire and Vermont will receive support from Citizens through the bank’s Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money program. This includes the Champlain Housing Trust and Vermont Works for Women. The initiative helps strengthen communities by supporting programs, through direct funding as well as volunteerism, that give people the resources they need to be financially healthy and inspire them to pursue their goals. Select nonprofits will receive a total of $50,000 to support work in this critical area. The announcement comes during Financial Literacy Month, a nationally recognized campaign that raises awareness of the need for more financial literacy education.

Vermont Business Magazine Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) will begin implementing symptom-based masking use for patients, visitors and staff today, April 5, 2023. This means that if a patient, visitor or staff member does not have fever, chills, cough, sore throat, running or congested nose or shortness of breath, they may choose not to wear a mask. However, to ensure everyone feels comfortable while at NVRH, healthcare personnel are required to wear a mask if a patient, caregiver or family member asks them to wear one.

Funding is now available for Vermont organizations and projects through the Walter Cerf Community Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation. Mr. Cerf, a native of Germany who made Addison County his home in his later years, gave more than $10 million to organizations and projects in Vermont before passing away in 2001. He focused much of his giving in Addison County and Brandon.

Grants from the Walter Cerf Community Fund reflect that focus: two-thirds of the grants are reserved for Addison County/Brandon projects and one-third is reserved for statewide projects. Priority interests are the arts, education, historic preservation, and social services, reflecting the pattern of giving established by Mr. Cerf during his lifetime.

The fund awards multiple grants up to $5,000 and one grant up to $25,000. Applications to the fund will be accepted through June 9, 2014. Visit www.vermontcf.org to learn more.

Vermont Business Magazine The State Police Advisory Commission released the following statement Tuesday regarding Vermont State Trooper resignations announced March 31, 2023. While Commissioner of Public Safety Jennifer Morrison had not reached a final decision on discipline before the two troopers resigned, the State Police Advisory Commission advised her that the troopers’ actions warranted termination and no lesser form of discipline was appropriate.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) today announced a three-year contract with Wellpath, LLC (Wellpath) to provide comprehensive health services to incarcerated individuals in Vermont. Wellpath, formerly Correct Care Solutions, is a multi-national healthcare provider that offers localized, high-quality, compassionate care to patients in challenging clinical environments. Vermont DOC formerly contracted with Correct Care Solutions from 2010-2015 to provide health services to Vermont’s incarcerated population. Vermont DOC released a Request for Proposals (RFP) in May 2022 for a new comprehensive health services contract upon the completion of the current contract with VitalCore Health Strategies. The Department approached the selection with a thoughtful and meticulous process, engaging a framework grounded in evidence-based practices, the most current health research, and the Vermont community standard of care.