Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Chooseco, The Waitsfield-based publisher of Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) gamebooks, the fourth bestselling children’s book series of all time, has licensed rights to Penguin Random House for a Stranger Things CYOA. Portland-based poet and CYOA writer, Rana Tahir, authored "Stranger Things: Heroes and Monsters" based on the fourth season of the Netflix series. It will be released by Random House Children’s Books (RHCB), a division of Penguin Random House, on April 18, 2023. "Stranger Things: Heroes and Monsters" will be the longest CYOA book in their Classic series to date clocking in at 280 pages and more than 25 endings. Like all CYOA books, it is written in the second person. The protagonist is YOU, the reader, who is presented with a series of choices that navigate your way through the book.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael’s College President Lorraine Sterritt and Chair of the Board of Trustees Patricia Casey shared the news of President Sterritt’s upcoming retirement, effective June 30, with the campus community today. Sterritt, a national leader in higher education with experience at some of America’s finest institutions, was named the 17th president of Saint Michael's College in January 2018 and began serving as president beginning in July of that year. Saint Micahel's is a residential, liberal arts, Catholic college located in Colchester.

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that the City’s Elmwood Emergency Shelter Community is ready for occupancy and up to 35 guests will be welcomed into the shelter by the end of the month. CEDO Director, Brian Pine, CEDO Assistant Director for Community Works, Samantha Dunn, and Champlain Housing Trusts (CHT) CEO, Michael Monte were also present for the announcement. Brian, Samantha and Michael joined the Mayor in thanking many key partners for delivering an innovative new approach to building emergency low-barrier shelter, and for supporting the incoming shelter guests with robust services as part of the City’s public health approach to ending homelessness.

Vermont Business Magazine At his weekly press conference today, Governor Phil Scott addressed concerning incidents seen at youth sporting events over the past several months, and the need for everyone to work to be better role models. The governor in particular addressed the fight that ensued on the court mostly among adult spectators at a middle school basketball game last week (January 31) in Alburgh. But this has not been the only incident involving fans at school sporting events.

by Basil Waugh, University of Vermont Vermonters largely support laws on food scraps and single-use plastics, but some are confused about composting rules, and frustrated with the state’s inability to compost biodegradable containers and tableware. These takeaways are from the first research yet to tackle the state’s pioneering food waste laws—Act 148 (food scraps) and Act 69 (single-use plastics)—since coming into effect on July 1, 2020. Findings includes: Most Vermonters (66%) say the environmental benefits of the plastic bag ban outweigh the economics costs; Businesses identify Vermont’s inability to compost or recycle biodegradable takeout meal containers and tableware as a source of frustration.

Vermont Business Magazine At a meeting on January 26, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board committed $23.3 million in state and federal funding to create 202 new homes statewide, both rental and homeownership, with 36 reserved for households that have experienced homelessness. Nine apartments in Rutland will be rehabilitated and the first year-round shelter in Lamoille County will be created with 21 beds.

Vermont Business Magazine The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 ends extra 3SquaresVT benefits in March 2023. This extra help began in March 2020 due to the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The assistance has been a temporary increase from the federal government to help those affected by the pandemic and did not permanently change a household’s monthly benefit. Since March 2020, the extra 3SquaresVT benefits have reached over 40,000 Vermont households comprised of over 68,000 individuals. To date, Vermont has issued over $175 million in emergency payments. This additional federal funding has supplemented food budgets during the pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine Gifford launched its Employee Recognition program recognizing and rewarding the amazing work that happens at Gifford Health Care every day with an exceptional team. There were 47 nominations for the three awards highlighting the impact each person has on the care provided; with nominations coming from patients, patient families and colleagues.

Vermont Business Magazine Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) has been named to the Budget Committee in addition to her membership on the Committee on Oversight. Balint’s position on the Budget Committee allows her to remain focused on investing in Vermont priorities like the addressing the global climate crisis and providing accessible healthcare while supporting working families with their everyday costs like childcare and education.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), chairman of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind) at 1:30 pm ET on Thursday, February 9th will hold a press conference with rail workers to demand companies provide them with at least seven paid sick days. Sanders will be joined by representatives from SMART-TD, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes, the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, and the National Association of Chemical Distributors.