Current News

by Devon Green, VAHHS VP of Government Relations VAHHS wants to thank Senator Dick Sears and Senator Ginny Lyons for holding a joint hearing last week to hear from health care providers on S.36 and workplace violence. The extensive testimony was raw and emotional. It was jarring to see these matter-of-fact professionals reduced to tears. I want to thank the Senate Judiciary and Senate Health and Welfare Committees for their compassion in hearing our health care providers. Most importantly, thank you to all health care providers who took the time and effort to testify. Your stories were powerful. Lawmakers also focused on Long Term Care, Mental Health, Dental and Shield laws.

Vermont Business Magazine Burton and Run DMC announced today that a limited-edition run of snowboards, boots, bindings, outerwear, streetwear, bags, and accessories will be available for purchase on Burton.com on February 15th for the Mine77 x Run DMC collection and February 22nd for the Burton x Run DMC collection. In addition, a digital auction of 7.7 one-of-a-kind Burton x Run DMC snowboards will take place from February 7th-15th to benefit both the Chill Foundation and the Jam Master Jay Foundation. To kick off this legendary collaboration, 7.7 exclusive Mine77 x Run DMC collection “DJ Board” snowboards will be digitally auctioned on February 7th – 15th. Constructed by hand at Burton Headquarters in Vermont, the design of this true twin freestyle board pays homage to Jam Master Jay’s DJ setup, complete with vintage vinyl records mounted in the board channel and specialty packaging inspired by metal DJ gear transport cases.

Vermont Business Magazine The Sixth Annual Southern Vermont Economy Summit will be held May 23, 2023 at The Hermitage Club in Wilmington, Vermont. This annual event is a time for community, municipal, and business leaders across Southern Vermont to come together to think big, learn something new, ask questions, and connect. The 2023 Summit's theme is "Forging Our Future." With the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear view mirror, we now face a time where there is unprecedented amounts of funding available for rural communities to carry out vital projects. At the same time, rising costs, tight local workforce, and a state-wide housing crisis are stressing the capacity of businesses, towns, and community projects.

Vermont Business Magazine Orly Yadin, Executive Director (ED) of the Vermont International Film Festival (VTIFF) will be stepping down from her role as of June 30th, 2023. A search for a new ED has begun. Arnie Malina, President of the VTIFF Board, said “Orly took an organization that was in danger of closing down and re-built and expanded its programs and community support to become a vibrant participant in Vermont’s cultural life.”

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets After a multi-year hiatus, NOFA-VT is resurrecting the Direct Markets Survey with the support of the Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. This survey aims to gather data about the 2022 season for NOFA-VT to speak about the state of direct-market sales in Vermont, and to update the NOFA-VT Farm Stand/CSA Directory. The directory is an important tool for customers to find out where they can purchase your farm products directly. People who respond prior to February 15th will be entered into a raffle for free registration at the 2023 NOFA-VT Conference, happening in Burlington (and online) on February 18th-19th. People who respond after February 15th will be entered into a raffle for free registration to NOFA-VT summer workshops, swag, free coffee, and other prizes.

by Rob Roper Secretary of Natural Resources, Julie Moore, pulled back the veil a little on what the cost of the proposed Clean Heat Standard, S.5, could be for Vermonters and it’s a really big number.

Moore calculates that the first four years of the program (from 2026, when the law would take effect, to 2030, a milestone year for the Global Warming Solutions Act) will require $2 billion-plus in spending on weatherization and new heating system installation. After subtracting federal money that can be used to pay for some of this activity and what Vermonters can be expected to privately pay out of pocket, the net need for revenue would be, according to Moore, $1.2 billion.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Nongame Wildlife Fund is essential to the conservation and restoration of some of Vermont’s most at-risk wildlife, like the lake sturgeon and Northern long-eared bat. Thanks to a checkoff option on the Vermont state income tax form, donating to the fund is easy and impactful. For over 35 years Vermont’s Nongame Tax Checkoff has been helping to recover species that were once on the brink of extinction in Vermont, like the common loon, osprey, and peregrine falcon. Most recently, the bald eagle was removed from Vermont’s list of endangered species in 2022. The Nongame Wildlife Fund supported years of monitoring and nest protection to ensure that eagle numbers were robust enough to declare the species recovered.

by Timothy McQuiston, Editor, VermontBiz/Vermont Business Magazine Before anyone had heard of the Internet or email — and long before Facebook, the iPhone or Google — there was the Vermont 100. Vermont Business was born in 1972 and first published as a stand-alone monthly in February 1973. Our first Vermont 100 ranking of businesses by annual revenue was featured in the publication's January 1987 issue, based on 1986 revenues. Since then there have been only four companies that have been Number One: National Life Group, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Fletcher Allen Health Care (now The University of Vermont Medical Center) and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc (now Keurig Dr Pepper and based in Plano, TX).

Vermont Business Magazine The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce has announced the dates for the third annual Best of Vermont Summer Festival! This two-day event is scheduled for Saturday, August 26 from 12 noon - 7 pm and Sunday, August 27 from 10 am - 4 pm in Ludlow, Vermont. The event will take place at Okemo Field on Route 103 the use of which is generously donated again by Lead Sponsor Okemo Mountain/Vail Resorts.

This festival is a great opportunity for everyone including locals, new residents, second homeowners, and visitors to enjoy specialty foods; wine, spirits & brew tastings; artisan products; fine art; awesome live music; ag demos; children’s activities; and more! The Best of Vermont Summer Festival will be marketed throughout the Okemo Valley region, the state of Vermont, New England and the Northeast.

Leonine Public Affairs This week the Vermont House passed H.145, the FY2023 Budget Adjustment Act (BAA). While the House decided to fund the bulk of Governor Phil Scott’s proposals in BAA, there were significant differences in the funding levels for certain initiatives. The House added more than $80 million in funding to the governor’s proposal, mostly toward housing. Democrats on the House Appropriations committee and on the House floor argued that lower income and unhoused Vermonters urgently need housing assistance as the justification to appropriate tens of millions of dollars in additional funding. Republican members criticized the additional spending, saying it was not appropriate to increase funding for pandemic-era emergency programs slated to shut down in the coming months. Others criticized the spending in BAA, saying that it will require cutting important initiatives from the governor’s proposed FY2024 budget.

Vermont Business Magazine The past two winters have seen thousands of visitors attend Brattleboro’s Artful Ice Shanties exhibit, presented by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) and Retreat Farm. They saw ice shanties shaped like a giant iridescent fish, a black die with moon-shaped dots, a seascape with a three-dimensional octopus, a cockeyed castle, and more. The wild and whimsical Artful Ice Shanties are coming back for the third time, February 18–26, generously sponsored by Foard Panel, Brattleboro Subaru, and The Marina, and with grant support from the Vermont Arts Council.