Vermont Business Magazine Dotdash Meredith's FOOD & WINE announces its 2023 Drinks Innovators of the Year, recognizing nine people leading the drinks world right now with extraordinary creativity and ambition. Some, like the winemaker making exceptional wines in a climate on the very edge of where grapes can be grown, and the distiller transforming an invasive species into bourbon, are addressing climate change with creativity and verve. ​This includes Deirdre Heekin and her winery, La Garagista​ in Woodstock, Vermont. ​​Others, like South Africa’s first Black woman winemaker, and the San Diego brewer celebrating Latino culture in craft-brewing, are bringing their life experiences and stories to the table in liquid terms. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported March 15, 2023, that COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations were down from last week. COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH. Hospitalizations decreased by 9 cases to 34 last week (they were as low as 30 last fall). Total cases fell to 311 (from 346). There were 3 COVID-related deaths in the last week for a pandemic total of 932 as of March 11. Of the total deaths to date, 739 have been of Vermonters 70 or older. There have been 3 deaths of Vermonters under 30 since the beginning of the pandemic. There were 28 deaths in February; there were 24 in January, as data was adjusted based on more information. Only 2 deaths have been reported so far in March. Deaths are not spiking this winter as they have the previous two.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Senate gave final approval to S37, known as the “shield bill,” which would provide protections to patients and providers who administer or receive reproductive and gender-affirming care in Vermont. The bill will now move to the House for further consideration. This bill would safeguard providers who provide abortion care and gender-affirming care, prevent insurance companies from raising rates for providers who provide abortion care and require pregnancy centers to adhere to Vermont’s consumer protection laws meant to protect patients from deceptive advertising.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that he has appointed Melanie Carpenter, of Hyde Park, to the vacant Lamoille-2 seat in the House of Representatives. Carpenter replaces former Democratic Representative Kate Donnally, who resigned last month. By tradition the governor appoints a person of the same party to fill a vacated seat. Carpenter currently owns and operates Zack Woods Herb Farm in Hyde Park, where she employs many local Vermonters. She previously served as principal of Stowe Middle School from 2008 to 2013. She was also a 7th and 8th grade teacher and literacy specialist at Peoples Academy Middle School in Morrisville from 2000 to 2008.

Vermont Business Magazine Since the start of the pandemic, higher-than-forecasted revenue and historic levels of federal COVID-19 aid helped spur widespread growth in states’ rainy day funds and end-of-year balances. A new report by PEW has found that after an early pandemic decline in rainy day fund balances, states reported that their combined savings reached a record $134.5 billion by the start of fiscal 2023 - and amid widespread, multiyear budget surpluses, states also reported the largest-ever annual increase in leftover general fund budget dollars. Rainy day funds, also known as budget stabilization funds, hit all-time highs in 37 states by the end of fiscal 2022—the most in at least 23 years. A smaller number of states (17) reached the highest number of days they could run government operations using rainy day funds alone, due largely to a historic spike in annual spending levels during the same time. Vermont finished in the middle of the pack with 41.5 days in reserve; the US median is 42.3 days.