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House lawmakers seek to prohibit cannabis concentrates from adult-use market

Tue, 05/10/2022 - 3:34am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, May 5, 2022, the Vermont House Committee on Government Operations voted to amend bill H.548, a Miscellaneous Cannabis Establishment Procedures Bill, with language prohibiting solid cannabis concentrates that test over 60% THC from the adult-use cannabis marketplace. According to the Vermont Growers Association, this House amendment will place Vermont’s entire adult-use marketplace in jeopardy, introduce significant and unprecedented risk, and, in turn, impact countless local businesses and consumers, the state’s projected revenue, and keep cannabis products unregulated. No other state with an active adult-use cannabis market has THC caps. 

VDH: COVID cases stubborn, hospitalizations increase

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 4:00pm -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 174 cases of COVID-19 for Sunday. (273 Saturday; 382 Friday). VDH also reported two additional deaths from the virus. The total death toll is now 644 lives lost. There are five reported deaths in May so far. April, with 18, surpassed March's total. March saw the fewest COVID deaths since last July. Hospitalizations were elevated since mid-April and today were 74 (up 10 from Friday).

Survey: 86% of Vermont early childhood education programs face staffing shortage

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 3:33pm -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Today is the national day of action “A Day Without Child Care,” intended to show policymakers and legislators that employers rely on working families’ access to early childhood education programs - but for many Vermont families, an early childhood educator shortage means that every day is a day without child care.  A survey of Vermont early childhood education center owners and program directors shows 86% are experiencing a dire staffing shortage. On average, there are 3.1 open positions per center-based program. These shortages mean 80% of surveyed programs are enrolling fewer children than desired – and programs are serving 10.1 fewer children per day than they would like to serve. 

Working Lands Enterprise Board announces $3.1 million FY 2022 Impact grants

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 3:33pm -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine The Working Lands program continues to increase its historic funding for those who make their living off the land. This May, the Program awarded $3.1 million in grants that will help grow agriculture and small businesses in Vermont with new Supply Chain and Market Level Impact specific grants to leverage supply chain partnerships at a significant scale of up to $250K per award. This round of funding, coupled with the $2.1 million in grants awarded this January reaches all segments of Vermont working lands sectors, addressing meat slaughter and processing bottlenecks, supply chain resiliency, marketing plans and overall business development. 

Vermont State Police investigates Springfield shooting

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 3:17pm -- tim

Vermont State Police The investigation into this afternoon’s shooting in Springfield is continuing. The victim is identified as Todd Amell, 50, a resident of Valley Street in Springfield. He was shot in one of his legs, taken by ambulance to the hospital, treated and released. Investigators believe the shooting was not random and involved individuals who are known to one another. The people who were detained during the initial stages of the investigation have been released.

Charity Clark steps down as chief of staff in attorney general's office

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 1:09pm -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced that Charity Clark, Chief of Staff, has stepped down from her post to explore new opportunities. Clark was hired as an Assistant Attorney General by former Attorney General Bill Sorrell in 2014. She has served as Chief of Staff under Attorney General Donovan since 2018. Donovan announced last week that he would not seek reelection.  Clark will make an announcement about her plans in the near future.

$300,000 in Barn Preservation Grants awarded statewide

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 12:22pm -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and Vermont Advisory Council on Historic Preservation have announced the 2022 Barn Preservation grant awardees. The 22 grants, totaling $299,325 were awarded to municipalities, non-profit organizations, and private barn owners in 11 Vermont counties to repair and rehabilitate agricultural landmarks. Grants ranged from $2,830 to $15,000 each.

Fuel oil delivery business fined for spill

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 11:09am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that Champlain Valley Plumbing and Heating, Inc., doing business as Champlain Valley Fuels, was fined $9,000 for releasing fuel oil at the Benson Village School in Benson, Vermont, and not immediately reporting the spill to DEC. In January 2021, Champlain Valley Fuels released between 10 and 30 gallons of fuel oil during a delivery to the Benson Village School when it miscalculated the capacity and overfilled the school’s 3,000-gallon underground storage tank. The company conducted a partial cleanup and reported the spill to school administrators that day, but the company did not report the spill to DEC.

VAHHS: Hospital sustainability requires a careful planning process with oversight

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 6:49am -- tim

by Jeff Tieman and Devon Green For the entirety of the legislative session, VAHHS has been engaged in an important health reform discussion. Vermont has long been committed to innovative health reform and has made real progress in this space, often adopting policies other states later replicate. Unfortunately, this is not the case now, as legislators insist on passing a “hospital sustainability” bill that is extremely expensive without offering clear value to Vermonters.

Opportunity to Showcase Your Products at Harvest New England Day

Mon, 05/09/2022 - 6:26am -- tim

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets Is your business looking for a fun way to connect with new customers across New England? Apply to sell your products during Harvest New England Day on the lawn of the Vermont Building at the Big E! The Vermont Building is one of six New England buildings on the Avenue of the States at the Big E, a 17-day fair and exposition that will take place September 16 - October 2, 2022, in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

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