What’s this? Another glitch from the Vt. Dept. of Labor?

MONTPELIER — After a computerized sorting snafu sent the wrong 1099 tax forms to thousands of Vermonters earlier this year, the Vermont Department of Labor is once again facing another error that appears to have sent erroneous invoices to Vermont businesses for underfunding unemployment accounts in the fourth quarter of 2020. Middlebury-based Addison Independent publisher Angelo Lynn received such an invoice Friday morning and, after a half hour of research and a few calls between the company’s bookkeeper a … (read more)

MIDDLEBURY — A private investor has purchased Bee’s Wrap, a Middlebury maker of food storage wrappings. The company did not disclose the purchase price or the name the buyer, but did say the purchaser was based in Vermont. The transaction closed Feb. 4. F … (read more)

WASHINGTON — The Small Business Administration on Friday announced that it had approved approximately 60,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications submitted by nearly 3,000 lenders, for over $5 billion, between the program’s re-opening on Mo … (read more)

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration is re-opening an aid program for small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program will re-open the week of Jan. 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. … (read more)

MIDDLEBURY — Aqua ViTea, the Middlebury maker of the fermented, tea-based beverage kombucha, has just hired a slate of new executives to help it substantially grow its business. Hailing from nationally recognized consumer good brands including Heineken In … (read more)

MIDDLEURY — The Middlebury selectboard on Tuesday unanimously endorsed the community’s new downtown master plan, a 138-page blueprint showing how the core village area could grow and flourish during the next decade and beyond. “It’s exceeded my expectatio … (read more)

BRISTOL — While choosing among candidates for federal, state and local offices this past Tuesday, Bristol voters also approved updates to the 2017 Bristol Zoning Regulations, which advocates say will make the town more business-friendly. Three of the most … (read more)

MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury should resume its economic development efforts through a new entity — either hired or volunteer — that would reach out to business prospects, as well as invest in better broadband infrastructure to boost nascent and growing enterpr … (read more)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal hemp regulations that were scheduled to go into effect at the end of this month have been delayed for a year, according to the office of Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. The hemp rules, which were written by the U.S. Department of Agri … (read more)

MONTPELIER — Vermonters who have seen COVID-19 affect their employment can access more than 100 free classes and training opportunities this fall through the Vermont State Colleges System, thanks to a $2.3 million allocation of Coronavirus Relief Funds (C … (read more)

MONTPELIER —Vermont’s minimum wage is going up. Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, the state’s minimum wage will increase 79 center per hour, from $10.96 to $11.75 per hour, Vermont Department of Labor announced. The calculation for this increase is in accordance wi … (read more)

MIDDLEBURY — Matthew Robinson and Serena Kim are planning ahead for a big wedding at their new acquisition, Middlebury’s historic Swift House Inn. Their own. It’ll be on July 3, 2021, which will carry symbolism for them for a number of reasons — not the l … (read more)

BRISTOL — Because of the pandemic, Bristol will not be holding its annual Harvest Fest this year, but it will host a Harvest Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participating Bristol businesses will be offering great buys, end-of-s … (read more)

Addison County Economic Development Corp. offers news bites of interest to our local businesses. Vermont Emergency Economic Recovery Grant Program Update Applications are still being accepted for the Vermont Emergency Economic Recovery Grants through the … (read more)

Consumer studies consistently show that during the COVID-19 pandemic one factor potential customers consider before doing business with a store, company or service is how safe they feel.  One major July study from global research firm Ipsos reached this c … (read more)