Current News

Leonine Public Affairs Starting on Tuesday, the legislature relaxed the statehouse mask requirement, making it optional in most areas of the building. This, combined with a few public tour groups visiting the building for perhaps the first time since 2020 made the statehouse start to feel reminiscent of pre-pandemic times. Legislators are considering potential revenue sources to pay for some big ticket items that have emerged as legislative priorities over the course of the session. Universal school meals and the Vermont child tax credit are proposals being reviewed in the House and Senate respectively.

​Vermont Business Magazine The Rutland Regional Planning Commission (RRPC) is pleased to announce a preliminary design project has been completed to increase runoff detention within the Wynnmere Senior Housing development located at Carmel Place, off Killington Avenue in Rutland Town. This project was identified as a priority best management practice (BMP) within the 2017 Moon Brook Flow Restoration Plan (FRP) in order for the Town of Rutland to achieve high flow reduction goals for its portion of the stormwater-impaired Moon Brook watershed. The proposed retrofit of an existing stormwater pond would mitigate storm flows and remove nutrients from runoff within the site’s 17-acre drainage area.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) wants to remind the public that it is mud season and many trails around the state are closed through Memorial Day weekend. Mud season is the time period (typically the duration of April and May), when hiking and biking trails are extremely wet and muddy due to the combined effects of snow melt, thawing ground, and seasonal rain. We ask the public to avoid muddy, soft trails, especially at high elevations, in order to protect the trails, protect alpine vegetation, and leave trails in good shape for the hiking and biking season.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $5 billion over five years (FY22-26) for the replacement of existing school buses with low and zero-emission school buses. Under the Clean School Bus Program, EPA has an opportunity to make significant investments in community health, equity, and resilience. Program information and updates can be found at www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus. Stakeholders can sign up for the Clean School Bus newsletter to stay up-to-date on program efforts. The CSB Program application period is scheduled to open in late April and close in July.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department reported zero hunting related shooting injuries (HRSIs) in 2021, continuing a multi-year trend of declining HRSIs in Vermont. The department attributes the success in part to a strong culture of safety among Vermont hunters, and the state’s required Hunter Education Program.

​Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), a member of the US Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, on Tuesday urged Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Dennis McDonough to simplify and strengthen the VA’s ability to deliver quality and comprehensive health care to all veterans, including those suffering from exposure to burn pits and other toxic substances. Sanders argued that the VAs budget should go to, “health care, not towards a huge bureaucracy to determine whether or not you were exposed.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s winter manure spreading ban ends today, April 1st. However with what has been a wet spring so far, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) reminds Vermont farmers and Custom Manure Applicators to remain conscientious about their spring land stewardship. The Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs) outline that manure cannot be applied to fields that are frozen or snow-covered, nor to fields that are saturated, likely to incur runoff, or are conducive to any other off-site movement.

Public Assets Institute Does Vermont want to help families with children living in poverty? So far we’ve gotten a mixed message from policymakers on this question. Families on Reach Up can’t meet their basic needs with current state assistance. The program uses an outdated and inadequate basic needs estimate, and then provides families with less than half of that amount. But there is still time for the Legislature to act decisively.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 158 cases of COVID-19 for Thursday (171 Wednesday, 200 Tuesday, 87 Monday, 56 Sunday, 104 on Saturday and 143 Friday.) Cases have fallen by 11 percent in the last week (131 cases). The VDH reported no additional deaths today for 617 statewide, for a total of 13 fatalities in March. This is the fewest COVID-related deaths since last July.

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Vermont University announces the Class of 2022 Commencement will be held May 14 at 11 am on the Johnson campus and May 15 at 11 am on the Lyndon campus. This year’s guest speakers are Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale, who will address the NVU-Lyndon graduating class, and Rebecca Holcombe, who will address the NVU-Johnson graduating class.

Vermont Business Magazine Over the past six years, Retreat Farm has become a vital and beloved community resource. During the pandemic, the organization expanded its operations rapidly to meet emerging community needs – including investing in the trail network, building artistic and interpretive resources, establishing the Community Food Project, making the grounds free for all to access, and leveraging our resources to support the growth of the SUSU commUNITY Farm and Atowi Project. Retreat Farm will transition to a community-based organization that will rely heavily on volunteers and an active Board of Directors for fundraising, community relationships, and its long-term operating strategy.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Sean Fiore, 38, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced Wednesday in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont to 27 years in prison following his guilty pleas to the following charges: murder for hire, conspiracy to kidnap and murder a person overseas, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and possession of child pornography.