Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The controversial dismissal of charges against three individuals alleged to have committed violent crimes has taken another turn. The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Veronica Lewis was charged yesterday by Criminal Complaint in US District Court with unlawfully possessing a firearm after having been adjudicated as mentally defective, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(4), and possessing a stolen firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(j).

Lewis was arrested this morning, and will appear today in federal court in Burlington.

She previously had been charged with the non-fatal shooting of her firearms instructor. According to court records, Lewis had been adjudicated as mentally defective on October 16, 2013, in the Queens County (New York) Criminal Court, due to a judicial finding of mental incapacity.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Economic Development has sent a letter regarding upcoming events and recapping news from the closing of the 2019 legislative session. While the department is preparing for the new worker incentive program that will offer $7,500 in relocation cost offsets to those moving to Vermont to work for a Vermont-based employer, it also noted several recent events like the ribbon-cutting at Vermont Systems, supporting five Vermont businesses in Chicago at the National Restaurant Association show, and sending a representative to the US China Governors Collaboration Summit held in Lexington, Kentucky. The department honored one of its own who received a Public Service Recognition award for 2019 at the governor's state employee awards ceremony.

Vermont Business Magazine Subaru Motorsports USA (managed by Vermont SportsCar in Milton) driver Scott Speed topped the podium at the 2019 Americas Rallycross (ARX) season-opener at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, closing a dominant weekend with a wire-to-wire winning drive in the final race. Speed and teammate Chris Atkinson ensured an all-Subaru front row in the final by winning both of Sunday's semi-final heats, showing off the pace of their WRX STI rallycross cars and paving the way for Speed's victory in his first-ever race with Subaru.

Vermont’s Sterling College Adopts New Mission & Vision

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan told Governor Phil Scott in a letter dated today that he will investigate cases against three individuals who were arrested for brutal crimes, including murder, but whose cases were dismissed under the insanity defense by the state's attorney.

State's Attorney Sarah George declined to prosecute the cases, she announced May 31, because she concluded that the prosecution could not overcome the insanity defense each had presented in order to make a criminal conviction. The dismissals stunned the community and the governor, who then asked the attorney general to look into the cases.

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Vermont University has implemented the first of two 2019 tuition reductions, added programs and introduced a live hybrid model for its popular NVU Online division. The measures address the need for affordability and flexibility with degree and certificate programs and help Vermont advance workforce goals.  

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Lisa Ventriss, President of Vermont Business Roundtable (VBR) and Jeffrey Carr, President, Economic & Policy Resources (EPR), announced the Q2 of 2019 outlook results of their joint initiative, the VBR/EPR Business Conditions Survey and Index: More than three-quarters of respondents shared negative outlooks specifically with ease of hiring for available positions; meanwhile, respondents expressed a neutral outlook about the state’s overall business climate, tempering the negative outlook of the previous survey.

Vermont Business Magazine Monday, Governor Phil Scott signed S131, an act relating to the creation of an insurance “regulatory sandbox” that permits the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to grant limited-duration innovation waivers. The waivers are designed to enable companies to offer innovative or more efficient insurance products and services to Vermont consumers. With this legislation, Vermont becomes one of only two states to offer this incentive for insurance innovation.

Vermont Business Magazine Main Street Alliance of Vermont held their fifth anniversary celebration at the Alchemist Brewery on Sunday night where they presented Representative Robin Scheu of Middlebury the 2019 Legislator of the Year Award.

Vermont Business Magazine Mack Molding, a leading custom plastics molder and supplier of contract manufacturing services, announced today its wholly-owned subsidiary, Mack Prototype, is investing in five new Milacron Roboshot all-electric presses.
 

Vermont Business Magazine A LendingTree company, and one of the nation's leading online insurance marketplaces, has released a report compiled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data to see where e-cigarette usage is most prevalent. America's youth could force the hand of insurance companies to create a clear designation on e-cigarette use. In 2018, 3.6 million middle school and high school students reported e-cigarette use. Vermont ranked 49th in the use of e-cigarettes in the QuoteWizard report. Vermont just passed a law raising the tobacco and vaping use age to 21, which will go into effect this summer.

by Janette Bombardier, PE There is a free college tuition program that still is one of the best-kept secrets in Vermont. Did you know that Vermont students interested in STEM careers can go to college AND finish their high school degree at the same time? Tuition free? As I attended the 30th graduation ceremony for the Vermont Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) at Vermont Technical College, I was amazed by the students’ accomplishments and future plans.