Current News

The Vermont State Police has continued its investigation into an assault on a construction worker that occurred Wednesday morning, Sept. 14, 2022, in the woods near Interstate 91 southbound in the town of Rockingham. A suspect who had been arrested on an aggravated assault charge, 45-year-old Ryan Avery, has been cleared of involvement after state police investigators were able to determine conclusively that he was at another location when the incident occurred. In addition, the Windham County State’s Attorney’s Office has dismissed a separate charge of simple assault against Avery that related to his actions while in custody at the Vermont State Police barracks in Westminster early Thursday morning.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that Vermont's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August was unchanged at the historically low rate of 2.1 percent. All three major metrics showed a more modest change than in recent months, while indicating vast improvement from a year ago. The rate is based on household data and is subject to adjustment. The comparable United States rate in August was 3.7 percent, an increase of two-tenths of one percentage point from the revised July estimate. Vermont has the fourth lowest jobless rate in the nation, behind Minnesota (1.9%), New Hampshire and Utah (both 2.0%). The civilian labor force participation rate rose to 61.8 percent in August, an increase of one-tenth of one percentage point. The participation rate has been rising slowly and is important to workforce availability.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported September 14 that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are still considered "Low." Total cases for the week decreased by 49 to 445. Hospitalizations were up 2 to 35. There were 19 COVID-related fatalities in August and none so far in September, for a pandemic total of 715. Vermont now has the lowest COVID death rate in the nation, at 115 per 100,000 population. Despite the low case counts and no fatalities, the number of outbreaks has increased. As of September 6, there were a total of 9, with only 2 in the school/childcare segment. As of September 13, there were 25, with 17 in the school/childcare segment, with more than half reported in Chittenden (5) and Addison (4) counties. Despite the low case counts and no fatalities, the number of outbreaks has increased. As of September 6, there were a total of 9, with only 2 in the school/childcare segment. As of September 13, there were 25, with 17 in the school/childcare segment, with more than half reported in Chittenden (5) and Addison (4) counties.

American Jewish Committee, the leading global Jewish advocacy organization, whose initiatives were cited in President Garimella’s statement in support of his claim of UVM’s commitment to fighting antisemitism, has been in touch directly with Garimella regarding the situation on campus, and wrote a letter to Garimella in response to the statement.

Vermont Business Magazine For 17 days each September, the Big E in West Springfield, MA, fills with hundreds of thousands of fairgoers. Since 1929, the historic Vermont Building has introduced many of those visitors to the dynamic products and unique Vermont food experiences that make visiting Vermont so special. The 2022 event begins today and runs until October 2nd. This year brings a return to pre-pandemic activity across the fairgrounds and in the Vermont Building. This Eastern States Exposition event brought in almost $2 million in sales to Vermont businesses in 2019 alone. With 1.6 million attendees in 2019, the commitment to this event is no small undertaking for these businesses each year. Twenty-three Vermont vendors will welcome visitors again to share a little Vermont in Massachusetts this year. The nearly 100-year-old Vermont Building has undergone recent improvement and is looking better than ever!

University of Vermont President Suresh Garimella This week’s media coverage of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) into an anonymous third party’s allegations that the university failed to adequately respond to complaints of anti-Jewish, biased behavior at UVM has painted our community in a patently false light. While common wisdom dictates remaining patiently silent as we cooperate diligently with an agency’s investigation, I simply cannot do so. These public allegations and our community’s deeply held values call for a strong and immediate response. UVM is a community with a long, proud history of inclusiveness. We denounce hateful actions and respond briskly and decisively whenever those responsible are identified. UVM is home to a strong and vibrant Jewish community and is recognized as a place where—year after year—many Jewish students, faculty, and staff choose to study, teach, conduct research, practice medicine, and work. As a community, we adhere to Our Common Ground values of respect, integrity, innovation, openness, justice, and responsibility.

Vermont Business Magazine Five seasoned leaders with expertise in education, business, and innovation have joined the Vermont Technology Council. Alex Hernandez, president, Champlain College; Lindsay Kurrle, VT secretary of Commerce and Community Development; Mark Anarumo, president, Norwich University; Kirk Dombrowski, vice president of research, University of Vermont; and Pam Mackenzie, serial technology executive and nonprofit leader, have joined the Council.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Medical Center has submitted a request to the Green Mountain Care Board for a Certificate of Need that would allow the hospital to expand its robotic surgical services to meet patient needs through the purchase of an additional da Vinci XI robotic surgical system. Robotic-assisted surgery in areas such as gynecological, urological, thoracic, colorectal, ENT and bariatric specialties can lead to better overall surgical outcomes for patients and reduce blood loss, complications, scarring and length of stay in the hospital. Under Vermont’s regulatory structure, health care organizations must seek approval via a Certificate of Need from the Board for the purchase of a single piece of equipment if its cost exceeds $1,682,693. The purchase price of the new da Vinci XI robot is $2.42 million.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union has announced the grand opening of its eighth branch location and new corporate campus at 275 Kennedy Drive in South Burlington. The new 40,000-square-foot corporate campus will be home to approximately 100 employees and all Vermont Federal Credit Union internal departments. The new retail branch will bring a full array of banking capabilities and services to the local community.

Vermont Business Magazine Hinda Miller and Polly Smith—fellow NYU stage design graduates—have led remarkable, multi-act lives. Miller has been a successful entrepreneur and a Vermont state senator; Smith is a famed costume designer and eight-time Emmy winner. But their professional lives intersected in 1977 at a Shakespeare Festival in Lake Champlain, Vermont. That’s where Miller and Smith—along with Smith’s lifelong friend Lisa Lindahl—came up with the idea that changed women’s sports, and the ready-to-wear apparel industry, forever: the Jogbra.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Thursday announced the award of a $500,000 grant through the National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures program to restore the historic Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms. With the funding, Shelburne Farms will be able to make critically needed fire safety and other building repairs to protect and preserve one of the great barns in America, including completing restoration of the barns’ exterior. The restored barn will contribute to Shelburne Farms’ mission to support community programs and education focused on sustainability. The Vermont delegation sent a letter of support to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in March advocating for the project.