Current News

The Vermont State Police is identifying the individuals involved with Saturday morning’s crash on Interstate 91 northbound in Rockingham. The operator of the Hyundai passenger vehicle was Taylor Binnington, 39, of North Haven, Connecticut; he was pronounced dead on scene. His wife, Evelyn Lake, 36, was a passenger in the rear seat. Their 4-month-old son, Parry Lake, also was seated in the rear of the vehicle and was life-flighted to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, where he later died of his injuries. Evelyn Lake and the couple’s 3-year-old son were taken by ambulance to DHMC for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine After weathering the coronavirus pandemic and two historic flooding events in successive years, communities in Lamoille County are focused on rebuilding and future planning. Several communities are updating their town plans with an eye toward resilience. The town of Johnson has launched Re-Imagine Johnson, an initiative to consider and prioritize future development  (see story Collectively generating ideas for the future’). Manufacturing Solutions Inc. is two years into permitting a multimillion industrial site in Morristown. And Johnson Woolen Mills is under new ownership (see story Entrepreneurs tackle substantial projects in Lamoille County). Tourism continues to drive the county’s economy.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine Gene Richards is proud of the products Johnson Woolen Mills produces and its long-standing role in Johnson. He says he didn’t buy the mill in 2023 to get rich. “I am a Vermonter, and kind of a stubborn one at that,“ he said. “I’m just going to do everything in my power to make sure (the company) is around another 100 years. I bought it so that this way of life remains here in Vermont, owned by Vermonters, and I really believe in everything Vermont.“ Textile mills were once plentiful in the U.S., but since the 1990s most have closed or moved overseas in search of lower labor costs. Johnson Woolen Mills, which opened its doors in 1842, shifted to clothing production in the early 20th century and became famous for its spruce green wool pants and Jac shirts.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine The Johnson community is crafting its future. With support from the Vermont Council on Rural Development, the community has completed a revisioning process that included outreach, three community-wide convening, and the identification of five top priorities and resulting task forces. Called Re-Imagine Johnson, the effort comes after two consecutive summers of flooding which cost the community its grocery store, shifts in the Vermont State University - owner of the Johnson Campus - and a statewide housing shortage. The five task forces and their volunteers are divining in to tackle these issues.  

The Vermont State Police is investigating a two-vehicle crash that occurred Saturday morning, March 8, 2025, on Interstate 91 in the town of Rockingham. The crash was reported at 9:43 a.m. near mile marker 33 northbound. Initial on-scene investigation by VSP indicates a passenger vehicle with four occupants rear-ended a fuel tanker truck. One occupant of the passenger vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene. A juvenile was airlifted to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, with critical, life-threatening injuries. A second juvenile and another adult were taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

by Bill Schubart Vermont’s VTHC911 coalition is exploring the drivers behind Vermont's soaring healthcare costs. Newsletters to date have focused on the high operating costs of the University of Vermont Medical Center compared to other academic medical centers in our region and across the country. National data shows that non-patient care labor costs are among the highest in the country including the costs of labor for administration and management. Our key question today is why the governing boards of UVMMC, and the University of Vermont Health Network (UVMHN), allow this to happen. How did we get to the point where our nonprofit academic medical center stands out as one of the most expensive and least cost-effective centers in the nation?

Vermont Business Magazine Community National Bank (CNB) has committed $20,000 over two years to support Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity (CVHFH) to assist with operating costs and new repair and building projects. Beyond their financial support, CNB employees will also volunteer on-site, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to community involvement. Chris Caldwell, CNB’s new President and CEO, has a deep connection to Habitat for Humanity, having volunteered alongside his father. Upon stepping into his new role, he was eager to strengthen CNB’s partnership with CVHFH. 

Vermont Business Magazine Meadow Bee Deodorant, made just outside the tiny village of Peacham in the Northeast Kingdom, wins big in the 2025 Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards just announced on March 7. This contest featured both giant and little brands around the world and gave them all an equal playing field. Contest organizers in Europe said, “It has been the strongest year ever, by far - not just the volume of entries but also the caliber and diversity of products. What these winning brands have in common is “doing things right”, fine-tuning intelligent formulations that harness the goodness and intuitive healing of Mother Nature’s plants, foods, herbs and minerals.” 

Vermont Business Magazine New Chapter, a Vermont-based vitamin and supplement company with a mission to deliver the wisdom of Nature to nourish mind, body, and soul, has announced its first-ever Liquid Multivitamin packed with 22 essential vitamins and minerals for comprehensive wellness support – all in an easy-to-consume liquid form. New Chapter's Liquid Multivitamin offers 45% more nutrients than the leading liquid multivitamin§, including fermented B vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and superfoods to support heart health, bone health, brain health, cellular energy, immune function, hair, skin & nails, and digestion. The new product by New Chapter was designed to meet the needs of the entire family, with one bottle offering age-appropriate doses for adults and children aged 2 and up. It comes in two delicious flavors – Orange Mango and Mixed Berry – offering a tasty and convenient option for everyone.

Vermont Business Magazine What's better than companies who want to preserve the world for future generations, unveiling the ice cream truck of the future? Rolling out two electric "scoop trucks," a sweet collaboration between Ben & Jerry's, Vermont's beloved ice cream maker, and Rivian, the all-electric automaker. Built on the Rivian Commercial Van, the new Ben & Jerry's scoop trucks will modernize everything people love about an ice cream truck. Fans will have a chance to check out the new scoop trucks when one debuts at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas this week.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims increased for the week ending March 1, 2025, and climbed over 600 as claims have doubled in the last two weeks. New claims were 671, up 256 claims from the week before and are 69 more from last year. Claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 181 at the end of September 2024. It is not clear if this increase is the result of the dismissal of federal workers by DOGE, or an earlier than usual increase resulting from seasonal ski season layoffs. CNBC is reporting that nonfarm payrolls increased by a seasonally adjusted 151,000 on the month, better than the downwardly revised 125,000 in January but less than the 170,000 consensus forecast. CNBC said outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported earlier this week that announced layoffs under Musk’s efforts totaled more than 62,000.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Public Safety and the State Police Advisory Commission today are releasing the latest semiannual detailed summary of internal investigations involving members of the Vermont State Police. The release of these synopses provides greater transparency, public awareness, and oversight to the activities of the Vermont State Police, while balancing requirements regarding internal investigations and the need to have internal investigations completed before public dissemination. A report attached to this statement contains synopses of the 19 investigations that came before SPAC from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024.