Current News

Vermont Business Magazine WhistlePig Whiskey, the ringleader of independent craft whiskey and rye rebel, is bringing degeneracy to non-alcoholic cocktails with the help of Alice Cooper this January. WhistlePig rejects whiskey tradition and is disabusing the establishment of Dry January’s morals with the new, limited edition Sex, Drugs, Rock & Dry Old Fashioned. A cocktail of non-psychoactive ingredients incites sober fans to go ham on other vices, all for a good cause: 100% of profits will benefit the bartending community. Get ready to burn the barn down with this trip of a cocktail. Crafted with 100% Rye Non-Whiskey, Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup, adaptogenic Cordyceps and Schisandra Berry, and aphrodisiac Damiana, WhistlePig’s Sex, Drugs, Rock & Dry cocktail melts in your mind, not your glass. WhistlePig has always played the record backwards, and the far out, flavorful experience of the non-alcoholic Maple Old Fashioned channels the raw spirit of rock without a drop of the usual Dry January decorum.

Vermont Business Magazine NVDA Board of Directors Approve Three Town Plans: Congratulations to Danville, Guildhall and Granby for the successful completion and regional approval of their Town Plans. NVDA staff members worked with each community to develop plans that reflect their goals and priorities. On December 12, the Board of Directors also held a public hearing to confirm the municipal planning efforts of Burke, Ryegate and Sutton.

Vermont Business Magazine As McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) celebrate the 50th anniversary of the nonprofit and their enduring partnership, New England McDonald’s Owner Operators are excited to announce their customers have helped raise $1.26M for the organization year-to-date by rounding up their purchases at restaurants across the region, with $144,200 of that coming directly from Vermont restaurants.  Local McDonald’s owner operator and one of New England’s top contributors, Peter Napoli, has helped raise more than $140,000 for RMHCVT this year across his restaurants.

Vermont State Police Following completion of autopsies at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington, the two deceased victims in this incident are identified as Nicole Grogan, 22, and her 12-day-old son, Oliver Stratton. A determination of the cause and manner of their deaths remains pending. The two surviving victims of the fire remain hospitalized in New York.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), released the following statement Thursday on H-1B guest worker visas and recent debate concerning the program: There has been a lot of discussion lately about the H-1B guest worker program. Elon Musk and a number of other billionaire tech company owners have argued that this federal program is vital to our economy because of the scarcity of highly skilled American engineers and other tech workers. I disagree. The main function of the H-1B visa program and other guest worker initiatives is not to hire "the best and the brightest," but rather to replace good-paying American jobs with low-wage indentured servants from abroad. The cheaper the labor they hire, the more money the billionaires make.

Vermont Business Magazine Dairy farmers across the Northeast can now apply for the Dairy Farm Improvement & Modernization Grant through the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC). With a total of $950,000 in funding, this grant will support a wide range of projects aimed at improving farm viability, economic sustainability, and climate resilience. Grants will range from $15,000 to $100,000 with a 25% in-kind and/or cash match contribution. This grant will support projects that modernize outdated systems or try new and innovative solutions, with the goal of enhancing farm viability, reducing climate impacts, improving milk quality or value, improving worker conditions, and strengthening the farm’s ability to respond to challenges. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Corrections released the following statement from Commissioner Nick Deml: “Recently, the Department of Corrections conducted a routine case review of Harley Breer, a currently incarcerated individual, to determine the appropriateness of his release on Community Supervision Furlough. This process initially resulted in a recommendation for release. As part of our standard procedure, the Department notified the Essex County State’s Attorney of this initial recommendation on November 19, 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine On December 23, 2024, the Board of Directors of Community National Bank and Community Bancorp. promoted Christopher L. Caldwell, age 59, to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Bancorp. And Community National Bank effective January 1, 2025. Kathy Austin retired as President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Bancorp. and Chief Executive Officer of Community National Bank on December 31, 2024, but will continue to serve on the boards of the Company and the Bank. 

by Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts & Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore As we shared earlier this fall, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has directed Vermont to make changes to its water quality regulation of farms. Specifically, EPA is requiring the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) to assume a greater role in inspections and compliance monitoring, and to issue permits to farms that are discharging to state waters. The Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (AAFM) will continue to issue permits and regulate farms that are not discharging to state waters. EPA has determined that this change is necessary to fulfill our obligations under the federal Clean Water Act. We are committed to keeping the agriculture community informed of this work as it goes forward and so are reaching out to provide some additional information. 

Vermont Business Magazine Pomerleau Real Estate, based in Burlington, has reported their fourth quarter 2024 commercial real estate transaction. FP (Free People) Movement will be joining the retailers on Church Street. FP Movement has leased 3,300 SF at 98 Church Street. Kendra Kenney represented the building owners, Pomerleau Properties, and McDevitt represented the Tenant.

Vermont Business Magazine For aspiring entrepreneurs, there’s no better New Year’s resolution for 2025 than to make your business dreams a reality. The SBA is your resource for navigating the ins and outs of starting your own business. Learn what you need to do before you open shop. National Technology Day is January 6th. Innovators: Advance your game-changing tech with help from America’s Seed Fund, the nation’s largest source of early-stage R&D funding! Through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, America’s Seed Fund awards non-dilutive funding to develop your technology and chart a path toward commercialization. The federal government invests in your solution and gives you the freedom to run your business according to your vision. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) partners with BETA Technologies (BETA) and Champlain College’s Emergent Media Center (CCEMC) to create Flight Test, a new live concert experience of music, projections, and innovation on March 1, 2025 in South Burlington, Vermont. Flight Test features VSO’s 40-voice chorus, pianist Mary Jane Austin, violinist Brooke Quiggins, and cellist John Dunlop in an immersive soundscape curated and led by Matt LaRocca, VSO’s Artistic Advisor and Project Conductor.  The concerts include video projections by CCEMC, concluding a three year educational partnership between the two organizations, and take place inside BETA’s original airplane hangar with the audience surrounded by BETA’s electric airplanes and equipment.