Current News

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. Here in Vermont, the funds are used to provide a supportive home away from home for families while their children are receiving life-saving medical treatment at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital. The money raised this year equates to 1,442 nights free of charge, saving families over $350,000 in travel expenses, meals and accommodations. 

Vermont Business Magazine Students at UVM’s College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) will soon benefit from a new scholarship program established by GlobalFoundries (GF). As part of GF’s ongoing commitment to developing workforce talent in semiconductor design and manufacturing in the region, the GlobalFoundries Scholarship will support students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs in physics, or electrical, mechanical, biomedical, or environmental engineering. In the program’s initial year, GF will support three undergraduate students with scholarships of $10,000 each, and the scholarships are combined with a paid summer internship opportunity at GF. The scholarship will support up to six new and returning scholars in successive years. The program is designed to incentivize students to join the semiconductor industry.

Vermont Business Magazine MENTOR Vermont announced today the recipients of the 2024-2025 Vermont Mentoring Grants, the only mentoring-specific funding available to youth mentoring programs throughout the state. This year, MENTOR Vermont awarded 20 grants, totaling $620,000, which will support more than 1,750 youth in communities across Vermont. MENTOR Vermont recognizes that young people are natural dreamers, but not all youth are given the same access and opportunities to achieve those dreams. A caring and committed mentor can help a young person ignite their curiosities, solidify their passions, and leverage their talents.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael’s College’s new financial aid initiative fortifies the Colchester-based college’s mission of making its deeply engaging, student-centered education more affordable. The “St. Mike’s Community Commitment” simplifies the financial aid process, making a Saint Michael’s education more accessible to students from every socioeconomic background. Families will also more easily be able to estimate the financial aspects of attendance. The St. Mike’s Community Commitment aligns with our institution’s mission and the Edmundite value of access to education, which has been a priority since our founding,” said Saint Michael’s College President Richard Plumb, Ph.D. “This initiative enables talented students from all backgrounds to obtain a first-rate education. By reducing ambiguity around the cost of attendance for their families, we are empowering more students to set ambitious goals.”  

The Manchester Business Association is excited to announce the inaugural “Deck the Halls” Holiday Decorating Contest, inviting both locals and visitors to experience the magic of the winter holiday season throughout the area. From December 16 to January 1, 20 plus participating businesses will be beautifully adorned with holiday-themed decorations, including twinkling lights, wreaths, festive trees, snowflakes, and other seasonal cheer that capture the spirit of the season.

Vermont Business Magazine Secretary of Administration Sarah Clark on Tuesday released Vermont’s revenue results for November 2024. The Transportation Fund and Education Fund exceeded their respective monthly consensus cash flow target, as adopted by the Emergency Board at its July 2024 meeting, while the General Fund narrowly missed its target. The Meals & Rooms tax was off again, while the usually reliable personal income tax fell short of its target. The State’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts were a combined $223.7 million, exceeding the $221.9 million monthly consensus target by $1.8 million, or 0.8%.

VermontBiz Magazine In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on legalized sports betting, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) called out online sports gambling companies FanDuel and DraftKings for exploiting the addictive nature of gambling and undermining antitrust law. The hearing comes after Senator Welch and Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) wrote a bipartisan letter to Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust at the Department of Justice, and Lina Khan, Chair of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), raising concerns about FanDuel and DraftKings’ conduct. The lawmakers urged the Justice Department and the FTC to ensure competition is protected. 

Vermont Business Magazine In response to the ongoing economic and social challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recession, the Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (REIB) is proud to announce the latest developments in its Empowerment Grant Program. Launched to uplift BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) residents, small businesses, non-profits, and community-based organizations in Burlington, the program aims to stimulate innovation, promote economic growth, and foster positive change within the community. To date, the Empowerment Grant Program has successfully distributed approximately $400,000 to support local initiatives. 

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Joseph Vaillancourt, 42, of White River Junction, Vermont, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing a silencer that was neither registered to him nor identified by a serial number. On December 16, 2024, Vaillancourt appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Vaillancourt be detained pending further proceedings later this week. According to court records, on October 18, 2024, Hartford, Vermont police located the silencer along with 13 firearms and over 1,200 rounds of ammunition during the execution of a search of Vaillancourt’s residence pursuant to an unrelated state warrant.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing today announced the recipients of the Transformational Tourism, Events, and Regional Marketing (T-TERM) Grant Program. The T-TERM grant program was created to help events and communities offering unique visitor experiences to expand and/or market themselves to attract more out-of-state visitors and increase overnight stays. Sixteen organizations will share $1,496,838 in T-TERM funding. Of the 16 grants, three are for statewide initiatives and 13 are regionally based. Grants fit into the following categories: Arts and Culture Events (1), Development of Creative Assets and Targeted Marketing Campaigns (5), Outdoor Recreation Events and Promotion (3), Festivals (2), and Destination Development (5).

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Electric Department (BED) will be using drones tomorrow/Wednesday morning to measure its woodchip piles at both the McNeil Generating Station, 111 Intervale Avenue, Burlington, and its satellite wood yard, 45 Demers Drive, Swanton. The measurements will be taken by the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, and performed by members of the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab of the Rubinstein School of Environmental & Natural Resources. The McNeil flight, for which the UAS Team will obtain FAA authorization due to proximity to Burlington International Airport), will take place at some point between 8:30 and 9:00am, and the Swanton flight between 10:30 and 11:00am.

Vermont Agency of Transportation The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles responded to a two-vehicle crash involving an occupied school bus on VT 112 in Whitingham. VT 112 was closed for a short time for investigators to interview drivers/occupants and photograph the scene. Vehicle #1 was a 2016 Honda Pilot operated by Cota Bonna, 18, of Westbury, NY, and lost control on icy roadways and collided with Vehicle#2, a 2024 International School Bus operated by Cathy Morse, 60, of Whitingham. Thirteen children were on the school bus at the time of the crash, and all of them were picked up by parents/guardians or transported by car to the school in Whitingham.