Current News

Vermont Business Magazine While the deadline to register with FEMA passed on Nov. 25 for those affected by July’s severe storms, agency representatives are still available to answer questions and help Vermonters complete their applications. The agency also encourages applicants to stay in touch, especially if they have a change of address or other updates to their applications. To update your application or get answers to questions, call FEMA’s helpline at 1-800-621-3362. Phone lines operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Vermont State Police has completed its investigation into the July incident in which two people were killed in a Cottage Street home in St. Johnsbury. The evidence shows Nicholas Johnson, 42, was the sole aggressor, breaking into the home and stabbing 21-year-old Ben Lyons, who later died, along with Patrick Mayhew, 33, and Jennifer Bradley, 44, before being fatally shot by Mayhew. VSP turned over the case to the Caledonia County State’s Attorney’s Office for review. State’s Attorney Jessica Zaleski has determined she will file no charges. The case is now closed.

Vermont Business Magazine For the fourth year in a row, National Life Group is coordinating the distribution of free Thanksgiving meals to central Vermont neighbors. New this year, Sugarbush Resort will provide 1,200 meals along with 500 from long-standing partner Sodexo, for a record total of 1,700 Thanksgiving meals. Also new this year, the meals will be distributed via key organizations including Elevate Youth Services, Good Samaritan Haven, Montpelier Senior Activity Center, North Barre Manor, Just Basics and the local Salvation Army.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University (VTSU) will honor the late Dean Honorée Fleming by supporting students who exhibit her academic spirit, strong work ethic and dedication to science. The Dean Honorée Fleming Memorial Financial Aid Fund, established at the direction of interim VTSU president David Bergh in consultation with Fleming’s husband, Ron Powers, will benefit students enrolled at the Castleton campus, with a preference for those who embody the values and qualities of Dean Honorée Fleming—for example, female students majoring in the sciences. Fleming was killed in a still-unsolved shooting on a trail near the campus on October 5, 2023, stunning the Castleton community. She had taught at Middlebury College before joining VTSU as Dean. She retired in 2012.   

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Credit Union (GMCU), based in South Burlington, and Opportunities Credit Union (OCU), headquartered in Winooski, have announced their intent to merge. This strategic partnership plans to unite two community-focused credit unions, each committed to exceptional member service and financial inclusion. The combined organization would have approximately $165 million in assets, enhancing its ability to meet the needs of members across Vermont. The combined organization would maintain branches in Burlington, South Burlington, Winooski, Berlin and Rutland, and would serve more than 10,000 members. The merger remains subject to approval by both state and federal regulators, as well as by the memberships of both credit unions. The transaction is aiming to close in the second quarter of 2025.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces the opening of the FY2025 funding cycle for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which aims to strengthen Vermont’s specialty crop industries and producer associations. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture crops (including honey, hops, maple syrup and mushrooms), and nursery crops (including Christmas trees and floriculture).  Approximately $180,000 is available in grant funds for FY25. Grants requests must range from $15,000 to $45,000. Interested applicants should apply by January 8, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

Vermont Business Magazine ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain has announced that it has become the first location in Vermont to achieve the KultureCity certification. KultureCity is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting inclusivity and accessibility for individuals with sensory needs. KultureCity’s flagship initiative, the Sensory Inclusive program, has been widely embraced by venues, stadiums, and cultural institutions across the nation and around the world. This groundbreaking program provides training and resources to staff, enabling them to better accommodate individuals with sensory sensitivities. As a result, countless families and individuals can now experience and enjoy live events, entertainment, and public spaces with greater comfort and ease. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Education rereleased an updated version of the State Education Profile Report. Since the first release in August, the Agency has worked with education leaders across Vermont to share data and gather feedback about potential data inconsistencies and ways to improve data presentation. The rereleased report highlights emerging trends in enrollment, student demographics, student outcomes, staffing, and expenditures. While statewide trends remained consistent after the data refinements, changes were found at the individual Supervisory Unions and School Districts (SU/SDs) level. These shifts will have greater impacts on comparisons among SU/SD groups in future reporting.

Vermont Business Magazine Mascoma Community Development (MCD) is pleased to announce the closing of $13 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation to finance the expansion of Weidmann Electrical Technology, Inc. (Weidmann) in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The project is needed to support higher levels of demand for large power transformer insulation and to create pathways for career advancement and income growth in Northern Vermont. With the support of MCD’s New Markets Tax Credit financing, Weidmann will expand its transformer board manufacturing capacity and construct a finished goods storage facility that will create and retain quality, accessible jobs. The company is a significant employer in St. Johnsbury, a town experiencing substantial declines in household median income and population due in large part to lack of good jobs and skills-based training programs. The Weidmann project is estimated to retain 300 jobs and create 67 new jobs upon completion.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.10 per gallon, up 0.5 cents per gallon from last week's $3.09/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.79/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 50.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.01/g today. The national average is down 11.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 23.7 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Vermont Business Magazine A team of archaeologists from the University of Vermont, University of New Hampshire, and others have collected data which indicates the presence of a large-scale pre-Columbian fish-trapping facility. Discovered in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest inland wetland in Belize, the team dated the construction of these fisheries canals to the Late Archaic period (cal. 2000-1900 BCE), pre-dating Amazonian examples by a thousand years or more. 

Vermont Business Magazine A total of nine cheeses from Jasper Hill Farm received medals at this year’s World Cheese Awards, including Gold Medals for Harbison and Vault No. 5; Silver Medals for Cabot Clothbound, Caspian, Moses Sleeper, and Alpha Tolman; and a Bronze Medal for Willoughby. Barnstorm Blue, made by Jasper Hill Farm and Ripened by Murray’s Cheese, was awarded a Silver Medal. Bayley Hazen Blue was first awarded one of 108 Super Gold Medals before selection as a Top 14 finisher. Ultimately, Bayley Hazen Blue was awarded 83 points, which amounted to a fifth-place finish overall, with the winning cheese at 86 points. The World Cheese Awards, hosted annually in different international cities, was held this year in Viseu, Portugal. A total of 240 judges from 39 countries were split into 104 teams to undertake the mammoth task of determining which entries were worthy of an accreditation.