Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) staff will begin training sessions and office hours this week to prepare potential bidders for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The first training session will be held on Friday, November 15, and will cover the BEAD Request for Applications (RFA), which is available to review on the VCBB website. We will hold office hours on Tuesday, November 19. The second training session will be on Friday, November 22, and will cover Vermont’s BEAD Scoring Guide. 

The Vermont State Police Rutland Barracks were notified Monday morning that Olivia Hutchins (14) and Hayden Denehy (16) had run away from their residences and are believed to be together. Upon contacting their guardians, Troopers learned that Denehy is operating a 2013 Honda Pilot bearing the Vermont registration of HTH992. Their last known location was in Poultney Vermont on the morning of 11/11/2024. Their intended destination is unknown at this time.

Vermont Business Magazine The Community College of Vermont (CCV) and Charter Oak State College have signed a Community College Tuition Match Scholarship Agreement. This initiative allows graduates of associate degree programs at CCV to complete the remaining requirements for their bachelor’s degree online at Charter Oak State College at the current CCV in-state tuition rate for the year. CCV students can take advantage of this partnership starting in the Spring 2025 semester. To support the program, Charter Oak State College will host a virtual open house for CCV students on Tuesday, December 3 at 5:30 PM. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) announced today that the scoring and award determination period for the Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) Implementation Grants has completed, and in total, 126 municipalities will be awarded funds totaling to $35,906,142. The grant process was very competitive, with the enabling legislation-established priorities having been considered in awarding the grants. 

Vermont Business Magazine Nearly 500 Vermont affordable housing professionals, advocates, and will decision makers will convene in South Burlington on Wednesday to hear from national experts and state leaders about the implications of this month’s elections on housing and to discuss innovative strategies to help solve the state’s housing crisis. The conference will start with a networking breakfast and a keynote address with Heather McGhee, national political contributor, educator, public policy leader and author of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, which spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.  Registration is full.

by Representative Laura Sibilia (I-Dover) In October, I announced my campaign to be Vermont’s next Speaker of the House. Today, after an election that eliminated the House supermajority, I want to acknowledge the challenges we face, share why I’m stepping forward and outline my vision for how the legislature can shift priorities and address Vermonters’ most urgent needs. Affordability is a big worry for most Vermonters right now. Inflation, housing costs, rising insurance premiums, and property taxes have become unsustainable. Our education and healthcare systems are severely strained and need both stabilization and reform. These challenges are compounded by climate adaptation, emerging from COVID-19, shifting demographics, and an increasingly globalized economy. Vermonters deserve responsive leadership. With voters clearly demanding meaningful progress, I’m running for Speaker to break the current gridlock and set an agenda that delivers on Vermonters’ needs.

Vermont Business Magazine New data from a survey of people who recently gave birth found improvements in health behaviors since 2016, including high rates of prenatal care and breastfeeding, and a reduction in drinking and cigarette use during pregnancy. The data comes from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, which asks a sample of people about their experiences before and after giving birth about substance use, mental health, preventive care and more. The new report covers 2016 to 2022. 

Vermont Business Magazine RunVermont, the nonprofit organization dedicated to producing premier running events across the state, including the M&T Vermont City Marathon, announced today Anthea Dexter-Cooper as the organization’s next Executive Director. Dexter-Cooper will lead the organization’s staff, board, and events and programming. Dexter-Cooper brings a strong background in leadership. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Cornell University and a JD from the University of Minnesota. Her legal career spans more than 10 years, with roles including assistant city attorney for the City of Burlington, legislative counsel for the State of Vermont, and senior attorney at Conservation Law Foundation.

Vermont Business Magazine Real estate professionals from myriad sectors will come together once again at the 10th annual Vermont Development Conference from White + Burke Real Estate Advisors. As issues of housing, Act 250, and the cost of development intensify, a slate of thoughtful and experienced speakers will inspire the land use and development industries represented at the Nov. 20 event, held at Hotel Champlain. Kicking off the event will be MIT researcher and thought-leader, Steve Weikal, speaking on the impact of artificial intelligence and other innovations on the future of real estate.

Vermont Business Magazine GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF) is proud to announce its sponsorship of the 2024-25 FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) program in Vermont, reinforcing GF’s commitment to community engagement, K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, and workforce development. As part of this sponsorship, GF will host the FLL Vermont State Championship at its Essex Junction facility on January 18, 2025. The event will be supported by local GF volunteers, showcasing the company's strong community involvement. This sponsorship builds on GF’s longstanding relationship with the FIRST organization in Vermont through which GF employees have actively mentored FIRST teams across local communities, logging over 1,300 volunteer hours last year alone.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending November 2, 2024, the Vermont Department of Health reported that the number of COVID-19 cases increased while hospitalizations fell again. The number of fatalities were up slightly. Vermont cases are now back over 100, but lower than all but one month since mid-July. Hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases decreased to just over 5 cases statewide for the week. The VDH reported 2 COVID-related fatalities, even as COVID deaths are higher this fall than last so far. The number of COVID cases increased last week to 146. Cases had been falling in April and May and were as low as 31 at the beginning of May. 

Vermont Business Magazine VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) has announced that, for a limited time, its Thrift Shop in Manchester will be open on select Saturdays in November and December. Traditionally open Monday through Friday, the Thrift Shop will extend its hours to include Saturdays from 10AM to 2PM on the following dates: Saturday, November 16; Saturday, December 21.