Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Christopher Camp, 33, of Moretown, Vermont, was arraigned Friday on one felony count of Luring a Child and four misdemeanor counts of violation of conditions of release. The charges brought against Mr. Camp are the result of a criminal investigation initially conducted by the Vermont State Police and later referred to the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC) with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Bennington Police Department, and Manchester Police Department. Mr. Camp engaged in sexually explicit conversations with children on the Discord platform. Mr. Camp was previously convicted of Attempted Luring a Child in 2019 in Washington County and is currently under probation supervision with a Violation of Probation charge pending.

Vermont Business Magazine After a warm, dry week and weekend and several reports of large wildfires in Vermont, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) has issued an order for all of the state's forest fire wardens to cease issuing burning permits from 3 pm on October 28, 2024, through 3 pm on November 11, 2024. The order will be in effect for two weeks and can be revoked earlier if conditions warrant. Over the last week, the wildfire danger has fluctuated between high, very high, and extreme throughout the state. With the continued dry weather outlook and the abundance of dry leaves and dry fuels in Vermont’s forests, wildfires have the potential to spread rapidly. Recent relative humidity levels as low as 16% in the past week and winds gusting over 30 MPH have also influenced wildfire spread. Furthermore, there is no significant rainfall in the forecast and therefore fire danger is expected to remain at these elevated levels for the foreseeable future.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank (Bond Bank) announced that it has received a $40 million investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) to facilitate and administer the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) throughout the state. The zero-interest loan funding—the first RESP obligation in Vermont—will be used to provide municipalities and school districts with low-interest loans that take on climate change through long-term financing of energy projects that drive down costs for rural residents.  Bond Bank Executive Director Michael Gaughan made the announcement from the Charlotte Town Garage, where the Bank helped implement an energy-financing pilot program that supplied valuable insights leading to the RESP evaluation and application process. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Interim Secretary of Administration Sarah Clark released Vermont’s tax revenue results today for September 2024. The General Fund and Transportation Fund exceeded their respective monthly consensus cash flow targets, as adopted by the Emergency Board at its July 2024 meeting, while the Education Fund missed its target. Notably, the personal income tax had another strong month, while the meals & rooms tax again missed its targets. The sales tax lagged and was -6.3% below projections. With the M&R also down, the Education Fund was -8.4% below its target. Overall, the State’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts were a combined $344.8 million, exceeding the $314.7 million monthly consensus target by $30.2 million, or 9.6%.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Mark Bissonnette, 54, of Groton, Vermont, was arraigned Thursday on six felony counts and three misdemeanor counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials and one felony count of Attempted Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance. The charges brought against Mr. Bissonnette are the result of a criminal investigation conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Vermont State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations. Mr. Bissonnette pleaded not guilty to all counts at his arraignment in Vermont Superior Court, Caledonia Unit, Criminal Division. 

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Fairs and Field Days Capital Grants and Operational Stipends Program will be open for applications starting November 1st. Vermont’s fairs and field days draw over 300,000 visitors each year, and many fairgrounds are utilized for other events, drawing many more visitors into Vermont communities throughout the year. Fairs and events offer opportunities for the agricultural community to highlight the practices, products, skills, and livelihoods that contribute to maintaining Vermont’s working landscape. $300,000 is available for 20-year capital improvement projects that fairs across the state can use for lighting, building, electrical, and structural upgrades. An additional $110,000 is available in the form of stipends, which support operating costs. 

by Alyana Howard Rigo Melgar is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecological Economics in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, a Gund Institute for Environment Graduate Fellow, and a fellow of the transnational Leadership for the Ecozoic (L4E) project between UVM and McGill University. Melgar is working alongside advisors Dr. Jon D. Erickson and Dr. Joshua Farley to inform the theory of ecological macroeconomics. His focus is on the implications of the financialization of the U.S. economy for a just energy transition and thinking beyond GDP metrics to incorporate the goals of wellbeing economies. Melgar is a past recipient of the Rubenstein School’s Outstanding Ph.D. Research and Scholarship Award, which recognizes doctoral students’ exceptional work and contributions to their field of study.

Vermont Business Magazine Located in the heart of the Northeast Kingdom, and embracing the values of that region, lies MKVT Farm.  The Glover farming operation, run by Mark and Karen Rodgers, was recently selected as the 2024 Vermont ‘Fantastic Farmer’.  The farm selected for this recognition receives a $5000 grant from the A. Pizzagalli Family Farm Fund. A Vermont ‘Fantastic Farmer’ recipient is recognized for the way in which they impact our lives, often going unnoticed.  Hidden away in remote parts of Vermont and the depths of the local grocery or farm stand; maybe in our lunch, on top of our pancakes or in a slice of cheese on our sandwich, a Vermont farmer has touched our life today.  A Vermont ‘Fantastic Farmer’ must also embrace stewardship of the land, management of resources, education and promotion of Vermont agriculture and farming to the public and fellow farmers.

by Charlotte Oliver, Community News Service Jason Struthers makes a living selling the cannabis he’s licensed to grow in his half-acre backyard in Essex Junction — but his growing and raising of ducks on his property has gotten him into tiffs with neighbors and tangled in legal ambiguity. In August, Vermont Superior Court Judge Thomas Walsh sought to put the question over the Taft Street backyard to rest, siding with Struthers after the Essex Junction resident sued when local officials tried to ban him from raising ducks last year. But now an appeal from Struthers’ neighbors could call the ruling — and legal precedent — into question again. It seems straightforward to next-door neighbors Stephen and Sharon Wille Padnos, who say they shouldn’t have to smell Struthers’ cannabis or hear his ducks in their residential neighborhood. In turn, it seems straightforward to Struthers, who has legal permission from the state to farm and cultivate in his yard. 

Vermont Business Magazine Nearly 50 acres along the Johns River in Derby—a tributary to Lake Memphremagog and nursery stream for wild trout—is now permanently protected and open to the public as part of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Johns River Streambank Management Area (SMA). The department partnered with the Memphremagog Watershed Association (MWA) to work with four private landowners to protect properties along the river with high conservation value.  On top of their importance for wild brook, brown, and rainbow trout, the new additions to the Johns River SMA will help strengthen flood resilience in Derby and provide Vermonters with more places to enjoy fishing, hiking, and wildlife watching in the watershed.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority, or VEDA, marked its 50th anniversary in the state through the release of its annual report at its annual meeting at the Essex Resort. VEDA CEO Cassie Polhemus was joined by Governor Phil Scott, Treasurer Mike Pieciak, industry leaders, lenders and friends at the luncheon event. Scott discussed the value VEDA has provided to the business community, especially for startups and entrepreneurs and Pieciak led a discussion on manufacturing with Chroma Technologies in Bellows Falls, OnLogic in South Burlington, Rigorous Technology in Williston and Vermont Precision Tools in Swanton.

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of October 28, 2024. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.