Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Shant Soghomonian (also known as Michael Soghomonian), 35, previously of Northridge, California, was arrested on April 7, 2024, pursuant to a federal criminal complaint charging him with using fire to damage the building at One Church Street in Burlington, Vermont – a building used in interstate commerce and as a place of activity affecting interstate commerce and the office of US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). “I am deeply grateful to the swift, professional, coordinated efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement in response to the fire at my Vermont office on Friday," Sanders said Sunday. "I am also thankful that none of the many people who were in the office building at the time of the fire were injured. I appreciate the outpouring of support and well-wishes for me and my staff. We are proud to be able to continue to serve Vermonters during these challenging times.” 

by Kate Kampner, Community News Service Bruce Hennessey and Beth Whiting were used to fending off flooding at Maple Wind Farm in Richmond. The couple have been in business for 25 years, and for the past 10 they’ve dealt with floods that have put hayfields underwater and torn up their barn. But all their preparation and experience didn’t seem to save them from the damage they endured last July, when historic floodwaters wracked Vermont. Maple Wind, which raises cattle, poultry and pigs, lost 400 turkeys and 700 broiler chickens in the flood, along with a tractor the couple tried using to save their animals. In early December, Vermont’s two senators joined their counterparts from Massachusetts to introduce a federal bill that could help farmers like Hennessey and Whiting facing future floods and other disasters. 

Vermont Business Magazine Ahead of Monday’s total solar eclipse, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, shared eye safety tips from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Northern Vermont will be one of the best places in the nation to see the total solar eclipse. You can find the exact time of ‘totality,’ or the moment the moon crosses directly in front of the sun, by inputting your zip-code into NASA’s interactive Eclipse Explorer tool.  

Vermont Business Magazine The annual River Valley Employment Fair will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 3 – 6 pm at Riverside Middle School in Springfield VT.  The Employment Fair provides an opportunity for job seekers to learn more about available positions from several regional employers. There also will be a raffle for attendees and Jamaican Jewels will be on site with their food truck as well. The Job Seeker raffle will feature ten potential raffle prizes each worth $50. For every employer table that job seekers visit they will receive a raffle ticket which they can then enter for any of the ten featured prizes.

by Kristin Clouser, Monica Hutt, Rebecca Kelley, Julie Moore and Kendal Smith As members of Governor Scott’s cabinet and senior staff, we were part of the team who interviewed candidates for our next secretary of the Agency of Education. All five of us are also moms of kids currently in, or graduated from, Vermont’s public school system. Each of us had the chance to interview the three finalists selected by the State Board of Education and provide input to the Governor as he made his decision. And we are looking forward to the opportunity to work with incoming Secretary Zoie Saunders. More than that, we are optimistic and excited to see how she can strengthen education in Vermont, benefiting our own children and communities.

Vermont Business Magazine Bromley Mountain’s 21st annual “Mom’s Day Off” fundraiser set a record on March 1, raising $12,000 to benefit breast cancer care at the Dartmouth Cancer Center at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC). Bromley donated more than $7,600 in proceeds from lift ticket sales, which are sold at a discounted rate of $30 for the day. The Wild Boar Tavern at Bromley also donated 50% of its food sales to the cause, totaling $2,257. Participants and community members made additional donations on Mom’s Day Off, including a $2,000 gift from the Women of Willard, which brought the grand total this year to $11,988.

Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies VCET sat down with Dr. Grayson Zulauf, CEO of Resonant Link, creators of the world’s smallest and fastest wireless chargers. This episode is a candid conversation about what it takes to start and scale a company that crosses multiple industries, revolutionizing how some of the world’s most important technologies power up. Grayson covers the reality of fundraising, the importance of your team, and the advantages of being based in Vermont. Whether you’re starting or scaling your company, this episode offers a quick dose of invaluable advice to help fuel your journey.

Vermont Business Magazine Hundreds of high school students from around New England will travel to the Lyndon campus of Vermont State University (VTSU) to view the solar eclipse. This rare astronomical phenomenon will be celebrated by Vermont State University’s atmospheric sciences program, now in its 49th year and known for producing top meteorologists. Ari Preston, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, will help lead the event for high schoolers, including a discussion of the weather conditions (cloud cover) ahead of the solar eclipse event, a walk to the viewing area at varsity athletic field, and eclipse observations.

Leonine Public Affairs This week, as a spring storm barreled toward the state, House and Senate committees started to unpack the bills they received from the opposite chamber. After crossover, the policy landscape is a bit clearer, as the number of bills and proposals being considered has narrowed and focus zeros in on the legislation that has been prioritized to pass before final adjournment. While the policy landscape has narrowed the political landscape is as opaque as ever. The Senate is beginning the process of analyzing the broad tax increases the House approved before the crossover deadline. The Senate Finance and Appropriations committees will develop their own proposals over the next few weeks and it will be interesting to see how the Senate version of the FY2025 budget and tax packages will compare to the House. 

by Cecilia Larson, Community News Service After a four-year hiatus, the Green Mountain Film Festival returned to Montpelier’s silver screens March 15 to 17. Established in 1997 as a community-building event and filmmakers’ showcase, the festival was placed on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic and crawled out of hibernation for the first time since 2019. Sam Kann, a Vermont-based artist and art events organizer, took charge of programming the festival, no small feat. Planning began months ago for her and her team, while festival advisory board chair Christopher Wiersema and others charted course behind the scenes for two years for the spectacle’s return. The festival ran Thursday through Sunday that mid-March week, showcasing works from filmmakers local and global. 

Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) Monday April 8, 2024 the skies above Lake Champlain will go dark in the middle of the afternoon. Almost all of the lake is in the path of totality for the solar eclipse of 2024 passing through Mexico, the US, and Canada. It’s a historic occurrence—on average, any given location sees a total solar eclipse every 355 years. The LCC team is excited to experience this rare celestial event and will be heading out on foot to various viewing locations in the Lake Champlain watershed. Below we share information and resources about what a solar eclipse is, where to go, where not to go, Leave No Trace principles, a solar eclipse sundial, safety, community science opportunities, regional guides, and more to help you experience this once-in-a-lifetime phenomena.

Vermont State Police Six months after the killing of 77-year-old Honoree Fleming of Castleton, the Vermont State Police investigation into her death remains active and ongoing. Detectives assigned to the case continue their work pursuing and developing leads. Investigators are receiving tips from the public and following up on that information. Evidence analysis remains underway. The Victim Services Unit continues to provide assistance and support to the family. VSP is aware of a privately funded financial reward for information in this case but has not received any tips that can be specifically tied to the availability of this money. “We want to reassure the public that this case remains a priority, and the state police has devoted and continues to devote significant resources to the investigation,” said Capt. Jeremy Hill, commander of the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit. “Our thoughts remain with Honoree’s family, friends, loved ones and community.”