Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Norwich University Board of Trustees has announced the candidacy of retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John Broadmeadow '83 to serve as the school's 25th president. Broadmeadow is the most senior ranking Marine Corps officer to have graduated from Norwich and has been a member of the board of trustees since January 2022. He was also a semifinalist in the last presidential search, launched in 2019. If successful, Broadmeadow would succeed Mark Anarumo, who resigned Jan. 4.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, Burlington Electric Department (BED), and Vermont environmental and renewable energy organizations voiced support for updates to Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) to largely achieve 100% renewable energy statewide by 2030, while maintaining existing renewable resources and aligning BED’s procurement of significant new renewable energy with anticipated growing demand as more Burlingtonians switch to electric vehicles and heat pumps and other electric technologies. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Economic Development (DED) announced today the fourth and final round of Community Recovery and Revitalization Program (CRRP) grant winners. The 40 approved projects are expected to support 1,810 existing jobs, enable the creation of 117 new jobs, build or rehabilitate 75 housing units, and add 60 new childcare slots. The 40 projects are receiving a combined proposed award amount of $10,595,644, which is expected to support $104,542,158 in total project costs. The awards are going to projects in 13 counties and the following 31 towns: Arlington, Brandon, Bellows Falls, Bennington, Berlin, Brattleboro, Burlington, Charlotte, Colchester, East Burke, Fairlee, Greensboro, Hinesburg, Johnson, Lyndon, Manchester, Middlebury, Milton, Newport City, Putney, Rockingham, Rutland, Shelburne, Sheldon, South Hero, Springfield, Starksboro, Strafford, Swanton, Vergennes, and Wolcott.

Vermont Business Magazine The Flavors Hook Kids Vermont Campaign and the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Vermont announced today that 50 Vermont organizations signed a letter to the Vermont House Health and Human Services Committee, urging lawmakers to end the sale of flavored tobacco. The letter advocates for the passage of S.18, which has already passed the Senate. The bill is in front of the House Committee this week. In a poll released in December, 68% of Vermonters support legislation to end the sale of flavored tobacco products. Governor Scott at his January 10 press conference said he would likely sign the bill if it were to reach his desk.

Vermont Business Magazine On Friday, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) will join broadband leaders from across Vermont at Burlington City Hall to discuss the introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, which will provide $7 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This program helps provide affordable high-speed internet to qualifying households in Vermont and across the America. The program, which is administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is projected to run out of funding by April without action by Congress. Since its implementation, 22.5 million households–including over 25,000 Vermont households–have utilized the program’s monthly discount of up to $30 for internet service, and up to $75 monthly for those living on Tribal lands. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) invites proposals from eligible internet service providers to take part in the new Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Subrecipient Support Program, which provides funds to promote the ability of various entities to participate in the BEAD Program. The program provides needs-based grants to assist in preparing a BEAD application. Awards range from $10,000-$200,000 to be used for planning, analysis, stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and short-term capacity necessary to plan and draft an application to the BEAD program. Municipalities, municipal organizations, co-ops, utilities, for-profit entities, nonprofit entities, or other consortiums are all eligible.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) is beginning an innovative project in the Camel’s Hump Management Unit, as outlined in the 2021 Long-Range Management Plan. This project underscores FPR’s commitment to sustainable and adaptive forest management and is designed to demonstrate an important approach in increasing forest resilience to climate change and invasive pests. Collaborating with the University of Vermont (UVM) and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, this project is part of a series of forest adaptation experiments being implemented across the Northeast. 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today announced highlights from the Office’s Environmental Protection Unit during her first year in office. Including, in June 2023, the Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against Monsanto to protect and restore Vermont’s natural resources and schools affected by PCB contamination. The lawsuit seeks recovery for PCB contamination in schools on a statewide basis and is the first of its kind in the nation. The lawsuit is in Chittenden Superior Court and Monsanto’s response to the Complaint is due on January 12, 2024. Separately, in November the Attorney General asked for a stay of an overlapping federal case until the State’s case is resolved.

Vermont Business Magazine Peter Watson, 49, of South Hero, VT is the lucky winner of the 2023 Vermont Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Lottery. Watson will be entitled to hunt and fish in Vermont for free for the rest of his life. He was drawn as the winner from among 18,425 Lifetime License Lottery tickets purchased in 2023. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department holds the drawing annually. This year’s sales of the $2 tickets brought net sales of $36,551 to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.  These state dollars can be leveraged with federal funds to produce more than $109,500 to support the department’s mission to conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.

Vermont Business Magazine The annual Yankee Sportsman’s Classic show will be held January 19, 20 and 21 at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is inviting you to visit their exhibits and attend their seminars at the show. Show hours are Noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Wednesday spoke on the floor of the US Senate about the horrific humanitarian disaster in Gaza and what Congress should do about it. He also announced his intention to bring his 502B(c) resolution – that would require the State Department to provide any credible information on potential human rights violations in the Israeli campaign – to the floor for a vote next week.

Vermont State Police A 70-year-old woman sustained significant injuries when a structure on her property collapsed on her while she and her husband were working on it Wednesday morning in Dummerston. The collapse occurred at about 10:35 a.m. on Old Ferry Road as the couple worked to dismantle a house trailer on their property. The roof gave way, and the victim was trapped under the debris. Multiple Vermont State Police troopers arrived on scene within minutes of a 911 call placed by the victim’s husband.