Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Racial Justice Program Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts – and a Saint Michael’s College Professor Emerita – will deliver the keynote address during the College’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration and Convocation this month.  Lawyer, journalist, academic and advocate Traci Griffith, J.D. will speak at Saint Michael’s on Jan. 15, 2024, looking at the promises made in the U.S. Constitution and highlighting the ways in which society has fallen short in meeting those obligations. Griffith will bring both her legal expertise and personal experience to bear during her talk, titled “Promised on Paper, Pathetic in Practice: Race and the U.S. Constitution Through the Eyes of Dr. King.”  

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that James Craft, 26, of Fair Haven, Vermont, was arraigned today on five felony counts and one misdemeanor count of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The charges brought against the defendant are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of a residential search warrant, conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Manchester Police Department, and Fair Haven Police Department.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on January 3, 2024, Carl Butterfield, 54, of Whitingham, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court in Rutland, Vermont, to serve 135 months in prison after his guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography (also known as child sexual abuse material, or CSAM). Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Butterfield to serve a 15-year term of supervised release.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.23/g, down 4.2 cents per gallon from last week's $3.27/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.89/g while the highest was $3.99/g, a difference of $1.10/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.03/g today. The national average is down 12.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 22.0 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy.

Vermont Business Magazine Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and the “State of Lung Cancer” report reveals that it is detected at high levels in about 21.7% of homes in Vermont. During January for National Radon Action Month, the American Lung Association in Vermont is urging everyone to help save lives by testing their home for radon and mitigating if high levels are detected. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas emitted from the ground. Radon is odorless, tasteless and colorless, and can enter a home through cracks in floors, basement walls, foundations and other openings. Radon can be present at high levels inside homes, schools and other buildings. It is responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year and is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who have never smoked.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets Are you looking for funding to purchase specialized equipment like milk storage tanks, milk pipelines, glycol chillers, milk loading systems, reclaim systems for water, cooling equipment, plate coolers/heat exchangers, and more? If so, apply to the On-Farm Milk Storage & Handling Grant! Applications close on January 18th at 2pm. Awards will range from $15,000-$50,000 with a 25% cash or in-kind match requirement. Review the Request for Applications for the full program details. 

Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies Verde Technologies Inc. is developing an innovative alternative to traditional silicon solar panels. Headquartered in Burlington, this renewable energy company manufactures thin-film solar panels using the mineral perovskite. The product adheres to virtually any surface, making solar energy a viable option for all sunlit households.

Vermont Business Magazine On January 5, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined EMS providers at White River Valley Ambulance to tour the facility and discuss the Emergency Medical Services Reimbursement for On-scene Care and Support (EMS ROCS) Act, a bicameral bill that requires the government to pay for vital EMS services, regardless of whether a person needs an ambulance ride to the hospital. The bill was recently introduced in the Senate by Sen. Welch and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and in the House by Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL). 

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) on Monday, January 8 at 12:30 pm will hold a rally with members of the Montpelier community and the Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience on the effort to restore the state capital’s post office. “The residents of Montpelier need and deserve a restored post office in their community – just as Vermonters in every corner of our state deserve reliable service and postal workers deserve the safe and fair working conditions,” said the Vermont Congressional Delegation. Since the catastrophic flood damage this summer, more than five months ago, the Montpelier Post Office has operated out of a series of temporary locations, including two trucks that failed to provide safe working conditions for employees or reliable service to the community. 

Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies From cow to consumer, Boyden Farm does it all. Farmer/CEO, Mark Boyden, takes us through his entrepreneurial approach running the fifth-generation farm. Boyden Farm does everything from feeding their cattle with Boyden crops to selling their grass-fed beef at local stores and restaurants. Whether you want to grill at home or enjoy a night out at the Burger Barn, Boyden beef will not disappoint. By the end of this, you'll crave a burger just like we did.

Vermont Business Magazine Author Melinda Moulton of Huntington and Illustrator Ron De Long will be launching their children's book "Bobby Blue" at the Main Street Landing Black Box on Saturday the 20th of January from 6 to 8 p.m.  This event is free and open to the public.  Melinda & Ron will be presenting Bobby Blue and providing background on why this story is important for children and adults alike.  They will be personalizing and signing books after the Q & A.  There will be a cash bar.  Main Street Landing is the host sponsor of this event.

by Guy Payne In the Heart of Vermont, a market transformation is underway in the world of homebuilding construction, and it’s not your average headline. This isn’t just about bricks and beams; it’s about creating homes that are healthier, more energy efficient, and built to last. Picture this: The year is 2023, and the Legislative Committee’s Building Energy Code Study Committee has just released a report. While it delves into the intricacies of ACT 47, it takes an unexpected turn, shining a spotlight on something that affects us all – education and continuous learning with the building trades. The committee’s findings are eye-opening. They reveal that a lack of understanding of building science is causing buildings to fall prey to costly problems like mold, mildew, and rot.