Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Snapshots of a Life: Essays, a debut memoir by former director of the Vermont Association for Mental Health, Ken Libertoff, of Montpelier, Vermont, will be released by Rootstock Publishing on January 16, 2024.  In Snapshots of a Life Libertoff shares his memories from the bleachers at old Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, working at Boggiano’s Bar and Grill in Rockaway, and playing on the basketball courts of New York City, to a full career as a mental health advocate in New England with work and travel to South Africa, Botswana, and Swaziland. His stories capture his life in various settings while never losing sight of home.  

Leonine Public Affairs Legislators returned to the Vermont statehouse on Wednesday, January 3 to kick off the 2024 legislative session. The second year of the biennium is always a fast start, but 2024 felt particularly busy out of the gate. This is because legislators and the Governor Phil Scott are eager to address critical issues like flood recovery - and because tensions between the Republican governor and the Democratic supermajority continue to simmer. Governor Scott delivered his eighth State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature on Thursday. In his speech, the governor highlighted what he views as the top issues facing Vermont: public safety, affordability and housing. 

Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company announced on Monday that it is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2024. The Company, founded in 1874 by act of the Vermont Legislature, is now a regional property and casualty insurance carrier serving more than 100,000 individuals and small businesses throughout New England and parts of New York. As a mutual company, Union Mutual does not answer to corporate stockholders and instead exists to provide value to its policyholders. The Company does not engage in direct-to-consumer sales, but rather partners with more than 250 independent insurance agents located throughout New England.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Ice conditions across Vermont are inconsistent due to warm and variable weather, and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is urging anglers to put safety first if they venture out ice fishing. Ice conditions are currently variable across Vermont. At higher elevations and in the Northeast Kingdom many lakes and ponds have frozen over completely and have fishable ice. But in southern Vermont and the Champlain Valley, many lakes and ponds are not yet safe for ice fishing.

Retreat Farm “Today, we made the impossible decision to say farewell to Carlos the Ox,” said Retreat Farm Executive Director Kristin Sullivan on Tuesday. “As a beloved family member, his departure leaves a hole in our hearts and in our community.” Born at Retreat Farm, Carlos lived a long and storied life enriched by the thousands of visitors who showered him with love and affection. Weighing nearly 2,000 pounds and standing 7 feet tall, Carlos sparked awe and wonder, instantly providing a calm and grounding effect to those who had the privilege of standing in his magnificence. 

Upper Valley Habitat for Humanity We are now accepting applications for homeownership for a new partner family! Construction is underway and the home will be available in Summer of 2024. This 2-bedroom house is ideal for a family of 2-3 people. Applicants must have (among other eligibility criteria) income ranging between 50% - 80% HUD County Median Family Income for Orange County (the community the family will be living in), adjusted for the size of the family. For a family of 3 in Orange County, this is between $40,850 - $65,300 gross income annually. For a family of 4, the maximum will be $72,550 gross income annually.

Vermont Business Magazine WhistlePig Whiskey, the leader in independent craft whiskey, is highjacking Dry January with a Limited Edition Dank & Dry Old Fashioned Cocktail. Known for pushing the boundaries of whiskey making to craft the world’s best and most interesting whiskeys, WhistlePig is elevating the non-alcoholic cocktail experience with the addition of non-psychoactive cannabis terpenes to its signature Barrel Aged Maple Old Fashioned recipe. 100% of the proceeds of this Dank January Limited Edition will benefit the bartending community. Crafted with 100% Rye Non-Whiskey, Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup and Vermont Cannabis Terpenes, the new terps non-alc is a salad bowl of superior ingredients never-before-seen in a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned. 

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on January 4, 2024, the federal grand jury returned a thirteen-count indictment against Scott Jamie Ashness, 43, most recently of Stewart, Florida. Ashness was charged with ten counts of bank fraud, two counts of passport fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Previously, on December 1, 2023, Ashness was charged by criminal complaint. Ashness is currently in state custody in the state of New Hampshire. According to court records, Ashness committed these offenses at various banks in Vermont on September 19 and 26, 2023. As detailed in the criminal complaint affidavit, the government alleges that Ashness visited six different bank branches throughout Vermont on September 19, and another four Vermont bank branches on September 26. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Agency of Education today announced funding to expand high-quality afterschool and summer programs in Vermont. This $3.5 million grant program is open to Vermont schools, as well as other municipal, private and non-profit partners who can offer accessible, enriching activities to youth. There will be a particular emphasis on scaling and starting programs in communities that currently have limited options.  The grants may be used to expand existing afterschool programs, create new programs, or create comprehensive afterschool centers. Eligible recipients of the grant include Vermont school systems, but also community-based organizations. Private businesses, and municipal and non-profit organizations may apply. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) announces a new grant program targeting Vermont meat and/or produce growers and processors which will open for applications on January 19, 2024. The new Meat and Produce Agriculture Development Grants (Meat and Produce ADG) program will award funding between $35,000 and $300,000 with no match requirement. Applications close on February 26, 2024.  This one-time funding is intended to strengthen the viability and resiliency of Vermont operations and businesses performing production and processing activities.  Approximately $1,600,000 will be awarded to eligible operations and businesses through a single competitive grant application process. These funds were allocated by the Vermont State Legislature in the 2024 fiscal year budget.   

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Dajuan Williams, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced in the United States District Court on January 4, 2024, following his guilty plea to drug trafficking and money laundering charges described in counts 1 and 4 of the October 5, 2021, superseding indictment. Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced Williams to 144 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. The Court also ordered Williams to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $600,034.09. According to court records, Williams, who is the lead defendant in this 11-defendant case, supervised a well-organized nationwide drug trafficking business that distributed vast quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs for profit. 

by State Auditor Doug Hoffer Evidence-based. Evidence-informed. Data-driven. Results Based Accountability. PIVOT. Vermont policymakers frequently use these terms to indicate that new policies and spending decisions are the result of rigorous, fully-informed analysis. Too often, though, the promise of these terms is undercut by bad data, incomplete information, and misleading representations from officials. When State government does performance measurement well, Vermonters are able to determine whether state programs are working well and if their tax dollars are being efficiently spent. When it’s done poorly, though, the information can tell a less-than-complete or misleading story, leading to bad decisions and wasteful spending. At worst, it can be a total waste of time.