Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Little Patakha, a Vermont-based, minority, and woman-owned children’s brand, has completed its third Kickstarter campaign for its newest product, A Piece A Part jigsaw puzzle, surpassing its $30,000 goal. The new puzzle will be permanently added to its growing array of books, dolls, and toys that promote representation and diversity in the resources available to parents and children.  

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union (VFCU) is proud to announce its commitment to helping the communities affected by recent flooding in the state by pledging a $10,000 donation to the Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund. The fund, established in partnership with local authorities and community organizations, will provide grants to small business owners impacted by the July 10th flood to cover costs such as equipment replacement, supplies, and help with clean-up. 

by Stephen Leffler, MD In July, the UVM Medical Center joined other hospitals across the state in submitting our fiscal year 2024 budget to our regulator, the Green Mountain Care Board. Our budget contains just what is necessary to provide the care our patients need, while rebuilding our capacity to prepare for the future. As a longtime doctor here in Vermont, and as President of the University of Vermont Medical Center, I want to share how we build our budget and why this year’s review process by the Green Mountain Care Board is pivotal for the future of the very health of our state. 

Vermont Business Magazine Defense attorneys Criminal Defense analyzed data from the United States Sentencing Commission for the fiscal year 2022 to determine the categories of crimes for which each state receives the most sentences. Drug trafficking comes in as the most sentenced crime with a rate of 9.74 federal sentences per 100,000. Drug trafficking crimes involve knowingly manufacturing, dispensing, or distributing controlled substances or counterfeit controlled substances meant to be passed off as the real thing. Firearms ranked second, theft was third and drug possession was fourth.

Vermont Business Magazine In support of flood recovery efforts in Vermont, Community Bank is pleased to announce it will donate $100,000 to the Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund. Managed by Capstone Community Action, the fund recently launched to support small businesses affected by the record-breaking flooding.

by Attorney General Charity Clark Like many Vermonters, I spent much of July mucking out basements, delivering supplies, and supporting fundraisers for our Vermont neighbors impacted by the disastrous flooding. It’s truly heartbreaking to see my parents’ hometown, Ludlow, our capital city, Montpelier, and so many other communities brought to their knees. My office stands ready to do what we can to help residents and businesses get back on their feet. 

Vermont State Police A suspect in a June double shooting in Leicester that left one man dead and his brother critically injured has been arrested on an unrelated federal charge in Maine. Zaquikon Roy, 35, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine, on a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He made an initial appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in Portland, Maine, and was ordered detained pending his transfer to Vermont for further proceedings. Additional charges are possible as the investigation continues.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Vermont is setting aside $4 million in federal financial assistance to help Vermont's agricultural producers recover from recent flooding. This funding applies to resource concerns that threaten the ongoing agricultural operation or create an imminent threat to agricultural operations. The only eligible practices under this EQIP-Disaster Assistance signup are the following seven practices: Cover Crop; Critical Area Planting; Fence; Pasture and Hay Planting; Mulching; Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till; Feed Management.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), the statewide, nonprofit business association with a mission to leverage the power of business for positive social and environmental impact, has announced the 2023 recipients for four awards honoring Vermont leaders in social equity, environmental responsibility, and sustainable economic development. The date and location for the21st Annual VBSR Awards Ceremony and Dinner have been set for Thursday, October 5, 5-8:30 p.m., at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center.

by Joy Choquette, Vermont Business Magazine With its bucolic rolling hills, small towns and diverse industries, Addison County is an engaging place to live and work. Located on the western central border of the state, the county has approximately 37,600 residents, according to the US Census Bureau. Middlebury, the county seat, is home to the county’s two largest employers: Middlebury College, with 1,200 employees, and Porter Medical Center, with just over 700 staff. Rounding out the top five are Collins Aerospace, in Vergennes, and Counseling Service of Addison County and The Residence at Otter Creek, both in Middlebury. 

VermontBiz This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont. Some projects are not included in the report this week as they have been temporarily suspended due to flood damage, the work site is inaccessible, or the contractors were repositioned to assist AOT with emergency response and repairs. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) is inviting all Vermonters thinking about their community and the future of our state to attend the 2023 Vermont Community Leadership Summit on Tuesday, August 15 at Vermont State University Randolph Campus hosted by the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD). Designed in partnership with a diverse planning committee of experts throughout Vermont, the 2023 Vermont Community Leadership Summit agenda is structured to strengthen skills, capacity, and opportunities for the future for dedicated community builders from across the State, along with people from non-profit, business, and government sectors.