Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Human Rights Commission has appointed Big Hartman its new executive director. Hartman follows the current Executive Director, Bor Yang, who has served in the position since November of 2018. Hartman has worked at the Human Rights Commission since September of 2021 as a Staff Attorney Investigator. In that role, they completed a large number of investigations concerning complaints of discrimination, many of which resulted in a finding of reasonable grounds by the Commission. Hartman has also assisted many parties in resolving their disputes by facilitating settlements.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.60 per gallon, up 0.9 cents per gallon from last week's $3.59/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.37/g while the highest was $3.79/g, a difference of 42.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 2.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.55/g today. The national average is down 0.4 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 78.0 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets has created next steps for farmers in the wake of devastating flooding. We hope you are now safe from the disaster as we turn to recovery. If you have specific questions about crops, damage, or other flood-related topics, please see our resources page at agriculture.vermont.gov/flood, call 802-828-5667, or email [email protected].

Vermont Business Magazine If you lost access to water because a private well or septic system was damaged, or if your HVAC System or furnace was damaged by the recent flooding in Caledonia, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham and Windsor counties, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance. For private wells, HVAC Systems, furnaces and septic systems, FEMA may reimburse you for the cost of a professional, licensed technician to visit your home and prepare an estimate for necessary repairs or replacement of your disaster-damaged systems. FEMA may also pay for the actual repair or replacement cost of your septic system or private well, which are not insurable items.

Vermont Agency of Transportation This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of July 24, 2023. Some projects are not included in the report this week as they have been temporarily suspended due to flood damage, inaccessibility to the work site, or contractors 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 US Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the opening of a business recovery center and the addition of three more Vermont counties to the disaster declaration for severe storms and flooding that began on July 7. Vermont businesses and residents in Caledonia, Essex and Orange counties  are now eligible to apply for SBA’s low-interest disaster loan program.  The Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Lamoille County will open at 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 23, at the Lamoille County Agriculture Building in Morrisville.

Vermont Business Magazine David Silverman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank, has announced that the bank will make an initial pledge of $100,000 to assist local individuals and families and businesses impacted by the catastrophic flooding in Vermont last week. Lamoille County, where Union Bank has been headquartered since 1891, sustained devastating damage. The flooding was so severe that it impacted many properties without flood insurance because they were outside the 100-year flood zone and thus flood insurance was not required.

Vermont Business Magazine While contending with significant destruction to their office building on State Street in Montpelier, Vermont Mutual Insurance has witnessed the catastrophic impact to the homes and businesses in their own neighborhood. To assist those in need, Vermont Mutual is committing significant financial assistance, and, similar to their $1 million COVID relief contribution, they are directing the funds to community partners who are best equipped to get relief into the hands of those who need it most.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association A statewide grant of $7 million for EV chargers is available now and open to applicants from all of Vermont. This grant, made possible by the Department of Housing and Community Development, is here to help you cover ALMOST ALL the cost of installing EV charging stations for businesses, multi-unit dwellings, and public places.

Agency of Commerce and Community Development FEMA officially added two additional counties to the federal Individual Assistance Disaster Declaration signed by President Joseph Biden last week. The declaration now allows residents of Orange and Caledonia to apply for federal assistance for personal losses during this month’s storm and floods. Chittenden, Lamoille, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor counties had previously been approved.

Vermont State Police On 07/18/2023, at approximately 2044 hours, the Vermont State Police- New Haven Barracks was dispatched to a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on Vermont Route 22A in the Town of Orwell. Preliminary investigation indicated Vehicle 1, a 2001 Kawasaki Vulcan, was traveling south on Vermont Route 22A,  when it lost control and exited the lane and entered the eastbound shoulder. Vehicle 1 subsequently re-entered the roadway where it slid on its side, caught on fire and subsequently came to a position of uncontrolled rest in the northbound lane. The operator, identified as Michael Mattison (62) sustained fatal injuries.

Vermont Business Magazine Fidium Fiber is expanding service coverage of its all-fiber internet network in Pownal, with construction to bring Fidium to more than 1,400 local homes and businesses. Construction has already started in some locations, with further build-out scheduled for the coming weeks. Through this expansion, hundreds of homes and small businesses in the community will have access to Fidium’s multi-gig speed fiber internet service.