Current News

VermontBiz Today, Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) joined U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Rep. Becca Balint, and leaders of Vermont conservation and outdoor recreation organizations for a roundtable discussion on the conservation and climate initiatives within the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Investing in America agenda that support Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy.  

VermontBiz The Vermont Department of Public Safety has released a guide on Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), aimed at providing prosecutors, law enforcement officers, family and household members, and community members with a clear understanding of the process to obtain an ERPO.

ERPOs, also known as “red flag laws,” allow courts to issue an order that temporarily restricts access to dangerous weapons for individuals who are deemed to be at an elevated risk of harming themselves or others. According to early research, ERPOs can be effective in preventing gun deaths, including suicides and mass shootings.

VermontBiz The Northwest Vermont REALTOR® Association (NVRA) hosted its fifth Annual Charity Golf Tournament on June 26 at Vermont National Country Club. 

REALTORS® and Affiliate members raise funds each year to fund charitable initiatives across Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties. This year’s tournament proceeds will fund Spectrum Youth and Family Services, Committee on Temporary Shelter (C.O.T.S), HomeShare VT, and Martha’s Community Kitchen. 

VermontBiz Troopers from the Williston Barracks received a report of a road rage incident around the area of I-89 N, Exit 15 in Winooski, VT. The complainant advised that Mark Bennett had brandished a firearm while on the interstate and on the off ramp. Troopers were able to interview all involved parties. During the investigation it was discovered that Mark Bennett was changing speeds and brake checking Robert Bechtold while traveling on the interstate and once Bechtold decided to pass Bennett displayed his firearm in a reckless manner towards Bechtold. Bechtold was later located in Warren, VT and was cited to appear in Chittenden County Court Criminal Division on August 22, 2023, at 0830 to answer to the charge of Reckless Endangerment.

VermontBiz Moving home can depend on several factors but perhaps the most important is how many properties are available at the time. 

Moving experts at MovingFeedback have used Zillow data to analyze the number of properties available to rent or buy in Vermont each month from 2020-2022.  

VermontBiz Bear activity in South Burlington has jumped this year, highlighting the need to prevent bear conflicts in densely populated areas around the state, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

“We have had 14 bear incident reports from South Burlington so far this year, compared to just three for all of 2022,” said Black Bear Project Leader Jaclyn Comeau.  “At least two yearling bears and their mother are becoming used to easy meals of birdseed and unsecured garbage in town.  This is a dangerous situation for these bears and for people, especially in a densely populated community like South Burlington where many residents may not be used to coexisting safely with bears.”

Vermont Business Magazine Hey there, job seekers! Are you ready to hit a home run in your career? For the second year in a row, the Vermont Department of Labor is thrilled to announce not one, but two, upcoming job fairs that will make your job search a hit! These two incredible events will take place during the action-packed Vermont Lake Monsters baseball games at Centennial Field in Burlington. Join us on July 19th and August 1st and don’t strike out on this opportunity! 

Vermont Business Magazine Evernorth closed its fourth multi-investor fund – Housing New England, Fund IV – on June 15, 2023. This fund will provide equity to finance affordable housing in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Fourteen investors committed a total of $54,050,000 in equity, making Housing New England, Fund IV (HNE Fund IV) a significant financial resource for the region’s critical affordable housing needs. Mascoma Bank invested $2.5 million into this fund. HNE Fund IV’s investors include community, regional, and national banks as well as one of the nation’s largest mortgage banking organizations. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger with local, state and federal partners, announced plans for the over $22 million in funding from the Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant program. The federal funds complete a nearly $50 million projected budget to rebuild St. Paul and Pine Streets through the site of the former mall, and to revitalize eight existing City blocks on Cherry Street and Bank Street between the Church Street Marketplace and the Waterfront.  

Vermont Business Magazine Treasurer Mike Pieciak attended Essex’s Rotary Club meeting on Wednesday, July 5 to provide an update from the 2023 legislative session and introduce his office’s new retirement initiative, VT Saves (S.135). VT Saves will also position tens of thousands of Vermonters to receive a federal retirement saver’s credit. Starting in 2027, lower income earners enrolled in qualified retirement accounts can receive up to $2,000 annually in federal assistance. VT Saves will take effect in July 2025, positioning tens of thousands of Vermonters to secure these funds.  

Vermont Business Magazine Today, KeyBank (NYSE: KEY), with branches across Vermont, announced the launch of its third Special Purpose Credit Program1 – KeyBank Neighbors First Credit – which can help make the dream of home ownership a reality by providing up to $5,000 to homebuyers for the purchase of eligible properties.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Organic Dairy farmers are encouraged to apply for relief funding. This grant funding is designed to mitigate the extreme market challenges in 2022, including high feed and input costs. $6.9 million dollars was made available in the Vermont state budget which began on July 1. Eligible dairy farmers who apply will receive a single payment of $5 per hundredweight of organic milk produced in 2022. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is responsible for the application process and distribution of funds.