Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Starting October 1, Green Mountain Power (GMP) customers can save $200 when they switch from fossil fuel for cooking and install a new electric induction cooktop or range. Induction technology heats up and cools down faster than fossil fuel and provides great temperature control, all without carbon emissions and indoor air pollution . The new induction rebate adds to GMP’s growing list of incentives to help customers save money when reducing their own carbon footprints. The new rebate is available for installed induction cooktops or ranges (not portable) and is valid on purchases made October 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported September 28 that COVID-19 cases fell by a small number last week and hospitalizations increased for the second consecutive week. Both measures are still considered "Low." Total cases for the week fell from 581 to 550. Hospitalizations increased from 39 to 52; there were 30 the previous week. There were 19 COVID-related fatalities in August and 4 so far in September, for a pandemic total of 719. Vermont has the lowest COVID death rate in the nation, at 115 per 100,000 population. As of this report, there were a total of 14 outbreaks, with 12 in the school/childcare segment. This is the same as last week, which is lower than at the beginning of the school year, when there were 25, with 17 in the school/childcare segment. The last reported COVID-related fatality was on September 13.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (VPPSA) announced today that the organization is providing interim operational services for Barton Electric Department. VPPSA submitted a proposal in response to the village’s request for utility service assistance issued in July. Under the arrangement, VPPSA is providing Barton Electric with a dedicated line crew and the necessary tools and equipment to perform regular utility operations during business hours. VPPSA is also partnering with nearby member utilities to provide coverage around the clock and emergency outage restoration.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Everyone Eats program, providing COVID relief support for Vermont restaurants, farmers, and meal recipients since August 1, 2020, is confirmed to continue beyond September 30, 2022. To date, this program has provided over 3.2 million meals to Vermont eaters in need, along with $32 million to the local restaurants who make the meals, and over $3 million to Vermont farmers and food producers whose ingredients are used in the meals. Everyone Eats is an innovative, multi-sector COVID relief program providing economic support to local restaurants, economic benefit to farmers, and restaurant-prepared meals for food-insecure Vermonters negatively impacted by COVID.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), joined by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Amy Klobuchar (MN), Thursday introduced the Patrick Leahy and Orrin G. Hatch Justice For All Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice for All Act was originally enacted in 2004 as a groundbreaking piece of bipartisan criminal justice legislation, authored by a bipartisan coalition of senators including Leahy. Leahy and Cornyn led the reauthorizations of the Justice For All Act in 2013 and 2016. The programs authorized under the Justice for All Act improve forensic science and access to justice, increase the fairness and accuracy of the criminal legal system, and enhance protections for crime victims.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will hold public hearings in October and November on a proposed rule to adopt edits to the state’s wetland maps. The DEC has a map which identifies the general location of some protected wetlands (Class I and II) called the Vermont Significant Wetlands Inventory (VSWI). From 2020 to 2022, the DEC completed more mapping of wetlands in the northwestern portion of Vermont in the Missisquoi River Basin. The new maps more accurately reflect wetland locations and need to be officially added to the VSWI.

Vermont State Police On Thursday at approximately 10:33 pm, Vermont State Police received a report of a wrong-way driver on Interstate 89 near Richmond. Callers reported a vehicle was traveling north in the southbound lane starting from the Richmond area and was passing Exit 12, Williston. Troopers and Officers from the South Burlington and Colchester Police Departments responded. South Burlington Police was able catch and locate the vehicle and eventually was able to get the vehicle to stop without incident. Once stopped, the operator was identified, and it was learned that the driver had been reported missing by family where he lives in NJ earlier in the day.

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, legal cannabis sales for adults 21 and over will begin in Vermont. Last month, the Vermont Cannabis Control Board issued its first licenses for adult-use cannabis retail sales to Mountain Girl Cannabis in Rutland, a social equity applicant, and Flora Cannabis in Middlebury. Additionally, the Board granted permission for Ceres Med in South Burlington to transition from medical to adult-use cannabis sales. As reported by the Burlington Free Press, at least 30 applicants have applied for retail licenses, and more licenses are expected to be issued in the near future.

Vermont Business Magazine Suicide is preventable and there is hope. September, Suicide Prevention Month, sheds light on the resources to help Veterans who are struggling. These resources are available year-round, but Don’t Wait. Reach out. In addition to the local resources offered, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Ad Council have created an ongoing national campaign: “Don’t Wait. Reach Out.” First released in 2021, the public service advertisements direct audiences to VA.gov/REACH, a comprehensive website designed to help Veterans navigate the wide range of resources available.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Education today named Robyn Newton, a physical education teacher at Vergennes Union Elementary School, as the 2023 Vermont Teacher of the Year. Newton will begin her tenure as Vermont Teacher of the Year on January 1, 2023. Also recognized are the 2023 Vermont Teacher of the Year Distinguished Finalists, Abbie Bowker, visual art teacher at Champlain Valley Union High School, Amy Clapp, upper elementary teacher at Salisbury Community School, and Aziza Malik, upper elementary teacher at Champlain Elementary School.

Vermont Business Magazine Next month, Vermont Public will host a series of debates between major party candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and lieutenant governor, leading up to Election Day on November 8. Debates begin October 11. Hosted by Connor Cyrus and Mikaela Lefrak, all debates will air live during Vermont Edition’s radio broadcast at noon and on Vermont Public’s YouTube channel. The debates will air on Vermont Public’s main TV channel the same day at 7 pm and will be available in the Vermont Edition podcast feed.