Current News

Northeastern Vermont Development Association VTrans is investing funds from the General Fund Bridge Program for rebuilding eligible off-system bridges using 100% federal monies for the construction phase. VTrans established two categories during the selection process: Historic Bridges and Existing Capital Projects. Thirty-four bridges were ultimately selected from around the state to participate in the program - with two from the NEK! The towns of Troy and Lyndon are now able to rebuild their covered bridges with funding from the General Fund Bridge Program.

Vermont Business Magazine The Court’s decision cloaks the use of hundreds of millions of Vermont taxpayer dollars in secrecy, allowing Vermont state agencies to protect themselves and their contractors from independent performance and spending oversight.

VermontBiz Green Mountain United Way is thrilled to receive a $10,000 grant from Vermont Women’s Fund to help continue to support and expand the Working Bridges program throughout Central Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom.

Everyday, Working Bridges resource coordinators meet with local employees at their place of work and help them navigate different life stressors, in particular, financial issues that come up as a result of increasing food, gas, and heating costs.

“We are incredibly grateful for this continued investment and belief in our work,” said Tawnya Kristen, Executive Director of Green Mountain United Way. “This partnership is such a great demonstration of harnessing the power of collaboration to address complex issues. We look forward to demonstrating the success this funding will undoubtedly support and the benefits provided to women in our shared community.”

Vermont Parks Forever has announced its Park Access Fund Grantees for 2022. Since 2016, Vermont Parks Forever has granted over $50,000 to cover park entry fees and help create a more equitable outdoor experience throughout the state. This year, the Park Access Fund will provide over 5,000 free days in the parks to the following community partners across Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce invites participants for the 2^nd Annual Best of Vermont Summer Festival CAR SHOW & 5^th Annual Benson’s Chevy CRUISE-IN. The car show, sponsored by Coldwell Banker Lifestyles Real Estate, is scheduled for Saturday, August 20 & Sunday, August 21 in Ludlow, Vermont at the Okemo Field on Route 103. The cruise-in will be held the night before the festival on Friday evening August 19 from 5- 8 pm at Benson’s Chevrolet located at 25 Pond St in Ludlow Village. Learn more and register HERE: https://www.yourplaceinvermont.com/cars/

by Mike Vlacich, New England Regional Administrator, SBA July marks two very important things, the celebration of our nation’s birthday, Independence Day on July 4th and later in the month, July 30th marks SBA’s birthday. Birthdays are always a good time to take stock of what has been accomplished but more importantly, to look ahead to what we can do. These two “birthdays” are completely connected in my mind. When our nation’s founders fought for and won our independence they were fighting for our freedom and opportunity to create our own destiny, to be self-reliant. The ability to make, produce, buy, and sell goods here in America and to support American ingenuity was a big part of this.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation will close both northbound lanes of Interstate 89 between Waterbury exit 10 and Richmond exit 11 from 8 pm Wednesday, July 6, to 5 am Thursday, July 7 to enable the contractor to build an access road to transport materials to the construction site for the ongoing culvert replacement project. During the closure, a signed detour will be in place routing traffic to US Route 2 between Waterbury and Richmond. The 13-mile detour is expected to add 10 minutes of travel time due to the lower speed limit on US 2. Traffic delays are not anticipated given the volume of traffic typically traveling on I-89 at that location during the night.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington City Arts (BCA) in collaboration with The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, The Current, and Hall Art Foundation, is thrilled to announce the winner of the first annual Vermont Prize: renowned Brandon-based visual artist, graffiti scholar, and educator Will Kasso Condry. As the recipient of this prize, Condry receives a monetary prize of $5,000, and his work will be showcased and archived on vermontprize.org and on social media. Launched in 2022, the prize is a partnership between four Vermont arts organizations, The prize winner is selected on the basis of artistic excellence, regardless of career stage.

Vermont Business Magazine Lawson’s Finest Liquids is thrilled to announce that it is accepting applications from Vermont nonprofit organizations for the 2023 Sunshine Fund calendar. Created to assist nonprofits that support the environment and the people of Vermont, the Sunshine Fund is the heart of the company’s Social Impact Program (SIP). Lawson’s Finest Liquids is proud to support its staff through a generous living wage and benefit package. This approach enables the company to leverage the generosity of its Taproom and Retail Store guests by accepting donations—in lieu of tips—for the Sunshine Fund. All of the money raised through the Sunshine Fund goes directly to Vermont-based nonprofit organizations.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimated 178 thousand acres of corn planted for all purposes in New England for 2021, up 6% from last year’s acreage of 168 thousand acres. Vermont corn planted for all purposes in 2022 is estimated at 90 thousand acres, up 6% from 2021; growers expect to harvest 165 thousand acres of hay, up 3% from 2021 acreage of 160 thousand acres.

Vermont Business Magazine Let’s Grow Kids Action Network announced the launch of the Vote Child Care Fund Political Action Committee. The Vote Child Care Fund was created to support candidates who prioritize passing laws that aim to transform Vermont’s child care system. The Vote Child Care Fund is a separate segregated fund of Let’s Grow Kids Action Network which is a 501(c)(4) organization building the political will necessary to pass laws that fund and sustain a high-quality, affordable child care system.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to reduced on-site visitation by the public beginning long before the pandemic, the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation (FPR) will be closing the Morrisville office at 29 Sunset Drive, Suite 1 in Morrisville, on August 1, 2022. This change will support enhanced coordination among staff within the Agency of Natural Resources, reduce the Department’s footprint, and allow reallocation of resources, ultimately improving FPR’s ability to serve private forestland owners.