Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Pelletier Dam in Castleton, Vermont is scheduled to be removed by the end of this week. This derelict dam is located on North Breton Brook off of East Hubbardton Road and approximately 0.85 river miles upstream from the confluence with the Castleton River. The dam is stone, approximately 180 ft long by 20 ft high, and was originally built around 1792 to power an industrial marble mill (the Sherman Marble Mill complex). In addition to water power, the dam impoundment was also used for commercial ice harvesting. After the closing of the Marble Mill in this location, the dam was acquired by the State of Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department who recognize the ecological benefits of dam removal far outweigh the impoundment barrier that is currently blocking trout species from moving up and down North Breton Brook.

Vermont Business Magazine This July, Phoenix Books is hosting an exciting month-long scavenger hunt to find Waldo in participating local businesses. This sprawling scavenger hunt is a wonderful way to engage the community while underscoring the unique character of our neighborhoods, promoting our “Shop Local” message, and bolstering our shared sense of community in Essex and Essex Junction, VT. Throughout the month, there will be prizes awarded to the players, and Phoenix Books Essex will celebrate Waldo Weekend on July 30 and 31!
What is Find Waldo Local? For ten years, children’s book character Waldo, in his signature red-and-white-striped shirt and black glasses, has been visiting local communities across the country as part of an annual Find Waldo Local campaign. The month-long scavenger hunt for Waldo hosted by more than two hundred and fifty independent bookstores across the United States. Participating bookstores champion the “shop local” message by enlivening downtown areas with the community-wide activity, to which everyone—kids, parents, and Waldo-lovers of all ages—is invited to participate for free.

Vermont Business Magazine Shelburne Museum will be closed to the public on Tuesday, July 12 for the filming of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW. The filming of this sold-out antique appraisal event will take place all day throughout the museum campus.

Only those who hold tickets issued by ANTIQUES ROADSHOW will have access to the museum campus that day. Aside from those who already have tickets for the event, there is no public access to the museum. Around 3,000 pre-ticketed visitors are expected to be at the museum on timed intervals throughout the day to have their prized antiques appraised and for a chance to be on the show. ANTIQUES ROADSHOW will produce three one-hour episodes from the event at Shelburne Museum that will air on public television in 2023.

Produced by GBH, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is PBS’s most-watched ongoing series and is seen by around 6 million viewers each week, airing Mondays at 8/7c p.m. on PBS.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott has appointed Kevin Gaffney as commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) and Emily Brown as the Department’s deputy commissioner of insurance.

The Department of Financial Regulation is charged with protecting consumers while ensuring industry partners in the areas of banking, insurance, securities and captive insurance operate responsibly, and can access information and guidance to do so in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine In June, more than 85 Community Bank branches joined together to host a food drive in honor of National Hunger Awareness Month to collect nonperishable food items for local food pantries and food banks across its four-state footprint, which includes New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Massachusetts.

Throughout the month, donations poured in from bank staff, customers and community members. In total, the participating branches collected over 5,600 nonperishable items and over $360 in donations to support more than 100 food pantries and food banks.

“We’ve seen firsthand the difference that food pantries and food banks make in the communities we live and work in,” Corporate-Wide Culture & Diversity Officer Monticia Prather said. “It’s been an incredible experience to deliver the items to each organization and hear the impact the donation will have on our neighbors in need.”

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger issued the following statement on Burlington’s first homicide this year, which occurred Thursday night near Luck Street.

“Last night’s shooting and murder is Burlington’s first homicide in more than two years. Yet it is one of many recent gunfire incidents, part of a very disturbing trend that has dramatically increased since 2020.

“The Burlington Police Department has begun the hard work of identifying, finding, and apprehending the shooter, and we offer condolences to the victim’s family and those mourning him.

Vermont Business Magazine More Vermonters will be exempt from paying state taxes on their Social Security benefits, thanks to new legislation signed by Gov. Phil Scott. The law, backed by AARP Vermont, will raise the Social Security tax income exemption threshold from $45,000 to $50,000 for single filers and from $60,000 to $65,000 for joint filers, meaning more residents will be able to receive their benefits without paying state taxes.

The law also creates a tax exclusion for the first $10,000 of retirement income earned each year from military pensions and certain retirement programs for low- and middle-income Vermonters. We were active in pushing the bill over the finish line, encouraging Vermont residents to reach out to their elected officials to voice support for the bill.

Vermont Business Magazine New unemployment claims increased slightly week-over-week on June 27, but were still 96% below the peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. To help add some context to these statistics, WalletHub just released updated rankings for the States Whose Unemployment Claims Are Recovering the Quickest, along with accompanying videos and audio files.

Key Stats:

Vermont Business Magazine The Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce distributed its annual State of the Commerce survey to its business and nonprofit members recently. The purpose of the State of the Commerce Survey was to hear from regional businesses and nonprofits about how they were doing in the current economy, what their current attitudes were in relation to economic vitality, and what new small business trends they saw emerging.

The survey was distributed to 320 representatives in the regional chamber of commerce and 84 participants completed it or 26%.

Vermont Business Magazine On July 6, Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV) and Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) co-hosted a virtual candidate forum with the five candidates who are competing for three seats in this summer’s Democratic primary in the newly redrawn Washington County State Senate district. (This district now includes all of Washington County, plus the towns of Stowe, Braintree, and Orange.)

Steven Pappas, the Publisher & Executive Editor of The Times Argus/Rutland Herald, moderated a lively and engaging conversation with Senate candidates Ann Cummings, Jared Duval, Jeremy Hansen, Andrew Perchlik, and Anne Watson.