Current News

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Reform Act of 2022, bipartisan legislation that supports strong, reliable, and predictable intellectual property rights for all parties. Patents drive innovation, benefiting the economy and the public. Patents protect inventors, allowing them to commercialize their ideas and bring products to market. But for American innovators’ rights to truly be strong, they have to be based on high-quality patents, patents that meet all the requirements of patentability and have undergone a rigorous examination at the Patent Office.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices rose to a new record in the US, but weekly increases have slowed. Vermont gas prices are averaging $5.04 today, up 2 cents from last week, according to national analysts GasBuddy. The US average is $5.01, up 3 cents. The highest prices in Vermont are found in Brattleboro ($5.29), and Arlington, Waitsfield and Richmond ($5.19). The lowest prices are reported in Middlebury ($4.79) and Manchester Center ($4.88).

Vermont Business Magazine During periods of heavy rainfall when the volume of wastewater exceeds the capacity of the combined sewer system, raw sewage has been discharging into the Otter Creek watershed. These discharges are called combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) has documented hundreds of thousands of gallons of CSOs per year from the City of Rutland Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). Yesterday, the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) filed an appeal of the Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the City of Rutland WWTF.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced that the Amtrak Ethan Allen Express train will begin the highly-anticipated expanded passenger rail service to Burlington, Vergennes, and Middlebury on July 29, 2022. This service culminates the Agency’s extensive planning and infrastructure work to upgrade the tracks between Rutland and Burlington to accommodate higher speed passenger rail.

The Vermont State Police investigation into Tuesday’s fatal shooting in Woodstock continued throughout the day Wednesday and involved detectives from the Major Crime Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Crime Scene Search Team. VSP is identifying the Woodstock police officer who fired his duty weapon as Sgt. Joseph Swanson, a 15-year veteran of the department. The victim who was found deceased outside the home is identified as Dieter Seier, 67, of Cornish, NH.

Vermont Business Magazine Ledyard Financial Group, Inc (ticker symbol LFGP), the holding company for Ledyard National Bank, with a branch in Norwich, Vermont, was ranked among the Top 200 publicly traded banks and thrifts under $2 billion in assets in the United States by American Banker Magazine for the eighth consecutive year. The rankings are based on three-year return on average equity (ROAE) for 2019 to 2021. Ledyard Financial Group finished in the 131st position for 2022, with a three-year average ROAE of 11.05%.

Vermont Business Magazine Mike Korkuc, a longtime volunteer who has helped protect and expand loon populations at Lake Dunmore and surrounding lakes for 15 years, has been named the winner of the 2022 GMP-Zetterstrom Environmental Award. The prestigious award is named for former Milton resident Meeri Zetterstrom, who inspired recovery efforts that led to ospreys’ removal from Vermont’s endangered species list. The award is given annually to one person, business, group, or nonprofit that has made a significant contribution to Vermont’s environment. The feather-shaped award is accompanied by a $2,500 donation to support the winner’s ongoing efforts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is receiving reports from across the state of black bears seeking food in yards, outbuildings and livestock enclosures this spring, and the department urges Vermonters to take proactive steps for safely coexisting with bears. Today, Vermont is home to a stable bear population estimated at 4,600 to 5,780, almost four times the state’s estimated population of 1,200 to 1,500 bears in 1975. In Vermont, habitat loss, earlier spring weather due to climate change, and increasing development and human encroachment into remote areas can increase the odds of bears crossing paths with people.

​Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today formally provided public notice to Vermonters that Proposal 2, a proposed amendment to the Vermont Constitution passed by the General Assembly, will appear on the November general election ballot. Section 72 of Chapter II of the Vermont Constitution and Chapter 32 of Title 17 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated require the Governor to give public notice of the proposed amendment by proclamation.

Vermont Business Magazine Venture 7 Advisors announced today that private equity firm Camano Capital has acquired a majority stake in Turtle Fur of Morrisville. Richard Sontag, owner of Turtle Fur, will retain partial ownership of the company. Venture 7 Advisors served as Turtle Fur’s exclusive advisor in this transaction. Turtle Fur will remain in Vermont. Turtle Fur was founded in 1982 by Millie Merrill, who designed the first fleece neck warmer in the basement of her children’s apparel store, the Yellow Turtle, in Stowe. The Merrills sold it to Richard Sontag in 2000.

Vermont Business Magazine The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) has awarded 2022 Tiny Grants to conservation commissions in the following towns: Bethel, Mt. Holly, Georgia, Monkton, Burlington, and Marshfield. Tiny Grants is an AVCC initiative that provides seed money or matching funds to conservation commissions for land conservation, education and outreach, stewardship and management, and planning activities. Grantees will receive between $300 and $600 to improve trails on conserved lands; increase wildlife activity through birdhouse installation; eradicate unwanted, invasive plants; encourage plant and wildlife biodiversity in schools; and educate communities.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported June 15 that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to decline. Deaths attributed to COVID-19 stand at 679. There have been 7 deaths in June attributed to COVID after 32 in May. Vermont has the second fewest deaths per capita in the US (108 per 100,000), behind only Hawaii (103). Mississippi (419) and Arizona (417) have the highest rates. Vermonters are reminded that all state COVID testing sites will close by June 25.