Current News

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.

Vermont Business Magazine Alpine and Cross-Country ski areas, supporters and friends of Vermont’s ski industry gathered at Sugarbush Resort for the Vermont Ski Areas Association’s 53rd Annual Meeting on June 8th and 9th. For the first time in two years ski area members, associate members, partners and sponsors were able to recap a successful ski season in person. Despite the lingering effects of the ongoing pandemic, this season Vermont ski areas reported an additional 230,000 skier visits, which is an increase of 6.5 percent over the 2020-21 season. While the total of 3.76 million skier visits is six percent below Vermont’s 10-year average, Vermont’s rebound outpaced the Northeast region’s 4 percent growth.

Vermont State Police Jay Wilson, the suspect in a fatal shooting Tuesday afternoon at 13 Slayton Terrace in the town of Woodstock, was located late Tuesday night deceased inside the house. Precautionary measures that had been in place for residents of the area have been lifted. Members of the Vermont State Police Tactical Services Unit discovered Wilson’s body with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound after 11 p.m. while searching the house room by room following a multiple-hour effort to persuade Wilson to leave the residence. TSU members reported hearing a gunshot after they made entry into the home. Police believed Wilson had been in the house since early afternoon, but his whereabouts were unconfirmed until the search of the home was completed. No one else was located inside.

Vermont Business Magazine Mathew Robitaille has joined TD Bank as the Regional Vice President for Vermont. In this role, Robitaille will oversee the Commercial and Retail banking activities, including commercial lending and retail stores within the region. He will also lead a team of relationship managers and closely support Vermont’s 23 stores. Robitaille brings more than 20 years of experience in banking and commercial lending, and most recently held positions as the Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager and Vice President of Commercial Banking for KeyBank.

Vermont Business Magazine TruexCullins won the 2022 HD Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design, Best Event Space, for the Rosebrook Lodge at Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. The HD Award, presented by Hospitality Design Magazine, celebrates the best of the best in the hospitality industry’s most influential and innovative design work. TruexCullins was one of three finalists in the Best Event Spaces category, competing against more than 1,100 product and project submissions from U.S. and international design teams. On Thursday evening June 7, TruexCullins Associate Principals Marc DeSmet and Matt Bushey accepted the award at the HD Awards Gala in New York City