Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health on Wednesday reported another surge of COVID-19 cases for a total of 661 (Wednesday 348), after several quieter days. This follows 532 on Sunday and last Friday's record of 740 cases. VDH also reported a spike in COVID-related fatalities with another eight for 448 statewide. There have been 16 deaths in the last three days.

Vermont Business Magazine Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) Secretary Lindsay Kurrle issued a memo to the Vermont business community today outlining steps they can take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace as the holidays and new year approach. In addition, at the direction of Governor Phil Scott, ACCD has announced a webinar for business owners on Monday, December 20 at 3 pm with multiple state agencies and officials available to further outline guidance and recommended protocols, as well as answer questions from the business community. Today’s memo, “COVID-19 Business Guidance for the Road Ahead” outlines key recommendations for all businesses including: Encouraging employees to get vaccinated and boosted when eligible and to take advantage of free and available testing when needed. Reviewing all workplace safety protocols, related to COVID-19 and beyond, to reduce the need for hospital visits of any kind as a result of workplace incidents. Enhancing COVID-19 mitigation with “Vaccine or Test & Mask” requirements for all employees. Certain public-facing businesses should consider enacting proof of vaccination or negative test policies for customers.

Vermont Business Magazine The holidays are a time to travel and see friends and family. In addition to the special consideration we all must give to preventing the spread of Covid-19, Vermonters are reminded that this time of year also brings with it unpredictable winter weather and icy roads. Most car crashes in Vermont occur between November and January, which means it is important to make sure your children are safely buckled up, and car or booster seats are properly installed and secured.

Vermont Business Magazine A gift of $1 million to Saint Michael’s College from Antonietta “Toni” Boucher to honor her late husband, Henry “Bud” Boucher, Jr, will support the institution’s Career Education Center. Mr. Boucher died in January 2021. The Career Education Center long has been an integral part of the student experience at Saint Michael’s, offering comprehensive career readiness training throughout each student’s four years.

Vermont Business Magazine US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing $5.2 billion to build and improve critical rural infrastructure in 46 states and Puerto Rico. The funding reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to Building a Better America in rural communities and will help expand access to high-speed internet, clean water and reliable electricity in people’s homes and businesses across rural America. Included among the investments are seven projects in Vermont and New Hampshire representing $8,446,700.

Vermont Business Magazine Omega Optical Holdings, LLC, a Brattleboro-based leading precision optics platform backed by Artemis Capital Partners, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Evaporated Metal Films Corp (EMF) and Optometrics Corporation from Dynasil Corporation of America, Inc. Financial terms were not released.

Vermont Business Magazine THINKMD, a Burlington-based healthcare technology company, has been awarded a $2.3 million technology development grant by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and has closed a $4 million financing round led by health technology investors. THINKMD is a social impact, mission-driven technology company focused on making its clinical intelligence technology universally available so that anyone, anywhere can make better healthcare decisions for themselves and their communities. The company’s solutions are currently active in 10 countries and help any user identify how sick a person is, what illness they may have and what next steps to take.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) says he is proud to announce that a longtime member of his staff, Chris Saunders, has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the co-chair of the Northern Border Regional Commission. The Northern Border Regional Commission is a partnership between the states of Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and New York which promotes community and economic development along the border between the United States and Canada.

Vermont Business Magazine Bennington College President Laura Walker announced that Shelton Walker (no relation) has been appointed to the inaugural role of Chief of Staff & Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the College. Shelton, who will assume the position on January 18, 2022, comes to Bennington from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she serves as Chief of Staff & Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives.

​Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger released his “Action Plan to Fulfill the Promise of Housing as a Human Right in Burlington,” a 10-point plan that outlines a roadmap to double the rate of housing production and end chronic homelessness in our community. The Action Plan, developed in partnership with the Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO), Office of City Planning, and Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (REIB), begins with the premise that Burlington must redouble its efforts to combat the housing crisis. It includes investment of at least $5 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds; creation of a new position in CEDO to work on this housing effort; supporting the creation of 1,250 total homes, including 312 permanently affordable homes, by the end of 2026; full funding of the Housing Trust Fund in fiscal year 2023; and more.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) today released a video and toolkit warning Vermonters of family imposter/emergency scams—commonly referred to as the “grandparent scam.” Imposter scams continue to be among the top scams reported by Vermonters to CAP. In 2020, the family imposter scam was the ninth most reported scam, resulting in a total loss of $88,993. Today’s video and toolkit are the second to be released in a three-part series on imposter scams.

Vermont State Police After a lengthy investigation that began more than two years ago, the Vermont State Police has arrested a suspect in connection with the Nov. 1, 2019, fatal shooting of a truck driver in Rockingham. An arrest warrant for second-degree murder was issued Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021, for Dr Jozsef Piri, 49, of Naples, Florida. Deputies with the Collier County Sheriff’s Department assisted Vermont State Police detectives in arresting Piri on Thursday, Dec. 16. The murder charge arises from the shooting death of Roberto Fonseca-Rivera, 44, of Boston, Massachusetts, whose body was found behind the wheel of the Katsiroubas Produce truck he had been driving along Vermont Route 103 in Rockingham. Piri and Fonseca-Rivera did not know each other.