Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Two Saint Michael’s College professors who believe astronauts might combat stress and reduce health risks in space using virtual reality meditation have spent the past year testing their theories on students and emergency responders at the College, funded by $50,000 in NASA grants and $8,000 of internal funding through the Vermont Biomedical Research Network.

Vermont State Police Across the United States, June and July sees the highest number of alcohol-related boating incidents. In Vermont, we have had at least one boating-related fatality each year since 2015. While we are thankful that we don’t suffer the numbers of waterway deaths relative to other states, Vermont sits above the national average for boating fatalities per 100,000 residents (Vermont = 10.5, U.S. = 5.3).

Vermont Business Magazine With swimming holes across Vermont getting busier as summer arrives, more than a dozen non-profit organizations and state and federal agencies in the Vermont Swimming Hole Collaborative want to remind the public about important safety and etiquette considerations.

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways throughout Vermont. Most crews will cease activities at noon on Friday, July 02 and be off Monday, July 5 in observance of Independence Day. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.

Vermont State Police On Friday at 1103 hours, the troopers from the Vermont State Police were dispatched to a multi-vehicle crash with injuries involving a motorcycle on Railroad Street in the town of Wells River, Vermont. On arrival, troopers learned that the operator of the motorcycle, Ryan Melton, had already been taken to Cottage Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) announced that due to the positive response from customers, it is adding two more tours at the Kingdom Community Wind (KCW) site in Lowell this summer, on June 30 and July 24. The popular summer tours are back this year after being suspended last summer due to the pandemic.

KCW began operations in 2012 and is GMP’s 21-turbine wind farm located in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. It generates 180,000 MWh per year which is enough energy to power 24,000 homes. The tours give Vermonters an opportunity to see first-hand how wind energy is generated right here at home and are a great way to learn about the project, as well as GMP’s ongoing commitment to source 100 percent of its energy supply from renewable sources by the end of this decade. Currently, GMP’s energy mix it is 95 percent carbon free and 64 percent renewable.

Tours are free, take about 90 minutes and are a great opportunity to see up close how wind power works. You visit two of the site’s turbines along with GMP guides to answer your questions.

Vermont Business Magazine The 32nd cohort of the Lake Champlain Chamber’s Leadership Champlain program celebrated their graduation at Hotel Vermont earlier this week.

Since 1989, Leadership Champlain has ensured the community’s most influential and esteemed leaders are knowledgeable about issues, well-networked and passionate about our region’s success.

“This distinguished cohort of 35 community leaders were trailblazers as they completed their entire Leadership Champlain experience virtually,” says Program Director Tori Colarusso. “They spent nine months becoming educated on the different challenges facing our community and serving local organizations while grappling with the many changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their dedication to our community is inspiring.”

Vermont Business Magazine With swimming holes across Vermont getting busier as summer arrives, more than a dozen non-profit organizations and state and federal agencies in the Vermont Swimming Hole Collaborative want to remind the public about important safety and etiquette considerations.

“Staying safe at swimming holes begins with an awareness of your surroundings whenever going to a new place, or even a favorite spot,” said Holly Knox, Recreation Program Manager for the USDA Forest Service, Green Mountain National Forest. “Knowing the unique features of each swimming hole you visit will help you understand where swift currents and cliffs are located, and whether it is safe for you to plunge in.” Knox also notes that heavy rain can cause dangerous swimming conditions and can impact the water quality. It is best to avoid swimming 24 hours after a heavy rain.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington City Arts is pleased to announce 13 recipients of the 2021 BCA Community Fund Grants. The City of Burlington launched the grant program in 2016 to foster a vibrant creative community and encourage equity and inclusion through the arts by supporting projects that benefit a broad public. This year, the program also aims to help artists recover from and adapt projects for Covid-19.

“Bringing back successful programs like the BCA Community Fund Grants is more important than ever as our work in the recovery continues. These funded projects will bring joy and healing to the community and new vibrancy to spaces across the city, from senior living facilities to whole neighborhoods. I look forward to the new work our local artists will create with the support of these grants," says Mayor Miro Weinberger.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Thursday condemned a blockade of their bipartisan bill to reform and extend the EB-5 investor visa program, which expires on June 30. The blockade was at the behest of a small group of wealthy real estate developers who reflexively oppose any efforts to improve accountability and transparency in the EB-5 visa program.

Leahy said: “It’s really unfortunate that a bipartisan bill supported by the overwhelming majority of EB-5 stakeholders was blocked at the behest of a small minority that blindly opposes much-needed accountability and transparency in the program. Senator Grassley and I have worked together for years to develop a thoughtful, careful compromise that would both keep the program alive and curtail the worst abuses of it. Now that our bill has been blocked, the EB-5 visa program is unfortunately going to lapse in the days ahead and have untold economic consequences throughout the communities that rely on the program for development projects. I remain committed to reforming the EB-5 program should there be another opportunity to do so.”

Vermont Business Magazine The weekly Food Truck Roundup at Retreat Farm returns this summer to help bring the community back together after a long year apart. This summer, the spectacular setting, local food, craft brews, live music, and lawn games are creating a magnetic event that is attracting a community of support to make the Roundup more accessible and inclusive.

The Food Truck Roundup series debuts on July 1st with Zara Bode’s Little Big Band and continues every Thursday night from 5pm to 8pm through September 2nd. A new partnership with the Stone Church will bring a carefully curated selection of live bands to the Square including the Miles Band, Jatoba, Gaslight Tinkers, Kotoko Brass, Social Medication, Billy Wylder, Saints & Liars, M.O.D., and Pamela Means and the Reparations with the Soul Magnets.