Current News

Vermont Business Magazine More than 14,000 Vermonters collected 241 tons of trash and 9,000 tires May 1 -- in the 51st Green Up Day. Students submitted 290 poster designs and the winning poster design went to a third grader. Student reporters with the Community News Service posted stories from across the state. Also, A recent study looked at human-bear conflicts in Vermont finding that more than half are caused by humans with bird feeders (27%) and garbage outside of the house (26%) leading the way. There is little indication that hunting bears to reduce the population is a solution. In fact, destabilizing bear family units can lead to more unstable behavior, which can result in more human-bear conflicts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Restaurant Revitalization Fund is a federal grant program that will provide restaurants with funding equal to pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million. Program eligibility includes restaurants, food stands/trucks/carts, caterers, bars, saloons, and other similar places of business. During the program's run, the SBA will hold a series of webinars. Topics will include an overview of the program, eligibility and the application process.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Pillow Co, the fast-growing Vermont-based startup aiming to help bring a great night’s sleep to all, launched their all-new mobile responsive website today. Beyond its adaptive design for visitors using smartphones and tablets, the new site has an extremely fast load time and a new streamlined checkout process offering a wider variety of payment options.

by Michael Metz There is ample evidence to illustrate why workforce development is essential. Vermont’s rate of job growth lags behind the national average. Colleges have closed with more likely to fail. Employment has shrunk and not entirely due to COVID. Vermont is the second grayest state in the nation and many of our companies are facing a labor shortage crisis with the retirement of their skilled workforce. Some of our wealthier retirees disappear to Florida, taking their tax dollars and accumulated wisdom with them – a double loss for those of us left behind. The youth too flee the state, largely for jobs and affordable housing.

Vermont Business Magazine National Nurses Day is May 6 and local Dunkin’ franchisees will thank nurses and healthcare professionals by offering them a free medium hot or iced coffee this Thursday. From the very start of the pandemic, Dunkin’ and its franchisees have offered their support and gratitude to healthcare professionals nationwide. In honor of National Nurses Day, the brand is once again showing its appreciation for these heroes’ tireless efforts to keep us all healthy and safe.

Vermont Business Magazine The 21st Century Business Forum shares critical strategic insights for planning your company's future in May, featuring Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity and The Road to Reinvention: How to Drive Disruption and Accelerate Transformation author Josh Linkner.

This webcast, hosted by best-selling author Jon Gordon, will broadcast at 12PM Wednesday, May 12. Registration is free.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont strives to meet its June 1 goals and reopen the state by the Fourth of July, the state is seeing a slower uptake of vaccine by residents in their 20s. Therefore, the state continues its efforts to make getting vaccinated as easy as possible -- with clinics, drive-throughs, walk-ins and other opportunities at colleges and communities throughout the state. The state will employ the three speedways in Vermont, at Bear Ridge, Thunder Road and Devil's Bowl for that purpose. Meanwhile, cases remained low at 34 today and there were no new deaths, which are holding at 248 statewide.

Vermont Business Magazine The Pritzker Military Foundation, on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library in Chicago, has committed $650,000 to the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium. For over 20 years the foundation, which provides support aimed at deepening public understanding of military history, as well as protecting the health and well-being of service members and veterans, has been a dedicated supporter of the symposium, among numerous other Norwich initiatives. Its latest gift will provide valuable operating funds for the symposium and help grow its endowment.

Vermont Business Magazine The owner of the Brattleboro Reformer, Bennington Banner, Manchester Journal and UpCountry Magazine is selling the properties to a new group formed by Paul Belogour of Guilford, Vermont. The Reformer and Banner are daily newspapers, the Journal is a weekly and UpCountry is a lifestyle magazine that covers the Berkshires and Bennington and Windham counties in Vermont. They were all part of New England Newspapers Inc, which includes the daily Pitsfield (MA) Eagle. NENI president and publisher Fredric D Rutberg made the announcement today. He said they are holding onto the Eagle as they expand the digital products. All employees will be retained. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Vermont Business Magazine Ben & Jerry's, a dairy company well-known for its black and white cow, is now the number one producer of super-premium Non-Dairy desserts, made entirely without animal products. The progressive ice cream maker from Vermont has bolstered its certified vegan, Non-Dairy almond milk and sunflower-butter based offerings to 19 total flavors. In 2021, Ben & Jerry's unveiled a brand-new Non-Dairy flavor while adding four of the most iconic, fan favorites to the Non-Dairy line up.

The Vermont State Police is investigating an apparent fatal shooting in the town of Newbury. The suspect was taken into custody peacefully early Tuesday morning, May 4, 2021, following a standoff and is expected to be charged with murder. The suspect is 70-year-old James Perry Jr of Newbury. The victim in this incident is identified as Karina Rheaume, 38, of Newbury, the daughter of the suspect in her death.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on May 3, 2021, United States District Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Jose Fontanez, 33, to 120 months in prison following his guilty plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute in Vermont one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and 500 grams or more of cocaine between 2010 and November 26, 2018.

According to Court records, in November of 2018, an informant working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Vermont State Police Drug Task Force placed 11 recorded phone calls to Fontanez, also known as “Chiqui,” arranging the purchase of heroin. The FBI Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force watched as Fontanez travelled from his stash house in Hartford, Connecticut to a planned meeting location in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where Fontanez was arrested by the FBI Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force.