Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Peter Gregory, AICP, Executive Director of Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) in Woodstock, Vermont, is the recipient of the 2020 Arthur Gibb Award for Individual Leadership. The Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) presents this honor annually to a Vermont resident who has made a lasting contribution to their community, region or state in the ways they integrate smart growth and conservation.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House today gave preliminary approval to the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget, H.969 on a vote of 140-4. The bill must go through the Senate and then back to the House for any reconciliation before it lands on Governor Scott's desk. This could take three or four weeks. It appropriates the remaining Coronavirus Relief Funds, providing critical relief across the state. Scattered throughout the budget are targeted 3% General Fund reductions and 5% Internal Service Fund reductions. About $100 million is targeted for economic recovery, $33 million less than the governor proposed.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that Vermont has received $3.8 million in federal funding for suicide prevention. The five-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will support the implementation and evaluation of the state’s comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention in Vermont. The announcement coincides with today’s observance of World Suicide Prevention Day.

Vermont Business Magazine This has been a year of extraordinary stress. People are anxious, feeling isolated and have pressures that can be difficult to navigate. All of which, for too many, may contribute to factors that may lead to thoughts of self-harm. As of September 4, there have been 72 suicide deaths in Vermont this year. To honor the friends, loved ones and fellow Vermonters we have lost to suicide, and all who have been affected, we are observing World Suicide Prevention Day by recommitting to a comprehensive public health approach to preventing suicide in Vermont.

​Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont (UVM) is participating in a major national research effort to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of varying types of blood thinners to treat adults diagnosed and hospitalized with COVID-19—the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the launch of two of three adaptive Phase 3 clinical trials September 10.

Vermont Business Magazine More than 20 emergency vehicles and 50 volunteers are scheduled to be part of a full-scale emergency exercise simulating an aircraft accident at Burlington International Airport (BTV) on Saturday, September 12. The simulation is part of a disaster preparedness and response exercise required every three years by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Vermont Business Magazine The 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, is scheduled to conduct F-35 night flying from Tuesday, Sept. 15 through Thursday, Sept. 17, with additional night operations from Tuesday, Sept. 22 through Thursday, Sept. 24.
Area residents may see and hear F-35A Lightning II aircraft taking off and landing from the Burlington International Airport during this time. All night flight training operations are scheduled to be completed before 10:00 p.m.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Forest Service will begin construction this month of a new Forest Supervisor’s Headquarters building for the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests (GMNF). The $6 million facility will be built on Route 4 in Mendon. Senator Patrick Leahy and the GMNF made the announcement on Thursday. Leahy has made a high priority of securing a visitor-friendly, federally owned GMNF Headquarters.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan announced that Kyle Sausville, 31, of Milton, was arrested and arraigned on September 4, 2020, on two felony counts and one misdemeanor count of possession of child pornography. The charges brought against Sausville are the result of a criminal investigation—including the execution of residential and online data search warrants—conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Vermont State Police, South Burlington Police Department, University of Vermont Police Services, Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations, Milton Police Department, and the Essex Police Department.

Vermont Business Magazine Killington President Mike Solimano said today that they are planning to open for skiing and riding on November 14, weather and terrain permitting. He said they believe November 14 is a realistic date to achieve top-to-bottom skiing and riding with access to multiple base area lifts. Along with state guidelines, COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place by then. Changes include some access points being altered to ensure social distancing, a contactless ticket process and parking reservation requirements for all visitors. Killington's sister resort at Pico is scheduled to open December 19.

Vermont Business Magazine Greenvest, a socially and environmentally responsible financial advisory firm, is proud to announce they have officially become a Certified B Corporation. Greenvest joins the rapidly growing movement of more than 3,400 Certified B Corporations from 150 industries, across 71 countries, including companies such as Seventh Generation, King Arthur Baking Company, Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, Stonyfield Organic, Suncommon, Athleta, and Cabot Creamery.