Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Due to the voters’ passage of the Sustainable Infrastructure Plan in November of 2016, the City of Burlington, in a press release Friday, said it has been making major investments in Burlington’s streets, sidewalks, and water mains this summer construction season. The Department of Public Works (DPW) is on target to pave over 6 miles of roadways, reconstruct over 3 miles of sidewalks, install a half mile of curb, and renew 3 miles of water mains.

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger has announced that Human Resources Director Susan Leonard has resigned her position with the City of Burlington effective October 6, 2018, after nine years of service. Leonard’s tenure included the restructuring of the HR department to provide additional support for the City’s departments and the implementation of numerous employee policies and trainings, with a particular focus on increasing the diversity of and equity among the city workforce, and modernizing our application and recruitment systems for new employees.

Leonard served as a member of the City’s collective bargaining team and helped steward the City’s positive relationships with its four union and non-union employees, Weinberger said in a statement.

Vermont Business Magazine Representative Jim Condon (D-Colchester) passed away Thursday evening. He served in the Legislature since 2005, but announced last spring he would not seek another term. Condon had battled esophageal cancer. He might be best known as a local radio personality on WKDR-AM or the former proprietor of the Radio Deli on Pearl Street in Burlington.

Vermont State Police On August 24, 2018 at approximately 0345 hours, Troopers from the Vermont State Police – St Albans Barracks were notified of a single motor vehicle crash located on Frontage Road in the Town of Highgate, Vermont. It was reported that the driver was unresponsive and the passenger was stable.

Investigation determined that the operator, Megan Fregeau (19), was operating a 2008 Honda Civic. Fregeau lost control of the vehicle and went off the road striking a group of trees. Fregeau was not seat belted in the vehicle.

Fregeau was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The passenger, identified as Colby Hakey, 19, of Swanton, was wearing a seat belt. He was transported to Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans with a laceration to his arm, and was treated and released.

Members from the Highgate Fire Department and rescue assisted at the scene.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Colleges System Board of Trustees is calling for nominations for its Award for Extraordinary Contribution to be conferred at the 2019 VSCS Hall of Fame event. The Board will recognize the winner of the Award for Extraordinary Contribution and four alumni inductees at its fourth annual Hall of Fame celebration on March 14, 2019 at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier. Proceeds from the event will fund scholarships for Vermont students.

Vermont Business Magazine As faculty gathered to begin a new academic year, Sterling College in Craftsbury Common has announced it has successfully concluded its five-year Nourish the Roots comprehensive campaign by exceeding the original $9 million campaign goal, raising $11.6 million in gifts and pledges. Sterling College is among the smallest colleges in the United States and during the campaign raised more annually for its environmental stewardship mission than colleges and universities that are many times larger.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) led the fight against the opioid epidemic in another Senate-passed appropriations bill Thursday, securing $3 billion in new funding to address the crisis. The bill also contains Leahy-authored legislation to establish three “Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders” and directs $10 million to a new research program in the Department of Defense to study alternatives to opioids for chronic pain management.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), locally representing ESGR, a Department of Defense agency, announced that Governor Phil Scott has signed a proclamation declaring August 19-25, 2018 as Vermont Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week. This proclamation mirrors the spirit and intent of a Presidential Proclamation signed earlier in the week, giving gratitude to our many employers who have provided exceptional support to our citizen warriors.

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Vermont Off Leash K9 Training — an award-winning, dog-training business boasting more than 115 locations nationwide — is now available to Burlington residents and their canine charges of all breeds and ages, courtesy of Stockbridge, Massachusetts Transplant Eve-Marie Troy.

Aggressive dogs, fussy dogs, shy dogs and even dogs sporting an overall unruly nature can all benefit from obedience training unlike what has been offered before in Vermont’s Queen City.

Vermont Business Magazine Ian and Kara Bouchett, co-owners of Juicebox announced this month that they will be expanding operations to an additional location in the Berlin Mall. Juicebox opened on College Street in Burlington in late 2013, to offer a variety of fresh, healthy juices, smoothie bowls, and smoothies. At the beginning of the year, the Burlington juice bar began conversations with the mall owners (Heidenberg Properties) about a location in the space neighboring the mall’s successful Planet Fitness.

Vermont Business Magazine In a letter to the community issued Wednesday, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in consultation with the Vermont Department of Health, stated that test results of indoor and outdoor air at the Integrated Arts Academy (HO Wheeler) show that it is safe for students, teachers and staff to be at the elementary school. School begins August 29.

Vermont Busienss Magazine Governor Phil Scott revealed Wednesday he will reappoint Kevin Mullin, of Rutland, as chair of the Green Mountain Care Board. For the last 15 months, Mullin served as the interim chair, completing the remainder of Al Gobeille’s term, who stepped down in January 2017 to serve as the secretary of Human Services.

Kevin Mullin, GMCB chair.