Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Thomas JDonovan announced Wednesday that Cody LaFountain, age 34, of Barre Town, Vermont, was sentenced to 50 months to 15 years incarceration on September 26, 2017, in Vermont Superior Court for Washington County on one felony count of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult with Serious Bodily Injury/Death resulting, one count of Medicaid Fraud, one misdemeanor count of False Pretenses, one misdemeanor count of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult, and one count of False Information to Law Enforcement. LaFountain had previously entered a nolo contendere plea on the felony charge of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult with Serious Bodily Injury, and guilty pleas on the remaining counts on May 26, 2017.

Vermont Business Magazine The state of Vermont will receive a $325,600 grant to help small businesses in Vermont reach international markets. The grant is awarded through the Small Business Administration's State Trade Expansion Program, a federal-state partnership initiative intended to increase the number of small businesses exporting and the value of exports by the small businesssector.

"STEP is a valuable program, and this grant will help Vermont small businesses sell local products and services in markets all over the world," said Governor Phil Scott. “Vermont is known for its innovative entrepreneurs and quality products, and expanding exporting opportunities will allow our small businesses to further enhance that brand across the globe.”

Vermont Business Magazine Smugglers’ Notch Resort has received a bevy of awards in the 2018 SKI Magazine reader resort survey completed by the magazine’s readers. Smugglers’ powers into the 2017/2018 season as the best Overall, as well as best for Service, and best Kid Friendly resort in the Eastern United States and Canada, exemplifying the Resorts’ diversity in excellence.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, the inaugural meeting of the commission created by Governor Phil Scott to make recommendations relative to marijuana regulation in Vermont will take place in Waterbury. The Marijuana Advisory Commission was created through executive order after Scott vetoed a bill that would have made marijuana legal for adults in the Green Mountain State.

At this initial meeting, commissioners will discuss the requirements of the executive order and reporting deadlines, as well as protocol and logistical needs. The meeting will take place at the Vermont Department of Public Safety at 9 a.m. ET and will break into subcommittees at 11 a.m. ET.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business MagazineA campaign to aggressively increase housing in Chittenden County is meeting overall production targets, but is falling short on the percentage that are affordable. The Building Homes Together (BHT) campaign has set a target of 3,500 new homes to be constructed over five years, with 20 percent of them being permanently affordable. In 2016, Chittenden County saw a net increase of 916 new homes including accessory dwellings, assisted living apartments, apartments and homes for sale. This is nearly twice the average annual production of homes during the past five years. Despite this increase, there were only 69 new affordable homes added in 2016, or 8 percent of the total.

Vermont Business MagazineMayor Miro Weinberger and Governor Phil Scott today announced Wednesday, November 8, 2017 as the date for theVermont Energy and Climate Summitpromised at thelaunch of the Vermont Climate Pledge Coalitionon June 20, 2017. The summit will provide an opportunity for the Coalition to work on its goal of helping Vermont achieve the December 2015 Paris Climate Agreement pledge by the United States and mitigate the impact of the Federal government’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation and the organizing committee for the Con Hogan Award for Creative, Entrepreneurial, Community Leadership are pleased to announce that Holly Morehouse, Executive Director of Vermont Afterschool, Inc, will be honored with this year’s award. The $15,000 award, to be used however the recipient chooses, will be presented to Morehouse at a reception on October 4^that the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier.

by Vermont Secretary of State Jim CondosRecently,Ethan Allen Institute President Rob Roper posted an op-ed with the inflammatory, sensational title, “So Second Home Owners Can Vote in Vermont?”Perhaps as intended, Mr. Roper’s attention seeking commentary caused significant confusion and concern about Vermont’s residency law for voting purposes. As Vermont’s chief elections official, let me set the record straight.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont has won a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Research Traineeship (NRT) Program to develop a new, potentially transformative model for graduate scholars that takes on major environmental and global health problems. The grant supports the Quantitative & Evolutionary STEM Training (QuEST) at UVM, which will develop predictive models for emerging infectious diseases; research the rapid evolution in response to antibiotics, pesticides and global change conditions; and explore pathogen interactions that affect food security and ecosystem health. UVM was one of just 17 NRT grant recipients among 220 applicants.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine A fourth bidder for Burlington Telecom may yet emerge. Mayor Miro Weinberger revealed September 20 the Letters of Intent and details regarding the Burlington Telecom bid finalists. But much of the City Council reaction was to a fourth, local bidder who dropped out right before the final list was presented. At least two councilors are holding out hope that fourth bidder will jump back in. Today, the mayor and Council President Jane Knodell announced that they would attempt to find a way around a problem with that fourth bid, so it could also be considered by the Council. The Council, in any case, is expected to pare the bidders down to just two on October 2.

Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont, the Vermont Natural Resources Board (NRB) and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) announced a final settlement with the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) to resolve VAST’s Act 250 challenge concerning the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT). The State had 20 days to review comments received during a 30-day public comment period that followed the initial announcement of the settlement.

This spring, VAST filed a petition at the federal Surface Transportation Board arguing that the LVRT project is preempted by federal law from Act 250 review. In 2012, Vermont Natural Resources Board previously determined that the LVRT triggered Act 250 jurisdiction and issued an Act 250 permit.

by John McClaughry On July 20 Governor Phil Scott issued an executive order creating a 21-member Climate Action Commission. Scott named as co-chairs his Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources Peter Walke and Vermont Council on Rural Development Executive Director Paul Costello. The governor charged the Commission to come up with at least three tangible proposals by the beginning of 2018. By next July he expects an “action plan” that reduces the state’s greenhouse gas emissions “while driving economic growth, setting Vermonters on a path to affordability, and ensuring effective energy transition options exist for all Vermonters.”

As I and others observed at the time, the governor’s ground rules severely constrict the range of proposals available to the commission.