Current News

Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Troop B-West were notified of an incident that occurred on 6-2-25 at Marble Valley Correctional Center in Rutland VT.  After an investigation it was determined that incarcerated inmate (brought to MVCC by Rutland City Police Department on an active arrest warrant on 6-2-25) assaulted a correctional officer shortly after being booked into the facility.  The incarcerated inmate was identified as Justin Zayas-Sanchez and the guard who was assaulted was identified as Zachary Currier.  Zayas-Sanchez struck Currier in the face with a closed fist. On 6-3-2025 Zayas-Sanchez was issued a citation by troopers from VSP St. Johnsbury due to his transfer from Marble Valley CC to Northeastern CC.   

Vermont Business Magazine Howard Center’s administrative offices are relocating from 208 Flynn Avenue to the agency’s building at 102 S. Winooski Avenue in Burlington. Business hours at the new location will be 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and all phone numbers and email addresses will remain unchanged. The move will be effective on July 1. Howard Center’s Developmental Services program will continue to operate out of 102 S. Winooski Avenue and all other Howard Center locations will continue to operate as usual.

Vermont Business Magazine Cultivate, a Vermont-based, woman-owned public relations agency committed to social impact, has announced the inaugural cohort of Roots & Blossoms Fund awardees. Launched in 2024, the Roots & Blossoms Fund is dedicated to supporting non-profits that provide Vermont youth with access and education to arts and cultural programming. With this inaugural round of awardees, Cultivate reinforces its commitment to using business as a force for good. The inaugural funding cycle received nearly three dozen applications from organizations across thirteen of Vermont’s 14 counties – an overwhelming and inspiring response that underscores the critical need for youth arts funding in the state. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF) announced June 4 plans to invest $16 billion to expand its semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging capabilities across its facilities in New York and Vermont. GF is thus adding $3 billion to the $13 billion it committed last year, in conjunction with $1.5 billion from the US CHIPS Act. GF stated its investment is a strategic response to the explosive growth in artificial intelligence, which is accelerating demand for next-generation semiconductors designed for power efficiency and high-bandwidth performance across datacenters, communications infrastructure and AI-enabled devices.

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NBT Bank recently celebrated the unveiling of its new office at 1330 Shelburne Road in South Burlington with a ribbon cutting. Regional President Dan Werme said, “Our team, with a combined 34 years of banking experience and deep community roots, is ready to help our neighbors achieve their financial goals.”

In addition to meeting space to connect with NBT financial experts, this new full-service office features a drive-through, 24-hour ATM and night drop services. Other local NBT offices are located in Burlington, Williston, and Essex.

Vermont Business Magazine National Life Group has donated a total of $50,000 to two Los Angeles-based organizations in support of first responders and wildfire recovery efforts, reinforcing the company’s commitment to its core values: Do good. Be good. Make good. As part of its Do Good Heroes program, National Life Group contributed $25,000 to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. The funds will help purchase advanced single-layer Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), a high-priority need identified by the department in the aftermath of the January 2025 wildfires. This specialized gear reduces firefighters' exposure to harmful chemicals commonly found in traditional turnout gear while still offering vital protection during non-emergency calls. In addition, the company’s Independent Distribution sales team donated $25,000 to the Dream Center Foundation.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State University (VTSU) Center for Schools is proud to announce the ninth annual Early Childhood Educators Institute, taking place online on July 29 & 31 and August 5 & 7, 2025. This flexible, four-day virtual format enables early childhood professionals from Vermont and beyond to connect, collaborate, and grow together. The institute is designed for anyone providing support, services, and education in the early childhood field. This includes educators (from birth through grade 3) working in public schools, private early childhood and after-school settings; Early Head Start and Head Start professionals; special educators, developmental educators, specialized child care providers, home visitors, related service providers including speech language pathologists; and the administrators who supervise and support them.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas announced a major upgrade to her office’s online Election Management System today, inviting Vermonters to visit the new “Vermont Voter Portal” at vote.vermont.gov. The new, state-of-the-art system combines the formerly distinct voter registration page and the “My Voter Page,” which gave all registered voters information about voting (dates, polling locations, etc.) and allowed them to perform functions like updating their address and tracking a mail-in ballot. All of these public-facing functions are now combined in the upgraded Vermont Voter Portal at vote.vermont.gov. Eligible Vermonters can register to vote, get details about upcoming elections, and manage their information all in one place. 

Vermont League Of Cities & Towns Unable to find consensus on education transformation, the legislature has entered a ‘token session’ and will not reconvene again until the veto session, which is already scheduled to begin on June 16. Before gaveling out late Friday night, both chambers passed the most significant investment in municipal infrastructure in state history. In this Weekly Legislative Report, we will recap the final, dramatic hours of the regular session and break down the historic housing bill S.127. The final day of the regular session got off to a sluggish start, came to a boiling point, and ended with a fizzle.  

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations remain low and falling statewide, after a spike during the winter. Wastewater testing indicates that virus levels also fell after they had spiked in January, with the exception of the Montpelier site, which showed an increase last week. The Vermont pandemic death total stands at 1,293 as of May 24, 2025, with 1 reported death from the previous week (the most recent data available from the CDC). WHO also reported that COVID-19 deaths keep declining. There has been a total of 1,228,393 COVID-related deaths to date in the US (CDC) and 7,096,187 globally (WHO), with only 190 reported in the last week.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) joined Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) for a roundtable highlighting the harmful consequences of Republicans’ reconciliation bill for patients in Vermont. The Republican budget would prohibit Planned Parenthood’s participation in Medicaid, end the Affordable Care Act’s Premium Tax Credits, and take away healthcare from children, seniors, Americans with disabilities, veterans, and rural Americans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determined that “defunding” Planned Parenthood would cost $300 million, increase the deficit and rip away health care coverage for more than 25 million Americans.

Vermont Business Magazine The 2025 Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for Special Olympics Vermont will take place June 3–6, bringing together members of the law enforcement and first responder communities from across the state to raise awareness and support for Special Olympics Vermont athletes. Officers and supporters will carry the Flame of Hope through towns and communities as it makes its way to Opening Ceremonies at Saint Michael’s College, where they will light the cauldron and mark the beginning of our 2025 Special Olympics Vermont Summer Games!