Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Trint Johns, 20, of Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned yesterday on one felony count of Lewd and Lascivious Conduct with a Child, two felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, and one felony count of Promoting a Recording of Sexual Conduct. The charges brought against Mr. Johns are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of search warrants conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), which included personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Vermont State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations. The investigation was initiated when VT-ICAC received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The tip had been forwarded by the police department of Kernersville, North Carolina.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Tuesday gave remarks on the floor of the Senate opposing Trump's "big, beautiful" budget reconciliation bill which will cut Medicaid, nutrition, education, and other programs for working families. The American people, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or Independents, understand that we have a corrupt campaign finance system which allows billionaires and their lobbyists to play an enormously powerful role in electing candidates, defeating candidates and in crafting legislation. This is true of the Democratic Party and it is true of the Republican Party. Today, with Republicans in control of the White House, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House, we are seeing how this corrupt process plays out for the priorities of the Republican party and for their billionaire campaign contributors.

Vermont Business Magazine For the fifth consecutive year, Governor Phil Scott has issued an official proclamation recognizing the second week of May as Inclusion Week in Vermont. First proclaimed in 2021, Inclusion Week continues to affirm the state’s commitment to welcoming individuals of all backgrounds, traditions, and abilities to live, work, and raise families in Vermont. The Vermont Declaration of Inclusion Initiative applauds the governor’s action and his ongoing commitment to inclusion, especially at a time of national uncertainty. 

Vermont Business Magazine Tim Lopez and Tom Higgenson of the Plain White T’s will join industry powerhouse Kathy Marchetti (Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, Noah Kahan, etc.), music educators, musicians and music fans on the judging panel for Beats for Good, the high school musician contest to open the National Life Group Do Good Fest. High school musicians from Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Plattsburgh, New York, have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, to submit their video for a chance to perform at the festival and win cash prizes. The grand prize winner will open Do Good Fest and receive $5,000 for their school’s music program and a $1,500 personal prize. Runners-up will also earn funds for their schools.

by Hannah King When we talk about access to justice, we are talking about something foundational to democracy: the idea that everyone, regardless of income, status, or circumstance, should be able to understand and exercise their rights under the law. At the Vermont Bar Foundation, we fund legal services that make this promise real for thousands of Vermonters each year. And as new data from Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) makes clear, the economic return on this investment is not just powerful - it’s transformative.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) invites you to attend a public meeting about an upcoming bridge replacement project in Jericho on Browns Trace over Mill Brook. The Agency will deliver a public presentation at the Town of Jericho Select Board meeting to provide information on the short- and long-term construction schedule and traffic impacts. WHEN: Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Jericho Town Hall, 67 VT Route 15, Jericho.

Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center This 10-hour session is intended to provide general awareness education on recognizing and preventing hazards in a general industry setting. Participants will be introduced to OSHA policies, procedures, and standards as well as general industry safety and health principles and work practices covered in 29CFR 1910-OSHA Standards for General Industry. It is also beneficial for employees in need of refresher training. Both days of the training must be attended. Katie Frederick, CSP, CHST, OHST and President and CEO of Applied Solutions Consulting, will instruct this safety training.

Vermont Business Magazine GoNetspeed, the northeast’s largest independent fiber builder, has announced that Benson, Castleton, Hubbardton, and Sudbury now have access to 100% fiber-optic internet with construction officially complete. GoNetspeed’s privately funded, combined $3.5 million investment in its expanded Vermont network delivers more than 2,160 homes and businesses access to high-speed, reliable service. “Otter Creek Communications Union District was thrilled to collaborate with GoNetspeed’s build-out of high-speed broadband to rural towns in the Rutland region. Now post-construction, our ongoing meetings with GoNetspeed’s dedicated, professional staff continues to support optimal broadband experiences for Benson, Castleton, Hubbardton, and Sudbury residents,” said Laura Black, Governing Board Chair of the Otter Creek Communications Union District.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today released a new report uncovering the far-reaching scope of Trump’s attacks on science and their impact on public health. The report finds that Trump officials effectively cut $2.7 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding in the first three months of 2025 – including a 31 percent cut to cancer research through March, compared to the same timeframe last year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Public Service is pleased to announce a $22.34 million subaward with Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) as part of the federal Solar for All Program (SFA). This funding represents over a third of Vermont's $62.45 million federal grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and will support affordable housing solar initiatives across the state. SFA was created under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. It will offer $7 billion nationally to help lower the cost of electricity through solar power, which has historically been out of reach for low-income households. The initiative was championed by Vermont's Congressional delegation, particularly by Senator Bernie Sanders who introduced the Solar for All Program. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued Executive Order 04-25, directing the Agency of Natural Resources to pause enforcement of a multi-state plan requiring vehicle manufacturers to meet certain electric vehicle (EV) sales targets for passenger cars and medium- and heavy-trucks. “I continue to believe we should be incentivizing Vermonters to transition to cleaner energy options like electric vehicles. However, we have to be realistic about a pace that’s achievable. It’s clear we don’t have anywhere near enough charging infrastructure and insufficient technological advances in heavy-duty vehicles to meet current goals,” said Governor Scott. “We have much more work to do, in order make it more convenient, faster, and more affordable to buy, maintain and charge EV’s. When we do, it’s more likely everyday Vermonters will make the switch.” 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark, with a coalition of 19 attorneys general, today filed two separate lawsuits against the Trump administration for attempting to illegally coerce their states into sweeping immigration enforcement by threatening to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding nationwide for emergency services and infrastructure. Attorney General Clark and the coalition filed one lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. A second lawsuit was filed against the Department of Transportation (DOT) and DOT Secretary Sean Duffy. Each federal agency has imposed unconstitutional, sweeping conditions that would require the states and state agencies to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts or lose out on billions of federal dollars used to protect public safety and transportation infrastructure.