Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced he has appointed Brandon Thrailkill of Lyndonville as Caledonia County Sheriff following the passing of former Sheriff James Hemond earlier this spring. “Brandon has a proven track record of public service in Caledonia County both as a law enforcement officer and as an active member in his community,” said Governor Phil Scott. “As a lifelong resident of Caledonia County, I believe Brandon will serve Vermonters well in this role.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Andrew Sollace, 43, of Montpelier, Vermont, was sentenced in Vermont Superior Court, Washington Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to two felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials and to violating his deferred sentence on a previous Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material case. Mr. Sollace will be required to register as a sex offender until 10 years after the completion of his sentence. 

Vermont Business Magazine As the United States Congress advances a budget reconciliation bill that would drastically cut funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, advocates from Vermont Foodbank, Hunger Free Vermont, Vermont Retail and Grocers Association and Vermont Farmers Market Association have joined together to raise the alarm. The organizations and community members will urge lawmakers to stand firm against proposals that would jeopardize food access for low-income families, and a key source of revenue for farms and food retailers, on April 30, observed as "SNAP Day of Action." Proposed cuts at the federal level could mean shifting major costs to states in an unprecedented change to the program’s structure. Cost shifts of even 10% could require Vermont to cover $140 million between 2026 and 2034, a significant blow to an already-strained state budget. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) is excited to announce two new opportunities for organizations to partner with the Department to support workforce development efforts across the state. The applications for the EmployVT: Youth Career Connector and the Workforce Expansion Program are now open and designed to engage Vermont youth and expand employment pathways for jobseekers. These programs reflect the Department’s ongoing commitment to connecting job seekers and career advancers to promising jobs that exist with Vermont employers.  

Vermont State Police The victim in this incident is identified as Franklin Driscoll, 45, of Barre. The Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed 10 charges against suspect Donna Robinson, 43, of Washington

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), alongside Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), will hold a press conference tomorrow with nurses, health care providers, and workers from around the nation to introduce the Medicare for All Act. In America today, despite spending twice as much per person on health care as other wealthy nations, more than 85 million Americans are uninsured or under-insured, one out of every four Americans cannot afford their prescription drugs, over half a million people go bankrupt due to medically-related debt, and more than 60,000 die because they cannot afford to go to a doctor.

Vermont Business Magazine WheelPad L3C, a Wilmington-based company, designs and builds modular, accessible living spaces for people with mobility challenges—including veterans, individuals recovering from injuries, and older adults who wish to age in place. As the company prepared for growth and increased demand, it became clear that expanding its physical space would require the right partners and resources. WheelPad has helped countless people modify their homes to better suit their needs—so when it came time to expand their own “home,” Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) pitched in to help make that possible. 

by Maggie Lenz and Nick Charyk Many of us first learned about the legislative process from a cartoon that featured a sad little scrap of paper sitting on the Capitol steps. He sang about committee hearings, floor votes, and presidential vetoes. "Gee, Bill, you sure have a lot of patience and courage," the boy says. "Well," Bill replies, "I got this far. When I started, I was not even a bill. I was just an idea." (On a related note, the Saturday Night Live parody from the height of President Obama's executive order days is worth revisiting.) Changing a state constitution is an even more arduous process. It is rigid and demanding to crack open a living time capsule every now and then, to adjust it to meet the present day. A proposed constitutional amendment known as Prop 3, which would guarantee Vermonters the right to organize and collectively bargain, reached another milestone last Thursday with a public hearing at the State House. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.06 per gallon, down 2.7 cents per gallon from last week's $3.08/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.83/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 46.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline is unchanged  in the last week, averaging $3.10/g today. The national average is down 3.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 52.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Big E — New England’s largest fair — returns to West Springfield, Massachusetts this fall from September 12th –28th. Vermont businesses are invited to apply to vend on the lawn of the Vermont Building on the Avenue of States during two special events. These events are a great way for Vermont business to try out vending at the Big E without a multi-day commitment. Vermont Day – Saturday, September 20th

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine The insurance company that had provided coverage for a Pawlet man who was part of a triple homicide at his home last fall, is asking the federal court in Vermont to intercede on how to handle the money earmarked for the accused killer. Brian M. Crossman Jr., 23, of Granville, N.Y.  has pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated murder in the death of his father, stepmother and her son. If convicted, on any of the charges, Crossman will face a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The son might normally be entitled to about $258,000 in life insurance proceeds from a routine death of his father, but federal and Vermont law does not allow a person involved in a death of another person to benefit financially, according to court papers.

by Charlotte Oliver Tim Cook’s eyes widened as he threw his hands up in exasperation. Sitting in his living room, the 78-year-old explained how much his community of manufactured homes means to him — and how frustrated he is with the state. Along the curved roads of Williston Woods Homeowners Association, most residents like Cook are seniors who get by on a fixed income. They can’t afford to make home improvements, Cook said. And some renos, like bathtub railings, are especially important for seniors, he said. Usually someone who lives in a manufactured or mobile home park can apply for state money to help pay for home-improvement projects. But Cook’s community, as a homeowners association, isn’t a mobile home park under Vermont law — so the state won’t list it on the registry that opens up those funds.