Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The new bridge constructed connecting Brattleboro, Vermont, to Hinsdale, New Hampshire, via Vermont/New Hampshire Route 119 was opened this afternoon. There is a new traffic pattern that will be active in Brattleboro. Watch for message boards throughout the area indicating where the new traffic pattern is active. Barricades will be set up on Bridge Street to encourage local traffic only. Eastbound travelers to VT/NH 119 will need to turn onto Vermont Route 142 (Vernon Street) and access the new bridge at the new signalized intersection. Westbound traffic on VT/NH 119 will need to turn onto VT 142 north to proceed to U.S. Route 5 (Canal Street).

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas announced the completion of the 2024 Vermont General Election Audit, conducted on December 3 at the Vermont State House in Montpelier. No significant abnormalities or discrepancies were found between audit results and the Official Return of Votes. The 2024 General Election Audit was open to the public and livestreamed by ORCA Media. The recorded livestream can be viewed courtesy of ORCA Media on their YouTube channel. General Election audits are a nationally identified best practice and have been required by Vermont state statute since 2006. Seven towns or cities were selected at random for the 2024 General Election Audit

Vermont Business Magazine GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) has received an additional $9.5 million in federal funding from the U.S. government to advance the manufacturing of GF’s essential gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon semiconductors at its facility in Essex Junction, Vermont. The funding moves GF closer to large-scale production of GaN chips. With the ability to handle high voltages and temperatures, GaN chip technology is essential for enabling higher performance and greater energy efficiency across a range of RF and high-power control applications including automobiles, datacenter, IoT, aerospace and defense.

by David Blittersdorf, President and CEO of AllEarth Renewables If we learned that Vermont would be facing a significant water shortage in the not-too-distant future, I suspect we would do a good job of putting differences aside and doing what we’d need to in order to ensure that this vital substance continued to flow. It’s time to think about electricity in the same way, whatever our age, beliefs or how we voted in the last election.
When you get up tomorrow morning, look at how many things in your home or apartment are already plugged in and working, and how many more you add even in the first few minutes when you turn on the coffee maker, plug in your laptop and put on several lights in the house. These parts of our lives do not run on Democratic, Republican or Progressive electricity.

Vermont Business Magazine Cultivate, a Vermont-based, woman-owned public relations agency specializing in media relations, social media, and influencer partnerships, announces the launch of its Roots & Blossoms Fund, a new grant initiative designed to support artistic and cultural programming for Vermont youth. The fund will offer financial and in-kind support to non-profit organizations that offer opportunities for youth to explore their creative potential and forge strong cultural connections. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Speaker Jill Krowinski and the Chairs of House Education and Ways and Means outlined the groundwork for the upcoming legislative session to address the rising property taxes and the future of public education in Vermont. Governor Scott issued the administration's "December 1 Letter" which projected a property tax increase next year of 5.9%. The current year's increase was 13.9%. Chair of House Education, Representative Peter Conlon, who was appointed to the Commission of the Future of Public Education, discussed the work of the Commission, which will include a report in late December with policy recommendations addressing cost containment and strategies for reducing the cost of education. 

Burke Mountain The moment we've all been patiently waiting for is here! Join us this Saturday, December 7th for the start of the 2024.25 winter season. The Mid Burke Express will be spinning from 9am-4pm. Reminder that the Mid Burke Express services intermediate and advanced terrain only, so please plan accordingly.

Vermont State Police On December 2, 2024, at approximately 1726 hours, Troopers from the Vermont State Police- Rutland Barracks were notified of a two-vehicle crash on College Street N / Church Street in the Town of Poultney. Through investigation it was revealed Operator #1 (Mullaney) was operating Vehicle #1, traveling northbound on College Street N and Operator #2 (Kelley) was operating Vehicle #2 traveling southbound on College Street N. Based on initial investigations it was determined Vehicle #1 crossed the double yellow center line and struck Vehicle #2 head-on in the southbound lane. Emergency Medical Service members attempted to provide life-saving measures but were ultimately unsuccessful and Mullaney was pronounced deceased on scene.

Vermont State Police On Monday morning, troopers with the Vermont State Police St. Albans Barracks responded to the report of a motor vehicle crash with injury in the area of Stonehouse Rd. in Enosburg, VT. Upon arrival, Troopers observed a red F-350 at a position of rest after colliding with a telephone pole. Airbags were deployed and the vehicle sustained heavy front-end damage. The operator was transported from the scene by the Enosburgh Ambulance Service to the Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, then to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington where the operator succumbed to their injuries.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports is accepting proposals for winter outdoor sports youth initiatives that foster access to sports and fitness activities, especially for youth from communities that historically have not participated in the activity primarily due to lack of access or feeling unwelcome or unsafe. The grant period, slated from January 31 through December 31, 2025, offers an opportunity for organizations to propose new or enhance existing programming that fosters inclusivity and accessibility in winter sports and fitness. A total of $8,000 is available for this award period, with the possibility of funding being split among multiple recipients. The total number of grants and amounts awarded will be based upon the number received and reviewer evaluations.

Vermont Business Magazine Nurses, support staff, and technical professionals at UVM Medical Center will march and rally on Thursday, condemning drastic cuts to health services that threaten to reduce the quality of patient care. Healthcare workers say the well-being of their patients and the community is at stake following UVM Health Network CEO Sunny Eappen’s Nov. 14th declaration of intent to sell off the network’s dialysis clinics and close the Mad River Health Center, transplant clinic at UVM Medical Center, and inpatient psychiatry at Central Vermont Medical Center.

Vermont Business Magazine ISO New England, the region’s electric grid operator, anticipates having sufficient resources to meet consumer demand for electricity this winter. Weather is the largest driver of energy use, and the ISO conducts seasonal weather forecasts to estimate the impact weather may have on the grid. This winter, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is projecting slightly above average temperatures in New England, with normal precipitation. Total ISONE resources available: 30,030 MW. Last winter’s demand peaked at 18,299 MW on January 17, 2024, when temperatures averaged 20°F. Winter peak forecast: 20,308 MW under normal weather conditions; 21,089 MW under below-average temperatures.