Current News

Vermont State Police The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, completed autopsies on the victims of Friday’s double killing in Montpelier. They are identified as Jerry Gomes, 77, and Mary Gomes, 60. They are the parents of suspect Matthew Gomes. Autopsies determined the cause of their deaths was blunt force trauma, and the manner of the deaths was homicide.

Vermont Business Magazine A coalition of outdoor recreation organizations led by the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council (VTGC), issued a statement today urging the Vermont Supreme Court to carefully consider the long-term implications of its upcoming ruling regarding the maintenance of public access trails on private land. The case, which involves the use of a “legal trail” maintained by the Town that crosses private property in Tunbridge, has the potential to reshape public access rights throughout the state, with significant consequences for recreationists, landowners, residents, and municipalities. The issue at hand centers on whether municipalities can continue to maintain and improve what were previously public roads and what have become public access trails that cross private property. The coalition acknowledges and respects the rights of private landowners, and believes it is crucial that any ruling takes into account the need for a balanced approach.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Sarah Clark, of Waterbury, as secretary of the Agency of Administration. Clark was appointed deputy secretary in November 2023 and named interim secretary in May 2024. Clark has served the State of Vermont for two decades, as a leader in budget and financial management, including the deputy fiscal officer of the Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Office. She has also served as chief financial officer of the Agency of Human Services, deputy commissioner of the Department of Finance & Management and interim commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation. 

Vermont Business Magazine Jared Duval was honored with this year’s Con Hogan Award—the tenth and final. Duval is executive director of the Montpelier-based Energy Action Network (EAN), which brings together more than 200 Vermont-based nonprofits, utilities, businesses, universities, and public sector partners to help Vermont achieve its climate and energy commitments, to create a more just, thriving, and sustainable future. The network supports research and data-tracking on energy and emissions, with a focus on evidence-based policy analysis.

Vermont Business Magazine The ban on debris burning extended on November 11 by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) for Bennington, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor Counties has been extended for an additional week. Persistent dry conditions in the southern portion of the state, high winds, an abundance of fuel, and regional drought have further elevated the risk for wildfires. This ban will end on November 25, 2024, at 3:00 PM. There has been no significant rainfall in the state and as of November 12, 77% of Vermont is experiencing drought conditions according to the US Drought Monitor. This is an increase of 13% since last week. A small area of southern Vermont is experiencing severe drought.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont is $3.09 is per gallon, down 2.5 cents per gallon from last week's $3.12/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.75/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 54.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 0.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.02/g today. The national average is down 15.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 27.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets There's still time to apply for the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Business Enhancement Grant! This grant is open to Vermont working lands businesses and organizations, which include farms producing food and fiber, as well as forest products businesses. Some food businesses and organizations, as well as agriculture or wood processing and/or distribution businesses may be eligible if they meet certain requirements for local sourcing of raw ingredients or products. Applicants can apply for grants of $10,000 to $50,000. This year, there is no match requirement.

Vermont Business Magazine Smokey House Center has announced that it has been awarded a three-year grant totaling $500,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Acer Access and Development Program. The program promotes the domestic maple syrup industry by funding research, education and sustainability initiatives related to maple syrup production, as well as marketing efforts for maple syrup and maple-sap products. With the grant, Smokey House Center will launch its Climate Adaptive Maple Program, a groundbreaking research and education project designed to address the challenges facing the maple syrup industry in the context of climate change. The program will investigate two critical questions: how do different climate-adaptive forest management strategies impact the long-term production and resilience of sugarbushes, and how do various sap extraction techniques affect the long-term ability of sugarbushes’ to respond to climate disturbances while maintaining syrup yields. 

Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont researcher Colin Anderson is in Rome to join the United Nations' Committee on World Food Security's (CFS) High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE). Anderson is one of only two U.S. researchers invited to be on the influential panel and one of only five North Americans. He is co-director of UVM’s Institute for Agroecology and associate research professor in UVM's Department of Agriculture, Landscape and Environment. The HLPE, which started this week, is the U.N. body responsible for providing independent, evidence-based scientific analysis to inform global food security and nutrition policy. The panel’s reports play a pivotal role in shaping global discussions on food security and sustainable agriculture. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Interstate 91 northbound to Interstate 89 southbound ramp (Exit 10A) will close to all traffic between 5:00 AM and 4:00 PM on the following dates: Tuesday, November 19, 2024; Thursday, November 21, 2024; Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has been teased with the promise of cheap electricity before, and recently. For instance, just this year the plug was pulled on the Twin States Clean Energy Link, which would have run 211 miles from Quebec through northeastern Vermont and into New Hampshire. This 1.2 gigawatt project would have generated $20 million over 30 years for the Northeast Kingdom economy. The $2 billion project, developed by National Grid, was canceled last winter due to financial concerns. In 2004, Rockingham voters rejected a plan to purchase the Bellows Falls hydroelectric dam for $72 million. This proposal would have given the village control of the 49-megawatt Bellows Falls hydro facility. Experts were divided on the deal, with some praising and others criticizing it. Ultimately, voters felt it was too risky for the small village of Bellows Falls.

Vermont State Police On Friday night, Nov. 15, the Vermont State Police arrested 29-year-old Matthew Gomes of Montpelier in connection with the killings of two adults at the home they shared on Gallison Hill Road. The victims are believed to be the other occupants of the house, a man and a woman who are related to Gomes. Their identities will be confirmed through autopsies in the coming days at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington, which will also determine the cause and manner of their deaths. Investigation by the Vermont State Police determined that Gomes attacked and killed the victims in the early morning of Friday, Nov. 15. He was arrested after calling 911 at about 11:30 a.m., stating that he had harmed his relatives and requesting police and an ambulance respond to the home.