Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of a Windham County state’s attorney and two appointments to the Vermont Criminal Justice Council (VCJC). The Governor has appointed Steven M. Brown, Jr. as the state’s attorney in Windham County, filling a vacancy created when Tracy Shriver retired in July. Brown, who has served as interim state’s attorney since Shriver’s retirement, was sworn into office on Wednesday. Governor Scott also appointed William (Bill) H. Clements as chair of the VCJC, and approved the appointment of Christopher Brickell as executive director. Both began their service earlier this fall. The Council supports municipalities, counties and the state with rules, policies and standards for certification and training designed to ensure the State is served by quality law enforcement officers.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Education released the first “topical report” from its Listen and Learn Tour. The Vermont Education Funding Report provides an explanation of how Vermont funds schools and how the system compares to other states. The report offers a plain language explanation of Vermont’s complex funding system and situates Vermont within the national context to assess the benefits and drawbacks of the current approach. The full, 37-page report is available on the Agency’s website.

The Vermont State Police and the Montpelier Police Department are investigating a suspected double homicide that occurred late Friday morning, Nov. 15, 2024, in Montpelier. The incident was reported at about 11:30 a.m. at a private home on Gallison Hill Road. First responding police officers located two people dead at the scene and detained one man. Everyone involved in this incident is believed to be accounted for, and there is no identified threat to the community.

Vermont Business Magazine United Way of Northwest Vermont joins United Way Worldwide and local United Ways across the globe to announce a refreshed brand reflecting United Way’s local impact and global reach, helping 48 million people annually, including 60,000 helped last year by United Way of Northwest Vermont’s local programs and partners. United Way of Northwest Vermont is an independent local organization proudly serving Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties. United Ways around the world mobilize communities to action so all can thrive and yet each local United Way has unique focus areas and programs tailored to the needs of the communities they serve.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) joined Senate Judiciary Democrats in urging the House Ethics Committee to preserve and transmit to the Senate Judiciary Committee all relevant documentation on former Congressman Matt Gaetz, including the report that the House Ethics Committee was reportedly prepared to vote to release Friday. The letter follows Mr. Gaetz’s resignation from Congress yesterday after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Mr. Gaetz to serve as Attorney General. 

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, was joined by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) in introducing the Renewable Energy Certainty Act, legislation to facilitate renewable energy buildout at federal facilities by extending the maximum length of Federal Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) to 30 years for renewable energy and cogeneration/combined heat and power facilities. By establishing a longer pay-back period, the bill will make clean energy investments more economically viable and help ensure that the federal government receives the best possible terms, saving taxpayers money. Renewable energy developers will also benefit from the much-needed stability of long-term PPAs.  

Vermont Business Magazine Commissioner Kevin Gaffney announced the approval of payments from the Department of Financial Regulation’s (DFR) Victim Restitution Fund to 21 investors who lost significant portions of their retirement savings due to their investment adviser’s misconduct. The Department brought an enforcement action and obtained an Order against Thomas M. Chadwick, Chadwick & D’Amato, LLC, and Chadwick Consulting, LLC (“Chadwick”) for violating fiduciary duties to clients and investing in unsuitable, high-risk products. DFR ordered Chadwick to pay restitution to Vermonters in the amount of $1,652,708.61. Chadwick, however, has failed to pay the victims to date.

Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center VMEC has announced their newest partnership with Northfield Savings Bank (NSB) to support small and medium-sized manufacturers. NSB will contribute $60,000 over a two-year period ($30,000 per year) to create a “Maker’s Fund” through VMEC. The fund will be used to provide a range of services, based on operational needs, to manufacturers with 20 or less employees to sustain and grow their businesses. VMEC will carry out the work designed to help our Vermont manufacturers sustain and grow. The partnership began October 1, 2024 and will extend to September 30, 2026.

Bromley Mountain Resort The crew took advantage of some cold nights earlier this week and fired up the snowguns on Upper Twister and Corkscrew. They are off to a great start as we march closer to our projected opening day, Friday, November 29 (weather permitting).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott recently proclaimed November as Adoption Month in Vermont. “Adoption makes a significant difference in the lives of children who need a permanent, loving home to grow up in,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I am appreciative of those who have stepped up and opened their homes to offer a stable and safe environment and encourage others to do the same.” Project Family, a partnership between Lund and DCF, works to find permanent families for children and youth. However, more families are needed, especially for teens, since the chances of a child under 8 years old being adopted are almost nine times greater than for one over 14.

by Lori Fisher, LCC Executive Director In late October Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) community science volunteer Ashley Leemans tossed an aquatic rake into Lake Champlain and pulled in a clam while doing a routine monitoring check for aquatic invasive species (AIS) at the South Bay Boat Launch in Whitehall, New York. Ashley immediately reported her finding complete with photos to LCC and we followed up with state agencies who conducted further analysis and confirmed our suspicions that the mollusk was golden clam (Corbicula fluminea). The aggressive AIS has been documented in the region since 2008, but the October 2024 sighting is the first known confirmation in Lake Champlain. Native to the eastern Mediterranean, Asia, Africa, and Australia golden clam is hermaphroditic, meaning a single individual can reproduce and start a new population. The species is known to reproduce quickly in other waterbodies in northeastern North America.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment on October 16, 2024 charging Michael Robistow, 49, of Willis, Texas, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robistow entered a plea of not guilty to the charges today during an arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. According to court records and statements made at today’s arraignment, on June 9, 2024, U.S. Coast Guard personnel on Lake Champlain boarded Robistow’s vessel, the “Sonata,” to conduct a safety inspection. Robistow and his wife were the only two people aboard the vessel at the time of the Coast Guard boarding. During the inspection, Coast Guard personnel learned of the presence of a firearm in a cabinet in the helm of the vessel. That firearm was temporarily detained for the safety of Coast Guard personnel.