Current News

Green Mountain Care Board Board Members and presenters will participate remotely through Microsoft Teams. Members of the public can attend board meetings by using the links or call-in phone numbers listed below.

by Tova Brickley, Community News Service Watching adults vote can educate children, but fewer Vermont students may be getting the opportunity to see democracy in action this November. Since 2016, the number of Vermont schools serving as polling places has decreased by more than half. That’s according to a comparison of polling places by Community News Service based on data from the Vermont Secretary of State’s office. This Election Day, 41 schools will serve as polling places, down from 102 schools eight years ago. It’s not entirely clear what’s behind the trend. With many Vermonters now voting by mail, it’s possible to hold elections in smaller buildings, like town offices. Another reason may be school safety. That’s what caused a struggle over where to vote within one Vermont community this fall.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont has announced that on Friday, November 1, 2024, Nasir Hussain, also known as “Sonu”, 31, of Orlando, Florida was convicted in U.S. District Court in Rutland of wire fraud conspiracy after a four-day jury trial. U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante ordered that Hussain remain in jail pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Hussain has been held without bail since his arrest in July 2023. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Hussain recruited a number of people to open bank accounts using false information. Those bank accounts were used to funnel proceeds from defrauded victims who lived in Vermont, California, and elsewhere in the United States. Under the fraud scheme, the victim would receive calls, emails or both – purportedly from well-known retail establishments about charges to the victim’s account. The victim was asked to call a certain number and eventually download software to enable the caller to view the screen of the victim’s computer to “refund” the charge if the victim desired. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Walter Cerf Community Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation recently awarded $94,000 in grants to 21 organizations in its 2024 competitive grants round. These awards build on $62,000 distributed in third-year payments to the fund’s multiyear cohort, bringing the total grantmaking for 2024 to $156,000. The fund also supports two applicants with large, single-year grant awards: the Brandon Museum has been awarded $8,000 to transform its meeting space into an interactive education room, and the Town of Waltham has received $14,500 to support the restoration of its town hall. Additional grants include a combination of awards to organizations supporting youth and families, education, historic preservation, arts, health, and community enrichment in Addison County and statewide.

Vermont Business Magazine A New England doctor pleaded guilty today to conspiring to illegally distribute controlled substances. This is the first joint prosecution of a doctor by the Justice Department’s New England Strike Force and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont. According to court documents, Adnan S. Khan, M.D., 48, of Grantham, New Hampshire, conspired with others to illegally distribute controlled substances through his business, New England Medicine and Counseling Associates (NEMCA), which operated a network of clinics in New England that purportedly provided clinical treatment services for persons suffering from substance use disorder. Khan and a co-conspirator prescribed controlled substances to NEMCA patients despite knowing that their patients were diverting the prescriptions. Khan admitted that he and others required cash for purported office visits to received controlled substance prescriptions and falsified medical records to justify his illegal prescribing practices. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont is $3.11 per gallon, down 4.2 cents per gallon from last week's $3.15/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 2.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.05/g today. The national average is down 11.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 34.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Vermont Business Magazine Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), a leading global provider of technology and data, today released its November 2024 ICE Mortgage Monitor Report, based on the company’s robust mortgage, real estate and public records data sets. Vermont remains below the US average in non-current mortgages. This month’s Mortgage Monitor dives deep into ICE’s latest Q3 2024 homeowner equity data, reporting on both quarterly and annual growth in mortgage holders’ housing wealth. Though 30-year interest rates remain volatile, recent and anticipated short-term rate cuts by the Federal Reserve have the potential to positively impact equity-based lending. 

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont (UVM) has announced the 2025 Vermont Pitch Challenge, an extraordinary opportunity for high school entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas and drive impactful change. This prestigious competition, inspired by the renowned ‘Shark Tank’ format, offers talented young visionaries the chance to win a full-tuition scholarship to UVM and receive crucial support for their groundbreaking ventures. Building on the success of its inaugural year, the Vermont Pitch Challenge will officially open for submissions from Oct 15, 2024, through Feb 15, 2025. High school students in grades 10 – 12 worldwide are invited to submit their business proposals online at no cost, focusing on ideas that make a positive impact on the world. 

Vermont Business Magazine As required by the Global Warming Solutions Act, the Vermont Climate Council must update the Climate Action Plan by July 1, 2025. As part of the Council’s work, public input is being sought on draft recommendations. The Council and its Subcommittees are hosting topic-specific virtual sessions in November to gather input from the public and stakeholders.

Vermont Business Magazine Engineers Construction, Inc (ECI), a Vermont-based heavy civil construction company, has officially transitioned to 100% employee ownership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). This significant step reflects the company’s commitment to its employees and community, ensuring an employee-centric future and eliminating the need for future ownership succession planning. Founded in 1965 by Alan Pidgeon, ECI has been a leader in Vermont’s construction industry over the past six decades. The company, known for its technical expertise and dedication to safety and quality, employs over 200 people, including seven registered professional engineers and 50 employees with technical degrees. Its portfolio of innovative projects spans a wide range, from bridges and tunnels to ski resorts and Burlington's Downtown Transit Center. 

Vermont Business Magazine The 6th Annual Vermont ATHENA Leadership Awards were recently presented by the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce during a gala in the refined setting of Norwich University’s Milano Ballroom. It was an outstanding evening for Norwich, with two exceptional faculty members, Dr. Tara Kulkarni, Associate Provost for Research and Chief Research Officer, and Dr. Sarah Gallant, Assistant Professor and Interim Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry, receiving nominations, and one attaining the highest honor. These nominations for The ATHENA Leadership Award and The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award symbolize the significant role these individuals play in leadership and mentorship. The event stands as a noteworthy platform to acknowledge several of the most impactful women in Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on November 1, 2024, defendant Scott Jamie Ashness, 44, most recently of Stuart, Florida, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 48 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Ashness previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft. According to court records, in September and October of 2023, Ashness entered fifteen different bank branches in Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire and pretended to be a total of eight different individuals in order to withdraw U.S. currency from those individuals’ accounts. On twelve of those fifteen occasions, Ashness was successful and walked out of the banks with the cash that he requested.