Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The first major appointment of the previous president is now his successor. The University of Vermont Board of Trustees approved in a special meeting Monday the appointment of Patricia Prelock to serve as interim president of the university following the departure of current president Suresh Garimella. Garimella was announced as the next president of the University of Arizona on August 9, after a brisk search process. Garimella had appointed Prelock as the chief academic officer of UVM shortly after he took office in 2019. Speculation on who the interim president of UVM had centered on the well-regarded Prelock.

Vermont State Police The investigation is continuing into the disappearance of Matthew Houskeeper, 59, of Bennington. Crews will continue a limited search in the coming days. The Vermont State Police asks that anyone who might have seen or found a blue and white kayak on or near the Sherman Reservoir in Whitingham call the Westminster Barracks at 802-722-4600. People also can submit an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit. 

Public Assets Institute Vermont’s official jobless rate hit record lows last year as the state continued to recover from the pandemic. That is also true for the broadest measure of unemployment, called U-6, which counts people who have dropped out of the labor force and those who are underemployed. U-6 averaged 3.9 percent for 2023, Vermont’s lowest in 20 years, tying with South Dakota for the lowest rate in the country. The unemployment rates reported every month count only people who are out of work and actively looking for a job. But there are others who would like to work but have stopped looking, as well as part-time workers who would like more hours. These underemployed workers make up the bulk of people not captured in the official jobless rates.

Vermont Business Magazine The Champlain Valley Exposition today released the results of a community survey conducted to solicit feedback in response to its request for 15 additional event sound waivers, on top of the 20 it currently holds. These additional events will be crucial for generating the income needed to make essential updates to the grandstand. CVE relies on income from grandstand events to offer reduced or no-cost fees to nonprofit and community event organizers seeking to use the organization’s space. Without these upgrades, the quality and availability of events that enhance community life and promote a vibrant community spirit could be at risk.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that she has joined an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation-Ticketmaster. The lawsuit, initially filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and state partners, alleges that Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, formed an illegal monopoly and engaged in anti-competitive conduct to maintain that monopoly. Attorney General Clark’s office has been investigating Live Nation-Ticketmaster since May. As a result of its conduct, music fans in the United States are deprived of ticketing innovation and forced to use outdated technology while paying more for tickets than fans in other countries. 

Vermont Business Magazine This summer, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is launching the Automotive Emissions Repair Assistance Program Pilot with partner repair facilities in Shelburne and Bennington. As a small-scale pilot, this program will help low-income vehicle owners with repairs required to pass the emissions portion of the annual state inspection. The pilot can provide funding for vehicle emissions systems repairs, covering up to 50% of the vehicle’s fair market value, with a maximum limit of $2,500. Examples of eligible repairs include fixing a faulty catalytic converter or replacing a sensor.

Vermont State Police The search continued Sunday for Matthew Houskeeper, 59, of Bennington. He remains missing. Anyone with information that could assist investigators is asked to call the Westminster Barracks at 802-722-4600; the Bennington Police Department at 802-442-1030; or provide an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.38 per gallon, down 1.5 cents per gallon from last week's $3.40/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.99/g while the highest was $3.89/g, a difference of 90.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.37/g today. 

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Are you a farmer looking for assistance on your farm to improve soil health, increase flood resilience, or be climate smart? If so, you should consider applying for NRCS-VT funding for 2025. The deadline to enroll for assistance from NRCS programs in 2025 has been moved up this year. Farmers interested in applying for NRCS-VT funding for 2025 must enroll with NRCS by August 23, 2024. Once enrolled with NRCS, farmers will be eligible to apply for NRCS funded programs in 2025, including but not limited to: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP); and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). 

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine Gone are the days of simply returning to pre-pandemic normalcy for Addison County businesses. Their sights are set firmly on the future, actively seeking the next stage of growth. “Our goal at the chamber, and I believe for all business organizations here in the county, is to move beyond pre-pandemic levels,“ said Phil Summers, executive director of the Addison County Chamber of Commerce.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine Addison County has challenges related to housing, workforce, and child care, and organizations and municipalities are working towards solutions. “So the good news is, the challenges are, in most cases, balanced by some good news and the projects that are happening,” said Fred Kenney, executive director of the Addison County Economic Development Corp.

Vermont Business Magazine Search efforts continued in the vicinity of the Sherman Reservoir throughout the day Saturday, Aug. 17, for Matthew Houskeeper, 59, of Bennington, Vermont. He was not located, and crews intend to return Sunday. Teams that participated in Saturday’s search included the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team and the Underwater Recovery Team; the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife; New England K9 Search and Rescue; and Rescue Inc.