Current News

Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center VMEC and Generator Makerspace will play co-hosts for this exciting event that focuses on the importance of careers in manufacturing, inspiring the future manufacturing workforce. The afternoon will include two networking opportunities, facility tour, co-working space demonstrations and a panel discussion and Q&A with VT-based manufacturing leaders in their respective industries sharing their knowledge and experience in the Advanced Manufacturing world. Also, we will make available a resource area for all attendees.

Vermont Business Magazine During the afternoon of August 23rd, the Vermont State Police were notified that two fishermen had located a kayak that was believed to belong to Matthew Houskeeper, 59, of Bennington who was reported missing on August 14th,2024. It was learned that the kayak was located by the fishermen on the Sherman Reservoir on Thursday, August 15th. They removed the kayak from the water believing that it was abandoned property. Once they learned that the kayak was connected to Houskeeper, they provided it to law enforcement. Crews will continue a limited search of the reservoir in the coming days as the investigation continues. 

Vermont Business Magazine O’zapft is! It is tapped! These famous words are spoken each year to kick off the annual Oktoberfest Festival in Munich, Germany, and they apply to Lawson’s Finest Liquids’ limited release Fest Bier Lager (5.3%) today! A celebration of German-style brewing, Fest Bier Lager can be found in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans at the brewery’s destination taproom in Waitsfield; and for the very first time, this former taproom-only crowdpleaser is available at select retailers across the East Coast. This festive offering is inspired by the lagers served in Munich’s famed Oktoberfest. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR), the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM), and UVM Extension are once again alerting the public about threats from non-native, invasive insects to the state’s trees and ecosystem. Among them is the spotted lanternfly, first found in Pennsylvania in 2014, and slowly making its way north with established populations already in southern New York and much of Connecticut and Massachusetts. This pest, which is emerging into the environment now, to date has no known infestations in Vermont, but could easily be established here.

Vermont Business Magazine The Dig Deep Vermont campaign, a grassroots all-volunteer initiative, concluded its public-facing efforts on June 30 after a successful six-month run that has seen more than 70 micro-grants awarded to family farms across the state. This effort was launched to help farmers recover from the severe storm damage that struck Vermont in 2023, resulting in a financial need amounting to millions of dollars. While the public campaign has ended, donations can still be made by sending them to the Vermont Community Foundation, earmarked for the Dig Deep Vermont campaign.

Vermont Business Magazine The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the implementation of federal disaster assistance for the State of Vermont and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm, flooding, landslides, and mudslides from July 9 to July 11, 2024. President Biden issued a major disaster declaration for the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding in the counties of Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans, and Washington. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Public Board of Directors has announced the selection of Vijay Singh as the organization’s next chief executive officer following the completion of a national search. Singh began as a documentary filmmaker before spending much of his career at the forefront of digital innovation in public media. He has served as head of product at KPCC, the NPR member station in Los Angeles, and then as director of product and strategy at Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. Singh will formally begin his role as CEO of Vermont Public on October 1, 2024.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont General Fund tax revenues again had a strong month, with July revenues exceeding targets by more than 10 percent, or by nearly $17 million. Corporate returns and the Other category (interest income) were particularly strong and the Personal Income tax continues to surpass expectations. The state’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts were a combined $256.1 million, exceeding the $246.8 million monthly consensus target by $9.3 million, or 3.8%. The Rooms & Meals tax and the Gasoline tax were the most notable of those line items that did not reach their targets. They are also related in part to tourist activity. This could be related to the flooding and rain storms early in the month.

Vermont State Police On August 22nd, 2024, at approximately 2106 hours, Troopers from the St. Albans Barracks were dispatched to a reported single vehicle crash in the area of 370 Huntville Road in the town of Fairfax. Troopers responded to the scene and located a 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle which sustained damage from the roadway. Preliminary investigation determined that the operator was Randy Paquette, age 59, of Fletcher. Paquette succumbed to the injuries sustained from the crash. 

Vermont Business Magazine V/T Commercial Real Estate in Burlington has released its transactions from the May to July period. Transactions include: Yves Bradley, on behalf of Grandview Farms, leased 1,100 square feet at 84 Church Street to Insomnia Cookies, Bradley assisted both parties in this transaction; LInda I. Letourneau and John Beal have assisted Hillside East Corporation in the ongoing lease with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 37,000 square feet at 312 Hurricane Lane, Williston; Seasonal Grams, Inc. (Pajama Gram, et al) leased 4,944 square feet at 128 Lakeside Avenue, Burlington from the Fortieth Burlington, LLC, Yves Bradley represented the landlord in this deal.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and Human Services Secretary Jenney Samuelson today announced the appointment of DaShawn Groves as the new commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA), effective September 3, 2024. Groves most recently worked as the Special Projects Officer to the Medicaid Director at the Department of Health Care Finance for the District of Columbia, where his work focused on embedding system improvements and health equity into departmental priorities. Prior to that, he was a Lead Project Manager at the Health Care Reform and Innovation Administration, where he designed and tested innovative models of care and payment among Medicaid providers.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Housing and Community Development and the Natural Resources Board have released the Act 250 Interim Exemption Map to help developers and investors create and improve housing that is more affordable. This new interactive map is an exceptional planning tool and shows potential areas where housing may be built today without triggering Act 250 review. The interim Act 250 exemptions displayed on the Act 250 Interim Exemption Map will be in place until 2027 when the larger Act 181 reform begins to be implemented. Act 250, Vermont's landmark land use and development law, will be modernized over the next five years as part of Act 181, which passed during the 2023/2024 legislative session. Before Act 181 takes full effect in 2027, the public will have opportunities to engage and shape its implementation.