Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Mercy Connections is seeking women to join its Vermont Women’s Mentoring program aimed at supporting incarcerated women to successfully reenter the community. The mentorship program recruits women+ volunteers (mentors) in Vermont who wish to make a lasting impact on the lives of other women (mentees). It requires a five-week training course at the Mercy Connections center in Burlington, to be held on September 11 to October 9 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Mentors are then matched with a woman who is seeking a mentor. Mercy Connections’ Justice & Mentoring program will be holding an information session online on Wednesday, August 14th at 6:00PM. Interested volunteers may contact Joanne Nelson to register.

Vermont Business Magazine Removal of the derelict Wainwright Mill Dam (also known as Halnon Pond Dam) on Tributary #10 in Salisbury, VT (south side of Lake Dunmore Road) will begin this week.  The dam is in poor condition and no longer functional for its original purposes of powering a sawmill (constructed in 1805) and later as an ice pond.  The concrete structure is approximately 56 feet long, 7 feet tall, and 2 feet wide. The project work includes construction of site access and staging, implementation of flow bypass and erosion control measures, removal of the concrete dam, removal of impounded sediment behind the dam, restoration of the stream channel and floodplain, and habitat features (wood additions) throughout approximately 770 linear ft of stream channel and over 1.6 acres of floodplain.  

Vermont Business Magazine August 16th is Bennington Battle Day, a Vermont state holiday commemorating the American victory over the British on August 16, 1777. To celebrate this Revolutionary War victory, admission is free on Friday August 16th at the Bennington Battle Monument, Chimney Point (Addison), Mount Independence (Orwell), Hubbardton Battlefield, President Calvin Coolidge (Plymouth) State Historic Site, and Justin Morrill (Strafford) State Historic Site. There are also events planned throughout the three-day weekend at the Bennington Battle Monument, President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, and Mount Independence including all sorts of activities and reenactments. 

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), a member of the Senate Rules and Administration and Senate Judiciary Committees, joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chairwoman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in urging the Department of Justice to take further action to counter threats targeting election workers ahead of the upcoming election. The letter to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco was also signed by 19 of their colleagues. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak announced Ingrid Jonas as the Mayor’s Senior Advisor on Community Safety. The position was included in the Mayor’s fiscal year 2025 budget, which was approved unanimously by the City Council on June 24, 2024 and took effect July 1. Jonas brings decades of law enforcement and victim advocacy experience to the City. She retired from the Vermont State Police (VSP) in 2021, having been the first woman to attain the ranks of captain and major with the VSP. During her time with the State Police, Jonas served for more than ten years as a Detective in the Northwest and Chittenden Special Investigations Units. She also held multiple leadership positions, including Director of the Internal Affairs Unit, Director of Fair & Impartial Policing and Community Affairs, and Division Commander of the Support Services Division.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that USDA and Vermont are offering approximately $1 million in equipment-only grants through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Vermont is accepting applications for equipment-only projects from August 28 through October 1, 2024. Grants range from $30,000 - $100,000 and have no match requirement. Today’s announcement is part of the $3.2 million USDA awarded to Vermont through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program to fund innovative projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain and strengthen local and regional food systems.  In April, VAAFM announced with USDA approximately $2 million available in Infrastructure Grants for projects within the state. Awards for these Infrastructure Grants will be announced in the coming months.

Vermont Business Magazine Butterworks Farm, a beloved gem in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, proudly announces its acquisition by Anthony Calderaro, Ania Kuniej, and Joseph Calderaro. This exciting transition marks a new chapter for the farm, a pioneer in grass-fed organic dairy farming since its founding by Jack and Anne Lazor in 1976. Renowned for its 100% grass-fed organic dairy products made from the buttery, protein-rich, creamy milk of its Jersey cows, Butterworks Farm has earned a loyal customer base through its commitment to both quality products and sustainable farming practices. The farm benefits from a dedicated team of employees and a commitment to the longevity of its vibrant farm ecosystem.

Vermont State Police The quick actions and teamwork of community members and first responders from the Waterbury Ambulance Service and Vermont State Police saved the life of a woman who experienced a medical emergency at a Waterbury golf course earlier this summer. The incident occurred July 3 at the Blush Hill Country Club when the 68-year-old woman collapsed and became unresponsive while walking to the first hole with her group. Her party called 911, and several bystanders began performing CPR while emergency services were en route. Waterbury Ambulance Service arrived swiftly, and volunteer Brian Lindner, a former Vermont State Police trooper, immediately began CPR. Trooper Mae Murdock was among several troopers from the Berlin Barracks to reach the scene minutes later. She took over chest compressions and tirelessly administered CPR until first responders set up an automated device known as a LUCAS machine to continue resuscitation.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) announced that Denise Smith has been selected as its Executive Director, a role she will assume on September 3, 2024. The announcement was made at the Vermont Community Leadership Summit on August 6, a VCRD event where hundreds of community builders from across the state came together to develop skills, capacity, and connections to improve their local communities. Denise has over 20 years of leadership, non-profit management, community development, and business experience. Since 2017, she has served as Director of Population Health Programs and Strategies at Northwestern Medical Center, a role that allowed her to work alongside community change makers on improving the health of Vermonters. While there, she led community health initiatives such as the Blueprint for Health in Franklin County.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.40/g, down 1.3 cents per gallon from last week's $3.41/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.04/g while the highest was $3.79/g, a difference of 75.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.41/g today. The national average is down 11.6 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 42.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets has grant funds available through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program to support specialized equipment purchases that will strengthen the middle of the food supply chain in Vermont. The Request for Applications for this RFSI Equipment-only Grant is now available. The grant can fund eligible equipment purchases that help Vermont farms and food businesses to increase market access, diversify product offerings, and/or increase production quantities. Awards will range from $30,000 to $100,000, with no match commitment. Approximately $1 million in total funds are available for this grant round. 

Vermont State Police On 08/10/2024, at approximately time 1103 hours, the Vermont State Police - Westminster Barracks received several 911 calls about a pedestrian that had been struck by a motor vehicle on VT-9, in Marlboro, Vermont in the area of the Hogback Mountain Scenic Overlook. Troopers responded to the scene along with Deerfield Valley Rescue and Marlboro Fire Department. The victim/pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash. The crash remains under investigation.