Current News

Vermont Business Magazine At around 10 AM Saturday, August 10 on Ennis Hill Road in Marshfield, VT the 4,500 square foot Grassroots Center community space burned to the ground. No people or animals were inside at the time of the fire, which fully engulfed the building in minutes. Emergency personnel responded in full force and kept the blaze from spreading to any surrounding residences and outbuildings. Early evidence points to an electrical short as the likely cause of the structure fire. 

Vermont State Police Search and recovery efforts continued Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, to locate a missing swimmer in Warren Falls. Due to the conditions of the Mad River with high and swift water, recovery was unsuccessful. The missing swimmer is identified as Tuan Baldino, 35, of Paramus, New Jersey. Search efforts are expected to resume when river conditions allow, potentially as early as Monday, Aug. 12.

by Kate Kampner, Community News Service Fair skies one Thursday a couple weeks ago might’ve suggested a good day on the lake for boaters. But toward the mouth of the Winooski River, a clear cut of gray across the blue waves was hard to miss. Flooding again caused the river to overflow into Lake Champlain and with it came an influx of phosphorus and sediment such as dirt and bits of landscape. Together, fine particles from the debris created a string of murky, chocolate-colored plumes across the water. The cloudy water will likely take about two weeks to clear up. That was according to several researchers hosting the equivalent of a floating press conference on the lake that morning. The researchers also announced the Lake Champlain Sea Grant was awarded just under $300,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to launch a community-action coalition focused on reducing plastic pollution into Lake Champlain.

Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies David Aronoff, a native of Lyndon, Vermont, has been supporting VCET’s board since 2008. In this Q&A, he reflects on his pivotal four years at UVM, his experience working at early-stage startups, and passion for venture capital. Now at My Climate Journey (MCJ), David focuses on climate innovation, while also giving back to Vermont through his involvement with VCET.

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of August 12, 2024. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.    

by Katrina Menard, Public Assets Institute As Vermont recovers from yet another round of flooding and braces for what’s left of Tropical Storm Debby, it may come as no surprise that Vermont is ranked seventh in the nation for the most federal disaster declarations due to extreme weather since 2011. And some parts are harder hit than others: Washington County is tied for second as the most disaster-prone county in the country, while Lamoille, Chittenden, Orange, Orleans and Essex are all tied for fourth. In addition to the very real emotional toll, these disasters cost the state money. Damage estimates from last summer’s flooding exceed $600 million—and over $90 million of that fell on state and local government. In other words: disasters are expensive, and the state needs to start accounting for unanticipated costs from flooding and other disasters.

Vermont Business Magazine There is no denying the energy surrounding the upcoming presidential election suddenly jumped off the charts which is why Ben & Jerry's is doing what it does best: launching a new ice cream. No, it's not a coconut flavor, but it does celebrate childless cat ladies everywhere…. and it's called: Churn Out the Vote. The Limited Batch flavor is packed with pretzel swirls, fudge chips, and ripples of chocolate mousse in a creamy vanilla ice cream and is proudly presented in partnership with the company's longtime friends at Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute (BVM). Inspired by the delicious optimism surrounding this election, Churn Out the Vote is part of a larger campaign to celebrate and activate young voters, especially young voters of color, to participate in this historically important election and join the growing movement to protect democracy and be a voter.

Vermont Business Magazine The annual Barn Sale benefiting United Counseling Service (UCS) in the Northshire is September 14-15, 2024, at Northshire Civic Center at Riley Rink, located at 410 Hunter Park Road in Manchester Center, VT. Shoppers can stop by from 9am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday to find clothing, furniture, kitchen equipment, home décor, cookware, antiques, and more. All proceeds support UCS’ services in the Northshire, which include outpatient mental health and counseling, school-based services, substance use services, including Medication Assisted Treatment, youth and family services, and Head Start/Early Head Start. Last year’s Barn Sale raised over $74,000 to support UCS’ work in the Northshire region. 

Vermont Business Magazine A new division at Saint Michael’s College will serve to uphold the legacy of the College’s founders, the Society of Saint Edmund, and ensure their mission and heritage remain central and relevant to the future of the College. President Richard Plumb, Ph.D., has announced the establishment of the Division of Edmundite Mission and the appointment of Fr. David Theroux S.S.E. ’70 as the inaugural Vice President of Edmundite Mission. Theroux will oversee Campus Ministry, Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE), the Institute for Equity and Justice, and the two Edmundite centers for Faith and Culture and for Peace and Justice. He will also serve on Plumb’s Cabinet. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Friendly Toast, New England’s most popular all-day brunch and bar spot with a location in Burlington, Vermont, recently promoted two of its key employees to help support the continued growth of the indie restaurant group. Staci Pinard, who has worked at The Friendly Toast for ten years serving in multiple roles within all facets of the restaurant and business, was promoted from Vice President of Restaurant Operations to CEO. Additionally, culinary specialist Justin Fischer, who has worked at The Friendly Toast for over two years and has significant experience across multiple regional and national restaurants, was promoted from Director of Culinary Operations to Vice President of Culinary Operations.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Board of Education announced that the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR) has approved updates on two important rule series to meet the goals of Act 1 of 2019. The changes to Rule Series 2000 (Education Quality Standards) and Rule Series 2200 (Independent School Program Approval) aim to ensure that public and approved independent schools promote critical thinking about the history, contributions, and perspectives of diverse groups of people. The updates also help schools create welcoming educational environments for all students without bias or exclusion.

Vermont Business Magazine Fidium Fiber is now available to more than 2,200 homes and businesses in Waterbury and Moretown. Fiber broadband is considered the best internet service delivery method among 63 percent of U.S. consumers, featuring faster upload and download speeds compared to other connection types. With the expansion of Fidium’s future-proof all-fiber network, residents and businesses can now connect to symmetrical multi-gig speed internet and the benefits that come with access to a fiber broadband connection. Today, more than 110,000 Vermont homes and businesses have access to Fidium, including Barre and Montpelier, with additional availability coming soon for Morristown, Stowe, other Lamoille FiberNet Communications Union District communities, and more locations across the state. Residents and businesses may register to learn more and get updates about future service availability at FidiumFiber.com.