Current News

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, released the following statement on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) announcement of the next steps in Vermont’s Internet for All program. Vermont will receive nearly $230 million to deploy high-speed, affordable internet across Vermont through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: “High-speed internet isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. But right now, there are more than 33,000 homes, small businesses and farms in Vermont that don’t have access to a high-speed connection and are being left behind in the digital transformation."

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday, the Commerce Committee advanced Senator Peter Welch’s (D-Vt.) amendment to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program with $7 billion, as requested in his bicameral, bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. Since its implementation in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, more than 23 million households utilized the program’s monthly discount of up to $30 for internet service, and up to $75 monthly for households on Tribal lands. Nearly 26,000 Vermont households—including working families, veterans, and seniors—were enrolled in the ACP when the program was active.

Vermont Business Magazine On August 1, the Berlin community marked the groundbreaking of Fox Run Apartments with a celebration. Co-owners and co-developers, Downstreet and Evernorth partnered to develop Fox Run Apartments which will provide essential housing for 30 low- and moderate-income households in Berlin. Fox Run Apartments is the creation of 30 affordable apartments ideally situated in the heart of the Berlin Commons New Town Center. Located within walking distance to area employers, schools, and services, the new building will provide residents with green space, community gardens, an onsite office for resident services and property management, and a community room. Fox Run Apartments is designed as a single three-story building with a mix of 10 project-based housing subsidies, affordable, and market rate apartments. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Veronica Lewis, 40, was arraigned today on one felony count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, and two felony counts of Aggravated Assault. The charges brought against Ms. Lewis are the result of an investigation conducted by the Vermont State Police and the Department of Corrections into an incident that occurred on May 29, 2024, at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility. Ms. Lewis pleaded not guilty at her arraignment today in Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit Criminal Division. The Court, Judge Navah Spero presiding, ordered Ms. Lewis held without bail, along with conditions of release that prohibit her contact with the reported victim.

Vermont Business Magazine The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nomination of Mary Kay Lanthier, of Orwell, Vermont, to be the next District Court judge for the District of Vermont. President Biden nominated Lanthier at the joint recommendation of Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Peter Welch (D-Vermont), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Her nomination was advanced by the committee with a bipartisan vote of 13 to 7 and goes next to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote.   

by University of Vermont President Suresh Garimella Dear UVM community: The 2023-24 academic year was especially extraordinary. As I reflect on the past five years as president of this great institution, I note with pride that we are gaining velocity in the many ways that we achieve our strategic imperatives: ensuring student success, investing in distinctive research excellence, and engaging with the state of Vermont and beyond. Thanks to the talents, passion, and energies of the people of UVM, the foundation that we have carefully built over these five years is showing its impact and its resilience, even when we are faced with uncertain times. One uncertainty that cast a shadow around the world—including on our campus—is the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East beginning last fall and continuing even now. On campus, passionate concerns were expressed through peaceful demonstrations and vigils. 

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vermont) this week reiterated their call to majority, minority, and Appropriations Committee leadership in the Senate and House of Representatives to pass supplemental disaster recovery and mitigation appropriations to help Vermont recover from catastrophic flooding in both July 2023 and July 2024. The Delegation specifically requested dedicated long-term disaster recovery funding for flood-impacted individuals, farms, and communities across the state.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that James Beam, 29, of Springfield, Vermont, was arraigned today on one felony count of Attempted Luring of a Child. The charge brought against Mr. Beam is the result of an undercover criminal investigation conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC) during which Mr. Beam initiated contact online via the Grindr application with a Hartford investigator posing as a 14-year-old minor. Mr. Beam engaged in sexual conversations with the undercover investigator and set up a meeting to engage in sexual acts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) has added 62 acres to Camel’s Hump State Park in Duxbury through the Ridley Brook Conservation Project. The project aligns with the goals of Vermont’s Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act by protecting biodiversity and the many co-benefits that come with it. Notedly, it supports flood resilience and water quality in the Winooski River watershed by slowing down, absorbing, and filtering future flood events. The Ridley Brook Conservation Project is also part of a priority connectivity block, helping link the northern Green Mountains and Canada to the southern Green Mountains and the Berkshires. This corridor is important for the north-south movement of moose, bear, and other large mammals along the spine of the Green Mountains.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Parks Forever is partnering with GeerGarage, a leading outdoor gear sharing platform. This partnership brings a wider variety of outdoor gear rentals to the growing community in Vermont, all facilitated through a peer-to-peer rental model. Vermont’s outdoor enthusiasts of all experience levels can now tap into GeerGarage’s platform to rent quality gear directly from their neighbors. This partnership expands access to essential outdoor equipment for activities like backpacking, camping, day hikes, kayaking, and paddle boarding in a cost-effective and sustainable way.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Economic Development (DED) is requesting businesses that endured damage as a result of the July 2024 flooding events to complete DED’s Flood Damage Survey for Businesses to capture the type and scale of the flood-related damage. Survey data will be used to help advocate for future relief and recovery programs for businesses and nonprofit organizations. Non-profit and for-profit organizations that sustained physical property damage suffered by the July 2024 floods should answer questions to the best of their ability. If multiple properties are damaged, a new survey should be submitted for each location.  

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.42 per gallon, down 2 cents per gallon from last week, unchanged from last month and down 33 cents/g from last year. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.94/g in West Brattleboro, while the highest was $3.79/g in Westminster. This is the first time this year that the lowest price has been under $3/g. The national average price of gasoline is down 6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.46/g today. The national average is down 3 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 31 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. However, fears of an expanding war in the Middle East between Israel and Iran have increased the price of oil, which typically will increase the price of gasoline.