Current News

by Ben Kinsley Don Tinney’s “hit piece” on Governor Scott is nothing new for the VT-NEA, although I’m surprised by the shrillness of the tone. Perhaps he realizes how much Vermonters have lost patience with rising property taxes and declining outcomes and is hoping to deflect attention away from his organization. The basic facts are that we have more adults (per student) in our schools than any state in the country (and it’s not even close), resulting in the second highest cost per student. Over the past decades, we have seen steady spending increases, while staffing levels have persisted (despite Act 46). Further, and more alarming, test scores have declined compared to other states who spend less and have larger at-risk student populations.

Vermont Business Magazine EPA New England's Healthy Communities Grant Program is now accepting applications for projects of up to $40,000 in federal funding that will benefit New England communities in one or more target areas. The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday, November 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EPA plans to award approximately 15 cooperative agreements. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public nonprofit institutions or organizations, private nonprofit institutions or organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions or organizations, federally recognized Tribal Governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and nonprofit organizations, such as grassroots and community-based organizations. Funding will be considered for a college or university to support a project with substantial community or Tribal involvement.  

by Don Tinney No political insiders in Montpelier were surprised when Senator Jane Kitchel condemned the Scott administration’s proposal to zero out the education fund reserves to provide short-term property tax relief, saying “that is a practice that we never ever had considered, or would consider, as fiscally responsible use of a reserve.” In her long, distinguished career as a political leader, Senator Kitchel has always been fiscally responsible while working diligently to meet the human needs of Vermonters, so no one was surprised when she voted to override the governor’s veto of the education funding bill. She had the political courage to do the right thing to protect Vermont’s public education system and to provide services to Vermont’s most precious resource, our children.

Vermont Business Magazine Cannatrol, the creators of the only total dry, cure and store system for the cannabis industry, announced today an exclusive partnership with Paralab Green, Europe’s premier distributor of cannabis processing solutions, establishing distribution of the company’s patented Vaportrol Technology throughout Europe. “This partnership truly represents the best of cannabis processing,” said Jane Sandelman, CEO and Co-Founder of Cannatrol. “Paralab Green has established relationships within the European cannabis industry and has a unique understanding of the rapidly growing market. We look forward to opening international access to Cannatrol’s science-backed technology that will benefit cultivators—and ultimately consumers.” Paralab Green supplies over 70% of licensed production facilities throughout the European Union, offering a range of instrumentation for the cannabis industry, from production to quality control.

Vermont State Police Autopsies have been completed on the two men who died in an altercation early Sunday in St. Johnsbury. They are identified as: Ben Lyons, 21, a resident of the home at 16 Cottage St. where the incident occurred. He died Sunday afternoon at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Chief Medical Examiner’s Office identified his cause of death as a stab wound to the neck, and the manner of death was homicide. Nicholas Johnson, 42, who had no fixed address and most recently was living in the St. Johnsbury area. He died at the scene Sunday morning. The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office identified his cause of death as a gunshot wound, and the manner of death was homicide.

Vermont Business Magazine Ben & Jerry's has sweet news as the summer gets into full swing: it's bringing the creamy-dreamy, funky-chunky, whirly-swirly world of Non-Dairy frozen desserts to a city near you! That's right – the beloved Vermont-based dessert maker is officially on the road, hitting seven cities across the U.S. through August and transforming local Scoop Shops into can't-miss dairy-free dreamlands. The Ben & Jerry's Creamy, Dreamy Non-Dairy Tour kicked off in New York City in June and continues in Tampa, Florida July 9-10, 2024, and includes Burlington, Vermont, August 13-14.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association It is likely that those of you reading this have been affected by the recent storm and we want you to know that the team at NVDA is here to assist your municipality with recovery needs in the coming days / weeks and months. Municipal Officials wishing to report damage to public infrastructure have likely already heard from NVDA's Bruce Melendy, Doug Morton, or Liam Abbate. They have been collecting information on damage to the physical infrastructure in your community. 

Vermont Arts Council  Our thoughts are with everyone experiencing flooding in Vermont this week, and we hope that you are staying safe. Severe weather and devastation is not how anyone expected to mark the one-year anniversary of 2023’s flooding. We know that this has impacted Vermont’s creative sector, especially during the busy summer performance and events season. As co-leads of the Vermont Arts & Culture Disaster and Resilience Network (VACDaRN), we are working closely with the Vermont Historical Records Program and the rest of the Steering Team to compile resources and share updates as we recover together.

Vermont Business Magazine For 50 years, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — better known as WIC — has been a cornerstone in promoting the health and well-being of millions of young children, parents and families throughout the United States. To celebrate this milestone, Vermont WIC and Vermont Parks Forever are hosting a series of events and activities at several state parks. Established in 1974, WIC provides income-eligible families and individuals with nutrition education, breast/chestfeeding support, and access to healthy foods needed for positive family and child health outcomes. During this 50th year, WIC will roll out updates to its food packages to better meet the nutritional needs of participants. The Vermont WIC Program, a vital part of the Department of Health, serves over 11,000 people statewide. 

Vermont Business Magazine The American Red Cross will open a third regional disaster shelter in Lyndonville at the Lyndonville Fire Department (316 Main St.) as dozens of area residents remain displaced by Wednesday’s storm. The shelter will open at 3 pm. This shelter is managed by the Red Cross – and pets are welcome. Pet owners should bring their own animal crate, supplies, medications and food whenever possible. The Red Cross shelter at the Barre City Auditorium (16 Auditorium Hill) remains open and supported an overnight population of nine people. This shelter is also pet-friendly. The Red Cross shelter in St. Johnsbury closed Friday at noon after serving one overnight resident.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor urges all workers whose employment has been impacted by the July 2024 flooding to apply for unemployment benefits. This includes individuals whose place of business is closed due to the flood or who are unable to report to work due to the flood. Individuals who have lost their jobs, are unable to reach their place of employment, or cannot work due to the flood conditions are encouraged to apply for unemployment benefits as soon as possible. Vermonter’s can initiate the application process by calling the Unemployment Claimant Assistance Center at 1-877-214-3330. If you file a claim and are found ineligible, you may become eligible later on if federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits are authorized. Regardless, the first step in the process is to file an initial claim through the regular unemployment insurance program.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Caleb Devarney, 31, of St. Albans, Vermont, was arraigned today on three felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and two misdemeanor counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The charges brought against the defendant are the result of a criminal investigation conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, St. Albans City Police Department, and Burlington Police Department.