Current News

by Norah White, Community News Service Lawmakers appear to be putting the final touches on a bill that prohibits the possession of ghost guns — firearms without serial numbers built at home using separately purchased parts. Ghost guns are often built with ready-made kits or 3D-printed parts, and because the individual parts are not considered guns under federal law, they aren’t subject to the same regulations. Law enforcement has a harder time tracking these guns, say supporters of the bill, S.209. The bill would bar people from having guns, frames or receivers that lack serial numbers or transferring them to someone else. That would apply to unfinished parts, too. It would also require people who build a gun or a receiver to get it imprinted with a serial number. Legislators have been going back and forth on the punishments in the bill since it passed the Senate in February and the House late last month.

by Norah White, Community News Service Earlier this year, lawmakers were discussing a bill that would ban people from flying drones less than 100 feet above private property or using a drone to conduct surveillance. The bill — H.284 — missed the crossover deadline and didn't make it out of its House committee. But the bill’s proposals still have a chance of becoming law after legislators added the original bill’s language to H.878, which deals with “miscellaneous judiciary procedures.” That bill passed the House in late March, and senators have been discussing it across April.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims fell for the week ending May 4, 2024, as new claims remain relatively high. This could be the result of the extended ski season slowly winding down after a late surge of snow and the surge of eclipse visitors to the state. from April 8. The Service industry accounts for the vast majority of claims with 71%. For the week, there were 440 claims, down 46 for the week but 52 more than this time last year. Meanwhile, the state unemployment rate remains near historic low levels as employment and the labor force have increased (2.2 percent in March 2024). 

Vermont Business Magazine V/T Commercial real estate agents in Burlington have released their most recent transactions. They include: the sale of the former Little Morocco restaurant in Burlington; FEMA renewed its lease at 312 Hurricane Lane, Williston; The former Denny's Restaurant located at 714-730 Shelburne Road, South Burlington, was recently sold; announced the sale of the former Sirloin Saloon property at 2545 Shelburne Road, Shelburne to Jeff Hutchins.

Vermont Business Magazine When Northern Vermont University merged with Castleton University and Vermont Tech, leaders at the three institutions envisioned a feeling of collaboration between the new Vermont State University (VTSU) campuses. Less than a year into the VTSU’s first year, student leaders on each campus have been at the forefront of sharing ideas and creating a unified spirit among all students. Notably, the student government groups from the VTSU campuses have adopted a common constitution, which they formally adopted on Friday May 3.

Vermont Business Magazine Wednesday evening, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) delivered remarks on the Senate Floor calling for Congress to pass long-term disaster relief funding for Vermont following the catastrophic floods of 2023. Senator Welch highlighted the importance of delivering flexible funds through the Community Development Block Grants-Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) program, which gives communities impacted by natural disasters the flexibility needed to rebuild and recover, and help them to prepare for future disasters. 

Vermont Business Magazine Representative Ashley Bartley (R, Franklin-1, Fairfax and Georgia) and Representative Rey Garofano (D, Chittenden-23, Essex) on Thursday celebrated the passage of H.704, an act relating to disclosure of compensation in job advertisements. This bill proposes to require employers to disclose compensation in advertisements of job openings. This strike-all amendment takes what is already Human Resources best practice and requires Vermont employers to disclose compensation or a compensation range, in job advertisements to prospective employees.

Vermont Business Magazine On March 22, 2024, the Associated General Contractors of Vermont (AGC/VT) was honored with the prestigious AGC In The Community Chapter Award for its exceptional leadership and dedication in combatting substance use disorders and promoting mental health awareness in Vermont's construction sector. Since the pandemic, Vermont has seen accidental opioid overdoses and substance use disorders skyrocket, with the construction industry being hit particularly hard. By some estimates, 23 percent of Vermont suicides and 26 percent of overdose deaths are in the construction field—more than any sector. Recognizing the growing need to provide more education, services, and assistance to people in the construction industry, AGC/VT launched a multi-faceted program in 2023. The program includes partnering with the Vermont Department of Health and Reid Wobby, a mental health consultant, to distribute Narcan doses (which reverse opioid overdoses) and harm reduction kits.

Shelburne Museum Just in time for Mother's Day, Shelburne Museum opens for the season on Saturday, May 11. To celebrate the exciting new season, we're holding Community Day with free admission! Come experience inspiring new exhibitions and visit the beloved galleries, buildings, and gardens that make Shelburne Museum a place like no other. Saturday, May 11, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Free admission, live music, seed swap, art making activities, tours, and more. Special thanks to High Mowing Organic Seeds for support of the seed swap. Free Event Shuttle: First shuttle leaves from O’Brien Community Center in Winooski at 9:45 a.m., stopping at 10:15 a.m. at Harbor Place in Shelburne. A second loop will depart from King Street Youth Center in Burlington at 11 a.m. The shuttle will loop throughout the day to all three locations. The last shuttle departs Shelburne Museum at 5:15 p.m. 

Vermont Business Magazine Planning for college or training can be stressful, even when the process goes smoothly. And this year, students and families who applied for federal financial aid were stuck in a waiting game that lasted for months. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) updated their student financial aid (FAFSA) forms for the first time since the 1980s. With delays, glitches, and data processing issues, the past six months have not gone well for students, families, schools, or the FSA itself. One of the final challenges, the ability to make updates and corrections to the FAFSA financial aid form, has now been resolved and schools are sending prospective students their financial aid offers.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Philip B. Scott has declared May 2024 Physical Fitness and Sports Month in Vermont, encouraging Vermonters to be active this spring. The proclamation was requested by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, a physical activity promotion and advocacy group comprised of volunteers appointed by the Governor and representing a broad spectrum of Vermonters. The proclamation aligns with the national designation of May as Physical Fitness and Sports Month, an effort by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition to raise awareness about the benefits of physical activity. The Vermont Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports encourages families to be active outdoors through a variety of programs, including Vermont Parks pass exercise “prescriptions,” Vermont Senior Games, community wellness grants, and the Corporate Cup Challenge and State Agency Race in Montpelier on May 16.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Historical Society is pleased to announce a new installment of its fundraising series “Vermont Eats” a cultural event that focuses on the food and communities that make up Vermont’s diverse history and story. This year’s dinner is in partnership with Burlington’s Lost Mural Project and Ohavi Zedek Synagogue and will take place at the Ohavi Zedek Synagogue on June 6th at 5:30 PM. The event will feature Samuel D. Gruber as the evening’s keynote speaker, who will give a talk titled “Picture This: Art and Life for Vermont's Jewish Immigrants.”