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Community News Service The wood stove roared in the center of the one-room Ryegate Town Hall as town voters assembled for town meeting day to address their most burning questions this year: Is the budget transparent enough? And, does the town want a weed store? Roughly 100 residents attended the meeting — people who have lived in town for 30 years or more and others who came for their first meeting. The hall didn’t have enough seats. State Rep. Bobby Farlice-Rubio, D-Barnet, gave a five-minute speech about legislative activity this session and answered general questions. But in Ryegate, the focus stayed on local business. Even the national presidential primaries on the ballot Tuesday in Vermont took a back seat, many Ryegate voters said, to the town matters that drew them to participate.

by Vermont Small Business Development Center For nearly 35 years, Robert Paul Galleries has been at the heart of Stowe’s thriving community of artists. So when the original owners, Robert and Gail O'Toole, retired last May, residents Jack Morris and Alexandra Weathers embraced the opportunity to purchase the business and build upon the O'Tooles’ decades-long legacy of connecting artists from around the world to Vermont’s largest town. At only 22 and 23 years old, respectively, Morris and Weathers set out to operate the gallery with three specific goals in mind: to bring people together through art; to have a strong presence in Vermont’s developing art scene; and to create an experiential gallery featuring the works of both emerging and seasoned artists.

Vermont Business Magazine America's SBDC Day is set for March 20, 2024, a day that will unite nearly 1,000 Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) across the country and the hundreds of thousands of clients they've served in their 43-year history. On March 20, Vermont’s Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC), along with clients, stakeholders, and community partners, will celebrate in person and virtually, posting on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn throughout the day, using the hashtags #SBDCDay and #VtSBDCDay. Participants are encouraged to like, comment, and share how VtSBDC has created a difference in their lives and communities.

Vermont Business Magazine On April 16, Ben & Jerry's is throwing its annual Free Cone Day celebration, and while any day free ice cream is involved is a win, the Ben & Jerry's team behind the annual fan appreciation event, now well past its 40th year, are inviting fans to help make this year's Free Cone Day the biggest and best yet with 1 million scoops served. Last year, Free Cone Day made its highly anticipated return after a four-year pause, and dedicated Ben & Jerry's fans showed the Vermont-based ice cream maker just how happy they were that the giveaway tradition was back. The beloved tradition began in 1979 as cofounders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield survived their first winter – as a tiny, independent, two-person ice cream business – in the frozen tundra of Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine With an ambitious plan for the future and an eye to its history, the University of Vermont’s (UVM) Royall Tyler Theatre turned 50 on March 14 and will host a celebration five decades in the making when alumni return to campus on April 12-13 for a series of panels, workshops, and exhibits, a book signing, and a musical theatre revue featuring theatre alumni and current students. In recognition of the Royall Tyler Theatre’s history of producing “over three hundred plays, musicals, concerts and similar productions for the benefit of the University community and the general public,” Governor Phil Scott declared March 14, 2024 as “Royall Tyler Theatre Day” in the State of Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine State revenue projections remain positive if less robust, economy ‘durable’; Legal online sports betting officially launches in Vermont; Senate fails to override Scott’s veto of ‘Bottle Bill’; Unemployment rate up tenth to 2.2%, Labor Force increases; Doug Hoffer releases audit of Burlington Downtown TIF District; Radio Vermont Group to sell to local owner; $12.4M in funding available to help property owners meet water quality regulations; Vermont Flood Response & Recovery Fund commits $12.3 million for flood recovery; High levels of cancer-causing radon gas detected in 21.7% of Vermont homes; Putney Paper Mill closes, 127 jobs lost; Vermont minimum wage to increase to $13.18 on January 1; State settles $16.5M EB-5 fraud claim for $850,000.

VermontBiz The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington on Friday, March 15, 2024, completed autopsies on the victims whose bodies were found Tuesday in Orleans.

The victims have been positively identified as Paula Broe, 61, and Steven Luisi, 65, both of whom resided at 22 Water St., Apartment B.

A final determination by the medical examiner on the cause and manner of the victims’ deaths is pending further examination.

This case remains an open and active investigation. Anyone with information that could assist detectives is asked to contact the Vermont State Police in Derby at 802-334-8881 or leave an anonymous tip online athttps://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

VermontBiz The Attorney General’s Office announced that Paul Frasca, 58, of Chester, Vermont was arraigned today on seven felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. The charges brought against Mr. Frasca are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of search warrants conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), and included personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Hartford Police Department, and Chester Police Department.

VermontBiz The State has set up short-term transitional shelters to support people experiencing homelessness who do not qualify for General Assistance Emergency Housing so are no longer eligible for state funded rooms in hotels/motels unless established weather conditions are met. These shelters open tonight to give people more time to seek alternate housing or shelter, and for state and community partners to connect with those looking for additional services. National Guard members, medical professionals, and security personnel will staff each shelter to provide a safe space for people to sleep.

VermontBiz Today the Vermont House of Representatives passed S.18, a bill to end the sale of flavored tobacco products, with a vote of 83 to 53.

The Flavors Hook Kids Vermont Campaign released the following statement: "After five years of working to pass this bill, we are incredibly proud this legislation is moving forward in Vermont. Thank you to the House leaders for all their work and attention to this bill, and for prioritizing the health and welfare of Vermont kids. We firmly believe this bill will save lives and reduce health inequities. We look forward to it becoming law."

VermontBiz The Vermont State Police responded to a report of a dispute between Towle and the aforementioned victims. Subsequent investigation revealed that Towle had criminally threated North Countries Healthcare staff via electronic means, acted in a disorderly conduct manner via electronic means to staff members of Kinney Drugs, Berlin, and acted in a disorderly conduct as well as criminally threatened staff at Central Vermont Medical Center. Towle was taken into custody and issued a citation to appear in the Washington County Superior Court - Criminal Division to answer to the aforementioned charges.

VermontBiz Vermont has joined the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and its state partners in the lawsuit against Amazon.com. The lawsuit, which was initially filed in September 2023 and yesterday amended to include Vermont, alleges that the online retail and technology company is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power. Amazon’s actions allow the company to stop rivals and sellers from lowering prices, degrade quality for shoppers, overcharge sellers, stifle innovation, and prevent rivals from fairly competing against Amazon.