Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Gravel & Shea has announced that they have been recognized, once again, as a “Best Law Firm” in Burlington, Vermont in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms, as ranked by Best Lawyers. High ratings from clients and peers, as well as having “Best Lawyers” on the team, pave the way for this achievement. “We are proud to provide our clients with a top-quality law practice with a breadth of legal expertise across specialty areas,” says Managing Partner, Heather Hammond. The firm has been recognized in all 14 editions of Best Law Firms since the publication’s launch in 2010. 

by Alicia Wolfram, Community News Service Over 300 Vermonters braved the rain to learn about the landscape and its inhabitants at the 21st annual Dead Creek Wildlife Day in Addison. The event took place Oct. 7 at the Dead Creek Visitor Center in Addison, part of a 2,858-acre tract managed by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, and ran from 9:30 a.m. through 4 p.m., with scheduled activities like nature walks, bird watching, decoy carving, face painting and deer processing. Around 10 organizations — including the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum, Let’s Go Fishing and state Endangered Species Committee — tabled underneath large tents just down the road from the visitor center.

Vermont Business Magazine Barr Hill, the esteemed brand known for producing award-winning gin crafted by Vermont-based Caledonia Spirits, continues to lead innovation in the world of distilling with the launch of its latest expression, Barr Hill Sherry Barrel Tom Cat Gin. This limited-edition offering, available exclusively at the brand’s distillery on Gin Lane, is part of the Barr Hill’s Distillery Selection series. An opportunity for the brand’s highly-experienced team to celebrate unique barrels, these Landcrafted small-batched blends showcase exceptional quality created for all barrel-aged spirit enthusiasts to enjoy. 

Vermont State Police On November 3, 2023, at approximately 8:50 AM the Greensboro, Hardwick, Woodbury, Walden, Craftsbury, Wolcott and Sheffield / Wheelock Fire Departments were dispatched to a structure fire at a single-family residence located at 108 Batchelder Rd in Stannard, VT. When fire crews arrived, they discovered the structure fully involved in fire.  Defensive firefighting actions were taken, and the fire was extinguished. During Greensboro Fire Chief David Brochu’s assessment of the scene, he learned an occupant was not accounted for and believed to be somewhere within the fire scene.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today filed an amicus brief asking a federal court to stay, or temporarily pause, a federal PCB lawsuit brought by a group of schools against Monsanto, after the State had already filed a suit in state court against Monsanto for PCB contamination in Vermont schools. The brief notes that the basis and relief requested in the later-filed federal suit, Addison Central School District et al. v. Monsanto et al., overlaps with the State’s first-filed suit currently proceeding in state court. The State’s suit seeks to recoup the millions of dollars the State is spending on its school testing and remediation program and alleges claims for PCB contamination in the natural environment, including Lake Champlain. Temporarily pausing the federal suit will conserve resources and is likely to save taxpayer dollars.

Vermont Business Magazine Maclay Architects and Vermont Integrated Architecture, PC (VIA) have announced that Maclay Architects will become “VIA - Maclay Studio” as of January 1, 2024. The staff at Maclay Architects will become VIA employees at that time. Nationally-recognized as a pioneer of sustainable architecture, Bill Maclay has been practicing in the Mad River Valley for over 50 years. With trailblazing projects throughout Vermont and the Northeast (e.g. Aiken Building at UVM, Coastal Maine Environmental Learning Center, Putney School Fieldhouse) Maclay helped set the standard for ecological design and continued to innovate throughout his career.

Vermont Business Magazine Come to the Natural Fiber Lab at Smokey House Center for a discussion of the processes involved in turning locally grown plant fibers into finished cloth with Smokey House Center’s Natural Fibers Researcher, Andrea Myklebust. This Explore Smokey House Series titled, “Local Cloth” will be held Friday, November 10 from 5pm - 7pm. Participants will learn about the tools and materials used in transforming bast fibers (flax and hemp) from raw straw to spinnable fiber, spun yarn, and woven cloth. Andrea will discuss her work at the Smokey House Natural Fiber Lab, our ongoing fiber hemp research projects with UVM, and current work being undertaken regionally to revive local bast fiber textile production. 

Vermont Business Magazine During a Senate Rules and Administration Committee hearing this week, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) raised concerns about persisting threats to the nation’s election administration and stressed the importance of holding those who interfere with elections accountable. Sen. Welch also emphasized the need to support and safeguard the welfare of civil servants assisting with election administration. 

Vermont Business Magazine Last week, GlobalFoundries opened its doors in Essex Junction to local high school students for a day of learning and tours in honor of Manufacturing Day (the first Friday of every October). Hosted by GF's GlobalAmbassadors, Juniors and Seniors from Center for Technology Essex and Winooski High School visited the site to learn about GF, tour the fab and facilities, learn different career pathways at GF, chat with engineers over lunch, and try a hands-on robotics demo with SPOT the robot.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Economic Development announced today the state of Vermont is committing $4,058,184 from the Vermont Brownfields Revitalization Fund that promotes the productive reuse of contaminated sites to cleanup properties in Hardwick, Barre, Newport, Burlington, Fairlee, Rutland City, and Winooski. “Cleaning up unused brownfields and turning them into economic opportunities has been a priority for my team,” said Governor Scott. “Transforming these brownfields into job creators and much needed housing is exactly the kind of work Vermont needs advance.”

by Leah Golding, Community News Service Construction on the walk-bike bridge known as the East-West Crossing in South Burlington is expected to start at the end of 2024, city leaders say, with a target opening two years later. The $14.5 million project, which would see a bridge for cyclists and pedestrians stretch over Interstate 89, has been in development for years now and aims to address one of the riskiest tracts of road in the state. Design work is about 60% finished, according to Ilona Blanchard, the city’s community development director, and a study is underway to determine connection points between the bridge and existing walk and bike lanes and sidewalks.  

Vermont Business Magazine City Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District) announced her candidacy for the position of Mayor of Burlington today, amid a gathering of supporters, family, and community leaders on the steps of City Hall. The announcement event took place on Thursday, November 2nd, and marks a significant step in Shannon’s political career as she seeks to secure the Democratic nomination at the upcoming Burlington Democratic Caucus on December 10th.