Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Cathedral Square and Evernorth announced today that construction has begun on Kelley’s Field II, 24 new energy-efficient affordable apartments for adults 55 and older in Hinesburg. Situated next to Kelley’s Field I, Kelley’s Field II is the second phase in the larger Kelley’s Field development project and will offer 24 energy-efficient apartments - 23 one-bedrooms and 1 two-bedroom apartment with a mix of affordable and market-rate rents. Construction began in May 2023 and is expected to be complete by August 2024. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Chamber of Commerce and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM) have announced the opening of the application for the 2024/25 Vermont Signature Events program. The Vermont Signature Events program is a great way for events to gain exposure and prominence. Signature Events are awarded annually and celebrate the diversity of experiences Vermonters and visitors alike can enjoy in the Green Mountain State.

The Vermont State Police operation on West Street in Rutland is continuing, but the presence of law enforcement in the area has been reduced. The street has been reopened. Investigation by VSP does not indicate any danger to the public in the vicinity. The state police is pursuing all avenues of investigation related to this incident. No one is currently in custody. Members of the public with any information that could be of assistance to investigators should call the Rutland Barracks at 802-773-9101 or leave an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

Vermont Business Magazine GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF) has been awarded $35 million in federal funding from the U.S. government to accelerate the manufacturing of GF’s differentiated gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon semiconductors at its facility in Essex Junction, Vermont. This funding brings GF closer to large-scale production of GaN chips, which are unique in their ability to handle high voltages and temperatures. These chips are positioned to enable game-changing performance and efficiency in 5G and 6G cellular communications for infrastructure and handsets, automotive and industrial Internet of things (IoT), as well as power grids and other critical infrastructure.

Vermont Business Magazine The Addison County Chamber of Commerce is honored to announce that former Vermont Governor Jim Douglas (2003-2011) will keynote the Chamber’s Annual Award and Hall of Fame Induction Dinner on Thursday evening October 26th at the Vergennes Opera House. This annual event will see business and non-profit leaders gather to honor the best and brightest in Addison County and those who have given so much to their community.

Vermont Business Magazine Commissioner Kevin Gaffney announced today that the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation and 43 other state financial agencies have reached settlements with ACI Payments, Inc, for erroneously initiating electronic transactions totaling $2.3 billion from the accounts of 480,000 mortgage-holders serviced by Mr. Cooper (formerly known as Nationstar Mortgage, LLC). State regulators levied $10 million in fines through a multistate enforcement action led by regulators from Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland and Texas with support from the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. Additionally, 50 state attorneys general, including the Vermont Attorney General, levied $10 million in fines to ACI, in coordination with state regulators. The administrative penalty payable to the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation will be $216,136.36.

Vermont Business Magazine State Treasurer Mike Pieciak will hold a series of virtual events for public stakeholder engagement to hear challenges, ideas and strategies for financing Vermont’s climate infrastructure. The virtual events will be held in connection with a legislative directive for the Treasurer to consider frameworks that would maximize collaboration and resources among state, federal, private and nonprofit entities to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Vermont. They begin October 24.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office and the Grand Isle County State’s Attorney’s Office today announced the conclusions of their independent reviews of the non-fatal officer-involved shooting incident that occurred on April 20, 2023, in Morrisville, Vermont. Both Attorney General Charity Clark and Grand Isle County State’s Attorney Douglas DiSabito, who reviewed the matter for the Lamoille County State’s Attorney’s Office, have declined to prosecute Morristown Police Department Officer Brian Tomlinson for his actions related to the non-fatal use of deadly force against Henry Lovell. In reaching their decisions, the Attorney General’s Office and the Grand Isle County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed all of the materials provided by Vermont State Police, who conducted the investigation.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have edged up in Vermont since the end of summer, continuing a trend that began in August. The Rutland Regional Medical Center and the UVM Health Network hospital in Plattsburgh, NY (CVPH), have recently tightened visitation guidelines. Meanwhile, the CDC has released a new vaccine booster. The Vermont Department of Health reported October 11, 2023, that COVID-19 hospitalizations fell to a statewide total of 31, down from 47 last week, they were 31 before that and 22 three weeks ago. COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH. Reported cases last week were 287, up from 283 last week, 311 before that and 197 three weeks ago. 

Vermont Department of Economic Development As the seasons change and the leaves start to fall, at the Department of Economic Development (DED) we are working hard to distribute all Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program (BEGAP) funds to support Vermont flood damaged businesses and nonprofits. That $20 million grant program was launched in early August and we will be closing the application portal Monday, October 23. Then we will finalize all remaining applications in our queue. In total, more than 700 applications from businesses, landlords, not for profits, and farms were received.  As this program winds down, the work is not finished.  We will continue mid-to-long-term economic recovery efforts in the months and years ahead. 

The Vermont State Police is investigating the theft of a VSP cruiser and a patrol rifle that was taken from the vehicle. The cruiser was stolen from outside a residence in Rutland City between 2 a.m. and 4:40 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. The cruiser was subsequently located elsewhere in Rutland City, but the Sig Sauer patrol rifle that had been secured in the vehicle had been forcibly removed. The circumstances of the vehicle theft are under active investigation. Surveillance video in the area captured images of the suspect carrying the rifle. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. ET, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) will convene public health leaders in Arlington, VA, to discuss the health effects of extreme heat, wildfires and air quality, intensifying storms, infectious diseases, and more. The panelists will include Mark Levine, MD, commissioner of health, Vermont Department of Health.