Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan received formal approval from the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation to affiliate and work together across both companies. The affiliation enables both organizations to begin sharing resources and expertise to broaden health plan and service offerings available through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont.

The Vermont State Police is releasing an artist’s sketch of a person of interest in the Oct. 5 killing of Honoree Fleming in Castleton. The sketch depicts an individual who was seen on the Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5. The sighting occurred just prior and close to the location where passers-by discovered the body of Dr. Flemming, 77, on the rail trail. Witnesses have described the person of interest as a white man in his 20s with short red hair, standing about 5 feet 10 inches tall, and last seen wearing a dark gray T-shirt and carrying a black backpack. Anyone who might recognize the individual in the sketch should call the Vermont State Police’s Rutland Barracks at 802-773-9101, or provide an anonymous tip online at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

Vermont Business Magazine CVFiber has connected its first customers to high-speed, fiber-optic Internet. CVFiber leadership, state, and local officials joined in a ribbon cutting today in Calais celebrating the communications union district’s (CUD’s) first connected customers.  Additional customers in Calais will be connected next, followed by parts of Worcester and East Montpelier. Construction will continue throughout 2023, and more customers will be connected in 2024. 

Vermont Business Magazine Otter Creek Communications Union District (CUD) was awarded a $9.9 million grant from the Vermont Community Broadband Board. The grant will help fund construction of a multi-gigabit fiber network through a partnership with Consolidated Communications. When complete, more than 4,100 homes and businesses will have access to fiber internet by 2025.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Grace Gamble (charged as Peter Gamble), 27, of Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned earlier this week on five felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. The charges brought against the defendant are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of residential and online data search warrants, conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Montpelier Police Department, Burlington Police Department, Bennington Police Department, and Manchester Police Department.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont residents affected by July’s severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides now have until October 31 to apply for FEMA assistance. This does not mean you should delay applying – the sooner you apply, the sooner FEMA can process your claim. If you had storm-caused expenses and live or own a business in Caledonia, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham or Windsor counties, FEMA assistance can provide grants and U.S. Small Business Administration loans to help you cover temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related needs.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Wednesday issued the following statement on the continuing violence in Israel and Gaza following Hamas’ horrific attack on Saturday: "Hamas’ terrorist assault on Israel will have horrific short- and long-term consequences... Right now, the international community must focus on reducing humanitarian suffering and protecting innocent people on both sides of this conflict. The targeting of civilians is a war crime, no matter who does it."

VermontBiz Norwich University will host the Special Olympics Vermont Unified Champion Schools Soccer Tournament on Wednesday, October 11 from 9:30am to 1pm.

This event will host teams from throughout the state including: BFA St. Albans, Brattleboro Union High School, Burr and Burton Academy, Hartford High School, Middlebury Union Middle School, Mount Anthony Union High School, Mount Mansfield Union High School, Rutland Intermediate Middle School, Rutland High School and Woodstock Schools. 

VermontBiz The investigation into last week’s fatal shooting of 77-year-old Honoree Fleming on a rail trail near her home in Castleton continues Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023.

Numerous detectives from the Vermont State Police’s Major Crime Unit and Bureau of Criminal Investigations are assigned to the case and actively pursuing leads, following up on new tips from the public, interviewing individuals who may have relevant information, reviewing video and taking additional steps. Uniformed troopers from the Field Force Division are conducting patrols in Castleton and ensuring high visibility in and around the Vermont State University Castleton Campus. The Victim Services Unit is providing support and assistance to Dr. Fleming’s family. Investigators are working with the Vermont Forensic Laboratory at the Department of Public Safety in Waterbury, as well.

VermontBiz Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, welcomed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to Williamstown, Vermont, for a discussion on rural broadband buildout, the Central Vermont Supervisory Union’s efforts to install Wi-Fi on school buses, and how communities across the country can take inspiration from Vermont in their efforts to close the homework gap.   

VermontBiz In response to the need for assistance following the challenges caused by this summer’s flooding, Vermont Law and Graduate School’s Entrepreneurial Legal Lab and Legal Services Vermont will host a clinic in Hardwick to provide legal information to homeowners, renters and business owners seeking aid through FEMA grants and Small Business Association loans.

The Oct. 12 deadline to submit applications for businesses and individuals is quickly approaching.

VermontBiz A new report released today by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, shows that many nonprofit hospital systems across the country are failing to provide low-income Americans with the affordable medical care required by their nonprofit status – despite receiving billions in tax benefits and providing exorbitant compensation packages to their senior executives.