Current News

Vermont State Police The man accused of shooting two people, killing one man and seriously injuring another, has been extradited to Vermont and is scheduled to face a judge Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. Devon Dennis, 43, of Hartford, Connecticut, was brought back to Vermont on Thursday by uniformed troopers from the Vermont State Police Field Force Division. Upon his return to Vermont, Dennis was processed and ordered jailed without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Friday in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Chelsea.

Vermont Business Magazine Kinney Drugs, a 100% employee-owned community pharmacy chain in New York and Vermont, invites members of the public to attend its 120th Birthday Celebration from 10AM to 2PM in all locations. In Montpelier, the company will also be celebrating its grand reopening. Montpelier was heavily damaged July 9-10 in historic flooding – causing a near-total loss. After approximately ten weeks of intense salvage, clean-up, and reconstruction efforts, Kinney’s Montpelier pharmacy is ready for a “soft opening” Monday, September 25th. The grand reopening will be celebrated September 30th to coincide with Kinney’s 120th anniversary.

 Vermont Business Magazine In a Joint Economic Committee hearing this week, Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) called for strengthening public-private partnerships to support job training and apprenticeship opportunities in the green energy sector. “We need to get more folks trained—including in the trades. There is some money in the Inflation Reduction Act to train on energy efficiency. That was something quite important to a lot of us, but especially to me,” said Sen. Welch. “There’s an issue here about getting people who could have a really good, well-paying career, that gave them the option of staying where they live,” during the hearing.”

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Representative Becca Balint (D-VT) and Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) introduced the Addressing Addiction After Disasters Act. Following a summer of climate emergencies across the country, including in Vermont and Hawaii, Americans are suffering the cost. While the physical damage is clear, disaster-stricken communities need resources to cope with the mental and emotional damage they endure. Current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants are authorized to provide professional counseling services to victims of major disasters through the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCATP). 

Vermont Business Magazine The Point to Point, powered by VSECU, is a cycling event to raise funds and awareness for the Vermont Foodbank and support their mission to fight hunger in Vermont. VSECU, and the Vermont Foodbank will host the full event in person with hundreds of riders starting and ending at the State House Lawn in Montpelier. Since the inaugural Point to Point in 1981, this beloved and iconic event has raised over $2.2 million to fight hunger in Vermont. The event has helped to provide more than 3.6 million meals to Vermont neighbors facing hunger. 

Vermont Business Magazine Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, KOOL 105, and the Vermont Lake Monsters have teamed up to present the second annual Ta-Kum-Ta Softball-a-thon at Centennial Field on September 23rd. This all-day event includes hours of softball, infinite innings, and free family fun, all to support local families impacted by childhood cancer. This is not your average softball tournament. Participants sign up to play for as many of the endless potential innings as they would like. All skill levels are welcome. Players can sign up as individuals or as a team and get to take advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity to play at the Lake Monsters’ Centennial Field while supporting a great cause.

Agency of Commerce and Community Development To get more money to flood damaged organizations, the state is increasing Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program (BEGAP) awards for most recipients, and the change will be retroactive. The previous BEGAP formula awarded most grantees 20% of their net uncovered damages (damages less insurance proceeds, donations, or other grants) with a cap of $20,000.  This shift in the program would allow up to 30% of net uncovered damages and remove the $20,000 cap. For businesses that suffered more than $1 million in damages, they would be eligible for 20% of net uncovered damages with a $500,000 cap.

Vermont Business Magazine Mavic, French manufacturer of innovative bicycle wheels and equipment, has opened an office in the cycling-rich community of Waterbury, Vermont. The facility will support sales and service in North America. Mavic will focus on reconnecting historic and past accounts as well as new customers to re-establish a robust IBD and OE network. With support from the newly established Mavic Service Center in Waterbury, the company will be able to provide a full spectrum of support to dealers, partners, and riders throughout North America. The team is fully operational with a complete sales and service staff eager to connect with customers. The company will initially focus on wheels with plans to offer the complete Mavic line of products in the near future.

Vermont Business Magazine tru Independence, a $10.5 billion and growing national independent advisory platform for investment professionals, today announced its partnership with 44 North Capital, supporting the Vermont-based wirehouse breakaway. 44 North is a financial planning, wealth management and investment firm based in Burlington. The addition of 44 North to tru’s community of advisors marks the fifth team tru has partnered with year to date, totaling $2.1 billion. 44 North's selection of tru was significantly influenced by the firm's Experience As a Service (EAS) platform. The innovation of a platform focused on behavioral finance, fintech, and human talent was a differentiator for the team and, not only to elevate the client experience but also to drive growth.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Public Utility Commission is actively seeking applications for membership on two advisory groups to inform the design of Vermont’s potential Clean Heat Standard program.  Pursuant to Act 18 of 2023 (the Affordable Heat Act), the Commission will appoint these members of the public and representatives of various organizations to serve on either the Technical Advisory Group or the Equity Advisory Group. 

Vermont Business Magazine The School Construction Aid Task Force will have its first working meeting this Friday, September 22 at 1 pm. The Task Force is made up of a range of subject matter experts and key stakeholders and was formed to consider re-establishing a direct state aid program for local school construction. In 2008, in response to the global financial crisis, Vermont implemented a moratorium on direct state aid for local school construction and is currently the only New England state that still has its moratorium in place.     

Vermont Business Magazine Family-owned company Lake Champlain Chocolates (LCC) has been a mainstay in the south end of Burlington since its founding in 1983 so it is only fitting that the Flagship Store at 750 Pine Street received a significant renovation and expansion to mark the company’s 40th year in business. Born from a dare to do better, Jim Lampman founded Lake Champlain Chocolates with hand-rolled creamy truffles crafted with local Vermont ingredients.  Forty years later, the company is still going strong with national distribution from coast to coast while staying true to its Vermont roots.