Current News

Vermont Business Magazine In recent weeks, smoke from wildfires in Canada has traveled to New England, significantly lowering production from solar resources in the region compared to what ISO New England would expect absent the smoke, according to a ISONE report released in June. The smoke has also lowered actual temperatures in New England compared to what weather models are forecasting. This leads to lower demand on the regional grid, as there is less need for things like air conditioning. These two factors—decreased production from solar resources and decreased consumer demand due to lower temperatures—has made forecasting demand for grid electricity challenging.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) invites the public to participate in a survey and also to attend virtual public meetings for the State’s Carbon Reduction Strategy on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. The meetings will be held at noon and 6 pm via Zoom. The Agency is undertaking this initiative with two primary objectives. The first is to support meeting the State’s requirements for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction, including a requirement for transportation to contribute 40 percent of the overall needed reduction of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The second objective is to support federal requirements for each state to develop a Carbon Reduction Strategy

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has announced the 2023-2024 migratory game bird hunting season dates and bag limits. A statewide Vermont open hunting season for resident Canada geese will occur September 1-25.  The daily bag limit is five Canada geese in the Connecticut River Zone and eight in the rest of the state during this September season. The purpose of the September season is to help control Vermont’s resident Canada goose population prior to the arrival of Canada geese migrating south from Canada. Duck season this fall opens on October 7 in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones and on October 5 in the Connecticut River Zone. 

Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont, 64 individual plaintiffs who have sued the State, and the federal receiver for Jay Peak, Inc, et al., have reached an agreement to settle all pending and potential lawsuits against the State related to the eight Jay Peak EB-5 projects. The settlement agreement is conditioned upon entry of a bar order. The total settlement amount resolving all outstanding and future claims is $16.5 million, payment of which will be structured over 3 years and will be paid into the Jay Peak receivership. Additionally, the state will continue its support of investors’ pursuit of Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards), which, if successful, will reduce the state’s overall settlement payment by $4 million. In a separate agreement on June 22, the state agreed to settle the claims of 8 individual Jay Peak investors for $750,000.

Vermont State Police The Vermont State Police investigation is continuing Wednesday, July 5, 2023, into this week’s non-fatal police shooting by a member of the Rutland City Police Department. The men who were shot are identified as Randy A. Perez-Coiscou and Andy H. Perez-Coiscou. They are twin 21-year-old brothers from Springfield, Massachusetts. Both men remain hospitalized at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington for treatment of their injuries. The Rutland officer who fired his service weapon is identified as Sgt. Andrew Plemmons.

by John McClaughry The Legislature’s enactment of the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act is another troubling example of how massive changes in Vermont are being engineered these days, whether the democratically elected governor likes it or not. This particular measure (Act 59) establishes State goals of conserving 30 percent of the land of the State by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050. It requires the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board to develop an inventory of the existing conserved lands in the State and a plan on how to reach the ambitious goals. The new law defines “conserved” lands as enjoying permanent protection of intact and connected ecosystems – to put it crudely, “Humans! Out!”  

Vermont Business Magazine Applications are now being accepted for free energy assessments of municipal buildings throughout Vermont. Municipalities (cities, towns, incorporated villages, fire districts, etc.) will be eligible to apply for the free assessments, and once completed, apply for up to $500,000 under the MERP Implementation Grants to make recommended improvements. Nearly 100 towns have already been awarded $4,000 under the MERP Community Capacity Building Mini-Grants program that was a precursor to this larger effort. Applications for these funds remain open and municipalities are encouraged to apply. 

Vermont Business Magazine Community Bank System, Inc (NYSE: CBU), based in Syracuse, NY, today announced that Mark E Tryniski will retire as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer effective as of December 31, 2023. Since August 2006, Tryniski has served as the President, CEO and Director of the company and its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Community Bank, NA, which has branches in Vermont. The Board of Directors has selected Dimitar A Karaivanov, the company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, to succeed Tryniski effective as of January 1, 2024. In addition, the Board will expand to 13 directors and appoint Karaivanov as a director.

Vermont Business Magazine More Vermonters now have access to fresh, local produce across the state through the “Farm to Family Coupon” program. Approximately $164,000 in coupons are now available to help eligible Vermonters buy locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and farm stands. Coupons are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, and may be used at any of the 60 markets and farm stands enrolled in the program this summer. Vermont households with incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty level and households participating in the Vermont Department of Health’s WIC Program are eligible for the program. 

The Vermont State Police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred on Tuesday evening, July 4, 2023, at the Dollar General on Colonial Rd in the town of Fairfax. At about 545 pm, an unknown individual entered the store dressed in black, displayed a firearm, and demanded cash from the clerk. The suspect fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured. The male was seen driving away in a white utility truck with a ladder rack on the top heading towards RT 128. There was also a female inside the truck.

The Vermont State Police on Tuesday received multiple reports of a tractor trailer unit attempting to drive through Smuggler's Notch. Troopers located the tractor trailer and assisted with backing the truck and trailer out of the Notch. The operator of the vehicle was identified as Byambadorj Avirmed, who told Troopers that he observed all the posted signs but continued anyways. Avirmed was issued a ticket for operating in the Notch. This was the second truck to make its way into Smuggler’s Notch this year.

The Vermont State Police is investigating an apparent drowning that occurred Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at the Bolton Potholes in Bolton. VSP was notified of the incident at 4:29 p.m. and responded to the swimming area. Subsequent investigation revealed that the victim, identified as Samuel Paprin, 20, of Greenwich, Connecticut, had been caught in the rapids while swimming and became unresponsive.