Current News

VermontBiz Troopers from the Williston Barracks received a report of a road rage incident around the area of I-89 N, Exit 15 in Winooski, VT. The complainant advised that Mark Bennett had brandished a firearm while on the interstate and on the off ramp. Troopers were able to interview all involved parties. During the investigation it was discovered that Mark Bennett was changing speeds and brake checking Robert Bechtold while traveling on the interstate and once Bechtold decided to pass Bennett displayed his firearm in a reckless manner towards Bechtold. Bechtold was later located in Warren, VT and was cited to appear in Chittenden County Court Criminal Division on August 22, 2023, at 0830 to answer to the charge of Reckless Endangerment.

VermontBiz Moving home can depend on several factors but perhaps the most important is how many properties are available at the time. 

Moving experts at MovingFeedback have used Zillow data to analyze the number of properties available to rent or buy in Vermont each month from 2020-2022.  

VermontBiz Bear activity in South Burlington has jumped this year, highlighting the need to prevent bear conflicts in densely populated areas around the state, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

“We have had 14 bear incident reports from South Burlington so far this year, compared to just three for all of 2022,” said Black Bear Project Leader Jaclyn Comeau.  “At least two yearling bears and their mother are becoming used to easy meals of birdseed and unsecured garbage in town.  This is a dangerous situation for these bears and for people, especially in a densely populated community like South Burlington where many residents may not be used to coexisting safely with bears.”

Vermont Business Magazine Hey there, job seekers! Are you ready to hit a home run in your career? For the second year in a row, the Vermont Department of Labor is thrilled to announce not one, but two, upcoming job fairs that will make your job search a hit! These two incredible events will take place during the action-packed Vermont Lake Monsters baseball games at Centennial Field in Burlington. Join us on July 19th and August 1st and don’t strike out on this opportunity! 

Vermont Business Magazine Evernorth closed its fourth multi-investor fund – Housing New England, Fund IV – on June 15, 2023. This fund will provide equity to finance affordable housing in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Fourteen investors committed a total of $54,050,000 in equity, making Housing New England, Fund IV (HNE Fund IV) a significant financial resource for the region’s critical affordable housing needs. Mascoma Bank invested $2.5 million into this fund. HNE Fund IV’s investors include community, regional, and national banks as well as one of the nation’s largest mortgage banking organizations. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger with local, state and federal partners, announced plans for the over $22 million in funding from the Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant program. The federal funds complete a nearly $50 million projected budget to rebuild St. Paul and Pine Streets through the site of the former mall, and to revitalize eight existing City blocks on Cherry Street and Bank Street between the Church Street Marketplace and the Waterfront.  

Vermont Business Magazine Treasurer Mike Pieciak attended Essex’s Rotary Club meeting on Wednesday, July 5 to provide an update from the 2023 legislative session and introduce his office’s new retirement initiative, VT Saves (S.135). VT Saves will also position tens of thousands of Vermonters to receive a federal retirement saver’s credit. Starting in 2027, lower income earners enrolled in qualified retirement accounts can receive up to $2,000 annually in federal assistance. VT Saves will take effect in July 2025, positioning tens of thousands of Vermonters to secure these funds.  

Vermont Business Magazine Today, KeyBank (NYSE: KEY), with branches across Vermont, announced the launch of its third Special Purpose Credit Program1 – KeyBank Neighbors First Credit – which can help make the dream of home ownership a reality by providing up to $5,000 to homebuyers for the purchase of eligible properties.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Organic Dairy farmers are encouraged to apply for relief funding. This grant funding is designed to mitigate the extreme market challenges in 2022, including high feed and input costs. $6.9 million dollars was made available in the Vermont state budget which began on July 1. Eligible dairy farmers who apply will receive a single payment of $5 per hundredweight of organic milk produced in 2022. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is responsible for the application process and distribution of funds. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University (VTSU) marked its official launch today as the culmination of more than three years of transformation work. Bringing together the best of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, and Vermont Technical College, the unification will enhance education offerings, including online degree and training programs, for students across Vermont. It will also stabilize the system’s finances into the future. State officials joined VSC and Vermont State University leaders to mark the occasion and reinforce Vermont State University’s critical role in our rural economy, serving as a catalyst for change for students seeking any one of its 105 affordable degrees, certificates and training programs in relevant and well-paying careers. VTSU is on track to welcome more than 1,330 new students this fall.

The Vermont State Police is identifying the victim in a fatal UTV crash in Newfane as Finley Conlon, 7, of Pepperell, Massachusetts. He was riding in a UTV operated by his father, Mathew Conlon, 40, also of Pepperell. The adult passenger is identified as Bradley Palmer, 24, of Natick, Massachusetts. The other passengers were two girls, ages 10 and 8, and two boys, ages 9 and 8.

Vermont Business Magazine EVLO Energy Storage Inc (EVLO), a fully integrated battery energy storage systems and solutions provider and a subsidiary of Hydro-Québec, has announced its first utility-scale storage project in the United States. Located in Troy, Vermont, the 3 MW / 12 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project will help to further the integration of local renewable generation into the New England grid. The EVLO BESS will store energy during strong energy production times for later use during times of peak energy demand, helping to smooth out the intermittency of renewable power generation and delivering value to utility customers.