Current News

Vermont Agency of Transportation This report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways throughout Vermont for the week of May 29, 2023. Crews will be off Monday, May 29 in observance of Memorial Day. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.

by Bill Schubart The Human Library movement has been with us since 2000. Human libraries have opened on six continents, with libraries in Louisiana and Indiana in this country and in Denmark, Ireland, France, England, and more opening around the world. Let’s start one here in Vermont. What is a human library? It’s a virtual library of people. People are the books. The movement originated to generate and enrich conversation, foster understanding, if not always agreement. Its motto is “Unjudge Someone.” Users can check out people for individual or group discussion.

Vermont Business Magazine Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) on Friday announced a $23,270 federal grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program to help in the installation of a roof-top solar array on a historic building in Brattleboro at the corner of High and Green Streets. The solar project will produce 112% of the current electrical usage, saving the building – which is home to a variety of small businesses – more than $11,000 annually.

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger on Friday issued the following statement related to Governor Phil Scott's announcement of an expanded hotel/motel program for the homeless, which would expand eligibility and extend the benefits to those who qualify by 28 days, or until near the end of July: “I support an orderly end to the troubled pandemic-era motel program and Burlington is working in partnership with the State and our regional partners to quickly create new shelter opportunities – in addition to the two low-barrier emergency shelters Burlington has opened since late 2020 – to bring new homeless dedicated housing units online, and to expand services to meet the basic needs of the close to 200 adults in Chittenden County who will exit the program in June. However, for the State to, later this summer, turn out elderly Vermonters, people living with disabilities, and worst of all, young children and their families, to live in tents or in congregate shelters for months would be unacceptable."

Vermont Business Magazine iSun, Inc (NASDAQ: ISUN), a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company with 50 years of experience accelerating the adoption of innovative electrical technologies, today announced that Jeffrey Peck, Chairman and CEO, and John Sullivan, Chief Financial Officer, have each purchased 50,000 shares of iSun common stock on the open market, thus together buying 100,000 shares at a total price of $52,808, or an average cost of $0.53 per share, reinforcing, they said, their confidence in the company’s progress and opportunities ahead.

Vermont Business Magazine The National Life Group Do Good Fest has added Fastball and lovelytheband to the July 15 benefit concert lineup, bringing together bands with number one hits in three different decades. These bands round out the bill along with headliner, two-time Grammy nominated American Rock Band Plain White T’s and Vermont favorite, All Night Boogie Band. Formed in 1994 in Austin, Texas, Fastball combined a fondness for melodic, Beatles-inspired pop with the alternative aesthetic of late-'90s mainstream rock. In 1998, Fastball’s “The Way” peaked at number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and remained there for seven weeks.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Lake Monsters are pleased to announce a partnership with Two Brothers Tavern in Middlebury, naming it as the first "Official Outpost of the Vermont Lake Monsters." As the Addison County Outpost for the Lake Monsters, Two Brothers Tavern will hold a season "kick-off" event on Saturday, June 3 at noon, with a free buffet, Champ and several Lake Monsters players. Two Brothers Tavern will also unveil its signature seasonal Lake Monsters menu item: the Lake Monsters Hot Dog. During the upcoming baseball season, $1 from every hot dog sold at Two Brothers Tavern will be donated to the UVM Children's Hospital.

Vermont Business Magazine As boaters visit Vermont’s lakes and ponds this summer, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) offers tips to stay safe and protect natural resources.

“Vermont’s lakes offer great places to fish, boat, swim, and enjoy being outside,” said DEC Commissioner John Beling. “These lakes also provide important habitat for wildlife and drinking water for many Vermonters. Balancing recreational use with natural resource conservation is a constant goal.”

In 1994, the State of Vermont created the Use of Public Waters Rules (bit.ly/use-pw-rules) so that everyone can use and enjoy public lakes and ponds in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. The DEC suggests that boaters follow these tips before, while, and after boating:

Before boating:

Vermont Business Magazine EmpowR Transformation received a $2000 grant to offer eight community dialogue circles this summer at Grandmother Cherry Sanctuary in Plainfield, Vermont. The grant was awarded by The Circle Way, a global equity and justice facilitation organization and practice. Four White Women Accountability Circles will be held for white-identifying women (cis/trans), femmes, and non-binary/trans people who were socialized as women to support staying engaged in transformative justice and processing emotionally charged racialized situations without putting labor on People of Color. Facilitated by EmpowR Transformation founder, Rae Carter, space will be held to integrate deeper layers of equity commitments through processing personal antiracism work in community. White Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Belonging (DEIB) facilitators, equity consultants, trauma practitioners, advocates, and educators are encouraged to attend to also cultivate relationship building in movement work. Circles take place on June 8, July 12, August 10, and September 13 from 5:30-8:30 pm. Pre-registration is required.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and his senior staff today again reiterated the reasons why the General Assistance "Hotel/Motel" program serving some 3,000 homeless needs to transition to the next phase. Scott said along with the obvious cost of the program ($8 million a month or about $145 a day per room), the hotel/motel program was instituted to help people stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Without the federal funding the state can not afford to support it as is. As a transition, they have extended eligibility to for the temporary program to include families with children up 18 years old, from 6, along with the pre-pandemic eligibility that will remain in place (disabled, third trimester of pregnancy, and over 65). The clock will be reset and they will receive another 28 days. The other problem, the governor pointed out, is that the hotel/motel program did not offer services nor did it require individuals to seek services. About 800 individuals are scheduled to come off the current program on June 1 and another 2,000 or so will come off July 1. Again, some number of those will be eligible for the extended benefits.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael’s College trustees recently selected Lewis Thayne — a veteran college leader with proven strengths in fundraising, strategic planning, marketing, and enrollment — to serve as interim president. He will start this summer and serve until a formal search process leads to a permanent president sometime in early 2024. Lorraine Sterritt, the Saint Michael’s president for the past five years, has announced her June 30 retirement. Trustees decided that, rather than rush the selection of a permanent new president, they would contract with an organization called The Registry, which offers “senior interim leadership in higher education.”

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, surrounded by numerous community leaders and supporters, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced his intention to bring the appointment of Chief Jon Murad to the Burlington City Council for confirmation at their June 5th meeting. This is the second confirmation attempt. Murad was appointed acting chief in 2020, but Progressives block his confirmation as permanent chief in 2022. This came on the heels of the "defund police" movement, following the murder of George Floyd, and the cutting of police positions in Burlington. Murad's temperament has also been questioned by detractors, especially following an incident with an emergency department doctor at the University of Vermont Medical Center last August. But the composition of the Council swung away from Progressives since that last vote, in part because of the defund movement, and Democrats are in a stronger position. Mayor Weinberger is also lauding Murad's steadfastness and accomplishments over the last few years during what has been a difficult public safety period for the city.