Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University announced today that it will host its second annual Amazon Web Services (AWS) Business Case Competition. The event, which is presented by the Norwich University School of Business, will take place on March 30, 2023, where teams of Norwich students will compete and present their work to a panel of judges featuring representatives from AWS. This year’s AWS Business Case will focus on Autonomous Vehicles, Electric Vehicles and Sustainability within Automotive Manufacturing. Winners will be announced at a formal awards ceremony that will take place on the Norwich campus at the Plumley Armory from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., featuring a keynote presentation by Lieutenant Governor of the State of Vermont, David Zuckerman, as well as remarks from AWS Director of Professional Services for Industrials and Norwich class of ‘94 graduate, Jon Allen.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont’s graduating medical students are among a record-breaking 43,000* future physicians participating in the National Resident Matching Program’s (NRMP) 2023 Main Residency Match®, the results of which will be revealed on Match Day on Friday, March 17. The UVM Larner College of Medicine’s festivities will take place in the Hoehl Gallery in the Health Science Research Facility beginning at about 11:30 am, with match announcements beginning at noon. UVM’s Match Day event was virtual in 2020 and 2021 and took place in-person at UVM’s Davis Center in 2022. This is the first time since 2019 that the event has taken place on-site at the College of Medicine. Features include a bagpiper-led parade of medical students, short remarks, and students opening their Match envelopes and/or announcing their Match results on stage.

The Vermont State Police has arrested a suspect on murder and other charges in connection with the November fatal shooting in Rutland of Jonathan Naranjo, 26, of Brooklyn, New York. Investigation by VSP following the Nov. 7 homicide identified the shooter as Trayvon Kisling, 18, of Staten Island, New York. Police obtained an arrest warrant for Kisling, and investigators learned earlier this month that Kisling was likely in Vermont. Shortly after noon Wednesday, March 15, 2023, the state police conducted an operation to arrest Kisling. He was located inside a vehicle at a Shell gas station and convenience store in Brandon and taken into custody by members of the Vermont State Police’s Tactical Services Unit. The operation was supported by members of the Vermont Drug Task Force; VSP’s Criminal Field Force divisions, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. No one was injured.

Vermont Business Magazine VermontBiz The owners of Keene Perspectives in Hartford are the 2023 Vermont Small Business Persons of the Year. Chris and Cortney Keene are recognized by the US Small Business Administration for their company’s employment growth, expansion, and community-oriented mission.

"We are in complete shock to be totally honest. We're so proud of the recognition this brings to our amazing team full of passionate and dedicated professionals and to the larger field of behavior analysis. This wouldn't be remotely possible without their tremendous efforts. We're also so thankful for all of the families, school teams, and our local community for putting their trust in us every day,” said Cortney and Chris Keene.

VermontBiz U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) joined Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), along with 16 of their colleagues late Monday in sending letters to seven of the nation’s largest retail pharmacies urging them to provide the strongest possible legal access to mifepristone for patients—and communicate clearly about their plans and policies. In the letters, the Senators request more information about the companies’ plans to provide customers access to mifepristone and underscore the importance of ensuring patients are able to get the safe and effective FDA-approved drug.

VermontBiz The University of Vermont held a groundbreaking ceremony today for a new housing development, Catamount Run, to be constructed in South Burlington’s City Center in partnership with The Braverman Company and Snyder Homes.

Catamount Run will add more than 550 total beds – primarily for graduate students, faculty, and staff – to UVM’s housing options. Phase I of the project will involve the completion of roughly half the units (well over 250 beds) by next summer, with the additional units being finished and ready for occupancy by Fall 2025.

“We are excited to break ground on this important project for our students and employees, adding much-needed housing to the area,” UVM President Suresh Garimella said. “We want to sincerely thank our partners on Catamount Run, and the City of South Burlington for its foresight in developing City Center with such a strong focus on housing.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), will hold a hearing next Wednesday, March 22 at 10 a.m. ET entitled, “Taxpayers Paid Billions For It: So Why Would Moderna Consider Quadrupling the Price of the COVID Vaccine?” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel – who became a billionaire during the pandemic after U.S. taxpayers gave his company billions of dollars to research, develop, and distribute its COVID-19 vaccine – has agreed to appear, and a panel of experts will also give testimony. Following the invitation for Bancel to testify and urging by Sanders for Moderna to refrain from more than quadrupling the price of its COVID-19 vaccine – to as much as $130 while it costs just $2.85 to manufacture – Moderna announced a new “patient assistance program” to provide free vaccines to uninsured Americans.

Vermont Business Magazine Traffic fatalities are up 90% in Vermont, and many of those crashes involve alcohol. QuoteWizard by LendingTree analysts found that alcohol was involved in 34% of fatal crashes in Vermont (the US average is 35%). Montana is highest and Utah is lowest. Vermont ranks 6th highest in DUIs per capita (North Dakota highest, Delaware lowest). The penalties for a DUI in Vermont are among the most severe in the nation. Key Findings: 21% of crashes in Vermont involved someone severely impaired; 57 DUI arrests in Vermont were made per 10k registered drivers; Fatal crashes are up 18% nationwide since 2020.

Vermont Business Magazine Age Well announced that it is joining the 21st annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meal on Wheels and our aging neighbors who rely on the vital service to remain health and independent at home. “Age Well is a lifeline for older adults in Northwestern Vermont and the need is rapidly increasing,” said Sara Wool, Director of Development. "Without Meals on Wheels, thousands of older adults in the Northwestern Vermont who are homebound or otherwise unable to provide for themselves would be at risk of hunger and malnutrition," Wool says. “Together, we can keep our older neighbors healthy and at home, where they want to be. Age Well’s Meals on Wheels program relies on generous support from community members, local businesses, organizations, and volunteers to provide this important service.”

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is expanding its field force even further Wednesday, as crews continue making progress restoring power as snow continues to fall and conditions remain challenging. So far, more than 59,000 customers have been restored, with 24,000 left to go. Adding to difficulties in the field, crews face time consuming challenges working with local first responders in clearing roads from downed trees and lines, as the regionwide storm continues to dump cement-like snow even today. Forecasters have extended wind advisories and the winter storm warnings into this afternoon for some of the hardest hit areas of Vermont, which could cause additional outages and continued dangerous travel conditions. Windsor and Windham counties were especially hit hard.