Current News

Vermont Business Magazine John M Flood and Ariana Flood, far right, of SERVPRO of Bennington and Rutland Counties, recently met with Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) President and CEO Thomas A. Dee, FACHE, and Radiation Oncologist Matthew Vernon, MD, to present the proceeds of SERVPRO’s second Charity Golf Tournament, which was held on Saturday, October 1 at The Mount Anthony Country Club in Bennington. The day included golf, giveaways, contests, hot dogs and hamburgers, drinks, raffle, a silent auction, awards, and heavy hors d'oeuvres. The event raised $8,000 to benefit the Cancer Center.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets As we pull out our 2023 calendar, we reflect on the year that was, and the year to be. Vermont Agriculture continues to grow and adapt. Farmers and all those who help they put food on our table are a creative and resilient force. No matter what 2022 threw at them they were up to the challenge. All were facing inflation and labor issues, but Vermont farmers continued to produce high quality food for our region and the nation. This effort does not happen without a strong commitment from many hands.

by Jeff Wakefield, Vermont Business Magazine Like the rest of Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom bounced back from the depths of the COVID-19 recession reasonably well in 2021. It’s fair to ask: Could the region continue its comeback in 2022, given its small population, long-time economic challenges and a slowdown in pandemic funding? The answer is a yes, and then some, according to economic development officials and civic leaders.

Travel on the Vermonter with a companion at no additional cost

Vermont Business Magazine Customers who are looking to travel with a companion can take advantage of Amtrak’s latest sale, which offers one free companion rail fare on the Vermonter with the purchase of one fare. The sale is valid for travel in coach between New Haven, Conn., and St. Albans, Vt. Customers must use promo code V502 when booking. This sale is valid between Friday, Dec. 23 and Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022 for travel between Sunday, Jan. 1 and Friday, March 31, 2023.

by Sydney Atkins The Vermont Department of Public Service recently released an interactive map of Vermont’s cell phone coverage. The maps uncovered data that a majority of Vermonters already know and experience every day — significant areas across the state do not have mobile voice service. Solving this issue is going to require new and innovative methods and technology. It will also require collaboration across a number of parties throughout Vermont. The rolling Vermont landscape and the dispersed, rural population make it challenging for large cell towers to find locations that are profitable enough to attract carriers to provide service. This challenge is exacerbated by the common desire not to mar the natural beauty of the landscape.

Vermont Business Magazine Winter Storm Elliot, a Bomb Cyclone, slammed Vermont Friday leaving significant damage in its wake. Downed trees across the state caused outages in every county. Icing from the dropping temperatures made roads slick and a new added layer of fresh snow is making for very tricky restoration conditions today. Temperatures are dangerously low with windchills between 10 and 20 degrees below zero.

by John McClaughry One day in 1903 a police officer in Rutland accosted Andrew Rosenthal. We don’t know why he was accosted – whether he was in the act of committing a crime or otherwise attracted attention. In any case he was arrested and cited for “carrying a pistol loaded with powder and bullets, concealed on his person” without written permission from the mayor or chief of police, in violation of a city gun control ordinance. Rosenthal defended himself by pointing out that “said ordinance is illegal, for that, so far as it prohibits the carrying of a pistol, it is repugnant to and inconsistent with the constitution and the laws of this state.”

Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife Vermont 2023 hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses, as well as the 2023 lawbooks for these activities, are now available on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s website and wherever licenses are sold.

Vermont Business Magazine As was expected, Vermont Electric Co-op members have experienced a significant number of outage events over the course of the day. Over 17,200 VEC members were without power at some point during the day which is about equates to approximately 40% of all VEC members. As of mid-afternoon Friday, 6,685 members were restored so far with more restorations planned before nightfall. High winds throughout the day challenged restoration efforts and this continues to be a multi-day event.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College will receive $10 million in congressionally directed spending as part of the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill thanks to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) The funds are intended to support a new STEAM building and capital improvements as the College expands its STEAM programs, including continued growth of Champlain’s renowned cybersecurity and digital forensics programs, focused efforts in health and the bio-life sciences, and preparation for high-tech careers that foster being more human in a digital world.

Vermont Business Magazine Winter Storm Elliot, a Bomb Cyclone, hit Vermont today with fiery winds leading to tens of thousands of outages in every corner of the state. Gusts in some areas to 70 miles-per-hour ripped whole trees from the ground, snapping electrical poles and causing power lines to break. Crews are out in force repairing outages, even as new outages occur. Winds have begun to die down, but several inches of rain have fallen, and temperatures are expected to plummet this afternoon causing widespread flash freezing making travel and restoration extremely dangerous and slow. GMP expects this to be a multi-day restoration effort.

The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) announced Thursday night that an incarcerated individual housed at Northwest State Correctional Facility (NWSCF) in Saint Albans was in critical condition following an assault by another incarcerated individual. The victim of the assault was transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center and was undergoing treatment.