Vermont Business Magazine The Working Lands program continues to increase its historic funding for those who make their living off the land. This May, the Program awarded $3.1 million in grants that will help grow agriculture and small businesses in Vermont with new Supply Chain and Market Level Impact specific grants to leverage supply chain partnerships at a significant scale of up to $250K per award. This round of funding, coupled with the $2.1 million in grants awarded this January reaches all segments of Vermont working lands sectors, addressing meat slaughter and processing bottlenecks, supply chain resiliency, marketing plans and overall business development. 

Vermont State Police The investigation into this afternoon’s shooting in Springfield is continuing. The victim is identified as Todd Amell, 50, a resident of Valley Street in Springfield. He was shot in one of his legs, taken by ambulance to the hospital, treated and released. Investigators believe the shooting was not random and involved individuals who are known to one another. The people who were detained during the initial stages of the investigation have been released.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and Vermont Advisory Council on Historic Preservation have announced the 2022 Barn Preservation grant awardees. The 22 grants, totaling $299,325 were awarded to municipalities, non-profit organizations, and private barn owners in 11 Vermont counties to repair and rehabilitate agricultural landmarks. Grants ranged from $2,830 to $15,000 each.

by Jeff Tieman and Devon Green For the entirety of the legislative session, VAHHS has been engaged in an important health reform discussion. Vermont has long been committed to innovative health reform and has made real progress in this space, often adopting policies other states later replicate. Unfortunately, this is not the case now, as legislators insist on passing a “hospital sustainability” bill that is extremely expensive without offering clear value to Vermonters.

Vermont State Police The man who was shot early Saturday morning in Highgate was pronounced dead Sunday afternoon, May 8, 2022, at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. He is identified as Logan Pratt, 33, of Swanton. Sunday night, the Vermont State Police arrested Joshua LaFromboise, 29, of Highgate on suspicion of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. LaFromboise is a resident of the home at 4757 U.S. Route 7 where the incident began. Police believe the shooting was drug-related.