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Mostly cloudy skies. Cold. High 33F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..
Some clouds. A few flurries are possible. Low 23F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: March 28, 2026 @ 8:08 am
Village Garage Distillery’s Matt Cushman, left, and Doug Goble with Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery Wendy Knight at the State House in Montpelier recently. VGD received a House concurrent resolution congratulating the distillery on winning a silver medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Chenaille
Sullivan
Everest
Chenaille
Sullivan
Everest
Village Garage Distillery’s Matt Cushman, left, and Doug Goble with Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery Wendy Knight at the State House in Montpelier recently. VGD received a House concurrent resolution congratulating the distillery on winning a silver medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
AROUND VT
BENNINGTON — The Bank of Bennington Vice President Wendy Chenaille announced plans to retire March 31, after 48 years in banking.
Chenaille began her career in 1978 and established a reputation for professionalism, integrity and commitment to excellence. Over the years, she became a respected leader within the industry, helping shape the growth of The Bank of Bennington while being known for commitment to community service.
She has actively supported and volunteered with local organizations, including Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce, Norshaft Lions Club, Sacred Heart St. Francis School Board, Meals on Wheels, Bennington Rescue Squad, Bennington Rotary, Catamount BMX and Garlic Fest.
WOODSTOCK — Bookstock will hold a celebration of literature May 15 through 17. Planned activities include used book tent sale, children’s program, master classes, Vermont Book Award winners, The Unbound 14 exhibit at Artistree, Bookstock Market on The Green, and Cookstock, a dinner planned by the Woodstock Inn’s Matthew McClure alongside cookbook author Gesine Bullock-Prado.
This year’s partners are Artistree, Sundog Poetry, Vermont Book Awards, Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, and the Woodstock Inn.
MONTPELIER — Campaign for Vermont Prosperity (CFV) announced Elizabeth Brown is joining its advisory council guiding the organization’s work to reconnect everyday Vermonters to their government, promote government transparency and accountability and champion 21st-century policies.
Brown has spent 25 years working for financial services firms, most recently as head of strategy for a national bank. She was a candidate for Vermont House of Representatives in the Washington-Chittenden District in 2024 and former Harwood Unified Union School District school board member.
BURLINGTON — The Vermont Cannabis Convention will be held from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 8, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Doubletree by Hilton in Burlington. Single day tickets and weekend passes are available now at necann.com/vermont or at the door.
The Vermont Cannabis Convention brings together businesses, consumers and advocates for a showcase of products, services and educational programming. The convention is presented by Higher Elevation; additional sponsors include Vermont Federal Credit Union, White River GrowPro, CannaPlanners, Ledyard Bank, Highly Rooted, Magic Mann, Somewhere on the Mountain, and Seven Days.
Attendees will be able to view, smell and vote on their favorite cannabis flower at the inaugural “Best in Show” cannabis competition. The new competition allows exhibitors to submit up to six entries across nine total categories. There is no cost for exhibitors to participate in the Best in Show competition, the first compliant cannabis competition in Vermont to feature licensed cannabis establishments. It comes one year after the failed “Weedchuck Cannabis Cup” which was cancelled by the organizers due to legal concerns.
— Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) has promoted Sara Everest to information technology director, guiding technology investments that support day-to-day operations. In addition to IT operations, she manages vendor partnerships, system planning and implementation, and cybersecurity.
Everest started at VHFA in 2013 as a web developer instrumental in the early development of the agency’s website, modernization of Vermont’s affordable housing datahub, housingdata.org, and numerous technology upgrades.
— Vermont Housing Finance Agency announced the promotion of Deborah Flannery to deputy executive director, a new leadership role created to support the agency’s growth in housing investments and mission impact statewide. Flannery joined VHFA in January 2025 as managing director of community development, where she has overseen development finance and asset management. She will also oversee homebuyer mortgage programs in a program designed to help VHFA finance more homes for low‑ and middle‑income Vermonters while maintaining stewardship of public and private capital.
Flannery brings over 30 years of senior leadership experience in affordable housing and community development across the public, nonprofit and private sectors. Most recently, she served as deputy secretary of the Rhode Island Housing Department. Previously, she was vice president of lending at Evernorth in Burlington, where she led multi‑state CDFI lending operations, launched new lending affiliates, and helped establish the Upper Valley Loan Fund in partnership with regional employers and anchor institutions.
BELLOWS FALLS — The Miss Bellows Falls Diner restoration project features its first Diner Dinner of 2026 on Saturday, April 4, at Bellows Falls Moose Lodge #527, 59 Westminster St. Doors open at 5 p.m., restoration project information update at 5:15 p.m., dinner served buffet style starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at: missbellowsfalls.com, with a limited number at the door.
Diner Dinners are the means by which the volunteer team at Rockingham for Progress can share progress reports on the Miss Bellows Falls Diner restoration project. On Aug. 15 ribs will be offered, and meatloaf on Nov. 7.
The National Park Service, who oversees alterations to buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, has approved the architectural plans submitted last fall for the Miss Bellows Falls restoration. Now RFP and their partners at the Preservation Trust of Vermont need only wait for the Vermont State Historic Preservation Office to give their stamp of approval. As well as restoration of the historic car itself, plans include a new foundation, kitchen area, and required ADA-compliant accessibility, facilities and ramp.
SOUTH BURLINGTON — NorthCountry Federal Credit Union (NorthCountry) announced a $20,000 grant to the Rhino Foods Foundation, of Burlington, in support of the Income Advance program, an employer-sponsored financial wellness initiative that has helped Vermont workers access emergency credit. This new grant continues a partnership dating back to 2007, when Income Advance first began as an innovation created within NorthCountry. Currently, 8-9% of the Vermont workforce has access to the Income Advance program as an employee benefit.
MORRISVILLE — David Silverman, president/CEO of Union Bank of Vermont and New Hampshire, announced Brian Sullivan has joined the bank as senior retail officer.
In this role, Sullivan will be responsible for leading the operations, development and growth of Union Bank’s retail branch banking network. He brings more than 15 years of retail banking leadership; most recently, as chief retail administrative officer at Berkshire Bank. Previously, he held senior retail and community relations leadership roles at Commerce Bank and TD Bank.
Do you have a news item for our Business Briefs? Email it to news@rutlandherald or news@timesargus.com. When submitting photographs, please be sure they are larger than 1MB in a jpg format.
BURLINGTON — The 31st annual Penguin Plunge, presented by Community Bank, was held Saturday, March 14, at the Burlington Waterfront. Over 1,100 people fundraised and plunged into the frigid waters of Lake Champlain to show their support for Special Olympics athletes in Vermont. The Penguin Plunge is the largest fundraising event for Special Olympics Vermont, and this year, over $585,000 was raised to support sports training and competition opportunities across local and school programs, free health screenings, and leadership opportunities for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Vermont.
The Cool Schools Penguin Plunge took place at 11 a.m., with an impressive showing of over 600 plungers, together raising more than $150,000, the most since 2020; leading the way for Cool Schools was the team from Browns River Middle School with 76 plungers raising $20,941. The Burlington Penguin Plunge started at noon, with the Chittenden Chatterers taking the top fundraising team spot for the second year in a row; the 13-member team, made up of Special Olympics athletes, coaches and family members, raised over $29,000.
The Penguin Plunge would not have been possible without the support of presenting partner Community Bank; platinum partners Hotel Champlain, 42TD, Johnson Woolen Mills; gold partners GlobalFoundries, Northfield Savings Bank, Tech Group; silver partners Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Vermont Federal Credit Union, the Office of the Vermont State Treasurer; and bronze partners Bazin Brothers Trucking, Cabot Creamery Co-operative, Dunkin’, Foam Brewers, National Life Group, NBT Bank, Pete’s RV Center, VermontBiz and Vermont Tent Co.
Special Olympics Vermont is appreciative of the support from NDUR for Athletes, Burlington Parks & Recreation, Bourne’s Energy, Myers Container Services, Burlington Telecom, Burlington Fire Department, Sunbelt Rentals, U.S. Coast Guard Station Burlington, Vermont Teddy Bear, G.W. Savage, Folino’s Pizza, Church Street Marketplace, Local Motion, Norwich Cadets, Best Buy, and countless volunteers.
USDA
During Maple Weekend, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Vermont and New Hampshire State Director Patrick Suprunowicz announced two maple syrup producers will receive a total of $390,558 to strengthen their maple syrup businesses. The investments come in the form of Value-Added Producer Grants.
Pumpkin Blossom Farm LLC in Warner, New Hampshire, has received two grants totaling $140,558 to provide capital to support the market expansion of lavender-infused products made with premium, New England-grown lavender.
Runamok Maple LLC in Fairfax has received a grant in the amount of $250,000 to support the production and marketing of three new products: Pumpkin Spice Infused Maple Syrup, Vanilla Bean Infused Maple Syrup, and a WhistlePig Rye Whiskey Barrel-aged Maple Syrup Gift Box. An estimated three new jobs will be added because of this project.
VGD
BENNINGTON — On March 18, Village Garage Distillery’s founder Matt Cushman, director of sales Douglas Goble, and head of marketing Tom Remp were in attendance at the Vermont State House for the reading of H.C.R.187, a House concurrent resolution congratulating VGD on “winning a silver medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Bonfire … a smoked maple bourbon.” Village Bonfire is available in 802Spirits stores across Vermont, select stores in New York and Massachusetts, and online through villagegarage.com.
It is considered a major achievement for a small craft distillery in Vermont to win silver at this competition. Village Garage Distillery’s product lineup also includes high-rye Village Bourbon, Village Rye, Village Vodka, and Village House Gin.
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Chenaille
Sullivan
Everest
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