Current News

Vermont Business Magazine BBF applauds Governor Scott and Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak for their detailed short-term action plan to help address the challenges facing the City of Burlington. This is a timely development and BBF supports the recommendations laid out today. This collaborative effort between the state and our city government is exactly what we need right now to move forward in a productive and meaningful way. We look forward to working with Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak and her team, as well as the City Council, to help implement these recommendations as soon as possible. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor, in partnership with the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC), is proud to announce Vermont Aerospace Industries’ and Weidmann Electrical Technology’s launch of Registered Apprenticeship programs that combine paid on-the-job training with technical instruction and support from experienced mentors. These programs aid in developing a skilled workforce, allowing Vermonter’s located in the Northeast Kingdom to earn a well-paying salary while they grow their skill set. 

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) is now accepting applications for the Business Enhancement Grant. This grant is open to Vermont working lands businesses/organizations, which include farms producing food and fiber, as well as forest products businesses. Some food businesses/organizations, as well as agriculture or wood processing and/or distribution businesses can be eligible if they meet certain requirements for local sourcing of raw ingredients or product. Eligible project types include infrastructure, equipment, marketing, research and development, and workforce training and development. Applicants can apply for grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. There is no match requirement for this grant.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront (BPRW), in partnership with the Burlington Bike Park Coalition (BBPC) and the Fellowship of the Wheel (FOTW), are proud to announce the completion of the first phase of the Burlington Bike Park, located at Leddy Park in the City's New North End. After years of careful planning, Phase 1 was completed thanks to a substantial grant from the State of Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) program managed by the Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation. BBPC and FOTW provided technical support, outreach, and volunteer labor throughout the bike park’s planning and construction. The BBPC plans to continue fundraising for future phases of the Burlington Bike Park, which would include more advanced trails, additional features, and a paved pump track. 

by Sarah Bokelberg, Community News Service Hinesburg has been working to increase availability of local, affordable housing in the past few years. The town has recently added more homes with a second phase in the Kelley’s Field senior housing community, with plans for nearly 200 more units at the Haystack Crossing development, which received state Act 250 approval in 2024. Discussion is also underway regarding the Windy Ridge development, a 90-unit project with 60 affordable units in partnership with Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity. The nonprofit Habitat is also proposing a six-unit development on Mechanicsville Road. After nearly 20 years of work, the Hinesburg Affordable Housing Committee is making progress.

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of October 27, 2025. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.    

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Dear Fellow Vermonter. Earlier this month, I wrote to you about Vermont’s housing crisis and asked you to share your thoughts about how this crisis is affecting you. You had a LOT to say! Clearly, this is an issue that is impacting tens of thousands of Vermonters. And, by the way, the high cost of housing is an issue in virtually every state in the country. In my view, instead of giving $1 trillion in tax breaks to the one percent, we should be building millions of units of low income and affordable housing that Vermonters and people all over this nation desperately need. This is a major priority for my office.

Vermont Business Magazine Interior designer Ann Shriver Sargent—whose work has helped shape the look and feel of New England living for more than three decades—has been named a 2025 inductee into the New England Design Hall of Fame. Sargent will be formally inducted at the annual gala on November 6, 2025, at Boston’s SoWa Power Station. The New England Design Hall of Fame is the region’s most prestigious design industry honor. It celebrates a select group of architects, interior designers, landscape designers, builders, and specialists whose careers have shaped the field through exceptional work and community impact. It’s a fitting recognition for Sargent, whose own work has long reflected those same values. 

Vermont Business Magazine Ben & Jerry's fans can recognize the smell of freshly baked, hand-rolled waffle cones from a mile away. Just one visit to a Scoop Shop, and you'll experience there's just no ice cream cone that can compete. This fall, these waffle cones will help raise funds and awareness for Migrant Justice, a farmworker-led human rights organization. From October 21 through November 4, Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops across the country will participate in the "Waffle Lotta Good" program, an annual initiative supporting social justice organizations.

Vermont Business Magazine VBSR’s annual Legislative Breakfast will be held November 6. This year, they're taking a closer look at the future of Vermont’s healthcare system, and the policies shaping it. You'll hear from guest speakers, including: Stephen Leffler, MD, President & Chief Operating Officer, University of Vermont Medical Center; Robin Lunge, JD, MHCDS, Healthcare & Immigration Policy Lead, Office of U.S. Senator Peter Welch; Christopher Pearson, Board Member, Vermont Healthcare 911; Lisa Ventriss, MPA, Co-Chair, Vermont Healthcare 911 Leadership Council. VBSR will also recognize Senator Alison Hudnut Clarkson as the VBSR Legislator of the Year.

Vermont State Police The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, performed an autopsy on the individual whose body was found Thursday afternoon in Middlebury. The autopsy confirmed the woman’s identity as Lia Smith, 21, of Woodside, California, who was reported missing Sunday from the Middlebury College campus. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Smoke & Cure of Hinesburg has announced that its Hot & Spicy Turkey Stick has been named the winner in the Alternative Snacks: Meat Snacks category of the 2025 Convenience Store News Best New Product Awards. This recognition underscores the company's no-compromise approach to crafting high-quality, flavorful meat snacks that offer a protein-forward snacking option for on-the-go lifestyles. The annual Best New Product Awards recognize innovation and excellence across convenience retail. Products are judged by a panel of consumers who evaluate entries based on six key criteria: taste, value, convenience, ingredients, packaging, and appearance. Vermont Smoke & Cure’s Hot & Spicy Turkey Sticks stood out for delivering bold flavor and better-for-you snacking in a convenient, portable format.