Current News

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways throughout Vermont for the week of May 8, 2023. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it. In addition to the list, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) announced Friday the closure of the U.S. 4 Bridge #33 over the Ottauquechee River along U.S. Route 4 between East Mountain Road and Mission Farm Road near the Skyeship Gondola, as part of the Killington U.S. 4 Bridge #33 Replacement Project. VTrans will be shifting traffic onto a temporary roadway and bridge constructed to carry vehicles over the Ottauquechee River during the closure period.

Vermont Business Magazine Stowe Area Association (SAA) celebrates the travel and tourism industry during National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) from May 7-13, an annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry. The theme for this year's NTTW “Travel Forward” will spotlight the essential role that travel plays in driving economic growth and innovation. Celebrated annually the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to elevate the economic power of travel in the U.S. The 40th annual NTTW is a chance to celebrate and highlight those who make our industry what it is: business owners, town leadership, our visitors, and our community.

Every summer at Marlboro Music, an international, multi-generational community forms anew, comprised of some 80 professional musicians, as well as staff members, spouses, and children. For seven decades, it has been Marlboro's mission to mentor emerging artists, to provide nearly unlimited rehearsal time and artistic freedom, and to create a nurturing community with a joyful and loving spirit, surrounded by the verdant beauty of Southern Vermont. Known worldwide as an institution devoted to artistic excellence and to developing new leaders who illuminate all areas of music, Marlboro is where the concept of having master artists play together with exceptional young professionals was born—initiating a dynamic, collaborative approach to learning. Under the artistic direction of pianists Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss, the artists form more than 60 chamber music ensembles each week, working together intensively for seven weeks from late June until mid August.

Leonine Public Affairs House Speaker Jill Krowinski and other House leaders announced their intention on Thursday to form a special committee to investigate the conduct of two Vermont elected officials. Democratic Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie is facing allegations of harassment and discrimination in his office. Republican Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore is facing charges for assaulting a person in custody last year. The impeachment process is very rare in Vermont, and the announcement that the House will move forward with an investigation adds an unexpected spin to the end of the 2023 legislative session. According to an analysis by House Clerk BetsyAnn Wrask, the last time the General Assembly conducted impeachment proceedings was in 1976, when the House impeached Washington County Sheriff Malcolm Mayo for multiple infractions, including allegedly falsifying records and assaulting someone in the Thrush Tavern in Montpelier.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has a rich tradition of community engagement with public land management. Recreation trails within our state parks and forests would not be the resource many enjoy without the efforts of countless non-profit organizations and volunteers. With over 250 miles of trails in Orange, Washington, and Lamoille counties, the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation’s (FPR) is seeking the public’s support in maintaining trails. Currently, over 43 miles do not have a trail maintainer to support general trail maintenance. The trails available to help are primarily in Little River State Park, Elmore State Park, the Worcester Range, and Spruce Mountain. Trail maintainers are asked, at minimum, to visit their trail twice a season - spring and fall.

Vermont Business Magazine When you're tired of #adulting, Ben & Jerry's newest pint flavor is a sure thing to bring you back to simpler times spent sipping from the hose, mowing lawns for money and summer skies full of stars. Say hello to Ice Cream Sammie, inspired by the classic ice cream sandwich of your youth, and, there's a "no sticky fingers guarantee" at no extra charge. The flavor focuses on the simple vanilla and chocolate combination of the classic ice cream sandwich. It features Ben & Jerry's rich and creamy vanilla ice cream with chocolate sandwich cookies and chocolate cookie swirls.

Vermont Business Magazine Lawson’s Finest Liquids, the Vermont craft brewery with a commitment to quality and sustainability, is expanding its lineup and bringing 19.2 oz cans of its flagship, award-winning Sip of Sunshine to coolers across the Northeast ahead of the summer holidays. Lawson’s Finest’s flagship Sip of Sunshine (8% ABV) is a lupulin-laden India Pale Ale packed with juicy tropical fruit character, bright floral aromas and delectable layers of hop flavor. Fans can find this tropical vacation in a can in a new grab-and-go format at convenience stores, grocers, and entertainment venues throughout Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

Vermont Business Magazine Earlier this week, The Vermont Flannel Co. announced the grand opening of their permanent location at 96 Depot St. in Manchester, Vermont. A week-long celebration is taking place from Saturday, May 6 through Saturday, May 13, culminating with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, May 12, and a Sip & Shop experience on Saturday, May 13. The press and public are invited to celebrate the occasion and to experience the beautiful new store for an authentic Vermont Flannel experience. Through Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14, customers can take 10% off Stadium Blanket purchases in-store with code MOMSDAY10. The ribbon cutting ceremony, hosted in partnership with the Southwestern Chamber of Commerce and Manchester Business Association, will begin on Friday the 12th at 5:30 pm. Smugglers’ Notch Distillery will be offering tastings of their Vermont-made spirits. Light appetizers and refreshments will be served.

Vermont Natural Resources Council A coalition of business, environmental, and equity-focused organizations today called on the Vermont Legislature to override Governor Phil Scott’s veto of S.5, the Affordable Heat Act. This veto comes right on the heels of the Scott Administration’s release of the latest Vermont Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Forecast. This report projects Vermont will miss its legally required 2030 emissions reductions by nearly two thirds. The data shows the largest portion of that shortfall will be driven by a lack of action in the thermal sector — one of the central components of the Affordable Heat Act.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Universal School Meals bill has reached another essential milestone toward being enacted, with the Senate giving preliminary approval to the bill with a voice vote Friday. If enacted, H.165 will continue access for more than 80,000 students to school breakfast and lunch, at no charge to their families. According to the Vermont Agency of Education, an average of 38 percent of students across all supervisory unions during the 2019–2020 school 12 year qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. The bill now returns to the House for final approval before heading to the desk of Governor Phil Scott.