Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Sparky and Peggy Potter have announced the sale of Wood & Wood Signs in Waitsfield to 25-year employee, Erik Joslin and his wife Cheryl. He has been a primary fabricator and installer for most of those 25 years and we can't imagine anyone more capable than Erik of taking Wood & Wood Signs into its next chapter. He will lead our super talented team of employees, artists, and makers, many of which have been part of Wood & Wood Signs for decades. I look forward to staying involved during the transition.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) last night took to the Senate floor alongside Democratic colleagues to reaffirm that Congress and the American people stand with President Zelenskyy and will not abandon the people of Ukraine as they defend their country against Russia’s unjust invasion. In his remarks, Senator Welch asked the Senate to agree to a resolution reaffirming the United States’ support for the principle that no country can take another by force or threat of force. Senate Republicans rejected Senator Welch and his colleagues’ resolutions.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) announces the availability of grant funds to expand farm to school and early childhood programming in Vermont. The Farm to School and Early Childhood Vision Grant supports projects that amplify innovative work in individual school communities, strengthen farm to school support services, and reach underserved school and early childhood communities. Schools, school districts, early childhood educators, afterschool programs, and non-profits working in partnership with other organizations in the Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Network, are eligible to apply. $275,000 is available to award and the min/max award range is $10,000 - $60,000. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board is inviting public comment on proposed changes to Vermont’s white-tailed deer, moose and turkey hunting regulations, as well as the rules for transporting wild game meat from out of state. The department will accept public comments on proposed updates through May 25, 2025.

by Rep. Laura H. Sibilia The recent actions of Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and the Vermont Republican Party (VTGOP) reveal a concerning inconsistency. AFP, founded by the Koch brothers and a mouth Sibilia: Addressing the Inconsistencies in AFP and VTGOP's Stance on Energy Policies mouthpiece for Big Oil, is campaigning to repeal Vermont's Act 18 of 2024, the Clean Heat Standard, citing concerns that it will "increase the cost of living," "make it more expensive to heat your home," and "make Vermont less competitive with our neighbors." However, these claims overlook a critical fact: Act 18 is not actually being implemented.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.14 per gallon, down 1 cent/g from last week, unchanged from a month ago and 11 cents down from a year ago. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.84/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 45.0 cents per gallon. The lowest prices in the state were in Rutland ($3.01/g) and Windsor ($3.07/g) counties.

Vermont Business Magazine The American Civil Liberties Union today published an open letter to colleges and universities nationwide urging them to reject any federal pressure to surveil or punish international students and faculty based on constitutionally protected speech. This letter is prompted by two executive orders — Executive Order 14161, titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats” signed on Jan. 20, 2025, and Executive Order 14188, titled “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism,” signed on Jan. 29, 2025 — and related communications from the White House. The guidance is especially timely after a Truth Social post from President Trump threatening to stop federal funding for “any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” and proposing that “agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came.”

by Hannah Fischer, UVM Every day, the United States’ extensive water supply system faces pressure to deliver safe water. Now, University of Vermont (UVM) scientists have invented a new tool using AI to help communities better predict threats to their supply. New research published today by Vermont scientists shows how an already-existing computer system—the federal government’s National Water Model—can be modified, with AI and real-time data from sensors, to go beyond simply forecasting stream flow—to predicting water quality too. To test the tool in real-world conditions, the researchers focused on New York City’s water supply, an ideal testing ground due to the city's extensive network of sensors that monitor water flow and sediment—and the episodic nature of the problem that the NYC water supply faces. 

Vermont Business Magazine Erin Pond, commercial banking officer at Community Bank, was named the 2025 recipient of the Vermont Bankers Association Woman of the Year award at the organization’s annual Women in Leadership conference on March 5. The award recognizes an individual who excels in their profession while going above and beyond in supporting or lifting other women to their full potential through a commitment to mentorship, peer-to-peer exchange, volunteerism or other means of championing women to help them succeed. Pond has dedicated more than 20 years to mentoring women in the banking industry and continues to set new benchmarks for volunteerism at the bank.

Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation Attention non-profits, for-profits, and Chittenden County municipalities! Do you have a project that will support economic growth? The RPP list expresses the highest priority projects for each region that will support job growth and economic development. Projects will be ranked on their readiness, ability to create jobs, and overall community and economic impact. The RPP list will be submitted to the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, which will share it with other state and federal funders who will consider the list when making funding decisions. 

Northeastern Vermont Development Association MERP Implementation Grant funds are rolling out and project development has begun in our region. Please join NVDA for the quarterly NEK Energy Network Meeting March 6 - all energy committees, community organizations and energy partners are welcome! Share best practices, lessons learned and success stories. Hear about the latest energy incentives, rebates and programs available to benefit your community.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department will join partners from the Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative—a working group of fisheries professionals from Vermont as well as the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service— to host a State of the Lake Fisheries meeting on Saturday, March 15. The public meeting is open to anglers and anyone interested in Lake Champlain’s fisheries.  It will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center at 130 Gosse Court, in Burlington Vermont.  Registration is not required.