Current News

VermontBiz New research has revealed the best states for business growth, with Georgia taking the top spot. 

Business consulting firm Venture Smarter analyzed data from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics to discover the business growth rate in each state based on the number of establishments in December 2021 compared to December 2022. 

VermontBiz Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement:

“Twenty-two years ago, our nation would change forever, as we lost nearly 3,000 innocent American lives to heinous acts of terror. Today, we honor and  remember those we lost, and the loved ones who were left behind with a void that can never be filled.

VermontBiz Becoming a homeowner is a goal of many, but with the sharp and steady rise of Vermont home prices, what used to be a challenge to attain has been pushed even further out of reach for low to middle-income Vermonters.  A Shared Equity homeownership program, such as the one offered through Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, can bridge that divide and create a path to homeownership for many who otherwise would never have the opportunity. 

VermontBiz The Vermont Department of Corrections today announced the death of a detainee at Northwest State Correctional Facility (NWSCF) in St. Albans, VT. 

Jeffery Nichols, 35, of Enosburg, VT, was found unresponsive early Sunday morning in a cell in the booking area of NWSCF. Department and medical staff immediately began life-saving measures and called for emergency medical services (EMS). Life-saving efforts, including CPR and multiple administrations of Narcan, were unsuccessful. 

VermontBiz A record number of union delegates – 153 in total – gathered at Jay Peak resort this past weekend and elected Katie Harris, Ellen Kaye, and Danielle Bombardier as the the next leaders of the largest labor federation in this state: the Vermont State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. It was a test of the Labor Council's Ten Point Program and cross-union reform caucus, United, which has won every election since winning its first in 2019. It was also a chance for workers across Vermont to come together, get to know each other better, and raise a glass to the working-class – all while democratically debating what workers need to do to build power.

VermontBiz The National Park Service awarded $2 million in maritime heritage grants to assist twelve projects in nine states. Vermont was granted $30,000 for the documentation of the canal boat history of Lake Champlain. The grants are provided in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s maritime Administration (MARAD) for education programs and projects that preserve sites and objects related to our nation’s maritime history. The program does not use federal tax dollars and instead is funded by recycling vessels from the MARAD’s National Defense Reserve Fleet.

VermontBiz Average gasoline prices in Burlington have risen 1.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.84/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 100 stations in Burlington. Prices in Burlington are 2.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 3.0 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 0.9 cents in the last week and stands at $4.426 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Burlington was priced at $3.69/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.89/g, a difference of 20.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.59/g while the highest was $3.99/g, a difference of 40.0 cents per gallon.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets The first round of Working Lands Enterprise Initiative applications for fiscal year 2024 is open! The Working Lands Enterprise Board has released two requests for applications (RFAs) for Vermont working lands service provider organizations and producer associations to invest in projects focused on governance and leadership and building workforce development and executive business skills. Please read the RFAs to learn about the application process and review the application questions. The application portal is open from September 6th through October 16th.  

VermontBiz Billed as a wonderful spot for outdoor adventurists, Franklin County sits on the northwestern tip of the state. It borders Quebec and is less than an hour from New York state. The county has a long history of agriculture. It still produces a great deal of milk and maple syrup, but has several other industries too.

One of these is tourism. Another is manufacturing. Small retailers and specialty food establishments along with health care round out the area’s business landscape. 

The largest employer is the county’s hospital, Northwestern Medical Center, followed by pharmaceutical manufacturer Viatris, Ben & Jerry’s, chocolate producer Barry Callebaut, and men’s and boys’ clothing manufacturer Peerless Clothing. All reside in the county seat, St. Albans. 

Vermont Business Magazine You might say Amanda Farrell and Peter Shangraw are all leathered up and ready to go. The co-owners of Bergamot + Amor, a high-end leather goods company based in Williamstown, have rocketed to success faster than even they could have imagined. The idea for the company, which produces made-in-Vermont bags and gear using U.S.-sourced boot leather, was conceived shortly after Farrell was laid off from her marketing job in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

VermiontBiz The Vermont State Police responded to a crash with property damage on Twitchell Hill Road in the Town of Shaftsbury. Investigation revealed a motor vehicle had failed to maintain lanes for travel, where the vehicle collided with two mailboxes, continued through people’s front yards, and left the scene. The operator of the motor vehicle failed to stop and report the incident to the State Police.

VermontBiz The Vermont State Police is investigating the death of a man who had been jailed at Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans. The man, a 35-year-old resident of Vermont, became unresponsive in the booking area at the facility at about 6:32 a.m. Sunday, September 10, 2023. Corrections staff provided emergency medical care and called first responders to the prison. Lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, and the inmate was pronounced dead at Northwest State at 6:49 a.m. Sunday.