Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and members of his cabinet will be in Rutland County on Friday, June 5 for its Capital for a Day 14-county tour. Governor Scott first launched this initiative in June 2018, and he and his cabinet visited all 14 counties over the following 10 months. Capital for a Day gives local constituents, municipal government leaders and other partners the opportunity to connect directly with state leadership and staff. “Spending a day in each county gives us an opportunity to hear directly from Vermonters, see the good things happening in their communities and understand how decisions made in Montpelier are impacting them,” said Governor Scott. “In the past, challenges identified on these visits led us to make historic investments in wastewater systems to support economic growth, strengthen our CTE centers, collaborate on public safety issues and more.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Society of Certified Public Accountants has announced it will merge with the state CPA societies of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island to form one regional organization: New England Society of CPAs, effective July 1, 2026. The regional organization is designed to expand value for members while building a stronger, more sustainable future for the profession. The merger unites five state societies into one member-focused organization that will provide enhanced advocacy, expanded learning opportunities, broader peer networks and increased resources for accounting and finance professionals, their organizations and future talent entering the profession. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University graduated 188 this month from its Level IV registered apprenticeship programs, which the university offers in partnership with the Vermont Department of Labor. Of that total, 133 electricians and 55 plumbers, representing 115 employer sponsors, were recognized at the graduation for having completed all four offered levels of training in their respective trade. Since 1999, Vermont State University (and its predecessor, Vermont Technical College) has partnered with the Vermont Department of Labor to manage the instructional component of the Registered Electrical & Plumbing Apprenticeship programs. Apprentices are required to complete 144 hours of classroom instruction during each of the four years of the apprenticeship for 576 total classroom hours.

Vermont Business Magazine June 2, 2026. The Rural School Community Alliance (RSCA) commends the Vermont legislature’s bipartisan support for local democracy and voluntary school district mergers with its passage of H.955. The RSCA has advocated for this result for the past 18 months: no forced mergers, and let the people decide by a vote of the electorate whether or not to merge into larger school districts. H.955 is a dramatically different result than was initially proposed. The legislature, and the Governor, ultimately listened to the thousands of voices of rural Vermonters who provided Vermont-specific evidence that forced mergers would not save taxpayers’ money, would undermine the vitality of Vermont’s rural towns, and would do a disservice to Vermont’s school-aged children.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health has reported have COVID-19 hospitalizations remain at a negligible level. They are at a similar level to the levels seen last summer. There were no measles cases after one reported in Vermont in February in Washington County and the national outbreak is over. Meanwhile, RSV remains elevated in Montpelier wastewater, while Norovirus some locations, particularly in the Essex Junction sample, persists. Flu B, which was prevalent in Vermont and across the US during the late winter and early spring, has mostly quieted down.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of attorneys general in suing the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) over its unlawful cancellation of a major offshore wind lease off the coast of New York. In March 2026, DOI announced a settlement with TotalEnergies, a French energy company, under which TotalEnergies would cancel its two offshore wind leases in exchange for hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds. In addition, the deal required the company to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in oil and gas projects and pledge not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the United States. Attorney General Clark and the coalition argue in today’s lawsuit that the settlement agreement violates federal law governing offshore wind leases and federal settlement payouts. The coalition is asking the court to block the agreement and restore the leases.

Vermont Business Magazine On Monday, the City of Burlington released its final determinations for a Use-of-Force Review and a Legal Review of compliance with the City’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy (FIPP) related to the presence of the Burlington Police Department at a federal immigration enforcement operation in South Burlington on March 11, 2026. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said in part, "I want to state unequivocally that the dangerous and unlawful actions of ICE agents on March 11, 2026, were shocking and unacceptable. This incident hurt public trust and community wellbeing and caused real fear and pain, especially for our immigrant and refugee neighbors." And, "The City’s Final Use-of-Force Determination is that the four substantive allegations are either exonerated or unfounded, and that the actions of the BPD officers at the incident were objectively reasonable and proportional given the totality of circumstances."

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy on Friday became the first Transportation Secretary in American history to fly in an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL). Secretary Duffy’s historic flight — which marks an important milestone in development of these next generation aircraft — took place at BETA Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BETA) headquarters in Vermont. eVTOLs are aircraft that have the potential to generate new jobs, connect communities, and strengthen American leadership in aviation.

Vermont Business Magazine For years, limited meat processing capacity in Vermont has forced many farmers to sell their livestock out of state. A recent ownership transition at a meat processing plant in North Springfield aims to change that by helping ensure locally raised meats can continue to be processed, packaged, and sold in Vermont. The Vermont Packinghouse (VPH), located at 25 Fairbanks Road in North Springfield, was recently sold in two subsequent transactions to a new ownership group led by longtime food service and distribution leader Louis Helbling. The 50,000-square-foot USDA facility processes and packages beef and pork from small- and medium-sized farms across New England. 

Vermont Business Magazine A potentially life-saving advancement in breast cancer detection is now available close to home at Copley Hospital for people in Northern Vermont. The Critical Access Hospital has added Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM) to its breast care services, making it one of the first hospitals in New England, and one of the very few small community hospitals in the country, to offer this advanced imaging technology. The addition of CEM reflects Copley Hospital's ongoing commitment to bringing high-quality, compassionate care — powered by the latest medical advances — close to home.

by Devon Green, Sr. Vice President of Policy & Strategy, VAHHS The 2025-2026 biennium ended with the fall of a gavel on Friday evening. With the close of those (very) heavy State House doors, a different kind of work begins. Legislators will hit the campaign trails. We here at VAHHS will be working with our members to implement the bills that have passed and prepare policy for next session.

Vermont Business Magazine The inaugural Manchester Food & Wine Festival concluded Memorial Day weekend after an extraordinary celebration of food, wine, spirits, and Vermont hospitality. Festival organizers extend heartfelt thanks to the chefs, restaurants, wineries, distilleries, sponsors, volunteers, and guests who helped make the weekend such a success. Throughout the weekend, attendees enjoyed a diverse lineup of culinary events and one-of-a-kind experiences, showcasing the best of Southern Vermont and beyond. From intimate dinners and tastings to pasture walks and signature gatherings, the festival highlighted Manchester as a premier culinary destination.