Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $2.98/g, up 1 cents per gallon from last week, down 8 cents/g from last month and down 16 cents/g from a year ago. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.70/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 59.0 cents per gallon. Prices are lowest in Bennington ($2.80/g) and Rutland ($2.88/g) counties and highest in Essex ($3.15/g), Chittenden ($3.06/g), and Grand Isle ($3.07/g), according to AAA. The national average price of gasoline has risen 1 cent per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.85/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Electric Co-op is seeking candidates for the three board of directors’ seats that are up for election this year. VEC’s 12 board members represent towns across the co-op’s service territory and serve four-year terms. “VEC board members have a broad range of perspectives and enjoy learning about and influencing energy issues,” said Rebecca Towne, VEC’s chief executive officer. “If this describes you – and you want to support us in our mission to provide safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity across northern Vermont, we’d love to hear from you.”

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak issued a statement Thursday after the Burlington City Council Democratic Caucus voted unanimously on January 20 to block an advisory question on a homestead tax exemption from appearing on the Town Meeting Day ballot: (Tuesday's) vote by the seven Democratic City Councilors denied Burlington residents a basic democratic tool—the opportunity to weigh in on a well-researched, non-binding policy proposal affecting tax fairness and affordability. The proposal would apply a universal $30,000 homestead exemption to homestead properties in Burlington, reducing their taxable assessed value before the City’s property tax rate is applied. 

Vermont State Police The suspect in a New Year’s Day attack on Ludlow Police Chief Jeffrey Warfle has been extradited to Vermont to face charges. Jaime Gomez, 18, was discharged from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, where he received treatment after Chief Warfle shot him during the 6:15 a.m. encounter Jan. 1, 2026. Gomez was returned to Vermont on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, to face charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted second-degree murder. 

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University will welcome internationally recognized scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur Prof. Utku Buyuksahim, Ph.D., to campus on Friday, Jan. 23, for a special public lecture at 2 p.m. in the Mack Hall Auditorium. The lecture, followed by a Q&A session, is open to students, faculty, staff, and the general public. The event is part of Norwich’s ongoing commitment to bring global thought leaders to campus — individuals whose work bridges disciplines and whose innovations help shape a better, smarter, and more connected world. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released the Vermont Clean Water Initiative 2025 Performance Report. It highlights progress through public investments to improve and protect water quality. By investing over $755 million in clean water projects in the past 10 years (on average, $75 million per year), the State has cut pollution going into Vermont’s waters and achieved over 1/3rd of the pollution reductions needed to achieve Lake Champlain’s cleanup goals.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is reminding anglers of some new rules related to panfish daily bag limits and the sale of angler harvested fish that are now in effect. A new regulation defines “Panfish” as Bluegill, Bullhead, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, and Yellow Perch.  For most waters other than Lake Champlain and the Connecticut River, anglers may only take a total of 50 panfish per day, no more than 25 of which may be Crappies. Daily panfish bag limits have not changed for Lake Champlain, where the daily limit for Crappies is 25, with no limits on the other panfish species.  New Hampshire’s fishing regulations apply on the Connecticut River.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s forests are shaped by the decisions of private landowners, many of whom care deeply about their woods but feel unsure how to plan for the future or start conversations with family. To help meet that need, Vermont Woodlands Association is offering Taking Stock, an online course designed to help forest landowners gain clarity, confidence, and peace of mind about the long-term stewardship of their land. Taking Stock is a supportive, small-group course that guides participants through learning about planning options, reflecting on individual and family goals, and identifying practical next steps related to woodland legacy planning.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) is seeking public input on proposed changes to Vermont’s Use of Public Waters Rules. ANR will host two hybrid public meetings on January 27 and February 4. The public is welcome to provide feedback during these meetings or through written comments. “The Use of Public Waters Rules protects the uses and natural resource values of all public waters for this and future generations,” said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “The proposed changes clarify new wakesports regulations and update language on topics such as petition review. We invite members of the public to share their comments on these proposed changes.” In 2024, Vermont adopted new wakesports regulations that limit wakesports with a wakeboat to the wakesports zones of inland lakes. There are 30 inland lakes where wakesports can occur within a specific wakesports zone.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ – UNB) today announced results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2025, and declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. Consolidated net income for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $2.7 million, or $0.60 per share, compared to $3.0 million, or $0.67 per share, for the same period in 2024 and $11.1 million, or $2.43 per share for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to $8.8 million, or $1.94 per share for the same period in 2024. Earnings for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024, were reduced by the impact of the strategic balance sheet repositioning whereby the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Union Bank, executed the sale of $38.8 million in book value of its lower-yielding available-for-sale debt securities for a pre-tax realized loss of $1.3 million, which was recorded in the third quarter of 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine State Auditor Doug Hoffer released an audit today of the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Service’s (BGS) administration of a program intended to reduce energy use in state-owned buildings. The audit found that state government must re-dedicate itself to saving taxpayer money, and protecting the environment, by reducing unnecessary energy usage. In the last 10 fiscal years (2016-2025), the energy costs in state government buildings have cost taxpayers $137 million. In 2011, the Legislature required state agencies to reduce their energy consumption by 5 percent annually. In 2014, it created the State Energy Management Program (SEMP) to identify and implement energy efficiency projects in State buildings. The SEMP is run by the Energy Office in BGS.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, joined U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Governmental Affairs, and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and a group of Democratic Senators in condemning proposed staffing cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In their letter to Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, the Senators highlight how the Trump Administration’s planned cuts would risk the FEMA's ability to fulfill its mandated duties supporting communities and protecting people’s lives and livelihoods.