Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Lottery and the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) expect Saturday’s Powerball jackpot to hit $1.50 billion, with an estimated cash value of $686.5 million, making it the 5th largest Powerball jackpot ever. This marks only the second time in Powerball history that the game has produced back-to-back jackpots exceeding $1 billion. Powerball jackpot winners may choose to receive their prize as an annuity or a lump sum payment (cash option). Both advertised prize options are prior to federal and jurisdictional taxes. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold.

Vermont Business Magazine In the wake of the horrific antisemitic attack this week in Sydney that killed 15 Jews, Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), and Maxwell Frost (FL-10) have introduced the Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act (ARPA). This comprehensive strategy to combating antisemitism supports the Biden administration’s landmark U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, including its approach to defining antisemitism. ARPA also fully funds the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education, reverses the Trump closure of regional offices, prevents regional offices from being closed in the future, and creates greater congressional oversight over the work of the Department. Additionally, ARPA mandates the designation of a Title VI coordinator on every college campus in order to provide students with additional resources to report hate incidents if they occur, while working to prevent antisemitism and other hate on campus.  

Vermont State Police On December 18, 2025, at approximately 00:14 hours, Vermont State Police were dispatched to a single vehicle crash in the area of I-89 Northbound near mile marker 95 in the town of Colchester.  Troopers arrived on scene and identified the operator as Mason Vieta (27) of Franklin.  Preliminary investigation revealed Vieta was traveling northbound on Interstate 89 when his vehicle left the roadway into the median, disabling it.

Vermont Business Magazine In partnership with the Vermont Department of Health, Valley Vista has opened 27 new residential treatment beds at its Vergennes facility, marking a significant expansion of the state’s system of care for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorder. The expansion significantly increases the availability of low-level substance use treatment in residential settings, such as group homes. These facilities offer 24-hour care, structured programming and a safe, stable environment for people who need ongoing recovery support.

Vermont Business Magazine JD Power’s annual national survey of utility customers places Green Mountain Power (GMP) first among midsize utilities in the East Region for customer satisfaction.  The survey of 127,000 customers nationwide focuses on utility reliability, cost, and customer service. “Study data shows that customers expect their utilities to deliver reliable service, provide easy access to information and frequent updates on outages and planned restoration. When utilities streamline billing and digital self‑service, and deliver timely outage alerts, satisfaction rises even in a cost‑pressured environment.”

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.08 per gallon, down 2 cents per gallon from last week, down 4 cents/g from last month and down 3 cents/g from last year, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.77/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 52.0 cents per gallon. Prices are lowest in Bennington ($2.91/g) and Rutland ($2.97/g) counties and highest in Lamoille ($3.17/g), Chittenden ($3.16/g), and Washington ($3.16/g). The national average price of gasoline has fallen 5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.89/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, this week joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the Senate Aging Committee, and 14 Democratic Senators in introducing the Seniors Deserve SMARTER (Streamlined Medical Approvals for Timely, Efficient Recovery) Care Act, bicameral legislation to prohibit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from implementing the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model that is set to begin January 1, 2026, and last for six years.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has announced that Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak will join Jack Crivici-Kramer, co-host of the nationally celebrated business podcast The Best One Yet, as keynote speakers at the 2026 Vermont Economic Conference, Vermont’s premier economic event. The conference will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at Hotel Champlain in Burlington. In a fast-paced keynote conversation titled Finance, Storytelling, and the Forces Shaping the Economy, Pieciak and Crivici-Kramer will explore the economic forces influencing Vermont and the broader national landscape.

The Vermont State Police is investigating after a multi-vehicle crash closed Interstate 89’s southbound lanes from Richmond to Bolton on Wednesday evening, Dec. 17, 2025. Preliminary investigation indicates the crash occurred at about 5:40 p.m. and involved a wrong-way driver and a tractor-trailer unit, in addition to other vehicles. There is at least one fatality. The interstate ws closed southbound at Exit 11, the Richmond exit, and traffic was diverted. The highway was reopened just after 11 pm Wednesday.

by Mike Donoghue The Burlington School District has agreed to a nearly $500,000 out-of-court settlement with former High School Athletic Director Jeanne Hulsen, who lost her job five years ago. Hulsen filed an equal pay violation lawsuit in U.S. District Court in November 2020 claiming she was cut loose from her high school job when the position was redefined and a younger man was hired at a substantially higher pay rate for the new post in August 2020. Under the settlement Hulsen will be paid $295,000 in lost wages, according to records obtained by Vermont News First through Vermont's Public Records Law. The payment covers claims for accrued sick time, vacation time, retirement and other benefits, the 4-page signed agreement notes. Hulsen's lawyer will receive a separate check for $180,000 for legal fees and costs, records show.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, BETA Technologies (NYSE: BETA) joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy as the Administration unveiled a new strategy to accelerate the rollout of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) across America. The Advanced Air Mobility National Strategy: A Bold Policy Vision for 2026–2036 signals a clear and coordinated commitment to accelerate the development and deployment of BETA’s AAM aircraft and systems. The plan seeks to leverage existing infrastructure, modernize air traffic management, prioritize U.S. manufacturing, and develop a domestic workforce to meaningfully scale AAM operations in the United States.

Vermont Business Magazine The Nature Conservancy in Vermont (TNC) has announced the conservation of 190 acres of land in Pawlet, Vermont, expanding TNC’s North Pawlet Hills Natural Area to nearly 1,600 acres. This acquisition marks TNC’s eighth conservation project in the area and continues a decade-long effort to protect a beloved hiking area and one of Vermont’s most ecologically diverse landscapes. The North Pawlet Hills are defined by Haystack, Middle, and Bald Mountains, known as “The Three Sisters”, and four smaller hills, forming a striking cluster of forested peaks in the northern Taconic Mountains.