Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Central & Main, a new 25-unit affordable housing development in downtown Windsor, has been recognized with a Best Builders Award by the Associated General Contractors of Vermont. The award was presented to project builder and AGC/VT member Neagley & Chase Construction at the organization’s annual awards ceremony on December 3 in Burlington. Central & Main won in the category of New Green Construction. Developed by Windham & Windsor Housing Trust in partnership with Evernorth, and designed by Duncan Wisniewski Architecture, Central & Main brings highly efficient, thoughtfully designed affordable housing to a long-vacant lot at 133 Main Street.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermonters prepare for colder weather, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is urging drivers to switch off their engine to limit unnecessary idling. Idling vehicles impact our health, climate, and environment by causing excess engine wear, wasting fuel and money, and polluting the air. If every gasoline- and diesel-powered car and truck in Vermont reduced unnecessary idling by one minute per day over one year, Vermonters would save over one million gallons of fuel and more than $3.8 million in fuel costs as well as contribute to cutting carbon dioxide emissions by more than 10,000 metric tons.

Vermont Business Magazine The 2026 Vermont Watershed Grants Program is now accepting applications for projects that protect, restore and enhance the state's lakes, streams, rivers, and ponds, including Vermonters’ ability to understand and enjoy these treasures.  Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday February 4, 2026. Program grants are available to municipalities, local and regional government agencies, sporting clubs, non-profit organizations, and water-related citizen groups.  Projects that seek to directly protect or restore fish and aquatic wildlife habitat are strongly encouraged.  Examples of past funded projects include streamside vegetation restoration the removal of old dams and replacement of culverts to improve fish passage.

Vermont Business Magazine The Upper Valley Trails Alliance (UVTA) is proud to welcome four new members to its Board of Directors: Kevin Donohue of Thetford, Suzanne Dudley-Schon of Hanover, Jon Hampton of Norwich, and Bob Hedges of Orford. Together, they bring diverse professional expertise, decades of nonprofit leadership experience, and a deep commitment to outdoor access and community stewardship. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Frank Merrick, 83, of Wilmington, Vermont, was arraigned on two counts of felony Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). The charges brought against Mr. Merrick are the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), in collaboration with the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice. Merrick pleaded not guilty at the arraignment today in Vermont Superior Court, Windham Criminal Division. The Court, Judge Michael Kainen presiding, ordered Merrick held on $10,000 bai

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Electric Department (BED) today announced that the Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC) has approved its request to expand its Energy Assistance Program (EAP) to allow for enrollment of BED customers that are non-profit housing organizations that provide affordable housing or temporary shelter housing to individuals who meet the EAP income eligibility threshold at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. The program requires that the housing entities receiving 12.5 percent electric bill discounts will pass along the benefits to their residents. Further, income-eligible net metering customers now may enroll in the EAP due to resolution of a billing system challenge.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that Vermont and 35 other states have reached a settlement with automobile manufacturers Hyundai and Kia for their sale of millions of vehicles nationwide that lacked industry-standard, anti-theft technology. Under the settlement, Hyundai and Kia have agreed to install free zinc-reinforced ignition-cylinder protectors, provide restitution to eligible consumers whose vehicles were damaged by theft, and pay approximately $60,000 to the State of Vermont. The manufacturers have also committed to equipping all future vehicles sold in the United States with this technology.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Governor Scott and Treasurer Pieciak announced that the State will be mailing Vermonters a check for their unclaimed property this holiday season. The MoneyBack program is an annual effort between the Treasurer’s Office and the Administration to proactively return unclaimed property to Vermonters whose identity and address can be verified by shareable Tax Department data. This year, the program will return over $150,000 to over 1,000 Vermonters with claims ranging from $100 to $250. The average amount returned is about $150.  

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) today voted against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and released the following statement: “This defense funding bill perpetuates the status quo. Congress is, once again, sinking taxpayer dollars into the Pentagon’s bloated budget, and neglecting to modernize and adapt to 21st century warfare. This bill does little to rein in the Trump Administration’s reckless efforts to politicize the military here in America or restrict his use of force abroad. I offered amendments to the Senate’s bill and worked with my colleagues to improve it, but ultimately Congressional Republicans advanced a bill I cannot support."

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Association of Area Agencies on Aging (V4A) directors today announce the dissolution of V4A. Executive Director, Mary Hayden will retire at the end of 2025. Much of the work of the V4A will be integrated into the new Vermont Aging Network Consortium (VANC), along with remaining staff. This integration will combine the policy, advocacy, and training goals of V4A with VANC’s mission to leverage economies of scale, combine resources, and reduce duplication within the community-provider network of home- and community-based services. 

Vermont Business Magazine A new study has identified West Virginia as the state with the highest homeownership rate in America. The study, conducted by Stage Properties Brokers LLC, identified the U.S. states with the highest homeownership rates in America. Using U.S. Census data from all 50 states, the analysis tracked homeownership trends across quarterly periods throughout 2024, the most recent full annual data. The results were used to determine not only which state recorded the highest homeownership rate by the end of the year, but also how those rates fluctuated over time. The final rankings were based on the percentage of each state’s population that owned their home in the last quarter of 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael’s College has announced that five alumni – all leaders in their respective fields – have joined the College’s Board of Trustees over the past year. New additions to the Board include biotech executive and entrepreneur Pamela Carroll ’85 of Boston, Massachusetts; consultant and retired transportation software executive Marie Colbert ’89 of Scituate, Massachusetts; M&T Bank senior vice president and communications leader Patrick Fitzgibbons ’89 of Montclair, New Jersey; and Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development Secretary Lindsay Hill Kurrle ’93 of Middlesex, Vermont, who all joined in October 2025. Retired CEO of GameStop George Sherman, Jr. ’83 of Isle of Palms, South Carolina, joined the Board in October 2024.