Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Buildings and General Services announced today the date of the annual State House Menorah lighting on Tuesday, December 16 at 4:30 p.m. The event will take place on the State House lawn and is open to the general public. The Governor welcomes Vermonters to the State House to light the State House menorah for the third night of Hanukkah.

by Sandy McGuire I would be surprised if anyone reading this isn’t feeling some level of financial pressure right now. For families and organizations alike, every dollar feels stretched thin. For nonprofit leaders, ensuring steady and reliable resources is a constant concern, but rarely has it felt as precarious as it does today. Are we meeting our fundraising goals? Will our state grant come through? Are federal programs secure? Never in my career have these questions caused so many sleepless nights or felt so difficult to navigate. This uncertainty does not make for the best environment for long-term planning or innovation, and yet that’s exactly what all of us must do to secure our future. 

by Clare Wool & Tom Flanagan, Burlington School District On December 1, the Scott Administration released its annual education tax rate letter. That letter projected a 12% average increase in education property taxes. Even though only 6% of this projection is related to school spending for next year, the Administration has described this as a crisis that can only be solved by following its preferred education governance model. The Administration’s model would consolidate Vermont’s 119 school districts into large, regional districts. They have described this as a necessary “transformation” of the education system. In reality, it is a big state takeover of public education.

Vermont Business Magazine SILO Distillery in Windsor has relaunched under the helm of former head distiller Erin Bell. She purchased the company this fall and has renovated the two-story tasting room and event space at 3 Artisan Park for a fresh, modern atmosphere matching Bell's energy and passion for the craft. From spirits to cider, the distillery aims to serve up barn-to-bottle bevs that showcase the best of what local growers have to offer. This includes 100% Vermont-grown corn vodka, russet apples from nearby Keene, New Hampshire, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine Something BIG is dropping - it’s Ben & Jerry’s NEW Ice Cream Bars! All the irresistible chunks & swirls fans know and love, in a handy-on-the-go-bar. Available in five fantastic flavors, each features decadent ice cream, plenty of chunks and swirls, dipped in a chocolatey coating with cookie pieces. To mark this historic drop, Ben & Jerry’s is hosting some massive giveaways. Kicking off by Droppin' Bars in Venice Beach on Saturday, 13 December, where flavor fans will get the very first FREE try of the latest and greatest Ice Cream Bars. There will be music, games and even a few surprises thrown in... because there ain’t no party like a Ben & Jerry’s party. Not in LA? Not a problem, as over 150 participating Scoop Shops nationwide will be droppin’ Bars to fans for FREE. Get ‘em before they're gone!

Vermont Business Magazine Caledonia Spirits, makers of the award-winning Barr Hill Gin, proudly announces the release of Phyllis Vermont Rye Whiskey — the first year-round core whiskey available in their Phyllis Whiskey portfolio that also includes single barrel releases, special blends, and unique secondary barrel agings. This marks a milestone in the distillery's decade-plus whiskey journey, bringing to life a spirit that embodies patience, Vermont craftsmanship, and sustainable agriculture.

Vermont Business Magazine Something BIG is dropping - it's Ben & Jerry's NEW Ice Cream Bars! All the irresistible chunks & swirls fans know and love, in a handy-on-the-go-bar. Available in five fantastic flavors, each features decadent ice cream, plenty of chunks and swirls, dipped in a chocolatey coating with cookie pieces. Fans can bite into beloved Ice Cream Bar flavors like Cookie Dough and Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and fruity favorite Strawberry Cheesecake. Or if you want to discover something entirely new and sensational, give PB Pretzel or Caramel Blondie a swirl. You can find the lovingly-crafted NEW Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Bars in the freezer aisle as soon as January 2026, available in a four 2.5oz bar multipack, perfect to share (or keep all to yourself), priced at $5.99–$7.49. There's also a single Cookie Dough Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Bar dropping into convenience stores next spring, priced at $3.99.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25) celebrated the advancement of the Waste and Illegal Property Eradication (WIPE) Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to support servicemember health and strengthen national security by improving how the U.S. military eliminates certain materials both at home and overseas. The WIPE Act’s provisions prohibiting the use of open-air burn pits to dispose of contraband or classified materials and of burn-pit disposal systems were included in the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).  

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) today released the following statement on the deployment of the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing to support Operation Southern Spear: “I want to thank our brave airmen for their faithful service to Vermont and the United States—and acknowledge the difficulty of leaving their families at home this holiday season. You have my full respect and gratitude. At the same time, I strongly oppose President Trump’s mobilization of the Vermont Air National Guard alongside thousands of other U.S. military units in what appears to be a relentless march to war. An undeclared war against the Venezuelan regime would be illegal under our Constitution. If this president—or any president—wants to start a war with Venezuela, which has not attacked us and is not a source of the fentanyl that is killing Americans, then he needs to seek authorization from Congress, as the authors of the Constitution intended."

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont weekly unemployment claims are at their usual and relatively high level for the holiday season. For the week ending December 6, 2025, new claims were 584 and have steadily increased since mid-September. New claims were down 16 from the week before and down 29 from last year at this time. Claims were 186 in September. Claims tend to be lowest in the summer and then rise and fall around the holidays with temporary work hires and layoffs. Reuters reported that the number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased by the most in nearly 4-1/2 years last week, but the surge likely does not suggest a material weakening in labor market conditions, as the claims data are volatile around this time of year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) oversees the industrial pretreatment program in coordination with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA requires DEC to publicly report significant non-compliance each year. Fulfilling its responsibility to keep the public informed, the department reports that 17 permittees were found to be in significant non-compliance during the 2024 reporting year. Industrial facilities such as breweries, dairy processing facilities, and metal finishers acquire pretreatment permits to discharge wastewater to municipal wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs). Permittees receive limits to prevent overloading or interference issues at the WWTF. To help safeguard the state’s public waters, permittees need to submit monthly reports, report non-compliance, and not exceed permit limits for pollutants. Six permittees exceeded their permit limits and 11 did not submit their reports on time and two others were in non-compliance. See list below.

Vermont League of Cities & Towns The new legislative session will officially begin on January 6, 2026, and the VLCT Advocacy team will tackle some unfinished business and emerging issues in the second half of this biennium. By all accounts it looks like this could be a difficult session. With competing priorities like housing, healthcare, education, property taxes, and transportation fund shortfalls, the affordability agenda will be front and center. For several years, the top concern reported by local officials in VLCT member surveys has been the availability and affordability of housing. Our list of legislative priorities includes a number of zoning and land use related legislative actions, as well as a new municipal taxing authority for short-term rentals, brownfields investment, and a request to match state property tax relief with municipal stabilization agreements to support infill-scale housing development. A rising area of concern for local leaders is the perennial funding shortfall within the state transportation budget – which is exacerbated by rapidly rising constructions costs.