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Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) I wanted to mention to you an issue of enormous consequence that I believe is not getting the attention that it deserves. Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are going to have a profound and transformative impact on our country and the entire world. The question is not whether these technologies will advance. They will. The question is: Who will control this technology? Who will benefit from it? And who will be left behind? That’s why last Tuesday, at Georgetown University, I sat down with the “Godfather of AI,” Nobel laureate Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, to discuss the extraordinary opportunities and dangers that AI and robotics pose for humanity, the world economy and the working families of Vermont and our country. I’m grateful to Dr. Hinton for joining me, and I hope you’ll take a few moments to watch our conversation.

Vermont Business Magazine Sixteen Vermont news organizations have been honored with the Local Civic Journalism Awards, a new program designed to steer state and philanthropic dollars to news outlets that inform Vermonters and foster civic engagement. The recipients represent a broad cross-section of local and regional news organizations — including newspapers that have served their communities for well over a century and digital-only enterprises that have sprung up in recent years to fill a void. They include nonprofit and for-profit entities and are mostly locally controlled. Many of the recipients are based in regions of the state that are otherwise underserved, including the Northeast Kingdom, southern Vermont and the Upper Valley. Each Local Civic Journalism Award-winner will receive $5,000 or $10,000 to further their existing mission.  

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.13/g, up 3.1 cents per gallon from last week's $3.10/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.83/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 46.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline is unchanged in the last week, averaging $3.03/g today. The national average is down 2.0 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 2.5 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Request for Applications is now available for the 2026 Trade Show Assistance Grant! $30,000 is available to provide Vermont agricultural, food, and forestry businesses with funds to exhibit and sell their Vermont products at trade shows targeting out-of-state wholesale buyers. These matching grants can partially offset the expenses associated with exhibiting at trade shows, which provide excellent opportunities to network with wholesale buyers and expand into new domestic and international markets. Applicants may request between $2,000 and $7,500 to help offset the costs of up to four trade shows. Grant funds can cover up to 75% of eligible costs.

by Gabby Blanchard, Community News Service, Rutland On Tuesday evening, Treviso Vermont was filled with the smell of fresh cheeses and the roaring laughter of local businesswomen. Made possible by a Vermont Women’s Fund grant, the night marked the Downtown Rutland Partnership’s third and final Women in Business Mixer of the year. Showcasing one of Rutland’s newest women-owned businesses, Treviso Vermont, the “Stories to Inspire” event was accompanied by their authentic Italian cuisine that holds a modern twist.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Vermont Awards, recognizing the state’s most innovative manufacturers and the next generation of technical talent. The awards were presented during the annual Vermont Manufacturing Summit, the state’s premier gathering for manufacturers from across Vermont, New England, and Canada. BETA Technologies’ ALIA Aircraft and Hannaford Career Center’s Tiny House on Wheels were named the 2025 winners.

by Emily Bradbury Long before Beta Technologies put Vermont on the aerospace innovation map, Harbour Industries in Shelburne was already there – designing the cables that run through the world’s most advanced aircraft. For nearly six decades, Harbour Industries has manufactured high-performance cables for commercial and military aircraft. In fact, chances are very good that if you’ve ever settled into your seat on a Boeing or Airbus flight and plugged in your headphones to stream a movie, it came to you through cables that were made in Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine AARP Vermont has awarded Winter Placemaking Grants to eight organizations across the state to support creative, inclusive programming that fosters community connection and combats social isolation among older adults during the coldest months of the year. The Winter Placemaking Grant program is part of AARP Vermont’s broader effort to support age-friendly communities and ensure that public spaces are accessible, engaging, and inclusive for people of all ages. Since 2020, AARP Vermont has awarded nearly $140,000 to 32 projects through the Winter Placemaking grant program for communities across the state.

Vermont Business Magazine Place Creative, a Vermont-based branding, design, and communications firm dedicated to supporting mission-driven organizations, has announced that it has officially earned two major distinctions: B Corporation Certification and recognition as a Certified Woman-Owned Business. Together, these credentials highlight the agency's long-standing commitment to sustainability, equity, and socially responsible leadership. B Corporation status, awarded by B Lab, is reserved for businesses that demonstrate exceptional performance in social and environmental practices, transparency, and accountability. More than 10,000 companies in over 100 countries and 160 different industries have received this global certification.

Vermont Business Magazine Rootstock Publishing announces the January 6, 2026, release of The Pacifist, a historical thriller about standing up to power gone bad, by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Lyn Bixby of Northern Vermont. It’s 1968, the deadliest year of the Vietnam war, and America is a combat zone where protesters are under attack as enemies of the nation. Lisa Thompson, a back-to-the-land hippie, is cutting firewood at her family’s Vermont farm when a stranger arrives to warn her the FBI is investigating her brother Chris, a Boston anti-war activist who was drafted. 

Vermont Business Magazine RunVermont has announced that the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon has been selected as the 2026 Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Eastern Region Marathon Championship. The goal of the RRCA Championship Event Series is to celebrate and shine a spotlight on well-run, community-focused events and to award their top performing runners. This prestigious designation recognizes the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon as one of the premier marathons in the Eastern United States. The M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon, scheduled for May 24, 2026, will welcome participants from across the country to compete on one of the nation's most scenic marathon courses. The fast, spectator-friendly route highlights Burlington's historic city streets, while showcasing the lake and mountain views that have made this event a favorite among runners for more than three decades.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, this week spoke on the Senate floor and urged the Trump Administration to release $4 billion in federal funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that has yet to be distributed this year. In his remarks, Senator Welch emphasized how LIHEAP funding helps more than 6 million lower-income households and seniors—including 26,000 Vermonters—heat their homes during the cold winter months.