Current News

VermontBiz Today, the West Rutland community celebrated the grand opening of Marble Village Apartments. Co-owners and co-developers, Cornerstone Housing Partners and Evernorth, partnered on Marble Village Apartments, which will provide essential housing for 24 low- and moderate-income households.

Marble Village Apartments is the redevelopment and remediation of three vacant properties into 24 newly constructed, energy efficient, permanently affordable homes in the community. The 3-story building has an inviting outdoor community space, community gardens, and green space so that residents can gather and enjoy time outdoors, as well as off-street parking to support accessibility and community needs.

VermontBiz Average gasoline prices in Burlington have risen 0.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.17/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 100 stations in Burlington. Prices in Burlington are 5.3 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 2.0 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 4.1 cents compared to a week ago and stands at $3.769 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Burlington was priced at $3.09/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.25/g, a difference of 16.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.79/g while the highest was $3.25/g, a difference of 46.0 cents per gallon.

VermontBiz Wilkins Harley-Davidson, one of the oldest continuously operated family-owned Harley-Davidson dealerships in the United States, celebrated a landmark moment this weekend by giving away a brand-new 2025 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic to one lucky customer in front of a packed crowd at the dealership.

The giveaway marked the finale of a year filled with more than 40 customer events, making 2025 one of the dealership’s most active seasons on record. Riders earned entries into the drawing by RSVPing and attending Wilkins events throughout the year—a tradition that emphasizes the dealership’s deep commitment to community and customer appreciation.

VermontBiz The Poultney Area Chamber of Commerce today announced the launch of the inaugural Holiday Tour, a festive two-day event designed to support local chamber members while bringing holiday cheer to the community. The Tour kicks off on Small Business Saturday, November 29th, and continues through Sunday, November 30th. Participating businesses in downtown and East Poultney will offer special sales, unique giveaways, and family-friendly activities, with each day culminating in a special evening closing event to maximize the holiday spirit.

VermontBiz This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont.  

This is the final report of this construction season. Most projects have finished or will pause soon until spring.

To learn more about the projects listed below or to sign up to receive weekly construction updates via email, visit our Construction Updates page. 

Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.    

VermontBiz Ryan Christiansen ’15, president and head distiller at Caledonia Spirits, has been named 2025 Rising Stars Alumnus of the Year.

Christiansen’s entrepreneurial path was born in his family-owned hardware business in Plainfield. His exposure to the challenges of small-town business at an early age fueled a desire to bring local products to a global market. Christiansen spent eight years as an avid brewer and owner of a home-brewing store, which eventually led him down a path to distilling.

In 2011, Christiansen met a beekeeper named Todd Hardie. Hardie had been keeping bees for 30 years and was on a pursuit to bring the agricultural aspect of beekeeping into distillation. Christiansen, captivated by Hardie’s agricultural mission and love for the bees, decided to hit the brakes on his career in beer and try his hand distilling spirits. With a 15-gallon still and a Mercury station wagon, the beekeeper and the distiller built the Caledonia Spirits distillery and set out to share their beloved Barr Hill Gin with the world.

VermontBiz by Amanda Kuhnert When Mary Cobb and her husband, Jim, bought their first alpacas in 2005, they had no intention of starting a business. Two decades later, their hobby farm has grown into Coventry Falls Alpaca Farm and Peaceful Path VT Float Therapy, a year-round wellness destination in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.

The idea for the businesses was conceived a few years after the  couple built a new home on a piece of land in Coventry.

“The land here is just so beautiful,“ Mary said. “It needed some animals. And I knew I couldn’t raise anything that you eat. Alpacas are so intelligent and therapeutic, and they communicate with each other so well. They’re like big cats.“

Vermont Business Magazine Downs Rachlin Martin has been named by Best Law Firms for 2026 in several practice areas within Metropolitan Tiers 1 through 3. 

Vermont Business Magazine As pennies fade from wallets and registers across the country, Market 32 and Price Chopper are inviting customers to turn their spare change into double the value, and to help keep cash transactions running smoothly. On Sunday, November 16, the neighborhood grocer will host a Double Exchange Day from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at all store locations. During this one-day event, a penny is worth two cents when shoppers exchange them for a Market 32 or Price Chopper gift card twice their total amount. This means $10 in pennies could earn a $20 gift card, redeemable toward future in-store purchases. To participate, guests simply bring their rolled or loose pennies to the Customer Service Desk, where the total will be counted and matched with a gift card reward on the spot. Exchanges must total a minimum of 50 cents (earning a $1 card) and may not exceed $100 (earning a $200 card).

VermontBiz U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today joined U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and 27 bipartisan Senate colleagues in calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as swiftly and at the highest level possible. Currently, the Trump Administration is sitting on $4 billion in federal LIHEAP dollars that have yet to be distributed this year.  

In their letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the bipartisan lawmakers emphasize that federal LIHEAP funding is a crucial lifeline that keeps vulnerable citizens safe and warm during winter by helping low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes pay their energy bills. The program also helps reduce energy costs through improved energy efficiency initiatives. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, November 15, Howard Center will sponsor a job fair at the O’Brien Community Center at 32 Mallets Bay Avenue, Winooski. From 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, staff will be present to answer questions about open positions and conduct on-the-spot interviews for select roles. Whether new to the job market or an experienced professional looking for the opportunity to make a difference in their community, Howard Center offers rewarding, flexible career opportunities, including full-time, part-time, temporary, and substitute employment, as well as contracted and internship positions. Many programs operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so “non-traditional” work schedules are available. Although Howard Center primarily serves Chittenden County, the organization also has programs in Rutland, and some programs serve Vermonters from all corners of the state. 

Vermont Business Magazine Chamber of commerce professionals from across Vermont gathered this week at the Kimpton Taconic Hotel in Manchester for the 2025 Vermont Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (VACCE) Annual Conference, themed “Collective Brilliance: Chambers Collaborating for a Better Vermont.” The conference brought together chamber executives and economic development leaders for collaboration, professional development, and forward-looking conversations about the future of Vermont’s business communities and chambers of commerce. The event opened Monday evening with a Welcome Dinner and Networking Social at the Copper Grouse, sponsored by the host chamber, the Southwestern Vermont Chamber.