Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine In September, the Southwestern Vermont Chamber released its ”State of the Commerce” economic survey, revealing a blend of realism and resilience among over 100 businesses and organizations across various sectors and communities. Matt Harrington, the chamber’s executive director, emphasized the value of this feedback as a critical tool for data-driven decisions, enabling the organization to focus its energy on supporting the business community through current economic challenges and changes.

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of November 10. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  

by Ben Kinsley, Executive Director of Campaign for Vermont Prosperity (CFV) Ah, the eternal tug-of-war between "things were better back in my day" and "look how far we've come." Art Woolf's latest Substack dispatch, "Things Are Better Today, Really," offers a counterpoint to claims of wage stagnation since the 1970s by populists like Bernie Sanders. Woolf highlights a 34% real increase in median family income from $79,000 in 1969 to $105,800 in 2023 (adjusted dollars), and a 20% rise in median household income to $83,000 over that same period. He also emphasizes qualitative improvements — ­­such as advancements in consumer goods and medical technology —­ which inflation metrics often understate, that lead to an improved quality of life.

Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum invites you to a virtual Red Bench Speaker Series event, Celebrating Vermont’s Olympians: Inspiring Journeys to the Winter Games, featuring four remarkable women from the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. As we look ahead to the 2026 Winter Olympics, hear firsthand how they got their start, what it meant to make the U.S. Olympic Team, and who inspired them along the way. We’re honored to welcome Olympic gold medalist Barbara Ann Cochran, cross-country skiing pioneer Trina Hosmer, snowboarding trailblazer Betsy Shaw, and freestyle skiing legend Donna Weinbrecht for this inspiring conversation. The discussion will be moderated by Peter Graves, renowned television sportscaster and race announcer known as “the voice of skiing in America.”

by Jules Older, Vermont Business Magazine If you've read this column over the years, you're aware of three things: I never write about a product I haven't tested; I love well-made products; I love a bargain. I also love to write about little-known products that come from small companies. So, if you told me I'd be writing about — praising — products from K-Mart and Sam’s Club, I'd have suggested you stop taking drugs. But there it is. My first item today comes from, yes, K-Mart. The second is from a chain I've never entered, much less joined, Sam’s Club.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today delivered remarks on the floor of the Senate regarding the government shutdown. "M. President: We are now in the 38th day of a government shutdown. That means that federal employees all over this country who have to feed their families are not getting paychecks. It means that air traffic controllers are forced to work crazy hours, and we worry about the safety of our flights right now. We worry about Capitol Police officers right here in D.C. who are having a hard time feeding their families. These are hardworking people who are doing important work. They deserve respect. They deserve to be paid. This shutdown must end as quickly as possible. And on top of the fact that we have hundreds of thousands of workers not getting paid, we now have a president who — for the first time in the history of this country — is willing to allow our kids, low-income, working-class children, to go hungry in order to try to make a political point. A point, by the way, that the American people are seeing through."

Vermont Business Magazine VermontBiz owners Timothy McQuiston and John Boutin have announced a significant leadership change at VermontBiz, appointing long-time employee Katie Kittell as its first female publisher. Kittell joined VermontBiz in 2011 as production manager and was soon promoted to Art Director. Kittell has been the creative force behind the publication’s consistent visual presentation. She has designed and produced every monthly issue, ensuring quality and cohesion month after month. Beyond the regular magazine, her design responsibilities have extended to VermontBiz’s annual publications, including the Vermont Business Directory, The Book of Lists, The Giving Guide, and Profiles in Business. 

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) today joined U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) in reintroducing the Farm to School Act, bipartisan legislation to get more fresh, locally grown foods in schools across the nation by expanding and investing in the Farm to School Program. The Senators’ legislation would increase annual funding for the program, reduce barriers to applying for Farm to School Program grants, and support initiatives that deliver fresh, local foods to schools nationwide.  

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, today joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03), and 57 congressional Democrats in introducing the Restoring Access to Detainees Act, bicameral legislation to ensure the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allows noncitizens who have been detained to contact their legal counsel and families.  

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Treasurer Pieciak confirmed that his office successfully sent payments ensuring recipients of 3SquaresVT, Vermont's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), will receive their benefits today despite the ongoing federal shutdown. Approximately 67,000 Vermonters are enrolled in SNAP, and most participants access their benefits via EBT card. Funds were loaded to EBT cards this morning. Earlier today, the Trump Administration asked the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to issue an emergency stay of a U.S. District Court ruling ordering the federal Administration to fully fund SNAP. However, the administration subsequently said it would release full November SNAP benefits as the legal case plays out.

Vermont Business Magazine Clinicians across Vermont and northern New York hope to expand lung cancer screening efforts this year, with a focus on screening more patients at high risk for lung cancer who aren’t experiencing symptoms. The region-wide push to expand lung cancer screening is happening during this year’s National Lung Cancer Screening Day, which takes place Saturday, November 8, at participating clinical sites throughout Vermont, northern New York and New Hampshire.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont-based optical engineering firm 89 North has announced the launch of its latest product line, the LDI-G2 Series, marking another milestone in the state’s growing reputation for bio-sciences innovation and advanced manufacturing. The new laser diode illumination systems, developed and manufactured in Williston, set a new standard for performance and precision in life-science research worldwide. The LDI-G2 Series represents the next generation of 89 North’s flagship Laser Diode Illuminator platform, providing researchers with higher power density, exceptional illumination stability, and more efficient light delivery for cutting-edge imaging applications. The launch coincides with the firm’s exhibition at Society for Neuroscience 2025 (SfN), the largest scientific meeting in the field of brain research.