Current News

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Dear Fellow Vermonter. Earlier this month, I wrote to you about Vermont’s housing crisis and asked you to share your thoughts about how this crisis is affecting you. You had a LOT to say! Clearly, this is an issue that is impacting tens of thousands of Vermonters. And, by the way, the high cost of housing is an issue in virtually every state in the country. In my view, instead of giving $1 trillion in tax breaks to the one percent, we should be building millions of units of low income and affordable housing that Vermonters and people all over this nation desperately need. This is a major priority for my office.

Vermont Business Magazine Interior designer Ann Shriver Sargent—whose work has helped shape the look and feel of New England living for more than three decades—has been named a 2025 inductee into the New England Design Hall of Fame. Sargent will be formally inducted at the annual gala on November 6, 2025, at Boston’s SoWa Power Station. The New England Design Hall of Fame is the region’s most prestigious design industry honor. It celebrates a select group of architects, interior designers, landscape designers, builders, and specialists whose careers have shaped the field through exceptional work and community impact. It’s a fitting recognition for Sargent, whose own work has long reflected those same values. 

Vermont Business Magazine Ben & Jerry's fans can recognize the smell of freshly baked, hand-rolled waffle cones from a mile away. Just one visit to a Scoop Shop, and you'll experience there's just no ice cream cone that can compete. This fall, these waffle cones will help raise funds and awareness for Migrant Justice, a farmworker-led human rights organization. From October 21 through November 4, Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops across the country will participate in the "Waffle Lotta Good" program, an annual initiative supporting social justice organizations.

Vermont Business Magazine VBSR’s annual Legislative Breakfast will be held November 6. This year, they're taking a closer look at the future of Vermont’s healthcare system, and the policies shaping it. You'll hear from guest speakers, including: Stephen Leffler, MD, President & Chief Operating Officer, University of Vermont Medical Center; Robin Lunge, JD, MHCDS, Healthcare & Immigration Policy Lead, Office of U.S. Senator Peter Welch; Christopher Pearson, Board Member, Vermont Healthcare 911; Lisa Ventriss, MPA, Co-Chair, Vermont Healthcare 911 Leadership Council. VBSR will also recognize Senator Alison Hudnut Clarkson as the VBSR Legislator of the Year.

Vermont State Police The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, performed an autopsy on the individual whose body was found Thursday afternoon in Middlebury. The autopsy confirmed the woman’s identity as Lia Smith, 21, of Woodside, California, who was reported missing Sunday from the Middlebury College campus. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Smoke & Cure of Hinesburg has announced that its Hot & Spicy Turkey Stick has been named the winner in the Alternative Snacks: Meat Snacks category of the 2025 Convenience Store News Best New Product Awards. This recognition underscores the company's no-compromise approach to crafting high-quality, flavorful meat snacks that offer a protein-forward snacking option for on-the-go lifestyles. The annual Best New Product Awards recognize innovation and excellence across convenience retail. Products are judged by a panel of consumers who evaluate entries based on six key criteria: taste, value, convenience, ingredients, packaging, and appearance. Vermont Smoke & Cure’s Hot & Spicy Turkey Sticks stood out for delivering bold flavor and better-for-you snacking in a convenient, portable format. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced leadership appointments: Lyle Jepson as commissioner of the Department of Economic Development and Nick Grimley as deputy commissioner of the Department of Economic Development. “Growing the economy has been one of my top priorities since being elected governor,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I believe Lyle’s decades of experience as an educator, as well as Nick’s proven track record supporting the business community, will serve Vermonters well.” Lyle has been the Executive Director of the Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region since 2020. Nick Grimley has served in multiple roles at the Department of Economic Development since 2017, most recently as the Director of Entrepreneurship and Tech Commercialization.

Vermont Business Magazine With thousands of Vermont residents affected by the ongoing government shutdown, the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation advises individuals who are having trouble managing loan, mortgage, or insurance payments to proactively communicate with their lenders or insurers. The Department of Financial Regulation has urged companies to use all available options and alternatives to assist individuals who are temporarily unable to make payments or meet their obligations due to the federal government shutdown. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak has appointed Phil Lewis to serve as the next Director of Parks, Recreation and Waterfront for the City of Burlington.   Phil Lewis has spent the last 25 years working in the field of parks and recreation, most recently serving as the CEO and General Manager of the Cosumnes Community Services District in Elk Grove, California. During his career, he has excelled at creating and nurturing solid networks with community organizations, local outreach groups, and neighborhood residents. Mr. Lewis holds a Master’s Degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from Eastern Oregon University.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) has named Jen Ricker, lead teacher at the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development in Brattleboro, has been named the 2025 Vermont Early Childhood Educator of the Year. Ricker, who teaches infants and toddlers, was recognized for her two decades of work supporting children and families by building warm and welcoming relationships between family and classroom, establishing parents and teachers as partners in each child’s development. She was also recognized for supporting fellow educators through mentorship, and community leadership. The award was presented at the VTAEYC Annual Conference at Burlington’s Hotel Champlain, where hundreds of early childhood educators gathered.

Public Assets Institute One of the main issues at stake in the federal government shutdown is the expiration of enhanced healthcare premium tax credits, which help people buy insurance through the state marketplace. If Congress does nothing, the credits will expire at the end of 2025, and millions of Americans will see large increases in the cost of their healthcare. Among these are as many as 30,000 Vermonters. And because Vermont’s exchange has the highest premiums in the country, Vermonters will see the biggest increases. Middle-income participants are looking at an additional $10,000 a year for an individual and $32,000 for a family of four.

Vermont Business Magazine Most Vermonters on Medicare Advantage Plans will return to Original Medicare (Parts A & B) in 2026 and will need to enroll separately in a Part D plan for drug coverage. The Office of the Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid provided the following information how Medicare enrollees can proceed. The only Medicare Advantage plan remaining in the state is offered by Humana and only in select counties mostly in southern and central Vermont.