Current News

Vermont Business Magazine After years of restoration, the historic Green Trails Inn has officially reopened under the stewardship of Josh and Andrew Jonestein, marking the return of a cherished Brookfield landmark and the debut of its newly imagined Pond Village Pub. Set against the backdrop of Sunset Lake and Brookfield’s famous Floating Bridge, the Green Trails Inn now stands renewed, a blend of history preserved and hospitality reimagined. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held on the inn’s front porch, drew neighbors, friends, and local craftspeople who each had a hand in bringing the property back to life.

by Cameron Kohout, Community News Service In 2016, Montpelier City Councilor Adrienne Gil proposed a small festival called “Kids Cup” to raise money for local public schools. On Saturday, Gil looked over the booths and games of the 9th annual Montpelier Fall Festival. She said she was excited and happy about how much this small idea has grown. “We started small,” she said. “Now, look at it!” The event last Saturday featured a variety of games, face painting, bounce houses, live music, a one-mile fun run, and even a dunk tank.

Vermont Business Magazine From high school students to seasoned professionals, the free Women in Cyber Summit features sessions about cybersecurity as a career, how to pursue a degree and enter the field, and lets you connect with other professionals. Champlain College and our Women in Cybersecurity Leadership Council is hosting the Women in Cyber Summit 2025 on October 24 @ 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. This event is designed for a diverse audience, from high school students to seasoned professionals. If you want to learn more about cybersecurity, pursue a degree, enter the field, or connect with other professionals, this summit is for you.

Vermont Business Magazine Needleman’s Bridal and Formal will celebrate 100 years of business in Vermont with a special event at 3:00 p.m. on October 23 at the store, located at 10 Dorset Street in South Burlington. Currently owned and operated by Mark and Heather Needleman, the family-run business first opened its doors in 1925 in Newport, Vermont, and has been helping generations of Vermonters look and feel their best for life’s most important occasions ever since. Believed to be one of the oldest bridal and formalwear shops in the country continuously operated by the same family, Needleman’s continues to honor its legacy of personal service and timeless style, with stores in both Newport and South Burlington.

Vermont Business Magazine Making friends as an adult can be tough and intimidating—but it doesn't have to be! Social Tinkering will partner with Wingman of the Year to bring their new Speed Friending Fundraiser event to the Rutland Region. Join them on Sunday, October 26, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Vermont Farmer's Food Center – Farmer’s Hall, 251 West Street, Rutland, VT. This is not your typical social networking event. The Social Tinkering team carefully crafts their social gatherings to help people work through obstacles like social anxiety and fear so that you can relax and be yourself. Get ready to experience a one-of-a-kind community gathering designed to break down social barriers and help people make genuine connections.

Vermont Business Magazine Rock Point School will host its 21st annual Ooky Spooky 5K fun run and walk, a family-friendly Halloween tradition that raises vital funds for COTS. The event will take place Saturday, Oct. 25, at Rock Point School, located on the scenic shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington. Each year, community members put on costumes, lace up their sneakers, and join Rock Point students, their families, and staff for a morning of fun and purpose. All proceeds from the race go directly to COTS, supporting the organization’s mission to provide emergency shelter, services, and long-term housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness in the Burlington area.

State Senator Samuel Douglass With this statement, I am seeking to explain more of the situation from earlier this week. As I stated in my initial statement, the comment attributed to me, was an unflattering remark about a specific individual, absolutely not a generalization. This was the context I provided in my initial statement. I love my state, my people, and I am deeply sorry for the offense this caused and that our state was dragged into this. The contents of the article do not reflect me or the values of our state. But for all concerned, me, my wife, my family, I must resign (effective Monday at noon). I know that this decision will upset many, and delight others, but in this political climate I must keep my family safe. And if my Governor asks me to do something, I will act, because I believe in what he’s trying to do for the state of Vermont. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont weekly unemployment claims for the week ending October 11, 2025, increased by a small amount for the third week. New claims were 300, up 38 claims from the week before and up 83 from last year at this time. Claims were 186 three weeks ago. Claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 181 at the end of September 2024. Meanwhile, the government shutdown, federal layoffs and new export controls by China on "rare-earth" materials, and a subsequent threat from the White House to impose 100% tariffs on China, which led to a stock market plunge last Friday, were mostly shrugged off by the stock market this week, though a bank credit problem could be the next big issue. See below.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark joined a coalition of 20 state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for unlawfully cancelling $7 billion in federal grants awarded to the states through the Solar for All program. The complaint, filed late yesterday in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, argues that the termination of the grants breached the grant terms and violated the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The coalition also filed a lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleging, among other things, that the EPA violated the Administrative Procedures Act and the U.S. Constitution’s Separation of Powers Doctrine in unlawfully cancelling the program.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Karen Lueders, of Lincoln, to fill the vacant Addison-4 seat in the Vermont House of Representatives. Lueders replaces Mari Cordes, who resigned earlier this year. Lueders currently serves on the Board of Addison Housing Works and previously served on the Board of Addison County Home Health and Hospice and Habitat for Humanity, among other Addison County nonprofits. Since March 2025, she has served on a special committee with a group of thoughtful and dedicated community members appointed by the Lincoln Selectboard to study and recommend improvements to voting in Lincoln and Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting.

Public Assets Institute The federal government shutdown began on October 1st—the start of the new federal fiscal year—after existing funding expired and Congress failed to approve new funding. Vermonters working for federal agencies, women and children receiving nutritional assistance, and Vermonters receiving enhanced premium tax credits to pay for healthcare coverage are all facing potential shutdown impacts on top of cuts to healthcare and food assistance as a result of the July 1st budget reconciliation bill. We are now (17) days into this shutdown, and there’s currently no indication of when it may end. The longest federal shutdown in history was 34 days in 2018-19.

Vermont Business Magazine To celebrate 200 years of KeyBank’s service to communities across the nation, KeyBank Foundation is awarding a $200,000 philanthropic grant to Cornerstone Housing Partners. This is part of Key’s special bicentennial grant program designed to strengthen Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and foundations that play a critical role in advancing affordable housing and small business development. Cornerstone Housing Partners is a CDFI that for more than 30 years has been moving people into quality housing across Vermont communities. This is accomplished through the development of new housing opportunities, rental housing, and mobile home parks.