Current News

VermontBiz Andrew and Josh Jonestein visited Vermont on a whim in 2023, after catching glimpses of the state on social media. It was November — arguably the least inviting month of the year — but they were impressed by what they found. Over the next few months, they purchased a historic inn in Brookfield; pulled up their Texas roots, where they had been running a successful Airbnb; and made the move north.

They’ve spent the past year and a half restoring the historic 1840s property into the Green Trails Inn and Pond Village Pub, set to open in mid September.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Large infrastructure projects on interstates, highways, side roads and downtowns are a headache when you’re running late, or are running early and are about to be late. Some projects seem like they will never conclude. In some areas of the state, locals would be thankful to have the annoyance of construction, as there is in Chittenden County. These last dozen years have seen profound major developments in Vermont helped by low interest rates and plenty of federal spending.

So those factors have come to an end, except where projects were already underway. The construction labor market is still tight, which has been a choke point as credit is now. Still, alternative means of investment are continuing to provide housing project opportunities, as supply is still tight. And perhaps the Fed will cut interest rates at least a little, even as the overall economy can’t quite shake off inflation.

VermontBiz It’s been a busy year for construction in Vermont. We’ve seen growth across the board — from housing developments to flood recovery, but we’re still up against some tough realities. Contractors are working hard, but labor shortages and rising costs continue to hold us back.

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

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.    

by Ben Kinsley, CFV Executive Director As Vermonters, many of us have felt the pinch of our state's housing shortage. Although we may not realize it; our state's housing crisis manifests itself in our high rents, short-staffed workplaces, increasing property-tax burden, aging population, and rising healthcare costs. Making our state inaccessible to young working families has significant consequences. With an annual deficit of over 5,000 housing units, families are being priced out, young people are leaving, and our economy is suffering. Last week, Governor Scott signed Executive Order (EO) 06-25, a sweeping directive aimed at promoting housing construction and rehabilitation. As a public policy wonk, I dug into this EO in an attempt determine if it's simply bureaucratic tinkering or if it's a bold attempt to cut red tape, lower costs, and get more homes built. While it's too early for hard data on outcomes, the order's provisions could deliver real relief if implemented effectively.

Vermont Business Magazine Food and beverage establishments and organizations across New England are invited to participate in the upcoming 2025 Local Food Count, a regional effort to measure how much local food they buy and sell within the six-state region. The Local Food Count is part of the New England Feeding New England (NEFNE) initiative, which aims to strengthen the region’s food system and increase local food sourcing. By participating, restaurants, schools, distributors, grocers and other food and beverage buyers and sellers headquartered in New England help identify purchasing patterns and uncover opportunities to grow local food procurement across the region.

Vermont Republican Party Next week the Vermont Republican Party will be hosting its fall Awards Night, and this year the special guest speaker will be nationally syndicated radio talk show host Erick Erickson of Atlanta. Erickson had formerly been Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Red State News and had previously been a regular guest host for the Rush Limbaugh show during its run.

VermontBiz Joe Magee, who has served as the Mayor’s Deputy Chief of Staff since April 2024, will depart the role on October 15, 2025. Prior to joining the Mayor’s staff, Magee represented Ward 3 on the Burlington City Council. Throughout his service, Magee has shown deep dedication to Burlington and its residents and offered critical support to the Mayor’s office. He has worked on policy related to homelessness, substance use disorder, housing, and more. He has also supported departments on their communications, including by coordinating the City’s 2024 Annual Report and its voter education plan for the 2025 Town Meeting Day ballot questions.  

“I am immensely grateful to Joe for his long service and trusted partnership,” said Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak. “This role demands a lot of those who hold it, and Joe’s dedication to our City is evident in how much of his time and hard effort were put towards building its future. I am so appreciative and can’t wait to see what he does next.” 

VermontBiz On Wednesday, Boston Globe published an article titled “New England schools are failing — and nobody seems to care.” At the Agency of Education, we know that Vermonters do care about the quality of our schools. However, we need to acknowledge some difficult truths, so we can move forward with honesty, humility, and purpose.

Vermont’s education system is at the center of Globe staff writer Christopher Huffaker’s exploration of the “Northern nosedive” — a significant decline in academic outcomes across New England that predates the Covid-19 pandemic and stands in contrast to literacy gains in Mississippi and Louisiana, two of the nation’s poorest states. “No state fell as far in early reading over the last decade as Vermont,” Huffaker writes. “But leadership in New England has shown limited interest in truly confronting the region’s decline.”

VermontBiz Norwich University’s John and Mary Frances Patton Peace and War Center (PAWC) hosted the 2025 Strategic Security Seminar this past weekend, bringing NATO officers, senior enlisted leaders, alumni, and scholars to The Hill for a high-level examination of NATO’s reserve forces in times of crisis and war. With the theme “NATO and its Reserves in Times of Crisis and War,” the seminar reflected Norwich’s enduring mission to educate leaders prepared to confront the most urgent challenges of their time.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine South Burlington-based BETA Technologies, Inc on September 29, 2025, applied to the Securities and Exchange Commission to take the electric aircraft company public. BETA has many components to the company that features its electric aircraft with conventional and vertical takeoff options. “We are redefining the aerospace industry,” BETA states in the prospectus. “We have developed an electric aircraft platform and propulsion systems that are positioned to transform the aviation industry forward into a new phase of growth. We design, manufacture and sell high-performance electric aircraft, advanced electric propulsion systems, charging systems and components. Further, we have invested in the underlying infrastructure of this breakthrough technology, which is critical to bringing electric aviation to life. We believe we have developed a differentiated presence in North America and are well positioned to expand globally."

by Doug Gilman, UVM UVM educator licensure programs have been honored by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The prestigious Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement Award celebrates programs that achieve CAEP accreditation through demonstrated excellence in preparing future educators. National accreditation reflects the College’s mission to uphold the highest standards of quality and innovation in educator preparation, ensuring graduates are exceptionally well-equipped to make an impact in classrooms and communities nationwide.