Current News

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) recently joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) in introducing the District of Columbia Police Home Rule Act and the District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act, bicameral bills to grant the District of Columbia full control over the D.C. National Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department. The bills come as the Trump Administration has asserted federal control over the D.C. police department and kept its National Guard deployed in City streets for weeks. The urgent need for these measures has only grown as the Administration reportedly has extended the D.C. National Guard’s deployment through November 30, and Congressional Republicans plan more attacks on the District of Columbia’s self-governance.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP) is accepting applications for equipment that will improve water quality on Vermont farms. This competitive grant program, administered by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, can fund up to 90% of the cost of equipment for successful applicants. Farms, custom applicators, nonprofit organizations, and research institutions are eligible to apply. Grants are up to $150,000.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Construction Academy (VCA) is proud to announce the successful completion of its first Vermont Department of Labor Certified Pre-Apprenticeship Bootcamps, marking an important milestone in workforce development for Vermont’s construction industry. Over the past eight weeks, 20 students participated in two summer cohorts designed to introduce young adults and career changers to opportunities in the skilled trades. The first session ran five weeks at 40 hours per week, while the second offered an intensive 12-day format timed before the start of the new school year. Participants will return to VCA during school breaks for continued training over the next six months.

Vermont Business Magazine The Endeavor Lab Colleges (ELC), a national consortium of 10 small liberal arts colleges, including Bennington College and Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, announced today the completion of the first phase of its groundbreaking initiative to enhance student mental health and well-being. Endeavor Foundation has generously invested more than $8.5 million to support the project, including $5.22 million over the next three years for Phase 2.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont have risen 7.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.18/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 626 stations in Vermont. Prices in Vermont are 11.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 12.3 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Vermont was priced at $2.85/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.39/g, a difference of 54.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.85/g while the highest was $3.39/g, a difference of 54.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 0.3 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.16/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, led Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in reintroducing the Student Loan Deduction Act, legislation to allow households utilizing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—known as 3Squares in Vermont—to deduct monthly payments made on federal and private student loans from their income when calculating eligibility for the food assistance program.  

by Amanda Kuhnert On a rainy Friday afternoon in late spring, Cairsten Keese, a school counselor at U-32 Middle and High School in Montpelier, Vermont, glances at the clock on her office wall. “In 15 minutes, the kids will be on their movement break, and I'll probably have 20 of them popping in to say hi, grab a mint, and head back to class,” she says, pointing to a bowl of mints and a stash of snacks on her desk for students who need a quick boost and a friendly check-in between classes. Keese was inspired to become a school counselor by the influence of her own high school counselor. “I think I was the kind of kid who could have easily fallen through the cracks,” she said. “But she really saw me for who I was and made a point to check in with me regularly. I remember thinking—wow, what she does is pretty cool.”

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) has announced registration is now open for this year’s annual Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference (WEOC), held Saturday, September 27, 2025. Vermonters interested in attending this free event can learn more and sign up by visiting welch.senate.gov/weoc. “The annual Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference helps create new connections, expand opportunities, and open new doors. This free event was championed for over two decades by my predecessor Senator Patrick Leahy and his wife Marcelle—now, Margaret and I are honored to continue this tradition. I hope Vermonters from across the state attend this year’s conference and learn from experts and fellow participants,” said Senator Welch.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has announced the keynote presentations for the 2025 Solutions Summit. Grounded in the Vermont Economic Action Plan, this event focuses on solutions for workforce growth, housing expansion, and community revitalization. Held on September 18, 2025, at Hotel Champlain in Burlington, this year’s event will bring together business, state, and municipal leaders to translate strategy into action. Attendees will explore the foundations of the Economic Action Plan and hear from other communities and businesses at various stages of implementation. Through expert insights and break-out sessions, attendees will develop scalable, actionable strategies to build a more affordable, prosperous Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont beginning September 8, 2025. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.   

The 15th Annual Champlain Valley Buddy Walk will take place at Burlington's Battery Park on Sunday, October 5, with on-site registration opening at noon and the walk commencing at 1 PM. More than 150 people are expected to attend the event, which is one of 250 Walks across the country this fall to raise awareness and funds for programs that benefit people with Down syndrome and their families. The Buddy Walk® Program was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to promote acceptance and inclusion for people with Down syndrome. It is still the premier walk program for our community in the United States.

by Connie Beal Many in our community have expressed understandable fear and dismay at the reported estimate that 45,000 Vermonters will lose their health insurance because of the federal bill signed into law on July 4. However, this outcome is far from inevitable. While some Vermonters might lose health coverage under the new law due to being ineligible, many more could lose coverage simply because they cannot complete the process of recertification or navigate available health insurance options.