Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont weekly unemployment claims for the week ending August 16, 2025, fell slightly and remained within their seasonal norms, after a spike in manufacturing layoffs three weeks ago. New claims were 240 last week, down 38 claims from the week before and up 52 from last year at this time. Claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 181 at the end of September 2024. Meanwhile, the stock market had a positive week at the end as Fed Chair Jerome Powell reinforced the general assumption that the Fed would lower rates modestly in September. But shares shot up after Powell's comments, with new highs for the S&P and NASDAQ, and included the Dow, which had languished below its historic peak from last December.

Vermont Business Magazine North Country Hospital has been awarded a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand telehealth services for patients across the Northeast Kingdom. This major investment will help bring more healthcare options to our rural communities by making it easier for patients to connect with specialists without long waits or long drives.

Public Assets Institute One of President Donald Trump’s main arguments for imposing high tariffs on imported goods is that it will increase U.S. manufacturing jobs. His theory is that companies will relocate to or expand plants in the U.S. to avoid the tariffs.1 That may or may not happen. But manufacturing jobs have been declining for decades—and that decline has been bigger in Vermont than the nation overall. In the last 25 years Vermont has lost nearly 20,000 manufacturing jobs, and manufacturing’s share of private-sector jobs has declined by nearly half. In July 2000, Vermont had 46,200 jobs in manufacturing—more than 18 percent of the state’s private-sector jobs. Last month the state’s 26,900 manufacturing positions accounted for just over 10 percent of jobs offered by private employers. 

The Vermont State Police is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday night, Aug. 21, 2025, in Springfield. Officers with the Springfield Police Department and members of the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department were on scene when the shooting occurred at about 9:30 p.m. on Valley Street between Common Street and Elm Terrace. No members of law enforcement were injured. The man who was shot was pronounced dead on scene. Following standard protocol, the Vermont State Police is leading the investigation into this incident, including detectives with the Major Crime Unit and Bureau of Criminal Investigations and members of the Crime Scene Search Team. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident is in its initial stages. 

The Vermont State Police has arrested multiple suspects connected to a shooting that occurred early Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Hartford. The suspects are identified as: Demetrius Drew, 30, of New Haven, Connecticut, on charges of first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; Jeffrey Mullins, 46, of Ringe, New Hampshire, on a charge of being an accessory before the fact; and Michelle Mullins, 48, of Ringe, New Hampshire, on a charge of being an accessory before the fact.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF), in collaboration with Efficiency Vermont and Vermont Gas Systems, announces the graduation of the inaugural cohort of Tools of the Trade– Business Fundamentals for Energy Pros, a business coaching program designed to support weatherization and clean energy contractors across the state. The program offered participants practical training in business fundamentals tailored to weatherization contractors, energy audit businesses, electrician firms, and builders who specialize in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Monthly in-person sessions, one-on-one coaching, and peer learning helped contractors strengthen skills in workforce recruitment and retention, financial management, operations, customer engagement, and leadership. The program was made possible through funding from the State of Vermont, Efficiency Vermont, and Vermont Gas Systems.

Vermont Business Magazine ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, today released its third-quarter 2025 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report showing that 1.4 million (1,385,902) residential properties, about 1.3 percent of all homes in the United States, are vacant. The national vacancy rate has been consistent for three-and-a-half years as the nation has experienced a high-demand housing market. New Hampshire had the lowest vacancy rate and Vermont was second lowest. Meanwhile, for the first half of 2025, Vermont also had the second lowest foreclosure rate, behind only South Dakota.

Vermont Business Magazine Treasurer Mike Pieciak today joined 16 state financial leaders from across the country in calling on leading asset managers to uphold their fiduciary duty by fully considering climate risk in investment decisions. The letter from Treasurer Pieciak and colleagues stands in clear contrast to a letter released last month by the State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF), a right-wing association of state financial officers. SFOF urged asset managers to scale back proxy voting, oversight of corporate behavior, and consideration of issues like climate change in investment strategies. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Lottery and the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) expect Saturday’s (8/23) Powerball jackpot to hit $700 million, the largest advertised jackpot in more than a year and the 11th largest Powerball jackpot ever. During this jackpot run, more than 50 tickets have won $1 million or more, and 483 tickets have won $50,000 or more.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.09 per gallon, unchanged from last week, down 1 cent/g from last month and down 30 cents/g from last week. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.71/g while the highest was $3.25/g, a difference of 54.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline is down 3 cents/g in the last week, averaging $3.13/g today. The national average is down 1 cent/g from a month ago and stands 26 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Vermont Business Magazine Nearly two years after historic rainfall triggered a landslide that closed a section of the West River Trail at Jamaica State Park, the trail is once again open to public use. While the trail is passable, visitors are urged to be aware of their surroundings: the slope is still adjusting, and conditions may change, especially during or after heavy rain. Historic rainfall in July 2023 brought more than five inches of rain to Jamaica over just two days. The runoff overwhelmed the steep, rocky soils along the West River and caused a significant landslide that took out a portion of the 3.1-mile trail. Since then, the site has remained under close observation by the Vermont Geological Survey (VGS) and Vermont State Parks staff.

Vermont Business Magazine This Labor Day Weekend, experienced anglers have a special chance to share the joy of fishing. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is asking anyone who regularly spends time on the water to consider taking out a friend or family member in celebration of Vermont’s first ever “Free Mentored Fishing Weekend.” The new annual opportunity was approved this past June as part of Act 47, a package of updates to the state’s fish and wildlife laws. This opportunity allows a licensed angler to take up to four unlicensed anglers aged 15 years or older to fish for free from Saturday, August 30, through Monday, September 1. Kids under 15 years old can already fish for free in Vermont.  Free Mentored Fishing Weekend gives adults who have never fished, or have not fished since childhood, an easy and welcoming way to try the sport.