Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Fidium is expanding its all-fiber internet network to St. Johnsbury, bringing symmetrical, multi-gig speed internet to more than 5,000 area homes and businesses. Fiber infrastructure construction is scheduled to begin as soon as August 15 with exact start dates varying by location. Fidium is also expanding in Halifax and Whitingham, bringing symmetrical, multi-gig speed internet to more than 1,600 homes and businesses. Fidium’s expansion will upgrade internet access for St. Johnsbury, offering benefits that come with fiber broadband access, including improved educational outcomes, reduced healthcare costs and enhanced economic opportunities. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Care Partners - the Designated and Specialized Service Agency Network that supports over 50,000 Vermonters with mental health, substance use, and intellectual and developmental disability needs – strongly condemns the recent executive order on homelessness issued by the Trump Administration on July 25, 2025. This order signals a federal shift toward approaches that increase institutionalization and surveillance of unhoused people, rather than investing in community-driven solutions and proven supports. 

by Vermont Auditor of Accounts Doug Hoffer Ten years ago, it would have been unimaginable to think that our small state would spend an amount exceeding $800 million in the coming decade to address homelessness and that important policy decisions would be made without sufficient data or analysis, but that’s what’s happened. The human and financial toll of the status quo cannot be sustained. Policymakers need better information to solve this problem. Therefore, we urge the Scott Administration to collect and analyze more and better data to inform better discussion to this ongoing crisis.

Vermont Business Magazine A new study by admissions consulting firm, Inspira Advantage has identified Vermont as the state with the lowest percentage of students who choose to attend college within their home state. Utah is the state with the highest percentage. The study analyzed student migration data from the National Center for Education Statistics to determine which states retain the most students for higher education and which attract the most and least out-of-state students.

Vermont Business Magazine The Community College of Vermont (CCV) is proud to announce its selection as one of the community colleges invited to join Year 7 of the prestigious Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI), supported by a generous $50,000 grant aimed at enhancing career readiness among students pursuing IT and cybersecurity programs. CCV will award scholarships for the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters. Students in the following certificate programs are eligible: cloud computing, IT support, cybersecurity & networking, data analytics & AI, and web development. Registration for fall is open now, and courses begin September 2.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today released the following statement after the Trump administration moved to cancel $7 billion in funding for the Solar for All program — legislation that Sanders wrote to provide loans or grants to working class families to help cover the cost of installing solar rooftops or participating in community-based solar projects: I introduced the Solar for All program to slash electric bills for working families by up to 80% — putting money back in the pockets of ordinary Americans, not fossil fuel billionaires. Now, Donald Trump wants to illegally kill this program to protect the obscene profits of his friends in the oil and gas industry. That is outrageous.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Secretary of Administration Sarah Clark today released Vermont’s revenue results for June 2025. The General Fund, Transportation Fund and Education Fund all lagged their monthly consensus cash flow targets as adopted by the Emergency Board at its January 2025 meeting. The General Fund finished the fiscal year ahead of the consensus target despite the Personal Income Tax, the GF’s most important revenue source, falling well behind expectations for the month. For the fiscal year, the PI was $66.5 million or 5.1% ahead of targets as the GF finished the year ahead by $88.2 million or 3.7%. The state economists on July 31 presented their consensus revenue report for the next two fiscal years to the state Emergency Board. They expect the General Fund to remain strong, while the Transportation and Education funds will slightly weaken. Action by the federal government, they note, adds an unprecedented amount of uncertainty to the equations.

Vermont Business Magazine Food Connects Food Hub has achieved another milestone in its mission to strengthen regional food systems: earning cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) certification through a rigorous third-party audit. This achievement positions the Food Hub to begin serving large institutional customers including the University of Vermont (UVM) through Sodexo and marks a huge step forward for local food distribution in the region. After years of strategic preparation and two years of intensive work, Food Connects scored an outstanding 99% on its cGMP audit, conducted by ASI Food Safety. This voluntary certification verifies that Food Connects’ facility, systems, staff training, and operations all meet stringent federal regulatory standards for food safety. 

Vermont Business Magazine In recognition of National Breastfeeding Month, Mamava, the creator of freestanding lactation pods, and Medela, a global leader in breastfeeding innovation, released findings from the 2025 State of Breastfeeding Survey. Now in its third year, the survey captures the realities of breastfeeding in the United States. This year's data, gathered from nearly 3,000 parents, reveals strong commitment to breastfeeding alongside persistent barriers in workplaces and public settings. Breastfeeding is associated with numerous health benefits for infants and mothers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends breastfeeding for up to two years when possible. However, survey data shows a steep decline over time: 54% of respondents breastfed for one year, while only 16% continued through year two.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) has completed taking in applications for Vermont’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (VT-BEAD) Program. BEAD is a federal program that provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs in all states and territories. Vermont’s allocation of those funds is almost $229 million. Federal changes to the program in June required states to complete an additional application round, which has recently ended. Vermont received bids to serve all currently underserved addresses in the state with a mix of technology, including fiber, hybrid-fiber coaxial, and low earth orbit satellite. 

Vermont Business Magazine A beloved Vermont summer tradition returns August 15 and 16 as Gifford Medical Center hosts the 20th Annual Last Mile Ride, Run and Walk—a heartfelt, community-powered event dedicated to supporting end-of-life care for patients and their families. What began as a small motorcycle ride in 2006 has grown into a two-day celebration of community, compassion, and purpose. Today, the Last Mile brings together hundreds of participants for a motorcycle ride, bike ride, 5K run, and one- and two-mile walks—all designed to raise essential funds for patients in life’s final chapter.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine In an article published Monday by Peter Hirschfeld at Vermont Public, the Scott administration has delivered personal information on Vermont SNAP beneficiaries to the federal government as demanded by the Trump administration. As Hirschfeld reported, both state officials and food advocates in Vermont felt that potential retribution by the federal government was too severe to challenge the request. About 64,000 Vermonters are served by SNAP, or nearly 10 percent of the state's population.