Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Last week, U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) voted against a partisan Farm Bill that fails to meet the needs of rural communities and working families. Rep. Balint offered two amendments related to affordable housing and both were rejected by House Republicans.  Every five years, Congress reauthorizes the Farm Bill, which impacts both farmers and families across the country. But the bill passed by House Republicans last week locks in cuts to SNAP that take food assistance away from millions, while failing to deliver meaningful relief for small and midsize farmers facing rising costs. It also cuts conservation funding and undermines investments in rural communities. 

The Vermont State Police is investigating the discovery of human remains in the Green Mountain National Forest. The identity of the deceased person and the circumstances surrounding the death are unknown at this time. The investigation began at about 4 p.m. April 25, 2026, when hikers traveling through the forest in the town of Mt. Tabor located a pair of aged and partly buried hiking boots in a boggy area. What appeared to be human foot bones were found inside the boots. The hikers contacted the Vermont State Police, who responded and conducted a search of the area without locating anything further. The remains were secured and transported to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for analysis, which confirmed the remains were human.

Vermont Business Magazine rk MILES, a fourth‑generation, family‑owned lumber and building materials company based in Manchester Center, Vermont, has acquired Varney & Smith Lumber Company, a long‑standing lumberyard and building materials supplier located in Lisbon, New Hampshire. Varney & Smith Lumber has served the greater Lisbon area for decades and has built a strong reputation for quality materials, dependable service, and strong relationships with local builders and contractors.

Vermont Business Magazine DeWolfe Engineering Associates, a structural and civil engineering firm located in Montpelier, has joined the Vermont-based multidisciplinary consulting firm, DuBois & King, Inc. DeWolfe president and owner Chris Temple, P.E., will continue to lead DeWolfe Engineering, now as a division of D&K. DeWolfe, established in 1989, will continue to provide engineering services in the areas of structural (for new construction, additions, or rehabilitation and restoration projects) and site engineering (grading, runoff hydraulics, storm drainage, water supply, sanitary systems, stream hydraulics, and highway design). DeWolfe’s clients can expect continuity of services from the same team, which will remain in place.

Vermont Business Magazine The United Counseling Service (UCS) Board of Directors announced today a new partnership with Health Care & Rehabilitation Services (HCRS), the community mental health and developmental services agency serving Windham and Windsor counties, to provide leadership support and operational guidance during a period of transition for the organization. In recent months, UCS has been focused on strengthening operations and enhancing service delivery to best meet the needs of the community. Julie Pagliccia, the agency’s Director of Quality and Performance Improvement, stepped forward on April 3 to serve as Interim CEO, following the departure of the agency’s previous CEO.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced nearly $1.75 million in awards for the 2027 Vermont Better Roads Program to support municipal road projects that improve water quality and result in maintenance cost savings. The grant funds totaling $1,781,700 are provided by AOT in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and are sourced from state transportation funds and the State’s Clean Water Fund. The Vermont Better Roads Program promotes the use of erosion control and maintenance techniques that save money while protecting and enhancing water quality around the State.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health has reported have COVID-19 hospitalizations remain at a very low level and fell again last week. They are at a similar level to the negligible level seen last summer. There were no measles cases after one reported in Vermont in February in Washington County and the national outbreak is over. Meanwhile, RSV, Influenza B and Norovirus remained elevated at most of the Vermont wastewater testing sites, as they are across the US.

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Burlington has completed a major milestone in the Overdose Prevention Center (OPC) project: the Service Assessment required under the Operating Guidelines. This assessment was conducted to inform the planning and design of an Overdose Prevention Center in Burlington, in alignment with state guidelines. It helps identify the right services, design, location, and potential impacts of the OPC.

Vermont Business Magazine The Friends of the Fletcher Free Library was awarded an FY2026 Cultural Facilities Grant to support audio-visual equipment to improve arts experiences at the Library. The newly installed screen, sound bar, and sound proofing panels will improve the quality of programs in the Fletcher Room at the Main Library at 235 College Street. In addition, a hybrid telecommunications screen will increase programming opportunities and accessibility at the New North End Branch at 1127 North Avenue.

Vermont League of Cities and Towns The VLCT advocacy team had an exciting week, again, on the issues of Local Option Tax withholding and PILOT appropriations. Things are heating up across the State House as all three major money bills have now passed both chambers and will go to conference committee – along with the major policy bills of the session for housing, labor, land use, data privacy, and public safety. Most committee chairs seem to be in a footrace to put their critical bills in front of the most controversial package of the year, H.955, which again carries major reforms for public education, the state education property tax rate, and to regionalize mass property reappraisals.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Works for Women is proud to partner with the Vermont Green Football Club on the More Green More Good partnership during the inaugural season of the club’s women’s team.  Founded in 1987, Vermont Works for Women (VWW) advances economic justice by promoting gender equity and supporting women and youth at every stage of their careers. By providing career exploration, trades training, career coaching, and gender equity consultation and workshops, VWW is helping to build a thriving Vermont for all.  The Vermont Green Football Club, founded in 2022, is a member of the United Soccer League and earned its first men’s national championship last year after going undefeated for the season.

Vermont Business Magazine Nearly 200 early childhood professionals from across Vermont gathered at Lake Morey Resort on April 29 for the Vermont Parent Child Center Network’s (VPCCN) fourth annual Innovations Conference—an energizing day of learning, connection, and statewide collaboration in support of families with young children. Designed as a cornerstone professional development event, the conference brought together staff from all 15 Parent Child Centers to share best practices, strengthen partnerships, and deepen their impact in communities statewide.