Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Northeastern Vermont Development Association has worked with Montrose Environmental Group, Inc from Little Rock, AR, in the redevelopment of several properties. Montrose (NYSE: MEG) enhances environmental stewardship while supporting economic development. In towns from Tennessee to the far reaches of Alaska to Vermont's NEK, communities are reclaiming abandoned spaces and building brighter futures—thanks in part to Montrose Environmental Group. In 2025 alone, Montrose has helped secure nearly $17 million in U.S. EPA Brownfield Grants to transform underutilized or contaminated properties into vibrant, community-driven spaces.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department reminds hunters that muzzleloader season antlerless deer permit applications are available on its website until Thursday, July 31. The muzzleloader seasons on October 30-November 2 and December 6-14 will have antlerless permits available for 19 of Vermont’s 21 Wildlife Management Units. Landowners who post their land may not apply for a landowner priority muzzleloader antlerless deer permit. They are eligible to apply in the regular lottery for an antlerless deer permit. 

Vermont Business Magazine Everblue, a leading provider of sustainability and clean energy training, has been selected to launch the Vermont Innovation, Efficiency and Weatherization (VIEW) Center. This initiative, funded by a grant through the Department of Energy and administered by the Vermont Department for Children and Families' Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), aims to support the state's ambitious goal of weatherizing 120,000 homes by 2030. OEO plays a central role in Vermont’s weatherization strategy, overseeing training, quality assurance and support for the regional Weatherization Assistance Programs.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s fish and wildlife summer course for educators will be held July 20-25 this year at the Buck Lake Conservation Camp in Woodbury, and there is still room for a few more participants. “Wildlife Management and Outdoor Education Techniques for Educators is a one-week course taught by Vermont Fish and Wildlife and other Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) staff through Vermont State University, and we still have a few open slots,” says Fish and Wildlife’s Outreach Director Alison Thomas.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced three leadership appointments: Sara Teachout to the Green Mountain Care Board, Jason Batchelder as commissioner of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Misty Sinsigalli as commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Vermont Business Magazine The Orton family, proprietors of The Vermont Country Store, announced today that the company’s Executive Vice President Kara Soulia will become President of the venerable business, succeeding current President & CEO Jim Hall who will retire in September. Soulia has been with the company for over 20 years, beginning her career as a fulfillment supervisor in Distribution and rising to lead its Operations, Manufacturing, Inventory Management, Customer Service, and Retail areas. 

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in cosponsoring new legislation to require immigration enforcement officers to display clearly visible identification during public-facing enforcement actions. The Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act of 2025 would strengthen oversight, transparency, and accountability of the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate and alarming immigration enforcement tactics that have terrorized communities across the nation. Under the Trump Administration’s mass deportation agenda, civil immigration enforcement operations have increasingly involved Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers engaging with the public while wearing unmarked tactical gear, concealing clothing, and face coverings that obscure both agency affiliation and personal identity.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today delivered remarks on the impact of the Republican reconciliation bill — which passed the Senate by one vote and will throw nearly 17 million Americans off the health care they have. There is no question that cybersecurity and protecting the privacy of Americans’ health care records are important issues that we need to deal with. But, Mr. Chairman, let me be very clear. That is not the issue that is right now on the minds of the American people. What people are worried about is the catastrophic impact that the reconciliation bill that was passed last week will have on the health and well-being of the American people. 

Vermont Business Magazine Regional leaders from across the Northeast Kingdom gathered Tuesday at Community National Bank in Derby to tackle one of the region’s most pressing challenges: housing. Hosted by the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce, the NEK Housing Conversation brought together developers, financial institutions, planners, nonprofits, legislators, and employers to define the region’s top priorities and shape statewide efforts through the Let’s Build Homes Coalition, such as Act 250 and Act 181 reforms. 

The Vermont State Police is identifying the trooper who fired his service weapon Monday afternoon in the town of Putney as Peter Romeo. Trooper Romeo has been a member of the Vermont State Police since 2022. He has served as a uniformed trooper in the Field Force Division at the Westminster Barracks since his graduation from the Vermont Police Academy in January 2023. His department photograph is attached to this release. He has been placed on paid relief-from-duty status, per standard procedure following a critical incident. The man who was shot and killed is identified as Scott Garvey, 55, who lived in the apartment at Putney Landing where the shooting occurred. An autopsy completed Tuesday at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington determined the cause of Garvey’s death was gunshot wounds of the torso and left lower extremity, and the manner of death is a homicide.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University (VTSU) has been awarded $6 million in federal funding to continue its TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) programs, an investment that will directly benefit hundreds of first-generation, low-income students and students with disabilities across four campuses. The five-year grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, will provide $1.2 million annually to support academic success, degree completion, and equitable access to higher education at VTSU’s Johnson, Williston, Randolph, and Castleton campuses.

Vermont Business Magazine Windham community members are encouraged to participate in the second step of the What’s Possible, Windham? community process by joining the meeting on July 24th from 4:30 to 8:30 pm at the Windham Meeting House. At this meeting, Windham residents will discuss what’s important for Windham to champion right now, prioritize action ideas with dot voting, and form task forces to implement the chosen priorities. Dani Parkins, the Municipal Technical Assistance Coordinator at the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) states that “this upcoming community meeting in Windham is where the rubber hits the road. On July 24th, community members will have the opportunity to shape their own future by showing up to vote for and champion what is most important in Windham.”