Current News

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) on Wednesday unveiled the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act, new legislation to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Disaster AID Act was inspired and shaped by the experiences of towns and cities across Vermont recovering from historic floods in 2023 and 2024. Senator Welch’s bill will cut red tape and empower state and local governments to access recovery assistance when it is needed. The bill will support hazard mitigation efforts, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide technical assistance to small towns and communities impacted by natural disasters, and block the White House from withholding funding for disaster response. He will officially introduce the Disaster AID Act next week, coinciding with the anniversary of the 2023 and 2024 floods. 

Vermont Business Magazine A rainy forecast couldn’t stop supporters of the McClure Miller Respite House from gathering on May 31 for the University of Vermont Health Network - Home Heath & Hospice’s 35th Jiggety Jog. The annual 5K run/walk raises funds to directly support the care of residents at the Respite House. The 2025 Jiggety Jog included 247 participants and secured 530 donations surpassing the event goal of $125,000. Meeting this goal will provide more than 140 days of care at Vermont’s only Medicare-certified inpatient hospice residence. 

Vermont Business Magazine On the evening of June 30, the U.S. Department of Education alerted the Vermont Agency of Education that a series of federal funding allocations for fiscal year 2025 would not be made available to Vermont public schools on July 1. Statewide, these allocations amount to $26 million in congressionally approved funding that Vermont school districts have included in their budgets for the 2025-2026 school year.

Vermont Business Magazine This summer Smokey House Center based in Danby is launching the Future Foresters Apprenticeship, a ten-week, hands-on training program for college-aged youth, focused on sustainable forestry practices, climate adaptation, and ecosystem resilience. This immersive experience equips participants with technical skills and industry connections needed to address regional forestry challenges and support long-term ecosystem health. Vermont is 76% forested, with its forests supporting more than 9,000 jobs and generating $1.4 billion in annual sales. Forest-based recreation, including activities like hiking, fishing, and skiing, double this economic impact, contributing an additional $1.9 billion and supporting another 10,000 jobs. Additionally, maple production adds 2,600 jobs and $53.5 million in economic output.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott has proclaimed July as Lakes Appreciation Month in Vermont. The Governor’s proclamation signifies the importance of the state’s over 800 lakes and ponds for this and future generations. Vermont has faced unprecedented challenges due to climate change, including catastrophic flooding. The protection of lake health using tools like the Shoreland Protection Act strengthens Vermont's resiliency to the harmful impacts of climate change. The Shoreland Protection Act balances the protection of vegetation along the shoreline with the allowance for reasonable development along shorelands.

Vermont Business Magazine Assisted by Vermont Law and Graduate School’s Environmental Advocacy Clinic and the Law Office of James Dumont, Esq., forest protection group Standing Trees and a group of Vermont residents today submitted an administrative petition to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR). The petition alleges legal failures in ANR’s 2024 Worcester Range Management Unit Long Range Management Plan (Management Plan) and demands that the plan be reconsidered through a public rulemaking process, as required by law. Vermont ANR has previously referred to the Worcester Range as “unique, in central Vermont, because it remains almost completely wild and undeveloped.” Nevertheless, the 2024 Management Plan calls for approximately 2,000 acres of logging in the Worcester Range, threatening its wild and undeveloped character. 

Vermont Business Magazine ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is proud to announce a dual celebration honoring the newly renovated Into the Lake exhibit and the restoration of lake trout in Lake Champlain. The ceremony takes place on Tuesday, July 15, from 12:30 - 3:00 pm at ECHO. The new exhibit inspires public education about native wildlife and stewardship of the Lake Champlain Basin ecosystem. The upgraded gallery features an expanded 15,000-gallon aquarium, updated exhibits, a new presentation space, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine The leaders and Board of Trustees of University of Vermont Health Network have prioritized efforts to advance the ongoing regional effort to make health care more affordable. As part of that work, Central Vermont Medical Center, Porter Hospital and University of Vermont Medical Center submitted budgets for Fiscal Year 2026 that follow Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) guidelines for revenue, operating expenses and commercial insurance rates, include further administrative cuts, and seek to maintain essential patient care services close to home. 

Vermont Business Magazine ImageTek Manufacturing has announced that they are expanding their operations to a 2nd site, at 36 Precision Drive in North Springfield, Vermont.  The company will be moving into a 35,000 square foot space and adding 50 new jobs in this new location. This expansion is the culmination of several months of work over the past year and has been supported by a Vermont Employment Growth Incentive, Green Mountain Power’s Economic Development Incentive Program as well as a Vermont Training Program award.

Vermont Business Magazine Local Maverick, in partnership with Split Spirits, is thrilled to announce the opening of a new Vermont storefront & tasting room at 96 Depot Street in the heart of Manchester, Vermont. This vibrant new location will serve as a premier destination for both locals and visitors to discover, shop, and celebrate the very best of Vermont. Located within downtown Manchester—alongside Vermont Flannel/Vermont Teddy Bear and across the street from Simon Pearce and Coco Goose—this Vermont store is more than just a retail space. It’s a curated experience showcasing a dynamic collection of Vermont-made products spanning food and beverage, craft, art, wellness, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Dave , of Rutland, to serve as the Governor’s appointee on the School District Redistricting Task Force after signing H.454, An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems into law. The Task Force is charged with recommending new school district boundaries and configurations to the General Assembly for action next legislative session.

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday, hundreds of households, including families with children and medically vulnerable community members reached their 80-day limit in the state-sponsored General Assistance Emergency Housing Program. From June 23 to July 1, data indicates that 478 households will exit from the program statewide, including 100 households in Chittenden County. The data for Chittenden County includes 35 families and 61 children, and around 40 medically vulnerable individuals. On Monday, June 30, the city sent a letter of advocacy to the governor, signed by the mayor, members of the City Council, and the chiefs of Burlington Police and Fire Departments, calling on state officials to stop the exit of over 800 vulnerable people, which only required a rule change. Municipalities and service providers across the state are forced to manage the crisis resulting from ineffective homeless response policies.