Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Colleges (VSC) Chancellor Elizabeth Mauch today announced the system will conclude development of its proposed Dental Therapy Program at Vermont State University, citing findings from a comprehensive feasibility assessment commissioned by the chancellor earlier this year that determined the program is not financially or operationally sustainable at this time. VTSU, meanwhile, continues with its plans to expand its existing Dental Hygiene Program, which already plays a critical role in providing preventive oral health care across the state. With $6.2 million in newly secured federal funding, the university will double enrollment in its dental hygiene program beginning in Fall 2027 from 24 to 48 students per year. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Christopher Poczobut, 52, formerly of Rutland, Vermont, was arraigned today on one misdemeanor count of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult and six felony counts of Fraud or Deceit Involving a Regulated Drug. The charges brought against Poczobut are the result of an investigation conducted by the Vermont Secretary of State Office of Professional Regulation. Poczobut was employed as a licensed practical nurse at St. Joseph Kervick Residence, a residential care facility for vulnerable adults located in Rutland, Vermont. In this role, Poczobut is alleged to have fraudulently obtained or misadministered a patient’s methylphenidate (Ritalin), and to have entered false information into the patient’s medical record.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Friends of Vermont Public Education (FVPE) announced the filing of two formal ethics complaints against Senators Seth Bongartz and Scott Beck, citing serious concerns about conflicts of interest during the development and passage of H.454, Vermont’s far-reaching education reform bill. The complaints, filed with the Senate Ethics Committee by FVPE board member Geo Honigford, detail how both senators, while serving on the Committee of Conference that shaped the final bill, pushed for provisions that would directly benefit independent schools they are closely connected to.

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine A Migrant Justice leader in Burlington, who was detained by the U.S. Border Patrol in Richford last month, is part of an ongoing criminal investigation into smuggling undocumented immigrants into Northern Vermont, according to newly filed records in federal court. Migrant Justice had claimed Jose Ignacio “Nacho” De La Cruz, 29, of Milton, along with his stepdaughter, Heidi Perez Alfaro, 18, a recent Milton High graduate, had been delivering meals to farm workers in Richford when they were stopped about noon June 14 by the Border Patrol. Now a sworn affidavit from a veteran Border Patrol Agent elaborates on the legal justification, including De La Cruz being linked to possible smuggling efforts. The 18-page affidavit includes details about an incident that netted six arrests in Richford in April by the Border Patrol.

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of June 30, 2025. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  NOTE: Most construction projects will pause work for the Fourth of July holiday weekend and resume on Monday 7/7. 

Vermont Business Magazine On June 28, over 30 Vermont-based homelessness prevention and response organizations issued an urgent appeal to Governor Phil Scott, calling for immediate and decisive action to address a looming crisis facing nearly 1,000 vulnerable Vermonters at risk of losing emergency shelter by July 1. As of this morning, there has been no substantive response from the governor. The organizations warn that Vermont's current shelter infrastructure is already overwhelmed and lacks the capacity to absorb those being forced out of the state’s General Assistance Emergency Housing Program (GA Program), which was made clear on June 27 when the state released information clarifying the scope of the crisis facing our state. According to this newly available data, 478 highly vulnerable households, including 666 adults and 304 children will lose their shelter by July 1. Without intervention, many families, seniors, and medically vulnerable residents will be left with nowhere safe to go.

Vermont Business Magazine It’s the time of year to start checking Vermont’s waters for cyanobacteria blooms before you swim, play, or bring your pets, so you can have fun in the water safely. Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) are tiny microorganisms that are a natural part of freshwater ecosystems. Under certain conditions, the bacteria can grow and create blooms that float on the water’s surface and wash up along shorelines, posing health risks to humans and animals. The blooms can produce harmful toxins, so if you see them, it’s best to stay out of the water. Swimming or wading in water with a cyanobacteria bloom may cause skin rashes, diarrhea, a sore throat, stomach problems, or more serious health concerns.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.13 per gallon, down 0.9 cents per gallon from last week's $3.13/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.47/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 82.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.14/g today. The national average is up 1.1 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 32.1 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Vermont Business Magazine Dairy processors can now apply for the Dairy Processor Modernization Grant. This $1 million investment aims to strengthen Northeast processing capabilities and respond to consumer demand for regional dairy products. Offered through the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), this funding will allow dairy processors to purchase specialized equipment to expand capacity, boost efficiency, lower energy consumption, improve existing products, and create new, high-value dairy products for the region. Grants will range from $15,000 to $250,000 with a 25% (cash or in-kind) match commitment required. Approximately $1,000,000 in total funds are available.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont weekly unemployment claims for the week ending June 21, 2025, more than doubled last week. New claims were 648, up 343 claims from the week before but down 302 from last year at this time. Claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 181 at the end of September 2024. In Vermont for the weekly report, the Service industry accounted for the most claims last week with 50%, down 7 points from the previous week. Construction was 2%, unchanged. Manufacturing accounted for 28% of claims, down 20 points. For the week, Vermont total unemployment insurance claims were 3,028 (up 292 for the week and up 100 from this time last year). 

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today gave remarks on the floor of the Senate opposing President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill" which is a gift to the billionaire class while causing massive pain for working families. M. President: President Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” now on the floor of the Senate, is the most dangerous piece of legislation in the modern history of our country. It is a gift to the billionaire class, while causing massive pain for low income and working class Americans. Actually though, M. President, I’m wrong. This is not a gift to the billionaire class. They paid for it.

Vermont Business Magazine Burke Mountain Resort’s new ownership has partnered with the Institute for Energy and the Environment (IEE) at Vermont Law and Graduate School to reduce its high energy costs and explore sustainable solutions. After nearly a decade of operating in receivership, Burke Mountain Resort is ready for a dynamic revival that will reinvigorate the local economy and renew the cherished local mountain’s role as a major regional employer and tourist destination. Through this collaboration, the IEE will deliver policy and legal services focused on cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy integration.