Current News

Vermont Business Magazine A new statewide study conducted by Radius Sports Group on behalf of the Vermont Golf Alliance shows golf in Vermont generates $671.4 million in total economic impact, supporting 5,376 jobs and $212.1 million in wages. The industry produced $397.2 million in direct economic activity and $66.8 million in state and local taxes, reinforcing golf’s role as a significant contributor to Vermont’s economy and communities. Golf is a key driver of Vermont’s outdoor tourism economy, supporting more than 190,000 golf-related trips and generating visitor spending across lodging, dining, and recreation. With 68 courses across mountain and lake landscapes, golf complements Vermont’s outdoor economy and draws visitors who pair golf with hiking, cycling, and seasonal travel. The industry’s total economic impact exceeds several of Vermont’s signature sectors, including maple syrup production and craft brewing.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $4.24 per gallon, up 21 cents per gallon from last week, up 33 cents/g from last month and up $1.15/g from this time a year ago. Prices are lowest in Windham ($4.16/g) and Bennington ($4.19/g) counties and highest in Orange ($4.31/g), Essex ($4.31/g) and Lamoille ($4.28/g). The national average price of gasoline has risen 27 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.30/g today. The national average is up 31 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands $1.12 per gallon higher than a year ago.

by Paul Lesure I've lived on the same stretch of Vermont grid for 20 years. In that time, we've had multi-day outages roughly every three years. When the lights went out, we sat in the dark, tossed a portion of the food in the refrigerator, and waited. But things have changed at my house. Now, my solar and battery storage keep the lights on during outages. But the bigger benefit is what my system does when the grid is up: it minimizes draw during peak hours, reducing stress on local infrastructure. When the sun is out and my batteries are full, it sends power back to the grid, displacing costlier and dirtier utility resources.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) announces the release of the Stewardship Guide for Vermont Forestland Owners, a comprehensive, free resource designed to help new and experienced private forestland owners understand, manage, and protect their land. The guide is available in both online and PDF format at https://vnrc.org/forestlandowners/. Vermont’s forests cover approximately 4.6 million acres — about 75% of the state — and nearly 85% of that forestland is privately owned. Private landowners are therefore central to the health, connectivity, and long-term viability of Vermont’s forests. Until now, no single resource has served as a comprehensive owner’s guide for this critical stewardship role.

by Mike Donoghue The Vermont Principals' Association and its executive director Jay Nichols have agreed to pay $566,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees to partially settle a religious discrimination civil lawsuit brought by the Mid Vermont Christian School. Mid Vermont Christian and one of its families filed the lawsuit against state education leaders in 2023 after the VPA expelled the private school and its students from participating in all state-sponsored activities. The expulsion came because the Quechee school followed its religious beliefs by forfeiting a girls’ varsity basketball game at the state tournament against the Long Trail School because the Dorset school was using a transgender player.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s popular fish and wildlife summer course for educators will be held July 19-24 this year. The interactive field course that gets educators out into Vermont’s streams, forests and wetlands with some of the state’s leading natural resource experts takes place at the Buck Lake Conservation Camp in Woodbury. Now in its 41st year, “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.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont woodland owners are invited to share their perspectives through a new statewide survey aimed at better understanding landowner needs and priorities. Private landowners own more than 80 percent of Vermont’s forests, making their role essential to supporting healthy, productive forests across Vermont. The survey, part of the Growing Vermont’s Forest Resilience initiative, will help guide the development of programs, outreach, and resources for landowners.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Cedric Wormely, 59, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 30 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for a multi-year romance fraud that victimized women in Vermont and elsewhere. Wormely previously pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in connection with this scheme to defraud women he met via various online dating platforms to provide him with money. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier imposed restitution of $151,432.19 for the victims of the offense. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier also sentenced Wormely to a term of 14 months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, for violating his conditions of supervised release which were imposed after Wormely’s convictions in the Northern District of Alabama for drug trafficking and counterfeiting offenses.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 27, 2026, Ian Blochwitz, 34, of Buffalo, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release. Judge William K. Sessions III also imposed $6,166.80 in restitution for the victims of Blochwitz’ criminal conduct. Blochwitz previously pleaded guilty to transporting a child in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of approximately $80 million through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. These grants will strengthen systems that safely capture and manage stormwater to help prevent contaminants, including untreated sewage, from polluting nearby waterways. The agency will provide funding from both fiscal years 2025 and 2026 totaling $464,000 to Vermont, which will be awarded to communities there. 

by Sara White, UVM Toddlerhood spans roughly ages 1 to 3 and is one of the most rapid, transformative periods of human development. During this time, children quickly progress from walking to running and climbing, from single words to short sentences and early thinking skills, and from simple exploration to problem-solving and imaginative play. Combined with a growing sense of independence, intense emotions, and early attempts at self-expression, these changes can create a range of challenges for both toddlers and their caregivers, starting with simply keeping up.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union (VFCU) based in South Burlington and St. Patrick's Parish Credit Union, based in Fairfield, have officially merged, uniting two member-focused financial cooperatives with a shared mission: helping Vermonters prosper. St. Patrick’s Parish Credit Union, founded in 1953 with just $125 and a belief in neighbors helping neighbors, has been more than a financial institution, it has been a way of life rooted in trust, community, and personal connection. For decades, members were served not in offices, but around kitchen tables and across farm fields, where relationships mattered more than credit scores and a handshake meant everything.