Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Six Bennington College faculty members have been named 2025 Whiting fellows by the Marion and Jasper Whiting Foundation, which provides funding for travel that will deepen and expand their teaching and curriculum development. These competitive awards support educators at New England colleges and universities in pursuing research that broadens the mind and enriches instruction. Bennington’s cohort represents a wide range of disciplines and creative inquiry. This year’s recipients from Bennington College are: Joseph Alpar, Music; Alex Creighton, Literature; Michael Dumanis, Literature/Poetry; Sarah Harris, Spanish; Farhad Mirza, Visual Arts; and Darcy Otto, Computer Science. 

Vermont Business Magazine RunVermont announces the 36th running of the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay on Sunday, May 25, following the tradition of hosting the event over Memorial Day Weekend. More than 5,000 runners, 20,000 spectators, and 800 volunteers will gather on race day as part of the largest single-day sporting event in Vermont. The race consists of a two-loop 13.1-mile course for a total of 26.2 miles that includes some of the best spots in Burlington, such as the Church Street Marketplace and Burlington Bike Path. The start and finish lines are located at Waterfront Park on Lake Street.  

Vermont Business Magazine Lost Lantern, an award-winning independent bottler known for highlighting innovative and noteworthy whiskies from distilleries across the United States, is delighted to announce the launch of the Lost Lantern Discovery Club, a subscription-based monthly whiskey club designed to help whiskey lovers discover emerging stars and hidden gems in American whiskey. Every month, Discovery Club members will receive a new, never-before-released Lost Lantern bottling from a rising star or lesser-known distillery that is breaking new ground in the whiskey world. Members will experience firsthand the innovation and diversity shaping American whiskey today. These bottles will be exclusive to Discovery Club members and will not be released any other way.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Brewers Festival will return for the 32nd year at Waterfront Park in Burlington on July 18-19. Tickets for this highly anticipated event will go on sale at 11 a.m. May 2. New additions this year include milestone celebrations and at-par ticket pricing aimed to welcome Canadian visitors. With three sessions spread across two days, and an expected attendance of more than 6,000 enthusiasts, this year’s festival promises the chance to sample an array of beers from 36 breweries per session. This will include Vermont icons and exciting newcomers. 

Vermont Business Magazine Spruce Peak–the elevated, luxury slopeside community and ultimate year-round destination in Stowe, Vermont–in partnership with The Lodge at Spruce Peak and media partner Yankee Magazine, announces the return of its annual, three-day culinary event, A Taste of New England, set to take place August 14 through 16, 2025. Featuring New England's most celebrated chefs, guests can gather over unforgettable dinners, imbibe over world-class wines from featured winery Domaine Bousquet, indulge in Vermont-based fare, enjoy an exclusive, collaborative dining experience and more. New this year, A Taste of New England will host an intimate, indoor dining experience called "A Taste of Vermont," featuring local chefs from throughout the state.

Vermont Business Magazine At the Vermont State House in Montpelier, UVM Cancer Center (UVMCC) launched its new Outreach and Education Van, which will bring cancer initiatives—including screening, prevention, and education—to rural communities in Vermont and northern New York. Fueled by philanthropy, the program addresses a national issue of particular concern to the Cancer Center. Starting this spring, the van will show up at local sporting events, county fairs, and other community events in Vermont and northern New York to raise awareness about cancer risk, screening and prevention methods, and research. High on its summer agenda is skin cancer prevention in Vermont, which has one of the highest rates of melanoma in the U.S. To meet this need, the Van will educate communities about skin cancer prevention; distribute sunscreen and SPF ChapStick; and offer on-site skin cancer screening.

Vermont Business Magazine Lund is thrilled to announce the resounding success of the sold-out ‘Lund by the Lake’ fundraising celebration, which took place last evening at Hula in Burlington. Set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Champlain, the event brought together over 240 supporters, donors, staff, and client families, all united in their commitment to creating a better future for Vermont families. During the event, attendees witnessed the transition of leadership from Ken Schatz, Interim CEO, to Liz Gamache, Lund’s new President & CEO. The Board of Trustees and staff expressed their gratitude to Ken for his outstanding leadership during this interim period and shared their enthusiasm for the next chapter under Liz’s guidance.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, released the following statement ahead of World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated annually on May 3: “A free press is essential, both here in America and internationally. It is vital that journalists are protected—not impeded, silenced, or threatened. The Trump White House has shown nothing but distain for the constitutionally protected press, abusing the immense powers of the Executive by obstructing the media at all costs. President Trump has entered frivolous legal battles with press outlets he disagrees with. His administration has threatened and sought to block federal funding, including for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS, NPR, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, and the Voice of America, among others."

Vermont Business Magazine Big Change Roundup for Kids (BCRU), radio station 98.9 WOKO’s annual campaign supporting the life-changing care delivered every day at University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, set an all-time record on Friday, bringing together volunteers, businesses and individual donors to raise $356,387.88 that will directly support pediatric patients and families. With 98.9 WOKO broadcasting live from the main lobby donors and special guests joined radio personalities “Wild Bill” Sargent and Sarah Spencer on-air, to speak about the hospital’s impact on patients and families and the importance of family-centered care that forms the foundation of the annual campaign.

Vermont Business Magazine The Trump administration filed lawsuits against Vermont and three other states this week to try to stop them from holding fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in damaging the climate and polluting communities. Trump's Department of Justice announced it's suing Vermont and New York, challenging their climate superfund laws that would force fossil fuel companies to pay into state-based funds based on previous greenhouse gas emissions. The DOJ is also suing Hawaii and Michigan over their plans for legal action against fossil fuel companies for harms caused by climate change. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont weekly unemployment claims for the week ending April 26, 2025, spiked and are at their highest level since just after Christmas. A spike at the beginning of March carried them over 600. New claims this week were 778, up 282 claims from the week before and are 290 more from last year. The end of the winter tourism season tends to increase claims, as they do after holidays. Claims, which are 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 53%, down 15 points. Construction was at 2%, down 3 points, as that industry ramps up. Manufacturing accounted for 12% of claims, up 5 points. 

Vermont Business Magazine Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) and Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) have partnered to provide free community solar memberships in Orleans County, thanks to NVDA securing a grant from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program. The grant will cover the cost-in-full for 20 income-qualified households in Orleans County to sponsor panels in VEC's Community Solar Program, leading to nearly $45 in monthly savings on their electricity bills. Over the 10-year program term, each household will save over $5,200. All program slots have been filled.