Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.13 per gallon, down 1 cent per gallon from last week, down 1 cent/g from last month and down 26 cents/g from a year ago, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.81/g while the highest was $3.27/g, a difference of 46.0 cents per gallon. The lowest prices in the state were in Rutland ($3.01/g) and Bennington ($3.02/g) counties, while the highest were in Essex ($3.34/g), Lamoille ($3.24/g) and Grand Isle ($3.26/g) counties. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.22/g today.

Lake Champlain Committee Happy spring! We’re gearing up for another field season at the LCC and hope that you’ll join us in some of our upcoming work. If you like being on, in, and around water and have an hour or so to spare each week, please consider joining our Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program! We’ll train you in how to identify cyanobacteria and differentiate it from other floating phenomena and provide you with the resources and guidance you need to report on site conditions throughout the summer and early fall. We also invite you to explore another community science opportunity—our CHAMP Monitoring Program, which trains volunteers to identify aquatic invasive species. It's a great complement to cyanobacteria monitoring, especially if you’re already spending time on or near the water.

Vermont Business Magazine This spring, the Clean Water Initiative Program (CWIP) at the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is launching the second half of the 2025 Clean Water Conversation Series. These monthly webinars are free and open to the public. The series spotlights a variety of groups working on projects in your community to improve water quality in our rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. Come learn with us about clean water successes making a difference across Vermont. DEC will host four talks this spring and summer.

Vermont Business Magazine Several days ago, a swastika was carved into a door at Sheldon Elementary School, part of the Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union (FNESU). This is a reprehensible act of hatred and cannot be ignored. Such symbols of violence have no place in our schools or communities, and immediate steps must be taken by FNESU to address this incident and prevent future occurrences. This is not the first time a Vermont school has been the canvas for antisemitic vandalism. Other schools across the state have experienced similar incidents, and the problem is not confined to one place. But because Sheldon Elementary is the most recent site, we are asking FNESU to act now. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is reminding Vermonters that the REAL ID requirement takes effect on May 7, 2025. This means that people aged 18 and older will need a REAL ID-compliant Driver’s License or Identification Card, or another form of identification accepted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), for domestic air travel and to enter certain federal facilities. The DMV began preparing Vermonters for the change in 2014, and approximately 92% of all current valid Vermont driver’s licenses are REAL ID.

Vermont Business Magazine After several seasons of thorough sampling, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) scientists, consultants, and local partners have detected zebra mussels in United States waters at Lake Memphremagog. Native to eastern Europe, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are a small, invasive shellfish that can quickly form large populations and outcompete native species for food and habitat. Currently, zebra mussels are found only in Lake Champlain and Lake Bomoseen in Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine It’s almost time for spring turkey hunting in Vermont with youth and novice weekend on April 26 and 27 and the regular season from May 1 to May 31. “The youth and novice turkey hunting weekend provides an excellent opportunity for experienced hunters to teach young or new hunters how to safely and successfully hunt wild turkeys,” said Toni Mikula, Vermont’s wild turkey biologist. To hunt turkeys on April 26 and 27, a youth must be 15 or younger and must have completed a hunter education course and possess a hunting license, a turkey hunting license and a free youth turkey hunting tag. 

by Sarah Robinson, Co-Executive Director, Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence At the Vermont Network, we support survivors of domestic and sexual violence, amplify their voices and build safer communities. We collectively represent 15 independent nonprofits that provide direct services to survivors and prevention programming in their communities. S.27, a proposal to eliminate up to $100 million in medical debt for low-income Vermonters and exclude medical debt from credit reports, supports this work. Brought forward by Senator Ginny Lyons and Treasurer Mike Pieciak, the bill is a critical step toward helping survivors achieve economic security, better health outcomes, and a safer future. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vermont) joined her Democratic colleagues to launch the Monopoly Busters Caucus. The Monopoly Busters Caucus will help promote a pro consumer, pro worker, and pro small business economic agenda, ensuring members have support to better communicate Democratic work to combat corporate consolidation. The caucus will work on policy like lowering prices and tackling corporate greed from corporate grocery stores, big agriculture, healthcare consolidation and more. During the 2024 election cycle, over 65 percent of voters polled in seven battleground states and Ohio said they supported the government suing to break up monopolies and economically powerful companies. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and Burlington Electric Department (BED) shared Burlington’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) Roadmap update for 2024 and announced new programs to accelerate electrification throughout the Burlington community. The Roadmap update shows that Burlington’s greenhouse gas emissions in the ground transportation and thermal/buildings sectors are down 19 percent in 2024 compared to the 2018 baseline, representing a 2.8 percent reduction in 2024 compared to updated 2023 data, demonstrating continued climate progress in the two largest emissions sectors in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Smoke & Cure, the acclaimed maker of artisanal smoked meat products, today announced its expansion within Costco’s Northeast Division, bringing its premium meat snacks to millions of new consumers. This expansion coincides with the introduction of the brand's new Hickory Smoked Premium Beef Stick, offering Costco members a high-quality, better-for-you snacking option. Vermont Smoke & Cure's new Hickory Smoked Premium Beef Stick—described as "ribeye in snack format"—features 100% beef that is hand-trimmed and ground to create a delicious, premium smoked meat stick. In 2024 Curion product testing, Vermont Smoke & Cure meat sticks were rated the "best tasting" overall among competitors.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College and NuHarbor Security today unveiled a new learning and work facility at Champlain’s Lakeside Campus. The space gives students unprecedented access to experiential learning opportunities and strengthens Vermont’s cybersecurity workforce. The entirely renovated second floor doubles the capacity of the Leahy Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity and becomes NuHarbor Security’s second physical location. Twenty-five NuHarbor staff members will relocate to the campus, fostering real-time engagement with students and faculty. This state-of-the-art facility reflects a shared commitment to building a results-oriented, hands-on approach to workforce development. Supporting over 100 students each semester, the partnership between Champlain and NuHarbor demonstrates how higher education and private business can join forces to create meaningful career pathways.