Current News

by Lauren Milideo, UVM Living trees absorb carbon, aiding climate change mitigation. But what role do dead trees play in carbon storage? UVM researchers found that large, downed trees in streams tie up tremendous stores of carbon—and this pool of carbon storage is growing over time. Moreover, large trees in streamside forests proved important for recruiting carbon into streams over time—reflecting the environmental value of big, old trees. “Old-growth forests stored four to five times more carbon in the wood lying in the streams than mature forests did,” said lead author and University of Vermont Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources graduate student Stephen Peters-Collaer. “And in mature forests, this in-stream, dead-wood carbon pool is about 50 to 60% larger than that stored in downed wood in an area of equivalent size on the forest floor.”

by Olga Peters. Vermont Business Magazine Armstrong Walther explained the chamber staffs the project “so that it’s not reliant on really passionate volunteers, but we actually have some infrastructure to the organization that can support it.“ Dedicated staff is an important component of a successful organization, she added. This is how organizations survive beyond passionate volunteers. The need for consistent staffing demonstrates a trend Armstrong Walther has noticed. Volunteerism has yet to fully rebound since COVID. People are busier and retirees are still wary of getting sick from attending public events. Armstrong Walther said the dip in volunteers drives home how important it is for organizations to ensure volunteers understand their value.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine What does it take to build a business ecosystem in Springfield? Officials at the nonprofit Black River Innovation Campus believe it requires surrounding entrepreneurs with a supportive network of training, community and — if all goes as planned — housing. BRIC, as the organization is known, is in the middle of a $7.2 million renovation at its headquarters, Springfield’s historic Park Street schoolhouse. Built in 1895 and expanded in 1929, the school retains much of its original architecture and woodwork, including a double central staircase. BRIC trains entrepreneurs to develop technology-driven businesses. It also provides co-working and incubation space for new businesses and STEAM programs for grades pre-K-12.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is making significant progress as an unusual Spring ice storm covers parts of central and southern Vermont in thick ice, damaging trees and power lines. Crews have restored more than 14,000 customers since early Saturday morning, when ice started to build up insome locations, and more rapidly Saturday night. In advance of this multi-day, region-wide storm, GMP had more than doubled its field force. In addition to the full GMP team, external field crews were on hand to assist GMP crews as needed.

Vermont Business Magazine National Doctors’ Day is celebrated annually on March 30. It is a day to honor and recognize the contributions of physicians in providing high-quality healthcare, and each year in late March the halls and breakrooms at Rutland Regional Medical Center are decorated with colorful drawings and messages of appreciation from hundreds of Rutland County students from kindergarten through 4th grade. This annual tradition is a creative and unique part of the hospital’s celebration of Doctors’ Day.

Vermont Business Magazine Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc, King Arthur Baking Company and Burton Snowboards are the three "Most Coveted Employers" in Vermont, with Ben & Jerry's ranking third nationally, behind only Google and Coca-Cola. When it comes to why people jump ship to a new job, a fatter paycheck often steals the spotlight. It’s the obvious draw - who doesn’t want more money? But dig a little deeper, and it’s clear that salary isn’t the whole story. Benefits like stellar health insurance, paid time off, or even quirky extras like free snacks can tip the scales just as much. In a world where top-tier positions with sky-high wages aren’t always up for grabs, employers are left wondering: What else can convince workers to stick around? What makes a job feel less like a grind and more like a place worth staying for? 

Vermont State Police As part of an ongoing investigation, the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force and the Weathersfield Police Department arrested Danielle McAllister, 42, of Weathersfield on Friday, March 28, 2025. The arrest stemmed from a monthslong drug investigation conducted by detectives with the Vermont Drug Task Force into the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine in Weathersfield. The Vermont Drug Task Force investigation involved the use of confidential informants who purchased fentanyl from McAllister.

Vermont Business Magazine The Upper Valley Aquatic Center has been awarded $24,999 as part of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) 2024 Direct Effect 2nd Cycle Quality of Life grants. Fifty-three grants totaling $1,056,391 were awarded. The Quality of Life Grants Program supports nonprofit organizations that empower individuals living with paralysis. Since the Quality of Life Grants Program’s inception, more than 3,990 grants totaling $46 million have been awarded. Funding for this program was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living (ACL grant #90PRRC0006-04). The Reeve Foundation’s National Paralysis Resource Center has several grants under the Quality of Life program awarding grants in different category areas, varying in different amounts. 

Vermont Business Magazine If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a maple syrup paradise – complete with a fully operational Tiki Bar, panoramic Vermont views, and a whiskey-powered cold plunge – now’s your chance. WhistlePig Whiskey has officially listed its famed Maple Sugar Shack on Zillow offering prospective buyers a chance to claim this syrup-soaked retreat for $4.2 million, just in time for International Waffle Day. After a series of unconventional tenants and property disputes, WhistlePig Whiskey is reclaiming the Maple Sugar Shack – originally secured by the Troopers in 2024 to protect and serve the shrinking maple syrup industry.

by Jules Older, Vermont Business Magazine To my great surprise, and with zero training and no observable skills in: art, illustration, AI artificial intelligence), or ChatGPT. I find myself creating cover art for my wife’s children’s books. I was thrust into this unforeseen role by a cover crisis—her book, HELP! Santa is in Trouble, was on the tightest of deadlines, and the publisher’s artist was unavailable. You can read the full story here. Fine. I did it. And assumed my one-shot cover-artist career was over. I was wrong. 

Vermont Business Magazine Nine students from high schools around the country and the world were selected as winners of Bennington College’s 2024-2025 Young Writers Awards. This annual competition, which accepts entries in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, is free to enter and open to high school students. A first-, second-, and third-place winner is selected in each of the categories, with cash prizes up to $1,000 awarded. Young Writers Award finalists and winners are also eligible for undergraduate scholarships at Bennington. Finalists who enroll at Bennington will receive a $10,000 scholarship every year for four years, for a total of $40,000. Winners who enroll at Bennington will receive a $15,000 scholarship every year for four years, for a total of $60,000.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House of Representatives passed both the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget and tax reduction legislation on a strong tri-partisan vote. Both bills reflect months of work, deep collaboration across parties, and thoughtful input from Vermonters. The vote on the budget was 103-38. This would afford an override if the Governor Scott were to veto it. However, this is considered unlikely. The budget passed out of the Appropriations Committee in a unanimous vote. The FY26 budget includes major investments in housing, health care, education, and workforce, while maintaining fiscal discipline and fully funding pension obligations and reserves. This includes $77.2 million transfer to the Education Fund to help stabilize property tax rates to help lower the projected average property tax increase from 5.9% to 1.1%.