Current News

by Eliot Barrengos, Community News Service Plans to build a pedestrian bridge linking Burlington and South Burlington have been in the works for decades. Now, that bridge is one step closer to reality. On Monday, the South Burlington City Council awarded a $20.14 million contract to Engineers Construction, Inc. for the first phase of the project. Construction could begin as soon as this summer. The walk-bike bridge will cross over I-89 at Exit 14. The total project cost is estimated at $27.5 million.

The Vermont State Police is identifying the victim as 42-year-old Cpl. Jeffery Barriger. He has been a member of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office since March 2024. He joined the department after seven years as a full-time police officer with the Halifax County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina. As of Sunday morning, Cpl. Barriger’s condition at the University of Vermont Medical Center was reported to be critical but stable.

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 April 27, 2026. To learn more about the projects listed below or to sign up to receive weekly construction updates via email, visit the VTrans Construction Updates page. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  This includes: Newbury-Ryegate, I-91 Paving – Milling operations will continue on I-91 North through Exit 17. Temporary single-lane closures will be in place, shifting between the high- and low-speed lanes as work progresses north. A speed limit reduction to 55 mph is in place. Motorcyclists should watch for grooved and uneven surfaces.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) is proud to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, April 26–May 2, a nationwide recognition of the critical role apprenticeship programs play in building a strong, skilled workforce. As Vermont’s state affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), VTAEYC is leading efforts to strengthen the early childhood workforce through accessible, innovative pathways. In partnership with the Vermont Department of Labor, VTAEYC’s registered Apprenticeship Program and independent Youth Apprenticeship Program pair participants with qualified workplace mentors and build skills through a combination of supervised on-the-job training, 6–7 college courses, and additional community-based trainings.

by Melinda Moulton The Vermont Legislature is taking up Universal Primary Care.  It is Bill H.185.  Hypothetically, let’s imagine a person who is diagnosed with a debilitating disease. He works part-time for a company that offers health insurance, but it has a $6,000 deductible and co-pays.  He chooses not to go to the doctor because of the costs. He postpones his care for several years. The outcome is disastrous.  When he turns 65, he enrolls in Medicare and purchases an affordable supplemental policy, but it also has a deductible. By the time he receives the care he needs, his health has deteriorated, and the costs to treat him are astronomical.

by Miro Weinberger The question hanging over the State House this session is simple: Are we serious about solving the housing shortage? There is no doubt where Vermonters stand. Let’s Build Homes (LBH) polling in February found that housing was the top issue on voters’ minds, and three-quarters of them want more action from the legislature. Vermonters are very concerned about young households being pushed out of the state by housing scarcity, and 60% of Vermonters either have suffered serious housing challenges themselves or know someone who has. There is reason to be hopeful. Communities across the state from Fairlee to South Burlington are welcoming ambitious new projects and getting them done, total production is up significantly over the last decade, and for three consecutive years, the Legislature has passed major housing bills.

Vermont Business Magazine NBT Bancorp Inc (NASDAQ: NBTB) reported net income and diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2026. Net income for the first quarter of 2026 was $51.1 million, or $0.98 per diluted common share, compared to $36.7 million, or $0.77 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2025, and $55.5 million, or $1.06 per diluted common share, for the fourth quarter of 2025. Operating diluted earnings per share(1), a non-GAAP measure, was $0.97 for the first quarter of 2026, compared to $0.80 for the first quarter of 2025 and $1.05 for the fourth quarter of 2025. The company completed the acquisition of Evans Bancorp, Inc. on May 2, 2025, adding 200 employees and 18 banking locations in Western New York, $1.67 billion in loans and $1.86 billion in deposits.

Vermont Business Magazine The White River Craft Center (WRCC) invites the community to celebrate 25 years of creativity, learning, and connection at a daylong anniversary event on Saturday, June 13. What began as a place to uplift young people through hands-on making in trade and craft continues as a vibrant community hub where creatives, learners, and neighbors come together. This milestone celebration honors that history while looking ahead to the next chapter of the Craft Center. The day will feature an open house with studio tours, artist demonstrations, hands-on activities, and opportunities to connect with the artists and people who shape the Craft Center today.

Vermont Business Magazine Save the date for the most joyful weekend of the summer when Burlington City Arts (BCA) presents the 18th annual Festival of Fools on Friday, July 31, through Saturday, August 1, 2026.  This beloved festival fills downtown Burlington with stupendous street performers, exciting entertainers, and magnificent musicians over two jam-packed days. The Festival of Fools is a free, inclusive, family-friendly event that creates a place for community to gather and experience wonder and joy. Bringing laughter and vibrancy to the streets in the heart of the city, it’s a yearly reminder of the power of arts events to activate and energize our public spaces. 

by Jules Older Artificial Intelligence (AI) and I have history. I've written half a dozen or so articles about it. Frequently posted about it. Organized an international meeting about it. Been savaged for my views on it. And occasionally — very occasionally — made use of it. My first article, Can psychologists be replaced by a bot? appeared in the January, 2023 Vermont Digger. My most recent, Older: AI and work putting money where mouth is, ran in the March, 2026 Vermont Business Magazine. In all this, I've summed up my core beliefs about AI in eight short words: It’s dangerous, It’s useful, It’s here to stay.

Vermont State Police On Thursday, Nichole LaFrancois (age 27, Rutland VT) was issued a citation to appear in Rutland Criminal Court (May 18th, 2026, at 10 AM) for Transportation of Contraband into a Place of Detention. The investigation determined that LaFrancois transported marijuana and tobacco into the Marble Valley Correctional Center while visiting incarcerated inmate Jacob Alberico on 4-4-2026. When LaFrancois arrived at the VSP Rutland barracks to receive a citation for the above offense, it was determined that she had an active arrest warrant for an unrelated court matter (retail theft from Bennington Criminal Court).  LaFrancois was transported to Rutland Court where $200 bail was posted for her release.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont initial weekly unemployment claims fell last week for the first time in three weeks. For the week ending April 18, 2026, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that there were 411 new claims, down 69 from the previous week and down 85 from last year at this time. New claims had leveled off at under 400 after the holiday season, other than one spike in February. Meanwhile, the Vermont unemployment rate fell one-tenth to 2.6% in February and is the third lowest in the US, but the Labor Force also fell and is well below last year's level. Tax revenues, however, rebounded, with the Personal Income tax exceeding expectations in March by over 7%. The US stock markets were down and up all week depending on the latest news from the Middle East.