Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) all oppose the continuing resolution (CR). The CR would keep the government running for the rest of the fiscal year without an actual budget bill being passed. "Since President Trump has been in office we have seen chaos, shock and heartbreak. We have seen oligarchs take over our government and the wealthiest person in the world decimate programs that provide support for a struggling working class – including massive cuts for the Veterans Administration, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Education. We have seen a move toward authoritarianism where the president is illegally usurping the powers of Congress, while his administration challenges the role of the federal courts in constraining unconstitutional administrative actions."

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has selected Major General Gregory Knight, Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard, as the 2025 Citizen of the Year. He was selected for the award for his outstanding contributions to Vermont’s safety, economy, and military readiness. Through his proactive leadership, workforce development initiatives, and dedication to ensuring every soldier and airman feels valued, he has truly exemplified the spirit of service and self-sacrifice that this award honors. The award will be presented at a celebratory event on Wednesday, May 21, at Von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort in Stowe.

Vermont Business Magazine Lund is pleased to announce that Liz Gamache will be the agency’s next President and CEO. Gamache, a dynamic and adaptive non-profit leader, will join Lund on May 1st. Gamache joins Lund with over 20 years of experience in community and economic development and is known for her hands-on approach and results-driven mindset. Currently serving as the Chief Development Officer at United Way of Northwest Vermont, she leads fundraising and strategic business development efforts. Gamache has also held significant roles at the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, and Vermont Electric Cooperative where she drove impactful initiatives and fostered strong stakeholder relationships. As a former Mayor of Saint Albans, VT, Liz led a multi-million-dollar downtown revitalization initiative.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont today are $3.14 per gallon, unchanged from last week. They are also the same as last month and are 11 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.85/g while the highest was $3.28/g. The lowest prices in the state continue to be in Rutland ($3.00/g) and Windsor ($3.05/g) counties, with prices rising as you head north to Lamoille ($3.26/g), Franklin ($3.26/g) and Grand Isle ($3.26/g). The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.07/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. On March 11, the Trump administration announced that the Education Department would be firing approximately 50 percent of its workforce as part of its goal of a “total shutdown” of the Department. Attorney General Clark and the coalition today filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the targeted destruction of this critical federal agency that ensures tens of millions of students receive a quality education and critical resources.

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday in Montpelier, the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC), the Preservation Trust of Vermont, and AARP Vermont convened stakeholders from across the state to discuss the future of land use in Vermont at the Smarter Growth Summit. At the Summit, a diverse array of leaders gathered to discuss if and how Vermont’s smart growth principles are contributing to sustainable, equitable land use. About 100 representatives from environmental, housing, health, transportation, planning, and economic development-focused organizations were in attendance.  

by Joshua Brown, University of Vermont Whales are not just big, they’re a big deal for healthy oceans. When they poop, whales move tons of nutrients from deep water to the surface. Now new research shows that whales also move tons of nutrients thousands of miles—in their urine. In 2010, scientists revealed that whales, feeding at depth and pooping at the surface, provide a critical resource for plankton growth and ocean productivity. Today, a new UVM-led study shows that whales also carry huge quantities of nutrients horizontally, across whole ocean basins, from rich, cold waters where they feed to warm shores near the equator where they mate and give birth.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation is taking action to help Vermonters stay warm this winter through the Wood Warms program, which provides free firewood from timber harvests on state lands to those in need. So far this winter, FPR has donated 80 cords of wood to local community wood banks, and an additional 200 cords will be donated from forest management projects that will begin in the next two years. The wood for the program came from two sustainable timber harvests in Mt. Mansfield and Camel’s Hump State Forests and is being delivered to community wood banks in Jericho, Morrisville, and Craftsbury.

Vermont Business Magazine From March 10 to March 16, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recognizes Flood Safety Awareness Week. With recent major flood events and spring flood season underway, DEC wants to remind Vermonters about the benefits of floodplain protection and how to protect yourself if your property is at risk of flooding. Most streams fill with spring rains and snowmelt every year or two. As they spill over onto floodplains, small frequent floods offer many benefits from clean water to wildlife habitat. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board is inviting public comment on proposed changes to Vermont’s deer, moose and turkey hunting regulations, as well as the rules for transporting wild game meat from out of state.  Public hearings will be held on March 17, 18, and 20 as well as May 6 and 8.  Public comment may also be provided online. The proposed deer hunting changes, recommended by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s biologists, are the most extensive of the four.  They come five years after state biologists last updated Vermont’s deer regulations.  Deer is Vermont’s most popular game species with about 60,000 resident hunters and 7,500 out-of-state hunters heading into the white-tail woods each fall, and just over a fifth successfully harvesting deer.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House of Representatives today voted to pass the $162.7 million Budget Adjustment Act (H.141), which has already passed the Senate. It will now go to Governor Scott for his review. The governor said at his press conference today that he would veto the legislation as written, principally because of the continued funding for the hotel/motel program used to provide shelter for unhoused Vermonters. The governor has offered a separate plan that would provide money directly to municipalities to help mitigate the homeless situation as they see fit. The BAA makes mid-year adjustments to the current fiscal year budget. The Legislative proposal is $1.8 million, while the governor countered with $2.1 million for local grants.

The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM), in partnership with the Coraggio Group, has now launched the Strategic Planning Stakeholder Survey as the next step in developing Vermont’s first-ever Destination Management Strategic Plan. This survey is designed to gather data on various aspects of the visitor economy in Vermont, including current and future challenges, opportunities, and priorities to support visitation around the state. Your perspective is crucial in ensuring that the strategic plan is comprehensive, inclusive, and reflective of our community's needs and aspirations.