Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) has preliminary applications from internet service providers (ISPs) to serve nearly every eligible address in the state under Vermont’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (VT-BEAD) Program. BEAD is a federal program that provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs in all states and territories. Vermont’s allocation of those funds is almost $229 million.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, the Sharon Volunteer Fire Department was notified of a fire at a private residence at 798 Vermont Route 14 in Sharon. A passerby alerted 911 that smoke and fire were coming from the basement. The Sharon Volunteer Fire Department responded and was assisted by numerous area fire departments and the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department. While suppressing the fire, the department was notified that a resident who lived at the address was unaccounted for and believed to have not escaped the home. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office directed the Vermont State Police to issue a citation to Kyle Kapitanski on a felony charge of grossly negligent operation with death resulting. The charge arises from the fatal Nov. 11, 2024, crash involving a Shelburne Police Department cruiser driven by Kapitanski and cyclist Sean Hayes, 38, of Burlington on Shelburne Road in South Burlington. The decision to charge Kapitanski follows a monthlong review by State’s Attorney Sarah George of the Vermont State Police’s extensive investigation, including work by the Crash Reconstruction Team and detectives from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) recently wrote to the Department of State, Department of Education, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) raising the alarm about President Trump’s recent Executive Orders that institute speech-restrictive vetting requirements for visa holders and applicants. The Senators warned these orders could run afoul of the First Amendment and violate the Departments’ constitutional obligations. 

Vermont Business Magazine Registration is now open for the 8th Southern Vermont Economy Summit. This annual learning and networking event will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at Mount Snow Grand Summit Resort in West Dover, Vermont. Registration information and a full schedule of the day’s events can be found at www.sovermontzone.com/summit. Early Bird pricing, which is currently in effect, is scheduled to end on March 20. The theme of the 2025 Summit is "Adapt & Thrive.” Throughout the day, presentations, panels, workshops and discussions will investigate ways that our region can adapt to current economic and demographic trends in order to support a thriving economy.

Vermont Business Magazine Vestwell, the backbone of the modern savings economy, has announced its partnership with the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) to power VT529, Vermont’s 529 Education Savings program, further solidifying its leadership in state savings solutions. The program will provide Vermont residents with a modern, accessible way to save for future educational endeavors. 529 Education Savings Accounts allow funds to grow tax-free across a range of investment options, with the flexibility to apply savings toward a variety of education-related expenses. This partnership grows Vestwell’s presence in Vermont, where the company powers the state’s auto-IRA retirement program, VTSaves, and ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) disability savings program, Vermont ABLE.

Vermont Business Magazine Girls on the Run Vermont’s registration for its spring program is now open! GOTR is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that inspires students in 3rd through 8th grade to be joyful, healthy, and confident. The ten-week program incorporates movement to empower participants to develop critical life skills, build confidence, cultivate positive connections with peers, manage their emotions, and stand up for themselves and others. Volunteer coaches utilize a research-based curriculum to engage teams of girls in fun, interactive lessons that foster the social, emotional, and physical wellbeing of participants. The spring season begins the week of March 17 statewide.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Overcoming Prevalent Inadequacies in Overdose Information Data Sets (OPIOIDS) Act to confront the devastating opioid crisis that claims the lives of more than 70,000 Americans every year. This comprehensive legislation will give state and local governments additional tools to address the opioid epidemic in their communities. Congresswoman Laurel Lee (R-Fla.-13) and Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH-01) have introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott will attend the National Governors Association Winter meeting in Washington, D.C. this week. In addition to meetings with other governors and diplomats, on Saturday Governor Scott, who serves as co-chair of the NGA Public Health and Disaster Response Task Force, will lead a discussion with Hawaii Governor Josh Green on border security with the National Guard Bureau and Department of Homeland Security. He will also join fellow governors for a meeting with President Trump and other officials at the White House on Friday. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, joined Senate Judiciary Democrats outside of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Headquarters building to call on their Republican colleagues to block the nomination of Kash Patel, President Trump’s pick to serve as Director of the FBI. The Senators highlighted the dire consequences of Mr. Patel’s willingness to take out vengeance on behalf of President Trump and called on their colleagues to oppose his appointment as the FBI Director on the Senate Floor today. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority, or VEDA, has named Joan Goldstein as its next chief executive officer. Goldstein succeeds Cassie Polhemus, who previously announced she is stepping down effective June 30, 2025. Governor Phil Scott announced February 20 that Goldstein will leave her role leading the Department of Economic Development at the end of April. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.15 per gallon, up 1 cent per gallon from last week and last month and down 10 cents/g from last year, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.75/g while the highest was $3.35/g, a difference of 60.0 cents per gallon. Gas prices are lowest in Rutland ($3.03/g) and Windsor ($3.06/g) counties and highest in Grand Isle ($3.23/g), Lamoille ($3.22/g) and Orleans ($3.24/g).