Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Earlier this month, statewide fuel sales data for the transportation and thermal (heating) sectors for calendar year 2024 were compiled by the Agency of Natural Resources’ Climate Action Office. Specifically, data from the Gasoline and Diesel Gallons Taxed Report from the Joint Fiscal Office and the Fuel Gross Receipts Report for propane, fuel oil, and kerosene from the Department of Taxes became available. Reported fossil fuel sales volume decreased in the thermal sector in 2024 compared to 2023; data regarding sales of natural gas in 2024 has not yet been reported. Sales of gasoline and diesel fuel for transportation increased. Taken together, preliminary analysis indicates no significant change in the combined year-over-year greenhouse gas emissions from these two sectors.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vermont) reintroduced the Peer Education and Emergency Response (PEER) Mental Health Act. This legislation would support peer mental health training for teachers, school personnel, parents, caregivers, and students. The United States is in the midst of a youth mental health crisis, with an alarming 76 percent of public schools reporting concerns about depression, anxiety, and trauma in students since the start of the COVID pandemic. As attacks on our education and health care systems continue nationally, it is important that we double down on efforts to support youth mental health. The PEER Mental Health Act allows for students, teachers, and others to participate in training that enables them to assist students in crisis by giving them the tools they need to respond safely.    

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) this week joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to introduce the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, bipartisan legislation which would allow Americans to safely import prescription drugs from Canada, lowering costs, increasing access for consumers, and creating more competition in the pharmaceutical market. 

Vermont Business Magazine A Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) decision will enable University of Vermont Health Network to continue providing community-based dialysis services in St. Albans, Newport and Rutland. Since November 2024, the health system has been working with Northwestern Medical Center, North Country Hospital, Rutland Regional Medical Center and the GMCB to identify the best way to maintain care for patients who rely on dialysis at these sites. After exploring options that included transitioning operation of dialysis to other providers, it became clear that no other organization would be able to take on the services while providing high quality care without significant losses. Today, the GMCB voted to increase UVM Medical Center’s revenue cap to include revenue from community dialysis services and enable their continued operation so patients do not have to travel further for the lifesaving care they need. 

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine A former Lamoille County man may soon be facing the federal death penalty for a 2023 double homicide — and the woman involved in a fatal shootout with the U.S. Border Patrol in Orleans County last month also could be facing the same fate. New U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, among her recent directives, ordered the offices of U.S. Attorneys across the nation to revive the use of federal death penalty charges. She also wants the moratorium on federal executions lifted, according to a Feb. 5 directive obtained by Vermont News First. A new indictment filed against Theodore "Theo" Bland, 29, of Burlington late Thursday afternoon in Vermont adds two felony charges against him and opens the door for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. to review his case as a possible death penalty case.

by Noah Diedrich, Community News Service Artificial dyes found in processed and pre-packaged foods sold in schools are the target of a recent bill in the Vermont Senate. The bill, introduced by Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden-Southeast, is modeled after California’s 2024 School Food Safety Act. While California’s bill goes a bit farther, banning food items that exceed set amounts of sugar and fat from being sold in lunchrooms, both pieces of legislation set their sights on dyes added to food such as Red 40, Blue 1 and Yellow 5.  S. 26 would bar schools from serving food and beverages with any amount of the dyes. Recent research suggests the six manmade dyes covered in the bill may have unpalatable upshots, including inattention and hyperactivity in kids.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Rural School Community Alliance (RSCA) has come together to advocate for Vermont’s public schools and ensure that any proposed education reform supports students, families, and communities while maintaining financial sustainability. The RSCA consists of Vermonters from all walks of life—educators, parents, school board members, and community leaders—who recognize the crucial role public schools play in shaping the state’s future. The RSCA understands the need to address the rising cost of education but has concerns with elements of the Scott Administration’s education transformation proposal. Any reform must consider the potential adverse impacts on rural children, elementary schools and communities, and must ensure actual savings for taxpayers.

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.