Current News

by Richard Plumb, President of Saint Michael’s College For decades, American higher education has made a simple promise: earn a degree, get a good job. It was a compelling argument — and, for many years, a true one. But today, that promise is under strain. Recent graduates are taking longer to find work. Employers are rethinking entry-level roles. And advances in artificial intelligence are rapidly reshaping what skills matter and how work gets done. At the very moment families are asking more of college than ever, the traditional case for its value is becoming harder to make. That does not mean college has lost its purpose. It means the purpose must be more clearly defined and more honestly delivered.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $4.04 per gallon, down 5.6 cents per gallon from last week's $4.10/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.83/g while the highest was $4.19/g, a difference of 36.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 9.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.97/g today. The national average is up 3.9 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 87.4 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

by Maggie Lenz and Gwynn Zakov On Thursday and Friday, the House debated and ultimately passed H.955, the major education reform bill, on a largely party-line vote, with all Republicans and several Democrats and Progressives voting in opposition. The vote reflects both the urgency around education reform and the lack of consensus on how to get there. Under the House proposal, lawmakers moved away from the earlier concept of forced mergers after Vermonters flooded the Legislature with resistance to a top-down consolidation approach. In its place, the bill establishes a structured, statewide process intended to move districts toward consolidation without requiring it outright. Districts will ultimately vote on consolidation, which means the Legislature is requiring the analysis and the process while leaving the final decision at the local level.

Vermont Business Magazine Walmart has announced continued reinvestment across Vermont, with plans in 2026 to remodel its Derby and Williston stores as part of ongoing efforts to modernize the in-store and digital shopping experience—upgrading layouts, technology, and services to offer faster, more convenient shopping and delivery in as little as an hour to most customers. These efforts reflect Walmart’s commitment to supporting economic growth and strengthening communities statewide.  

Vermont Business Magazine Chittenden County State's Attorney Sarah George officially has launched her 2026 re-election campaign, before a crowd of more than 50 supporters, advocates, and community leaders last Thursday at Hotel Vermont in Burlington. George is seeking her third term in the August 11 Democratic primary. Her campaign is centered on what she calls a "fair, smart, and fearless" approach to prosecution, one that pairs accountability with evidence-based strategies like treatment courts, recovery services, and reentry support. George has served as State's Attorney since 2017, following her appointment by Governor Scott to fill the position vacated by TJ Donovan.

Vermont Business Magazine A free, on-demand, virtual personal finance course is available for Vermont teachers and anyone interested until April 30, Treasurer Pieciak highlighted today.  The course, provided by The Champlain College Center for Financial Literacy, offers educators up to eight hours of professional development across eight virtual sessions focusing on financial education and how to successfully integrate it into the classroom. The resource is available through April, in recognition of Financial Literacy Month.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets is launching a free nine-event series designed to connect Vermont farms and restaurants, kicking off April 28 and running through September with events spread across the state. These events are for Vermont farmers, producers, and restaurant buyers who want to build stronger, more effective working relationships around local sourcing for the restaurant market channel.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s construction and development industry enters the 2026 construction season at a paradoxical moment: The challenges are immense, the constraints are real and yet the work keeps coming. As Richard Wobby, Executive Vice President of AGC/VT, puts it plainly, Vermont is navigating “a period of significant pressure but also meaningful opportunity.” The national picture is familiar by now  —  high interest rates, rising material costs, and persistent labor shortages  —  but Vermont’s experience is shaped by a combination of federal investment, local resilience, and a housing crisis so acute that even the most challenging projects continue to move forward.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Associated General Contractors of Vermont (AGC/VT) Executive Vice President Richard Wobby was presented with the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Citizen of the Year during the Chamber’s annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration March 17. The award was presented by Jeannette Kingsbury, president of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, at the Elks Lodge in Barre. Wobby was recognized not only for his decades of leadership in Vermont’s construction industry, but for his extensive record of community service, and the energy and heart he brings to it. His hands-on approach across Central Vermont has played a central role in initiatives that have made a measurable difference across the state

by C.B. Hall, Vermont Business Magazine This year, the list of the Vermont Agency of Transportation's construction projects (sidebar) includes numerous jobs that had been scheduled for last year. What's going on? In a joint hearing held by the House and Senate transportation committees in January, AOT's secretary, Joe Flynn, provided a partial answer to that question when he presented the Scott administration's transportation budget proposal - with a deficit of approximately $33 million on the revenue side. To plug the hole, the proposal calls for instituting the following economies: $5.4 million saved with revision of budgetary assumptions and deferral of construction and maintenance projects, $7.5 million by eliminating 62 staff positions; $8.1 million in miscellaneous other cuts, and $12.1 million gained by shifting available federal funds from project allocations to administrative functions.

Vermont State Police On Saturday at approximately 2025 hours Vermont State Police were dispatched to a reported ATV crash on Suncrest Road in Rupert. It was reported there were serious injuries involved. Troopers arrived on scene as rescue and fire personnel on scene were working to extricate one of the occupants of the vehicle. One passenger died of his injuries on scene during extrication. The investigation determined there were 5 total occupants. During investigation, Troopers suspected the operator, Ellsworth Reed, to be under the influence of intoxicants. Reed was ultimately taken into custody for suspicion of DUI.

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 20, 2026. TPlease drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  Projects include: Colchester, I-89 Exit 16 Diverging Diamond Interchange – Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., crews will widen the roadway, install light pole foundations and conduit, and interconnect along U.S. 2/7 and the I-89 ramps at the Exit 16 interchange. Throughout the week, intermittent single-lane closures will be in effect along U.S. 2/7 in either direction between South Park Drive and Mountain View Drive, and there will be width reductions along the I-89 ramps. Motorists should expect significant delays and plan extra travel time or consider alternate routes.