Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont state law requires that ice fishing shanties be removed from the ice before the ice weakens, according the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. The shanty must be removed before the ice becomes unsafe or loses its ability to support the shanty out of the water, or before the last Sunday in March -- the 30th this year -- whichever comes first.  All contents, debris, wood, and supports must also be removed so they do not become a hazard to navigation in the spring.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak announced that Shawn Burke will serve as the interim Chief of the Burlington Police Department, effective March 24, 2025. Burke currently serves as the Chief of Police for the City of South Burlington. Burke’s law enforcement career spans 31 years in Vermont municipal policing, and he has served in both the Burlington and South Burlington Police Departments. He began his career as a uniformed patrol officer with the Woodstock, Vermont PD in 1993, and joined Burlington PD in 1997. Throughout his time with BPD, Burke became a leader in both the Uniformed Services Bureau and the Detective Services Bureau, and he served on the Drug Task Force. Burke retired from BPD in 2018, having attained the rank of Deputy Chief for Operations, to serve as the Chief of Police in South Burlington. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced Commissioner Craig Bolio will be leaving his role leading the Department of Taxes at the end of the week and has named Bill Shouldice as the new commissioner of the Department of Taxes. Bolio joined the Tax Department in 2011 and was appointed commissioner in 2019. During his time at the Department of Taxes, Bolio prioritized improving accessibility and outcomes for Vermonters when interfacing with the Department. Scott has named Bill Shouldice to succeed him. Shouldice most recently served as President and CEO of The Vermont Teddy Bear Company. Prior to that, Shouldice served as the president and CEO of The Vermont Country Store. He also served as secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development under Governor Howard Dean. 

by Noah Diedrich, Community News Service Can Vermont legislators distinguish an AI-generated portrait from a real one? That was the question facing the Senate Government Operations committee last week as members watched pictures from a New York Times quiz designed to test just that. As each face flicked by, the senators took turns guessing whether or not it was made by artificial intelligence. In five attempts, they only managed to get one correct. 

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Tuesday night took to the Senate floor to speak on his opposition to Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump’s pick to serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Senator Welch expressed concerns about Gabbard’s judgment, integrity, and character, and how her lack of independent thought and devotion to President Trump could endanger national security. 

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today gave remarks on the floor of the Senate regarding how Elon Musk and his fellow oligarchs are waging a war on the working class of America. "M. President, we are living in an extremely dangerous time. Future generations will look back at this moment – what we do right now – and remember whether we had the courage to defend our democracy against the growing threats of oligarchy and authoritarianism. They will remember whether we stood with President Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg who in 1863, looking out at a battlefield where thousands died in the struggle against slavery and stated that; “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that a government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” Do we stand with Lincoln’s vision of America or do we allow this country to move to a government of the billionaires, by the billionaires and for the billionaires?"

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas visited a variety of small businesses in Chittenden County on Monday as part of a statewide listening tour following the upgrade of her office’s online business filing system. Several recently formed businesses in Chittenden County were selected by the Secretary of State’s office for visits, with the chance to offer direct feedback to Secretary Copeland Hanzas about their interactions with her office and state government in general.

by Joanna Cummings, UVM New England consumers depend on hundreds of dairy farms to produce milk for a variety of products they rely on every day. However, dairy products could be unavailable if the regional milk supply was interrupted by a devastating livestock foreign animal disease outbreak. While bird flu (H5N1) outbreaks are affecting dairy herds in the Midwest and western United States (U.S.), a team of researchers at the University of Vermont (UVM) is focused on the impacts of foreign animal disease outbreaks on regional dairy production in the "New England milkshed.” The milkshed is defined by all sources of milk processed or manufactured into dairy products within New England, including farms in eastern New York state that ship milk into the region.

Vermont Business Magazine In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 2024, Mack Prototype, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mack Group in Gardner, MA, has announced it is making a major investment in its machining, inspection, and facility efficiency. With a total investment exceeding $475,000, the company is revamping its CNC technology, expanding its quality lab with a state-of-the-art CMM machine, and implementing energy-efficient heating solutions to ensure this long-standing fixture of manufacturing in the community is ready to take on its next century. Mack Prototype is upgrading its CNC machining capabilities with the addition of a Haas VF2-SS high-speed mill, which enhances the ability to machine both plastics and metals. The unit can also perform tight-tolerance secondary operations on injection-molded parts, including PPSU, PEI, and composite materials.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is releasing the 2024 Fair Housing Analysis which examines challenges when it comes to fair housing, progress made, and recommendations for improvement. DHCD based the 2024 Fair Housing Analysis on data compiled via survey responses from housing professionals and the general public, as well as listening tours conducted at libraries in twelve counties. Feedback was also gathered from the immigrant and refugee population and those who work with vulnerable Vermonters. Other data sources include, but are not limited to, fair housing complaints received by U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Vermont’s Human Rights Commission, the Vermont Real Estate Commission, and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) proudly announces the establishment of the David R. Coates Fund for Vermont Disaster Relief—a permanent fund ensuring Vermont communities and individuals have a reliable, immediate resource to prepare, respond, and recover when natural disasters strike. Naming the fund after David Coates, the founding chair of the Vermont Disaster Recovery Fund (VDRF), honors one of Vermont’s most trusted and respected leaders. Coates’s impact spans numerous organizations, causes, and issues. His leadership was instrumental in the flood recovery efforts of 2011. Through this fund, we hope to carry forward the values Coates exemplifies.

Vermont Business Magazine The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation (NE-DBIC) announces a $1.1 million investment in regional dairy processing through the Dairy Co-Packing Grant. This funding supports the development of new and expanded co-packing capabilities for processors, ultimately leading to more dairy products for consumers across the region. The Dairy Co-Packing grants is open to applicants in 11 Northeast states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.