Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.14 per gallon, up 1 cent per gallon from last week, up 6 cents from last month and down 8 cents/g from last year. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.75/g while the highest was $3.89/g, a difference of $1.14/g. Prices were lowest in Rutland (3.02/g) and Windsor (3.06/g) counties and highest in the northern counties of Lamoille (3.22/g), Franklin (3.22/g) and Orleans (3.21/g). The national average price of gasoline has risen 2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.13/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine The Town of Newfane has announced a new housing grant program to support the creation of long-term, rental housing in the town. Owners of eligible apartment or housing units can receive $2,000-$5,000 per year, for up to three years. This program offers a cash incentive to Newfane property owners who create new housing units, whether by building new accessory dwelling units or houses, renovating or subdividing existing homes, or by returning properties to use as long-term rentals from private use or short-term rentals. The amount of the annual award is based on the size of the unit created. The program is funded with $150,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Vermont Business Magazine Groundbreaking for the first phase of an exciting new mixed-income development on Seminary Street in Middlebury, VT, took place on Monday, February 3. The new housing project will provide rental and owner-occupied housing at all income levels. Senator Welch nominated Stonecrop Meadows for Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 CDS process, which is currently in-progress. The Stonecrop Meadows project is being built on 35 acres of Middlebury College-owned land off Seminary Street Extension. Phase 1, called the “Core Village” will be 80 units. At full buildout, this project will create 254 new homes. 

Vermont Business Magazine A record of just over 3,000 elementary and middle school students learned to find and identify signs of species like the bobcat, raccoon, snowshoe hare and white-tailed deer this winter. This success marks the fifth year of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s “Scat and Tracks” program.  Scat and Tracks is a hybrid outdoor education curriculum that got its start in 2021 during the peak of COVID-19 school closures.  Today, the program reaches K-9 classes as well as home school groups in all 14 Vermont counties. Scat and Tracks grew to this year’s record enrollment of over 3,000 students—including 271 home schoolers—and 218 participating educators from just 390 students and 63 participating educators in its first year.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, alongside Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education, and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, sent a letter warning against the Trump administration’s reported plans to unilaterally dismantle the Department of Education. 

Vermont Business Magazine Since 2012, the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative has supported Vermont agriculture and forestry businesses with vital investments that have helped grow their businesses and economic impact.  With $18.8 million invested in 555 farm, food and forestry projects, and an additional $30.9 million leveraged in matching funds, the Working Lands program has played an important role in the growth of Vermont’s rural economy. To celebrate these investments and their positive impacts, the WLEI Board has released the latest Impact Report detailing the significant outcomes from the entire 12 years of the program. The report contains specific details of the funding in fiscal year 2024, including special funds allocated to the program from the American Rescue Plan Act and a one-time pool of funds approved by the Vermont legislature specifically for small farm diversification and transition projects.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association Check out last month's Vermont Climate Council's (VCC) report to the General Assembly, outlining progress and activities of the VCC in meeting the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements set by the Vermont Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) of 2020. Also, while state funding for electric vehicle incentives for individuals has been depleted, incentives are still available to support organizations in transitioning fleets to electric vehicles. Vermont businesses, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for the Electrify Your Fleet incentive program. Applicants may receive up to $2,500 for each internal combustion engine vehicle replaced or avoided, with 20 incentives allowed per fleet. 

Vermont Business Magazine Fidium has expanded its multi-gig, symmetrical speed internet service in the Milton-area, making its future-proof fiber network available to more than 4,200 homes and businesses in Milton, Colchester and Georgia. Additional construction will connect more than 800 additional area locations by the end of the year. Fidium’s expansion of its all fiber, future-proof network brings all the benefits that come with access to a fiber broadband connection to Milton. Fiber broadband drives economic growth, in particular for rural communities, increasing business growth by 213% and leading to 44% higher GDP. For individuals, fiber access resulted in self-employment growth of 10% and increased per capita income by 18%. Fiber also increases real estate values, as single-family homes with fiber access have a 4.9% higher value than those without. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) today reintroduced the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park Establishment Act Amendments Act, legislation to extend the boundary of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park to include the neighboring King Farm, which is currently owned by the Vermont Land Trust. Located in Woodstock, the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park preserves a significant historical, agricultural, and natural landscape. The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park became Vermont’s first and only national park when it opened its doors to the public in 1998. 

Vermont Business Magazine Treasurer Mike Pieciak’s Task Force on the Federal Transition, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) will host a webinar for Vermont employers to discuss their rights, obligations, and steps they can take to prepare for a worksite visit from Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). The discussion will feature leading Vermont and national immigration experts. The webinar will take place tomorrow, Thursday, February 6 from 11:00AM to 12:30PM. 

Vermont Business Magazine Since 1995, VMEC has assisted hundreds of Vermont’s small and mid-size manufacturers to solve problems, improve their economic competitiveness, grow through innovation, and enhance their technological capabilities. The results include higher profits, savings in time and money, people and physical investments and the creation and retention of higher-paying manufacturing jobs with good benefits – all significantly enhancing our local, state and national economies. As Vermont’s only singularly focused resource for manufacturers, VMEC is uniquely positioned to deliver measurable impact from state and federal investments.  We are mission-driven to strengthen and empower Vermont manufacturers. 

Vermont State Police Investigators from the Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit have concluded that the Jan. 1, 2025, fire in Sandgate is accidental. The exact origin and cause are unable to be determined at this time. The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office currently lists the cause and manner of the victims’ deaths as pending further investigation. The two deceased victims in this incident were identified as Nicole Grogan, 22, and her 12-day-old son, Oliver Stratton.