Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Seventh Generation, a leader in bio-based cleaning products, today unveiled a new brand campaign, entitled Don't Do Extra. This launch, brought to life with the help of actress, singer, podcaster and television host Keke Palmer, underscores Seventh Generation's commitment to delivering the clean you need, without any extra ingredients like dyes and artificial fragrances. Each asset showcases how Seventh Generation's bio-based dish liquid delivers an effortless, lasting clean consumers can trust, so they can get back to enjoying life lived extra, from the gym to the pool and everything in between.

Vermont Business Magazine “I wish the world were more like the trail,” one hiker told 20-year-old theater kid turned thru-hiker, Tess “Storyteller” Rowan, in an interview last summer. In June 2025, Tess thru-hiked the oldest long-distance hiking trail in America while creating an audio theater documentary titled Field Notes: A Long Trail Odyssey. On Earth Day, April 22nd, Field Notes: A Long Trail Odyssey celebrates the sounds and stories of Vermont's Long Trail.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 17, 2026, Jared Marcus Hutchins, 22, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was charged with Enticement of a Minor and Travel With Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Minor. Hutchins was arrested yesterday in Montpelier, Vermont. His initial appearance in court was scheduled for Friday afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller. According to court records, Hutchins began communicating via social media with the 13-year-old victim in late December of 2025.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont initial weekly unemployment claims increased for the second straight week last week. For the week ending April 11, 2026, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that there were 480 new claims, up 118 from the previous week and up 48 from last year at this time. New claims had leveled off at under 400 after the holiday season, other than one spike in February. Meanwhile, total claims were 3,693, down 135 from the week before and are up 79 from last year at this time.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, April 16, tourism and hospitality industry leaders gathered at the State House to engage with legislators and administration officials to highlight the collective contributions of the visitor economy to Vermont. Tourism Economy Day, convened by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Ski Vermont, brought businesses together to advocate for a strong Vermont visitor economy. Industry leaders shared perspectives during a joint legislative hearing with the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development and the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs, offering real world insight into the opportunities and challenges facing Vermont’s tourism economy.

The Vermont State Police has released material connected to the March 11, 2026, federal police action on Dorset Street in South Burlington, to which state troopers were later called to assist with public safety. Today’s release includes a complete after-action report, about 60 hours of video footage from troopers’ body-worn cameras, and a statement from Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison. In Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison's statement (see below), she said, "I determined that the allegations of excessive force by members of the Vermont State Police were not supported." She said neither her office nor the State Police were informed of action by federal agents beforehand, despite prior requests to federal immigration officials to alert the state if there were to be such an action. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Speaker Jill Krowinski made the following statement on the House passage of H.955, an act relating to next steps in transforming Vermont’s education system. The bill passed on a 79-62 vote. The vote, as is, would be well-short of the vote needed to override a promised veto from Governor Scott. It has now moved to the Senate. 

Vermont Futures Project Vermont is one of six states (plus D.C.) to have a progressive tax system, based on research by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). The index factors in property tax, income tax, and sales tax. The ITEP Tax Inequality Index measures the effects of each state’s tax system on income inequality by assessing the impact state tax policy has on the post-tax incomes of taxpayers at different income levels.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Natural Resources Council has announced the latest grant recipients for the Small Grants for Smart Growth program. Grantee selections are made by VNRC and a grant selection committee on a rolling basis. The Committee chose the Town of Wilmington Recreation Commission and the Town of Waterbury to be awarded a combined $5,000 in the most recent round of funding. The Small Grants for Smart Growth program was developed by VNRC in 2018 in partnership with Beth Humstone, co-founder of the Vermont Forum on Sprawl and former chair of the VNRC Board of Directors, and her son, Chris Gignoux, to support community-based initiatives seeking seed capital to affect change on a local level.

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine A state judge in Rutland has found probable cause to file five more criminal counts against Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer, including charges of extortion and lewd and lascivious conduct and three counts of soliciting for prostitution. State prosecutor Jared Bianchi of Bennington tried to file 10 more charges this week, but Judge Corsones said he was able to find a legal basis for only five of the new charges. The new charges stem from information developed when two more women came forward to file claims of sexual misconduct against Palmer after he was initially arraigned in late January, according to Vermont State Police.

Vermont Business Magazine Community Bancorp., the parent company of Community National Bank in Derby (Trading Symbol: CMTV. Traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC), has changed the record date for its previously announced quarterly cash dividend payable on May 1, 2026, from April 15, 2026, to the new record date of April 26, 2026. The dividend amount and payable date have not changed. Accordingly, Community Bancorp will pay a cash dividend of $0.25 per share on May 1, 2026, to shareholders of record on April 26, 2026. 

Vermont Business Magazine Beginning on Thursday, April 16, the Fletcher Free Library (FFL) will display a recently rediscovered 430+ year-old manuscript at the Main Library. This rare, beautiful, handprinted religious text, was purchased by the library in 1882 for $2.50. Originally published in 1494, Tractatus Exponibilium (Expository treatise) by Pierre D’Ailly was a religious treatise explaining aspects of the Catholic Church and their origins. Due to being written in old biblical Latin, not much is known about the contents of this treatise, however, it is known to be part of a broader tradition of medieval logic and analytical methods, contributing to the “doctrine of exponibilia,” which was widely discussed in the 15th and 16th centuries.