Current News

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) today joined the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) to celebrate the opening of a new winter warming shelter in the Queen City, located at 58 Pearl Street in Burlington. The new overnight, low barrier shelter will have capacity for 30 people and run from January 15th until the end of April. This added shelter capacity, made possible by COTS’ successful acquisition of a former federally owned building, will function jointly with the COTS Daystation shelter to provide respite for unsheltered individuals. 

Vermont Business Magazine More than 200 Airmen, along with equipment and F-35A Lighting II aircraft from the Vermont Air National Guard recently deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan, as part of a planned rotation to enhance regional security and strengthen interoperability with joint and allied forces. This deployment, part of scheduled ongoing rotations of aircraft and Airmen to that region, will span several months and is scheduled to include exercises in Japan and other regional islands. Among the key activities is Cope North, a premier multilateral joint exercise and the largest of its kind in the region.

Vermont Business Magazine Building Bright Futures today released its yearly report, The State of Vermont’s Children. The report provides an objective, data-driven assessment of the state of well-being for young children and families in Vermont. The report highlights data on pressing issues such as the cost of living, housing and homelessness, substance use during pregnancy, children with mental health conditions, and expansion of the Child Care Financial Assistance Program. Recommendations include: Enact a Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program; immediately stand up critically needed safe, accessible, non-congregate emergency solutions for sheltering families and children in crisis; and ensure Vermont’s Universal Prekindergarten Education (UPK) program continues to lead the country by maintaining universal access for 3- and 4-year-olds in a mixed-delivery system (school-based, center-based, and home-based programs) and centering the developmental needs of young children and their families.

Vermont Business Magazine The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) announced today the appointment of Jenny Patterson as its new Executive Director. During the summer and fall of 2024, the LCC Board conducted a comprehensive search for a new Executive Director to carry on the legacy of Lori Fisher, who retired on December 31, 2024, after an exemplary career spanning nearly four decades with LCC.  Jenny assumed the Executive Director role on January 1, 2025, and will lead the organization’s mission to protect Lake Champlain’s environmental integrity and recreational resources.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.09 per gallon, up 1.6 cents per gallon from last week's $3.07/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.76/g while the highest was $3.49/g, a difference of 73.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.02/g today. The national average is up 0.9 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 3.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS While it may be tempting to think that the State House goes into a state of suspended animation during the off-season, only to come alive at the sound of the gavel’s fall in January, there’s a lot of work that goes on with its inhabitants from May to December. Just as legislators are never truly “off the clock,” VAHHS also works with health care providers, community members, businesses, and policy experts to brainstorm solutions and develop a robust legislative agenda. This off-session, in addition to our typical work, we helped manage an IV fluid shortage, worked to discern more on the AHEAD model, and attended community meetings on the Green Mountain Care Board’s Act 167 report produced by Oliver Wyman.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Enjoy a day of learning and camaraderie at the Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers Association (VVBGA) Annual Meeting on January 28th at the DoubleTree Hotel in Burlington. The day will include presentations given, mostly by farmers, on the following topics: coping with flooding; market garden infrastructure; using the H2A program; assessing profitability; cover crops; on-farm engineering; reviving a blueberry farm; strawberry production; organic pest management; adapting to climate and market shifts; and a slide tour of farms in Korea and Japan.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott began his fifth term this month after an overwhelming victory last November. The Republican former contractor turned 66 last summer and ran for another term because he felt there was “unfinished business.” With significant, though not majority, gains in the election in both the House and Senate, Scott will have a greater ability to push his agenda and moderate the legislative process. In case you missed the political ads, ribbon cuttings, events and press conferences over the last several years, he remains focused on housing and affordability. For this interview, which he does annually in December with correspondent James Dwinell and VermontBiz Editor Timothy McQuiston, everyone was remote. The governor was recovering from COVID, which he contracted mid-month. He said he wasn’t feeling too badly, but he sounded like he had a head cold and acknowledged some fatigue. Nearly five years after the pandemic began, this was his first bout with the SARS CoV2 virus.

Vermont Business Magazine Did you know that at one time there were five ski areas in both Waterbury and Stowe, two in Morrisville, and one each in Hyde Park, Johnson, Jeffersonville, and Cambridge? Or that the second rope tow in Vermont was built in Cambridge? Over the decades, Vermont has lost 185 ski areas, leaving only 20 remaining today. Join the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum’s monthly Red Bench series on Thursday, January 23, 2025, as ski historian Brian Lindner and “Searching for Vermont’s Lost Ski Areas” exhibit curator Poppy Gall share the stories of 15 lost ski areas. These include one demolished during the construction of Interstate 89 and another that had to truck in snow from New York State during a snow drought.

Vermont Business Magazine Burton has announced the addition of two top executives to its leadership team: Jennifer Valentine – Chief Merchandising Officer and Debbie Lee – Chief Marketing Officer. These strategic hires reflect Burton’s dedication to driving innovation and leadership in snowboarding, from product development to brand storytelling. Both Jen and Debbie recently relocated to Burlington, Vermont, where they are based at Burton’s global headquarters, reporting to CEO John Lacy and collaborating with Burton Owner Donna Carpenter.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association The Vermont Bond Bank announced $40M in low-interest loan funding for schools and municipalities for energy and weatherization improvements. This funding comes from the USDA Rural Energy Savings Program loan program. Currently, the program offers loans with ~2% interest at a term limit of 10 years. Municipalities interested in this program can contact NVDA for help with prioritization of local projects, loan application development, and project management assistance.

Vermont Business Magazine In partnership with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas recognized two Vermont youth with the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award on Friday. The national award recognizes individuals under 25 who have demonstrated leadership abilities, have a passion for social justice, and are motivated to improve the quality of life in their community. Vermont’s 2024 recipients of the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award are both recent high school graduates: Yolanda Bansah, who graduated from U-32 and now attends Fordham University; Marshall Moffatt, who graduated from Richford High School and now attends the University of Vermont.