Current News

by Kevin Ellis So … Donald Trump wins the presidency by a decisive margin in a country with 4 percent unemployment, inflation under control and people’s stocks and 401ks doing really well. Crazy right? What is more surprising? A Republican governor in a Democratic state, who stands against everything Trump espouses and who voted for his opponent, wins the governorship for a fifth time with 73 percent of the vote. And that governor leads a tidal wave of populist backlash against a Democratic Supermajority through a combination of quiet leadership and intimate understanding of the citizens he represents.

Vermont Business Magazine Board Members and presenters will participate remotely through Microsoft Teams. Members of the public can attend board meetings by using the links or call-in phone numbers listed below. Monday, December 2, 2024: Board Meeting (10:00 am): RRMC Budget Adjustment Request - Potential Vote.

Vermont Business Magazine Please join the membership of the Commission on the Future of Public Education for a community engagement session on Monday, December 2, 2024, from 5:00pm -7:00pm at the Middlebury Union High School Library 73 Charles Avenue, Middlebury, VT  05753. To attend virtually please click the link below to join the meeting. This is the third is a series of statewide input sessions over the course of the next year.

Vermont business Magazine The Federal Nuclear Waste Policy Committee of the Vermont Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (VT-NDCAP) will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, December 2, 2024 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM. A hybrid format will be used for this meeting. In accordance with Vermont Open Meeting Law, the following physical location will be available for those wishing to attend this meeting in-person: Governor Hunt House,1st Floor, rear of the building, (Indoor signage will direct attendees to the specific meeting room), 322 Governor Hunt Road, Vernon, VT 05354.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Association of Insurance Professionals (VTAIP) and Champlain Valley Association of Insurance Professionals (CVAIP) held their annual Commissioner’s Night and Education Day on November 13, 2024. The event included the 2-hour CE Course, Insuring Your Online Home Business, presented by Sue Quimby, Senior Vice President, MSO, Inc. and the 4-hour IAIP professional development course, Resilience.

Vermont Business Magazine Winter Is On! We're thrilled to announce that winter is in full swing as resorts across the region open their slopes. In the Green Mountain State, Okemo Mountain Resort will open on Sunday, December 1, followed by Stowe Mountain Resort and Mount Snow on Tuesday, December 3. Not only can you enjoy fresh tracks at these iconic Vermont resorts, but you’ll also have access to 42 resorts worldwide when you purchase an Epic Pass before the December 2 deadline. 

Vermont Business Magazine Shelburne Museum is bringing extra cheer to its enchanting Winter Lights event with the Ice Bar at Winter Lights—a festive evening to kick off the holiday season. Ice Bar combines the magic of Winter Lights with the warmth of holiday cheer, offering guests an unforgettable night of outdoor fun. Enjoy a selection of creative drinks from outdoor bars while sampling delicious bites from local food trucks—all set in a breathtaking illuminated wonderland. Mark your calendar for this special event on Friday, December 6, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Ice Bar Tickets are $90 and $75 for museum members. Walk-up tickets purchased on the night of the event are $100 and $90 for museum members. All tickets include tokens for food from local food trucks and drinks at the bars.

by Will Thorn, Community News Service South Burlington School District’s middle and high schools have had to play the waiting game for their planned stormwater project, and they’ll have to stay at the table a little while longer. On Nov. 4, regional Act 250 coordinator Stephanie Monaghan determined that developers would need a permit for the proposed stormwater treatment project on the 60-acre parcel that houses Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School and South Burlington High School. The project needs a permit under the state’s land-use law because it involves extensive earth disturbance, requires tree-cutting and would stand close to wetlands and Potash Brook, wrote Monaghan in a ruling issued that day. The project is part of the Vermont Green Schools Initiative, a partnership between the Lake Champlain Sea Grant, state environmental conservation department and Chicago green infrastructure firm Greenprint Partners. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Sunshine-makers at Lawson’s Finest Liquids are celebrating GivingTuesday, a day dedicated to radical generosity, by donating $75,000 to 54 nonprofit organizations through its Sip of Support program. This year’s giving will support a range of causes across Vermont with donations of up to $5,000 to organizations focusing on community health, recreation, senior services and much more. The B Corp Certified brewery is also proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Sunshine Fund. Along with Sip of Support, the Sunshine Fund is one of Lawson’s Finest’s five Social Impact Program (SIP) initiatives. Through the SIP, the brewery builds impactful connections and strengthens community while creating memorable experiences. 

Vermont Business Magazine Happy Thanksgiving from the U.S. Small Business Administration Vermont District Office! We’re thankful for the more than 78,000 small businesses across our state that power the Vermont economy and are the heartbeat of every community. 

by Kate Kampner, Community News Service Shawn Good has been working to restore muskellunge fish since 2010, when Vermont began stocking them in the Missisquoi Bay and River. But he’s had the idea to bring the species — a once-widespread relative of the pike that can grow to 5 feet long — back to prominence in Lake Champlain for close to 20 years. Following a reduction in their range to just the Missisquoi River over the 20th century, the muskellunge were seemingly wiped out after an untreated waste spill from a mill in 1979. Now, after years of releasing fish into the lake, Good and other fisheries biologists have just finished capturing and radio-tagging six adult muskies, as they’re known, to watch their spawning behavior and learn more about how successful the fish have been in reproducing naturally. 

Vermont Business Magazine NFIB State Director Shawn Shouldice is urging Vermonters to support local shops and restaurants this weekend on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30th. “In addition to creating good-paying jobs and strengthening the local economy, small businesses shape our communities by volunteering their time and financially supporting charitable organizations,” said Shouldice. “A recent NFIB report highlights how small business owners and their employees benefit their communities, beyond operating their businesses." "Every dollar people spend at a local small business helps sustain and strengthen our hometowns," continued Shouldice. It's estimated that 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the community. As we kick off the holiday season, I encourage all Vermonters to shop small, especially on Small Business Saturday, and thank a small business owner for how they enrich your community.”