Current News

Vermont Business Magazine LCB Senior Living, LLC, the Northeast’s fastest-growing senior living provider, has announced that it is assuming management of Maple Ridge Lodge and Maple Ridge Memory Care, located in Essex Junction, VT, effective April 1, 2026. The communities will be renamed Maple Ridge Assisted Living and Memory Care Campus. In a joint statement, LCB co-Chief Executive Officers Danielle Breton and Tim DuRoss said: “We could not be more thrilled to welcome these two fantastic communities to the LCB family. Both are exemplary in their quality and care, and are a wonderful complement to our other Vermont communities in South Burlington, Shelburne and Middlebury.”

Vermont Business Magazine On April 8, 2026, at approximately 0817 hours, Trooper Nathan Handy with the Vermont State Police was conducting a motor vehicle stop on Interstate 89 South in the City of South Burlington, just north of Exit 14. During this motor vehicle stop, Trooper Handy was speaking with the motorist he had stopped on the passenger side of their vehicle. During this time, a 2023 Ford F-350 (Vehicle 3) driven by Alex Persitz (35), was approaching the stopped police cruiser and began making a lane change toward the left to yield to the cruiser as designated under Vermont law. As Vehicle 3 was straddling the dotted white line, a 2009 Pontiac Vibe (Vehicle 1) attempted to slow down but was unable to safely do so, and subsequently drove between Vehicle 3 and the stopped VSP cruiser. This maneuver resulted in the three vehicles colliding while abreast of each other. During this investigation, there were slight traffic disruptions in the area.

Vermont Business Magazine NuHarbor Security of Colchester, a 100% U.S.-based cybersecurity firm dedicated to serving the public sector, has announced a new partnership with Right! Systems, Inc., a Pacific Northwest-based IT solutions provider with national reach, to resell NuHarbor's managed security services. This collaboration blends Right! Systems' deep experience in IT infrastructure, cloud, networking, and digital workspace solutions with NuHarbor's managed detection and response and strategic security operations. This powerful combination helps organizations reduce risk, modernize defenses, and focus on their core missions.

Vermont Business Magazine Sixteen temporary skidder bridges are available to eligible Vermont loggers and foresters this spring through a cost-share program administered by the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation’s (FPR) water quality assistance program and funded by Vermont Clean Water Funds. Bridges protect water quality when crossing streams during harvesting activities. Temporary bridges are an economical alternative to building permanent bridges, and they are also more flood resilient, making them an important tool for land managers.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) today announced two leadership appointments: Michael Hale has been named to the Board of Directors, and Betsy Bloomer has been promoted to Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Strategy. Hale brings more than three decades of public service and utility leadership experience. He spent 22 years in the Town Manager’s Office in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, followed by 10 years as General Manager of Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations (SELCO), the community’s municipally operated electric and broadband utility. With over 10 years of experience in the utility sector, Bloomer has advanced key initiatives and strengthened engagement with stakeholders across the region. In her new role, she will serve as a key advisor to the President and CEO and executive leadership team, helping guide VELCO’s long-term strategic direction.

by Mike Donoghue A former Stowe resident, who was facing potential death penalty sentences in the fatal shooting of two out-of-state drug dealers, has accepted a plea bargain that will provide him consecutive life terms in prison. Theodore "Theo" Bland, 30, most recently of Burlington had pleaded not guilty in federal court in December to eight felony charges in his latest indictment, including gunning down the two out-of-state drug dealers at a mobile home at 497 Eden Road in Lowell on Oct. 12, 2023. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Vermont, which had the green light from the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. to seek the death penalty, has now taken that off the table.

Vermont Business Magazine Want to help create the housing Vermont urgently needs? In response to the state’s housing crisis, the Land Access and Opportunity Board (LAOB) is excited to announce the launch of its Small-Scale Developer Community of Practice and No-Cost Technical Assistance program for new Vermont housing developers. Through a partnership with HELM Construction Solutions, LAOB provides technical support, peer connections, and networking to empower beginning developers to carry their ideas from concept to completion. The Small-Scale Developer Community of Practice brings developers together through online and in-person discussions, expert-led workshops, and opportunities to exchange practical insights.

by Christina Davenport, UVM Students at the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business will benefit from expanded professional and career development opportunities thanks to a $1 million gift from the Hoffman Family, owners of Burlington Subaru and Burlington Hyundai. The investment will enhance the school’s Center for Student Success, strengthening academic and career advising, leadership training, career pathways, internships, and professional networks that prepare students to thrive after graduation.  In recognition of their generosity, the center was formally dedicated as the Hoffman Family Center for Student Success during a ceremony held on April 8, 2026.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced the recipients of more than $6 million in federal funds for municipal grant projects through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and Municipal Highways and Stormwater Mitigation Program (MHSMP). “These projects have significant value for our transportation networks and our communities,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “Improvements to sidewalks, bike paths, and shared-use paths provide people more transportation options and improve their quality of life.”

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced his appointment of Republican David Soucy of Barre Town to fill the vacant Washington-Orange seat in the House of Representatives. “Dave has been involved in his community for many years and will be a strong voice for common-sense legislation in the State House,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I also want to thank Topper McFaun for all he’s done throughout the years to make Vermont a better place for his constituents.” “I am honored to be appointed by Governor Scott to represent the residents of Washington County–Orange in the Vermont House of Representatives. I am also honored to follow in the footsteps of Representative Topper McFaun. Topper is a true public servant who always put the interests of his constituents—and all Vermonters—first.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $4.12 per gallon, up 13 cents per gallon from last week, up 76 cents/g from last month and up 99 cents/g from a year ago, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $3.73/g while the highest was $4.39/g, a difference of 66.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.16/g today. A truce in the war in Iran on Tuesday led to oil prices falling, but tensions increased since then causing oil prices to rise. Gas is at its highest prices point in Vermont and the US since August 2022.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Vermont’s Trout Season opens April 11. Despite lingering snow cover in some areas of the state, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says anglers can still have fun and be successful early in the season if they keep a few strategies in mind.