Current News

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.

VermontBiz Stowe Electric Department (SED) has earned a Gold Level Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3®) designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service.

The RP3 designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. Criteria include sound business practices and a utility-wide commitment to safe and reliable delivery of electricity.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont (UVM) is taking a new step in its long-standing commitment to sustainable agriculture and community engagement with the launch of a fully online Master of Science in Agroecology, beginning in Fall 2026, the first of its kind in the United States. Agroecology is a way of understanding and designing food systems using social, ecological, and political principles to regenerate nature and create a more just society. It is rooted in indigenous practices and ancestral knowledge, which are combined with scientific knowledge to address the current food crisis. Agroecology is not only about changing farming techniques, but is also about transforming policy, science, cultures, and economies to bring about more just food systems.

VermontBiz The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is inviting people to join them on one of their annual Waterway Work Trips this upcoming stewardship season. 

During the work trips, volunteers join one of Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s stewardship crews for a weekend camping trip. Trips begin Friday evening - except those in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway - and wrap up after lunch on Sunday. 

There are 10 projects spanning from Forked Lake in the Adirondacks to Allagash Wilderness Waterway in northern Maine. Projects focus on campsite, portages, privies, access points, and other infrastructure used by paddlers.