Current News

Vermont Business Magazine After a rare Canada lynx was confirmed in Vermont last August for the first time in years, biologists with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department have continued to receive verifiable photos and videos of what they believe is the same individual wild cat. Reports indicate that the lynx has moved about 60 miles north of where it was first sighted in Rutland County into Addison County, traveling around a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same general area for several days before moving on.  Juvenile lynx will often travel long distances searching for new territory, a behavior called “dispersal” by biologists.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, in collaboration with Attorney General Charity Clark, shared a new webpage and two PSA videos this week to warn voters about disinformation and scams they may encounter this election season. “Election season is when we come together to engage with our communities and advocate for the visions and values we want to see from the federal to the local level,” said Secretary Copeland Hanzas. “Unfortunately, we also see malicious efforts during this time to take advantage of voters, either with misleading and fake information or with direct scams.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont School Boards Association (VSBA) has released the final report from the Task Force on Collaboration to Benefit All Students, identifying and addressing long-standing challenges within the state's education leadership structure. These challenges have impacted the ability of districts to meet Vermont's commitment to equity in public education, as codified in Title 16 of Vermont statutes, which guarantee that all children have access to substantially equal educational opportunities. The Task Force, composed of representatives from each of the 11 VSBA regions, sought input from key stakeholders across the education system, including the Interim Secretary of Education, the Chair of the State Board of Education, school board members, superintendents, and staff from Vermont educational organizations.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in introducing the New Homes Tax Credit Act, legislation that will provide tax credits to incentivize new investments and additional resources for home construction and renovations for working families. The New Homes Tax Credit Act will address the lack of housing inventory for individuals and families whose incomes are below 120% of the area median income (AMI), particularly including in areas where middle-income families have historically been priced out. In Burlington, Montpelier, and Rutland this added housing inventory would benefit families with annual combined incomes of up to $142,680, $126,480, and $114,000, respectively. 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark announced today that a coalition of 50 attorneys general has reached a settlement with Marriott International, Inc. after an investigation into a large multi-year data breach of one of Marriott’s Starwood guest reservation databases. Under the settlement, Marriott has agreed to strengthen its data security practices using a dynamic risk-based approach, pay $52 million to states, and provide additional consumer protections. Vermont will receive $590,292.25 from the settlement. The Federal Trade Commission, which has been coordinating closely with the states throughout their investigation, has reached a parallel settlement with Marriott.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Libraries has announced the recipients of $15.9 million dollars in competitive grant monies to 14 public libraries in Vermont with funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These one-time, substantial grants will address critical building improvements that ensure Vermonters in these communities have continued access to high-speed internet for the purposes of work, education, and health monitoring at their local public libraries. The COVID-19 health emergency highlighted the critical importance of high-speed internet access to Vermonters, as so many aspects of everyday life–including going to school, working remotely, and attending medical appointments–moved online. In this context, the crucial role public libraries play by providing internet access became even more apparent. Vermonters without home access to the internet were impacted by the pandemic more than those who had access. 

Vermont Business Magazine Women Can Do, Vermont Works for Women’s signature career exploration conference for high school girls and gender expansive youth, returns to Vermont State University Randolph on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Up to 450 high school students from across the state will participate in dozens of hands-on activities designed to expose them to promising careers considered non-traditional for women. These include jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and the skilled trades. Press is invited to arrange to visit Women Can Do at any point during the conference (9:15am – 1:00pm). 

Vermont Business Magazine ZymoChem, the biotech company dedicated to creating sustainable materials for everyday products, is proud to announce its newly ratified designation as a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). By proactively amending its incorporation documents, ZymoChem formalizes its commitment to balancing profitability with social impact. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public and the University of Vermont have announced an expanded internship program to provide hands-on learning opportunities to students while enhancing Vermont Public’s local news coverage. The program will train students in all aspects of a media organization—including reporting, research, communications, and marketing. By hosting 20 interns over the first four years, Vermont Public will strengthen its public service by producing more local journalism. It will also deliver on its strategic plan to serve a broader and more diverse audience by amplifying stories from those underrepresented in traditional media. 

Vermont Employee Ownership Center Our annual Vermont Employee Ownership Conference (May 30, 2025) is growing, and we are excited to announce that our annual VEOC internship is growing along with it! While our internship has historically begun just before our conference in early summer, our 2025 internship will start in February, providing our next intern with the hands-on experience of helping to plan and promote our 23rd annual conference throughout the spring semester. Bringing an intern onto the team in the spring will expand our capacity at our busiest time of year, making for a more robust conference planning and promotion process in a year that is likely to yield our largest, most interesting Vermont Employee Ownership Conference to date.

Vermont Business Magazine The USDA is granting $3.45 million to the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), based in Montpelier. One of four Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI), the NE-DBIC serves dairy farmers and processors across 11 states, including: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  These funds directly support dairy farmers and processors with modernization, innovation, and increasing efficiency and sustainability across the dairy sector. From decreasing the use of virgin plastic in dairy packaging to boosting milk quality and bringing local milk to local schools, these grants have immediate and long-term positive impacts for individual businesses and the entire supply chain.   

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark announced a lawsuit today against TikTok Inc. for multiple violations of Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act. This multistate lawsuit follows a similar complaint filed last year against Meta Platforms, Inc. alleging manipulative design features and deceptive business practices. Today’s filing was coordinated with 14 attorneys general across the nation. Seven other states have already sued TikTok under similar theories. Attorney General Clark’s complaint alleges that TikTok crafted features of its platform to mimic slot machines, a strategic decision that has allowed it to effectively trap young users into cycles of excessive use. The filing details how TikTok has siphoned value out of our kids—including their time, attention, and money.