Current News

Vermont Business Magazine HomeShare Vermont has launched its 2026 Experience Vermont Raffle, featuring Vermont inn stays — 12 in total — plus dining, entertainment and local experiences. Proceeds from the raffle support the nonprofit’s work to expand access to homesharing and support housing stability across Vermont. For more than 40 years, HomeShare Vermont has helped individuals stay in their homes and find affordable housing through shared living arrangements. In exchange for lower (or sometimes no) rent costs, guests may also provide support, including companionship, meal preparation or help getting to and from appointments.

Vermont Business Magazine With improvements in technology and shifts by insurers to more web and application-based services, consumers today often have opportunities to file and complete claims electronically. Your insurer may offer to assess your claim virtually, often allowing for faster settlement and payment and avoiding the inconvenience of scheduling in-person inspections. Understanding these processes and your rights are important factors in deciding whether you would like to take advantage of these options.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the House Committee on Education passed H.955, legislation addressing next steps in transforming Vermont’s education system. Speaker Jill Krowinski made the following statement after the vote: “H.955 is the critical next step in our work to address challenges facing our public education system. It builds for a more stable future by moving us toward scale, creating statewide cohesion and support for our system, and providing resources to help communities navigate making local decisions for the future of their schools. This legislation addresses cost drivers impacting the education system, ensures local voices are heard in the decision-making process, and puts us on a path to create greater educational opportunities for every student, at a cost Vermonters can afford.

Vermont Business Magazine One year after President Trump announced sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs, Treasurer Pieciak and State Fiscal Officers issued a report finding the costs of higher import taxes fell overwhelmingly on American businesses, workers, and families—not foreign competitors. National economic data shows over 90% of President Trump’s tariffs have been paid for by U.S. businesses and consumers, costing the average American household more than $1,700 from February 2025 to January 2026. For Vermont’s 279,612 households, that amounts to nearly half a billion dollars in additional costs. For comparison, Vermont’s property taxes increased by about $200 million in FY24.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.99 a gallon, up 9 cents per gallon from last week, up 98 cents/g from a month ago and up 87 cents/g from last year, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $3.63/g while the highest was $4.19/g, a difference of 56.0 cents per gallon. Prices are lowest in Caledonia ($3.93/g) and Windham ($3.92/g) counties and highest in Franklin ($4.06/g), Grand Isle ($4.07/g) and Essex ($4.09/g), according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $3.54/g while the highest was $4.00/g, a difference of 46.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 10 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.08/g today. The national average is up $1.09 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 85 cents per gallon higher than a year ago

Vermont Business Magazine Orange County Parent Child Center (OCPCC), in partnership with Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation (GMEDC), marked the opening of its new Woodlands Campus child care center with a ceremonial “Passing of the Key” event on March 30. Community members, project partners, and local leaders gathered to celebrate the completion of the project and the transition of the facility from construction to full operation. The Woodlands Campus, located at 1538 VT-66, Randolph, VT, is opening on a phased schedule, with classrooms for younger children — approximately 6 weeks to 3 years — opening first. Additional classrooms will come online as staffing and licensing milestones are met. When fully complete, the 10,000-square-foot facility will serve up to 88 children, expanding access to child care for families in the Randolph region.

Vermont Business Magazine 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 Sustainable Jobs Fund The 2026 Vermont Forest Innovation Summit will be September 17-18 back at Burke Hotel & Conference Center. Yes, we’ve tweaked the name to reflect the theme we’ve been exploring for a few years now and we want this event to be a space for new ideas, problem-busting solutions and new industry connections. And, we’ve moved the date to the fall so it will coincide with the Forest Business Accelerator (more on that in a moment). This year, we are requesting session proposals and our Summit Planning Committee will be selecting the lineup by the end of May. If you have a session idea, please submit it here. Read more about what we’re looking for below. Registration will open in early summer. Also, applications for the 2026 Forest Business Accelerator are open! We are seeking up to eight U.S.-based ventures that are commercializing new and improved products, services, and technologies in the forest and wood products industry.

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday, Wednesday April 1st marked the end of Vermont’s winter manure spreading ban, but as spring weather arrives, challenging field conditions may persist in parts of the State. Despite this year’s cooler temperatures to date, trends in Vermont’s weather show increasing precipitation through the spring season, rising temperatures, and more extreme precipitation events. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is issuing a spring stewardship reminder to Vermont farmers and custom applicators to adhere to the Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs). Manure or other agricultural wastes cannot be applied to fields that are frozen or snow-covered, nor to fields that are saturated, likely to runoff, or are conducive to any other off-site movement regardless of nutrient management plan recommendations. 

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (Nasdaq: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management services company, announced Wednesday that it has completed the acquisition of Star Waste Systems, LLC, a privately held waste collection company with operations in eastern Massachusetts, including the greater Boston area, and southern New Hampshire. The transaction closed on April 1, 2026, and is expected to generate approximately $100 million of annualized revenue. The acquisition was funded through cash on hand and available capacity under the Company’s revolving credit facility.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s trout fishing season opens Saturday, 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. “Just like any other time of year, anglers fishing early in the spring should adjust their tactics based on conditions,” said State Fisheries Biologist Shawn Good. “Trout will become more active with warmer water temperatures.  If you can find a good location and present your bait or lure without spooking the trout, you’ll have a good chance of catching a few fish, and enjoy a nice day outside.”

Erik Wells, Williston Town Manager On March 30, 2026, the Town Clerk received and yesterday confirmed the submission of a valid petition signed by 5% of the registered voters in Town requesting reconsideration of the Town Meeting Day vote on Article 6 held this past March 3, 2026. Article 6 stated as follows: Shall the voters authorize renovation and expansion of the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library and associated improvements to the Village Green and the issuance of general obligation bonds or notes of the Town in an amount not to exceed Thirteen Million Nine Hundred Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($13,900,000.00), subject to reduction by grants-in-aid and funds then available to the Town, to pay the capital costs and related other costs of the project? If a petition requesting reconsideration of a question voted on at a previous annual or special meeting is filed with the clerk of the municipality within 30 days following the date of that meeting, the Selectboard shall call a town-wide meeting to vote on the matter raised in the petition within 60 days of its submission.