Current News

by Jared Duval The federal government is slashing funding Vermont relies on, while giving $57,000 tax cuts to the top 1%: The state should recoup that revenue for vital services. Vermonters agree – we need to make our state more affordable to live in. While prices for goods and services in Vermont are around the national average, Vermont wages are significantly below national and regional averages. This wage vs. price gap in Vermont puts a particular burden on working class Vermonters trying to make ends meet. At the same time, and reflecting national trends, the richest 10% of Vermonters now hold nearly 50% of all income in our state – near the highest that share has been in over 100 years – with income gains over the last decade being over two and a half times higher for those in the top 10% as for middle income earners.

Vermont Business Magazine Lake Champlain Maritime Museum has announced its 2026 season with an opening date of May 23, featuring a new exhibit about the American Revolution as well as tours, public programs, and free admission. As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, the museum will share a uniquely local perspective on the American Revolution in the Champlain Valley for all to explore. 

Vermont Business Magazine As regional buyers increasingly favor local trade events over large national shows, the Vermont Specialty Food Association is launching its first-ever Producer Expo, a smaller-format, wholesale-focused event set for May 4 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Producers, buyers, distributors, retailers and industry leaders will gather for an afternoon dedicated to product discovery, procurement and connection. The Expo serves as a marketplace for ideas, innovation and opportunity. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont-based startup Shiki Wrap has secured a U.S. utility patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its reusable gift wrap system — a circular alternative to traditional single-use wrapping paper. Each Shiki Wrap is reversible and stretch-engineered to maintain clean lines without distortion, allowing gifts to be wrapped securely without tape or disposable bows. The hemless fabric is printed using an eco-conscious process and made from majority recycled materials, designed to endure years of reuse. Founder and CEO Meagan Downey said the milestone reinforces the company’s long-term strategy.

Vermont Business Magazine From Brattleboro to Rutland to the Northeast Kingdom, organizations across the state are declaring March “Invite a New Vermonter to Dinner Month.” Piloted in Windham County in 2025, “Invite a New Vermonter to Dinner Month” resulted in 54 residents sharing meals together, whether at a local restaurant or in their homes. This year, the Vermont Welcome Wagon Project, the Southern Vermont Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce, Real Rutland, Imagine Vermont in Addison County, Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation in Windsor County, the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, and the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce are all teaming up to expand the initiative to their areas as well.

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First The estate of a local man, who claims he died from mistreatment at the Rutland Regional Medical Center in February 2025 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital. Jennifer Pidgeon, the administrator for the estate of Jody L. Pidgeon is suing the Rutland Hospital, doing business as the RRMC, under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, according to records in U.S. District Court in Burlington. The lawsuit makes seven claims against the hospital.

Vermont State Police On the above date and time at the above listed location, the Vermont State Police responded to a fatal crash. Investigation revealed that a 78-year-old Berlin resident operating a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado was westbound on Route 302 headed toward Barre when his vehicle fishtailed due to weather conditions, crossed the double yellow line and crashed into a 2024 GMC Sierra.

Vermont Business Magazine CCTV Center for Media & Democracy is offering a six-session Creative Aging workshop designed for Vermonters ages 60 and older who are interested in learning media production skills and sharing stories from their communities. No previous media production experience needed. Held from April through June 2026, the course introduces participants to the power of community media as a tool for storytelling, connection, and civic engagement. The program combines hands-on training in video production with reflection on local history, community ethics, and the role of public access media. Participants will explore the CCTV Archives, which document decades of community life in Vermont, and use historical footage as inspiration for creating original “Then and Now” stories that connect past and present perspectives.

Vermont Business Magazine Humane Society of Chittenden County Waives Dog Adoption Fees for “Spring Bark”: The Humane Society of Chittenden County offers waived adoption fees through March 28th in an effort to boost dog adoptions. The Humane Society of Chittenden County (HSCC) is hosting Spring Bark, a dog adoption special to help dogs find their new homes. Now through March 28th, adoption fees for all dogs are completely waived.

Vermont Business Magazine The North Bennington Outdoor Sculpture Show (NBOSS) will enter its 29th season in 2026 with an expanded exhibition structure, additional curatorial partnerships, and the introduction of year-round installation opportunities. Artist applications are now open and will be accepted through April 15. Submissions are available online at nbossvt.com. The 2026 exhibition will include multiple sites in North Bennington, the grounds of Bennington Museum for the seventh consecutive year, and the Downtown Bennington Riverwalk for the third consecutive year in partnership with the Better Bennington Corporation.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont initial weekly unemployment claims rose last week after they had more than doubled two weeks ago and then settled back. For the week ending March 14, 2026, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that there were 461 new claims, up 141 from the previous week and up 64 from last year at this time. New claims had leveled off at under 400 after the holiday season and, other than the recent spike, are now at their highest level since mid-January. Meanwhile, total claims were 4,324, down 343 from the week before and are up 127 from last year at this time. Initial claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 186 in September 2025. 

Vermont Business Magazine Steven Tendo, a Vermont resident who was detained last month and then released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody after a judge ruled in his favor, will remain in the community. On Feb. 4, Tendo was detained, and later Judge Joseph N. Laplante ruled that ICE failed to comply with Dept. of Homeland Security regulations — making his arrest unlawful. He was released on Feb. 20, more than two weeks after being detained. Following an ICE check-in today, Tendo was not taken into custody — he has been fighting for asylum in the United States since arriving in the country in 2018 as a refugee from Uganda.