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Vermont Business Magazine Twenty-six Vermont-based nonprofits received a total of $115,000 in financial support from the Windham Foundation. Funded projects included programs focused on avian wildlife rehabilitation, statewide river conservation, workforce development, food assistance, economic development, and agricultural education. The Windham Foundation is a nonprofit based in Grafton that works to strengthen Grafton and advance the vitality of rural communities in Vermont.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) will hold two public hearings regarding the NVDA 2026 Regional Plan. The first hearing is scheduled for July 29, 2026, at 6:00 pm and will be a hybrid meeting: online and in-person at Do North (930 Broad St, Lyndonville, VT 05851). Pease register online. All are welcome to attend and provide input on the NVDA Regional Plan, which includes local housing targets and the Regional Future Land Use (FLU) map, but does not include any portions of Tier 3 or the Road Rule. Register for the July 29 hearing Here. Questions? Contact Liam Abbate.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont initial weekly unemployment claims rose slightly last week and have remained flat for a month. For the week ending May 23, 2026, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that there were 356 new claims, up 6 from the previous week and down 15 from last year at this time. The end of the winter tourism season typically brings a flurry of layoffs; claims had spiked in April. Meanwhile, total claims this week were 2,935, down 56 from the week before and down 116 from last year at this time. Initial claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 186 in September 2025. Meanwhile, tax revenues exceeded targets in April by 1.6% and the state unemployment rate was unchanged at 2.6%, though the labor force and number of employed both fell again.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott on May 20, 2026, signed legislation H.385 (Act 106) to stop creditors from collecting on coerced debts. Coerced debt is a form of economic abuse experienced by survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, older adults, foster children, and people with disabilities. It occurs when an abuser uses fraud, duress, intimidation, force, coercion, or identity theft to accumulate debt in the name of another person. The new law prohibits creditors and debt collectors from holding a person responsible for coerced debt. After a victim of coerced debt provides certain documents to a creditor or debt collector supporting a claim of coerced debt, any attempts to collect the coerced debt must stop. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) today announced the launch of Seek & Savor, a statewide agritourism marketing campaign designed to connect visitors with Vermont’s authentic farm and food experiences. Funded through a Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS), the campaign will run through fall 2027 and aims to increase visibility, visitation, and engagement with Vermont farms, food producers, and agritourism destinations.

The Vermont State Police has cited a woman on multiple charges following an investigation related to her conduct, including driving a car, on Dorset Street in South Burlington during a law-enforcement operation and subsequent protest March 11, 2026. Connie Anania, 53, of South Burlington is due to appear at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, July 9, 2026, in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Burlington to answer charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct, and grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

The Vermont State Police is asking the public for any information related to a suspicious death that occurred last fall in Franklin County. Matthew Turner, 55, was found dead Oct. 7, 2025, after first responders were called to his home on Bedard Road in Sheldon. The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington determined the cause of Mr. Turner’s death was stab wounds of the chest, while the manner of death was listed as undetermined. State police detectives are continuing to investigate this death as suspicious.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today vetoed H.727, An act relating to sustainable data center deployment. Although the bill is seemingly aimed at data centers, Scott said its broader message extends far beyond those facilities and into areas Vermont depends on for many of its best jobs. Vermont is actively trying to retain and expand jobs in advanced manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, energy and clean technology, and other innovation-driven industries that also require substantial energy and infrastructure.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced through a campaign email today that he is running for a sixth term as governor. He first assumed office on January 5, 2017. While several Democrats have lined up to challenge him, he has not been tested in a general election since his first run. Scott, 67, previously was lieutenant governor, state senator, a construction company owner and, until he entered politics, was best known as a stock car racer.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Speaker Jill Krowinski issued the following statement announcing she will not seek reelection and will retire from the Vermont House of Representatives at the end of her term: “It has been a tremendous honor to serve my community and the State for the last 14 years. To the people of Burlington’s Old North End and Downtown - thank you for the privilege of allowing me to represent our vibrant community for all these years. “There are many moments that stand out during my tenure in the House, but the times I will remember most fondly are the moments when Vermonters showed true resolve in the face of adversity. 

Vermont Business Magazine Under Vermont’s 2024 Flood Safety Act, unencapsulated polystyrene foam is prohibited from use for floating structures in Vermont’s waters. To help property owners, businesses, and municipalities understand what the requirement means in practice, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released new guidance. The prohibition on unencapsulated foam applies to any individual or company that owns, distributes, or sells foam docks, buoys, or other floating structures in Vermont. Floating structures include but are not limited to docks, mooring buoys, anchor buoys, and navigation markers. This prohibition applies to floating structures on all lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s annual, statewide Summer Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 13 this year, and it will be highlighted by a free family fishing festival in Grand Isle as well as opening day of the state’s regular bass fishing season. A day on the water could lead to a lifetime of great experiences and healthy local food.” Free Fishing Day in Vermont also will be celebrated at the “Grand Isle Family Fishing Festival,” to be held at the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station at 14 Bell Hill Road in Grand Isle.  The festival will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.