Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today, State Treasurer Mike Pieciak and the Bank of Bennington announced the “Building Up Bennington County” program, a new $2.5 million partnership to jumpstart new housing development across Bennington County.  The program will offer low-cost loans to homebuilders in the region, helping a pipeline of local housing projects break ground. Bennington County is estimated to need over 1,000 new housing units over the next six years. Lending will be administered through the Bank of Bennington. Borrowers can apply for up to $200,000 each, with priority given to projects that build new housing or revitalize units that have been offline for over a year.

Vermont State Police At about 5 a.m. Sunday, March 15, 2026, the Montgomery Fire Department was dispatched to a fire at in the area of 2757 West Hill Rd. in Montgomery. The fire department found the home fully involved and partially collapsed on arrival. The Fire Department received information that an elderly homeowner was unaccounted for at the fire scene. Montgomery Fire requested the assistance of the Department of Public Safety Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit in determining the origin and cause of the fire and assisting in locating any victims. Members of the FEIU worked with Montgomery fire to overhaul and investigate the fire.  During investigation the remains of an unidentified person were located within the home. 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging unlawful actions by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including threats to impose illegal conditions on HUD funding and to withhold funding from state and local fair housing enforcement agencies, like the Human Rights Commission in Vermont, for abiding by state laws. These actions threaten to weaken America’s fair housing enforcement system and undermine states’ ability to ensure equal access to housing. If unchallenged, discrimination in housing is almost certain to increase. 

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets has released its annual report on the Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Program investments and impacts. The purpose of the Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Program is to help Vermont schools develop farm-to-school programs that will sustain relationships with local farmers and producers, enrich the educational experience of students, improve the health of Vermont children, and enhance Vermont’s agricultural economy. Since 2007, the Agency has awarded 359 farm to school grants, reaching 166 child care programs and over 163 schools and school districts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Dowd Agencies, the oldest insurance agency in Massachusetts under continuous family ownership, today announced it is acquiring Royer Camp & Associated Insurance in Newport, Vermont. Founded more than 50 years ago, Royer Camp & Associated Insurance has earned the trust of generations of Vermont and New Hampshire families and businesses by providing highly personalized service and tailored personal and commercial coverage. In keeping with that legacy, the agency will continue to operate under the name Royer Camp & Associated Insurance, A Member of The Dowd Agencies. Local customers will work with the same staff in the same location, with no changes to day-to-day service, policies, points of contact or coverage.

by Maggie Lenz and Gwynn Zakov On Friday, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy did something that a lot of people weren't sure was possible. The committee unanimously voted out S.325, a comprehensive bill that amends Act 181 and Act 250, and they did it right before the crossover deadline. Given just how politically charged this issue has become, that unanimous vote says a lot about the work the committee put in to get this over the finish line. Let's be clear about what's been going on. For the past several weeks, and really the past couple of months, Act 181 has gone from a nerdy land-use policy discussion, to a full blown public reckoning. Vermonters, particularly those in rural communities, have been waking up to what the 2024 law actually means for their land, their livelihoods, and their ability to build.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s financial sector enters 2026 navigating one of the most complex operating environments in recent memory. While the state’s financial institutions remain fundamentally strong — well capitalized, competitive, and deeply rooted in their communities — they are also confronting a convergence of pressures that shape nearly every lending decision, strategic plan and customer conversation. Housing scarcity continues to dominate the economic landscape, influencing both residential and commercial activity. Interest rate uncertainty, inflationary aftershocks, and workforce shortages add further strain, creating a market where stability and constraint coexist. Yet despite these challenges, Vermont’s banks and credit unions are not retreating. They are expanding, reinvesting, modernizing systems, and sharpening their competitive edge.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University’s Lyndon Campus will welcome high school students from across Vermont and the region for the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont’s 2026 Weather & Climate Science Institute, taking place from Sunday, July 5 through Saturday, July 11. This immersive summer program invites Vermont students in grades 9 through 11 to explore how weather is predicted, how climate systems function, and how a changing climate is affecting communities. Participants are guided by the expertise of VTSU Lyndon’s nationally recognized Atmospheric Sciences program.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.61 per gallon, up 24.8 cents per gallon from last week's $3.36/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.25/g while the highest was $5.19/g, a difference of $1.94/g. The national average price of gasoline has risen 23.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.68/g today. The national average is up 80.0 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 66.1 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

by Mona Abou, Community News Service As artificial intelligence proliferates, Stephanie Winters is concerned for Vermonters’ protections and privacy in health care. “The rapid development of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology raises legitimate questions about privacy, autonomy, transparency and protection from misuse,” Winters, the deputy executive director of the Vermont Medical Society and Vermont Psychiatric Association, told the House Committee on Health Care on Feb 27. Lawmakers are weighing two bills – H.814 and H.816 – that would create a new set of protections from neurotechnology in Vermont and regulate usage of artificial intelligence in mental health services, respectively.

Vermont Business Magazine CSWD is constructing a new state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to sort and prepare blue-bin recyclables for market. This modern facility will replace the existing MRF, built in 1993, which has exceeded its capacity and operational lifespan. The new MRF will be significantly more efficient and effective, offering extensive environmental benefits and ensuring affordable, in-state processing of recyclables for Vermonters for years to come. The project is estimated to cost $38 million, funded through CSWD reserves, grants, and a $22 million bond approved by Chittenden County voters. Initially, the facility was to be sited on a parcel owned by CSWD on Redmond Road in Williston. CSWD has since acquired a more suitable 38-acre parcel farther down Redmond Road, close to the existing transfer station, which will serve as the new location for the MRF.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont initial weekly unemployment claims fell steeply last week after they had more than doubled the previous week. For the week ending March 7, 2026, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that there were 322 new claims, down 468 from the previous week and down 73 from last year at this time. New claims had leveled off at under 400 after the holiday season and are now at their lowest level this year. Meanwhile, total claims were 4,667, down 21 from the week before and are up 325 from last year at this time.