Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Scam reports to the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) totaled 3,212 in 2023. The “computer tech support” scam took the number one spot on the list, totaling almost 25 percent of the top scams reported. Phishing scams involving financial institutions, where a scammer tries to lure victims into clicking malicious links or tricking them into providing sensitive information which can be used to steal money, took the number two spot, accounting for a little more than 11 percent of the top scam reports in 2023.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.21/g, down 6 cents per gallon from last week. Prices are down 20 cents/g from a month ago and down 20 cents/g from a year ago. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.89/g in Brattleboro, while the highest was $3.99/g in Wolcott. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.06/g today. "Sluggish gasoline demand has led to the national average easing again, and brings back the potential for the national average to drift under $3 per gallon for the first time since 2021."

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is alerting customers that forecasters are calling for accumulating wet snow, with higher amounts along the eastern slopes of the Green Mountains, and damaging winds to arrive back in Vermont starting Friday evening. Forecasters say gusts to 60 MPH are possible, especially along the western slopes of the Green Mountains which saw a damaging storm Tuesday night. In advance of that storm, GMP had more than doubled its field force with external crews to supplement its internal crews, and GMP is keeping those extra crews here to help.

Vermont Business Magazine VEC crews continue to tackle outages resulting from storm Finn. As of Thursday morning, just under 13,500 members have been restored since the beginning of this major storm event.  Restorations due to storm Finn have been particularly time and labor intensive due to the nature of the damage. 34 broken poles have been identified on the system so far. The VEC team has been joined by external line crews, almost tripling the number of crews in the field. As of 9:00 am on Thursday, less than 5,000 VEC members remain without power. Progress will continue Thursday with some members in locations with significant damage remaining without power into Friday.

Vermont Business Magazine The Radio Vermont Group has announced the sale of its radio assets WDEV AM 550 and FM 96.1; WLVB FM 93.9; WCVT FM 101.7; W243AT-FM 96.5; W252CU-FM 98.3; and W273AM-FM 102.5 to Mermel & McLain Management LLC of Manchester, Vermont. The radio stations broadcast to Central Vermont, Burlington, and most of the NEK. The sale was announced to employees this morning. Ashley Jane Squier joined GM Steve Cormier, Myers Mermel, and Scott Milne publicly announced the transition live on WDEV Thursday afternoon. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Norwich University Board of Trustees has announced the candidacy of retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John Broadmeadow '83 to serve as the school's 25th president. Broadmeadow is the most senior ranking Marine Corps officer to have graduated from Norwich and has been a member of the board of trustees since January 2022. He was also a semifinalist in the last presidential search, launched in 2019. If successful, Broadmeadow would succeed Mark Anarumo, who resigned Jan. 4.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, Burlington Electric Department (BED), and Vermont environmental and renewable energy organizations voiced support for updates to Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) to largely achieve 100% renewable energy statewide by 2030, while maintaining existing renewable resources and aligning BED’s procurement of significant new renewable energy with anticipated growing demand as more Burlingtonians switch to electric vehicles and heat pumps and other electric technologies. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Economic Development (DED) announced today the fourth and final round of Community Recovery and Revitalization Program (CRRP) grant winners. The 40 approved projects are expected to support 1,810 existing jobs, enable the creation of 117 new jobs, build or rehabilitate 75 housing units, and add 60 new childcare slots. The 40 projects are receiving a combined proposed award amount of $10,595,644, which is expected to support $104,542,158 in total project costs. The awards are going to projects in 13 counties and the following 31 towns: Arlington, Brandon, Bellows Falls, Bennington, Berlin, Brattleboro, Burlington, Charlotte, Colchester, East Burke, Fairlee, Greensboro, Hinesburg, Johnson, Lyndon, Manchester, Middlebury, Milton, Newport City, Putney, Rockingham, Rutland, Shelburne, Sheldon, South Hero, Springfield, Starksboro, Strafford, Swanton, Vergennes, and Wolcott.

Vermont Business Magazine The Flavors Hook Kids Vermont Campaign and the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Vermont announced today that 50 Vermont organizations signed a letter to the Vermont House Health and Human Services Committee, urging lawmakers to end the sale of flavored tobacco. The letter advocates for the passage of S.18, which has already passed the Senate. The bill is in front of the House Committee this week. In a poll released in December, 68% of Vermonters support legislation to end the sale of flavored tobacco products. Governor Scott at his January 10 press conference said he would likely sign the bill if it were to reach his desk.

Vermont Business Magazine On Friday, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) will join broadband leaders from across Vermont at Burlington City Hall to discuss the introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, which will provide $7 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This program helps provide affordable high-speed internet to qualifying households in Vermont and across the America. The program, which is administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is projected to run out of funding by April without action by Congress. Since its implementation, 22.5 million households–including over 25,000 Vermont households–have utilized the program’s monthly discount of up to $30 for internet service, and up to $75 monthly for those living on Tribal lands. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) invites proposals from eligible internet service providers to take part in the new Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Subrecipient Support Program, which provides funds to promote the ability of various entities to participate in the BEAD Program. The program provides needs-based grants to assist in preparing a BEAD application. Awards range from $10,000-$200,000 to be used for planning, analysis, stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and short-term capacity necessary to plan and draft an application to the BEAD program. Municipalities, municipal organizations, co-ops, utilities, for-profit entities, nonprofit entities, or other consortiums are all eligible.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) is beginning an innovative project in the Camel’s Hump Management Unit, as outlined in the 2021 Long-Range Management Plan. This project underscores FPR’s commitment to sustainable and adaptive forest management and is designed to demonstrate an important approach in increasing forest resilience to climate change and invasive pests. Collaborating with the University of Vermont (UVM) and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, this project is part of a series of forest adaptation experiments being implemented across the Northeast.