Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation announce today that the Deerfield River Enhancement Fund grant program, managed in partnership with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and Great River Hydro, LLC, has awarded $46,534 in grants to six organizations. Grant funding will support conservation efforts and educational facilities, materials, and programming in the Deerfield River Watershed. The Deerfield River Enhancement Fund was established in 1999 by Great River Hydro’s predecessor for the environmental preservation of the Deerfield River Watershed. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Board of Education announced that the position for Secretary of Education has been posted with an application deadline of October 5, 2023. Part of the Board’s hiring process will include a public hearing on October 2. The Secretary is responsible for providing leadership to over 150 employees at the Agency of Education, serving as a vital member of the Governor's Cabinet and working with the State Board of Education to uphold educational standards across the state.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.79 per gallon, down 0.7 cents per gallon from last week's $3.80/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.60/g while the highest was $3.89/g, a difference of 29.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.80/g today. 

Vermont Business Magazine The National AHEC Organization (NAO) selected Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (AHEC) as one of seven AHECs nationwide to receive funds from a $2 million-dollar Workforce Pathways for Youth Grant from the US Department of Labor. This three-year grant beginning October 1, 2023, is earmarked to enhance and expand health careers exploration programming and work-based learning experiences using innovative technologies for youth ages 14-21 in rural and underserved communities. Southern Vermont AHEC has the distinction to be the only AHEC Center on the eastern seaboard to receive this funding. 

Vermont Business Magazine There are significant changes to the award formula for the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program (BEGAP), which apply to all BEGAP grantees - past, present, and future. Since August, when BEGAP launched, organizations that suffered less than $1 million dollars in physical damage were eligible for grants equaling 20% of their net uncovered damages (damages less insurance proceeds, donations, or other grants), with a maximum payout of $20,000. The new formula eliminates the $20,000 cap and increases payouts to 30% of net uncovered damages.

by Joyce Marcel, Vermont Business Magazine An engaging and globe-trotting Scotsman with an Irish name has turned out to be the perfect choice to take over the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center. Patrick Boyle, 61, is only the second person to head VMEC, which was founded in 1995. He leads a team of 10. With his Scottish accent and easy charm, Boyle is a delight to talk to. He’s witty, open and has the ability to put almost anyone at ease. The word most people use to describe him is “engaging.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Community Sailing Center (CSC) is excited to announce it will host a groundbreaking ceremony Friday, September 29, 2023, at 2:00 PM to commemorate the construction of a new ADA accessible waterfront. The waterfront infrastructure will allow wheelchair users easier access to the waterfront, ensure a seamless transition onto docks and along piers, provide everyone an opportunity to get out on the lake regardless of physical limitations and empower community members to create their own adventure. The new waterfront redevelopment project is scheduled to be completed by May 1st, 2024.  

Vermont Agency of Transportation This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of September 25. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.

Vermont Business Magazine Get ready to tap into the sweetest season as the 2023 Vermont Maple 100 kicks off from September 15th through October 15th! Presented by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets and Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, this month-long celebration takes you on a delectable journey across the Green Mountain State, where you'll discover maple's best-kept secrets and indulge in a variety of maple-infused delights. 

Vermont Business Magazine Chooseco, publisher of Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) gamebooks in Waitsfield, the fourth bestselling children’s book series of all time, is a National Toy Hall of Fame Finalist for 2023. The National Toy Hall of Fame, housed at The Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, announced the 12 finalists on September 13, 2023. A public vote will comprise one component of the selection process. The three toys receiving the most public votes by September 20 will join the top three choices from the National Selection Advisory Committee. Final inductees will be revealed on Thursday, November 9.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) and Vermont Magazine are encouraging writers to get their entries ready for one of the state’s top literary contests, the Vermont Writer’s Prize. Entries are due on January 1, 2024. Winners are selected in prose and poetry, and each winner receives $1,250 and their works will be published in Vermont Magazine’s Summer 2024 issue. Submissions can be essays, short stories or poems that focus on “Vermont – Its People, Its Places, Its History or Its Values.”

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael’s College celebrated the lifetime of service and generosity of former U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy ’61 and his wife Marcelle Leahy on Saturday during a community event held on campus as part of Alumni and Family Weekend.  The College recently named its Center for the Environment for the Leahys for their lifetime of environmental advocacy and stewardship. As one of his last acts as a U.S. Senator, Leahy secured a $6.5 million appropriation through the 2023 Omnibus Appropriation Bill for Saint Michael’s – one of the largest grants in the College’s history. The appropriation will fund the continued development and growth of the newly named Patrick ‘61 and Marcelle Leahy Center for the Environment over the next four years.