Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-VT), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, today released the following statement in response to President Biden’s nomination of Michael G. Whitaker, a Vermonter, to lead the Federal Aviation Administration: “Michael Whitaker has an impressive career in aviation leadership, and his decades spent in the skies will be an asset to the Federal Aviation Administration–which needs the steady hand only experience can provide. As a fellow Vermonter, I know that he has the forward-thinking vision to bring us into the next generation of air travel–and he’ll do it safely, with a mind for sustainability and a passion for innovation within the aviation workforce. With Mike in the cockpit of the FAA, the agency will be on the right course.”   

Vermont Business Magazine Agri-Mark, the dairy cooperative that owns the Cabot Creamery and McCadam brands based in Waitsfield, received high marks at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, New York, and The Big E Gold Medal Cheese Competition in Massachusetts.  At the NY State Fair, only products made in New York state were eligible to compete across 25 categories. Cheese classes were judged by local experts in the agricultural industry at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.  

Vermont State Police Early this afternoon, troopers with the Vermont State Police and game wardens with the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife apprehended 52-year-old Eric Edson following a foot chase through the woods in the town of Georgia. The arrest occurred after troopers and wardens, responding to a tip, saw Edson at about 1 pm in a kayak on the Lamoille River. Edson landed the kayak, which is believed to have been stolen, on the northern riverbank near Vermont Route 104A. He then fled from law enforcement on foot, jumped into the river and swam to the southern shore near Georgia Mountain Road. Troopers and wardens arrested him at that time.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont rose 1 cent in the last week to $3.79 per gallon. Gas is down 1 cent/g from last month and 12 cents/g from a year ago. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.55/g in Middlebury and Ludlow, while the highest was $3.89/g at several stations in the north and northwest part of the state. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.77/g today. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Economic Development is receiving a $249,000 grant for its 2024 fiscal year to assist small businesses throughout the state export goods and services. The grant is part of the Small Business Administration’s State Trade Expansion Program, which supports small businesses to compete globally by offsetting costs incurred by export related activities, including participating in foreign trade missions, designing international marketing campaigns, participating in export trade show exhibits, attending training workshops and other important means of engagement.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch and Congresswoman Becca Balint, together with the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), announced August 25 that 13 Vermont communities will be receiving a combined $10.8 million from NBRC’s Catalyst Program. On Friday they will celebrate with Chris Saunders of the NBRC and Johnson Selectboard Chair Beth Foy, the award to the town of Johnson of more than $861,000 to create a new light industrial/commercial park on Route 15. The celebration will take place at 11:30 at the Dibden Center for the Arts, Vermont State University-Johnson.

Vermont Business Magazine FEMA's Johnson Disaster Recovery Center will close permanently at 6 p.m., Friday, September 8, 2023. The center is currently open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at this location: Northern VT University -- McClelland Hall, 131 College Hill Road, Johnson, VT.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) today announced the third round of Community Recovery and Revitalization (CRRP) grant winners. These grants will help transform communities by adding jobs, childcare and affordable housing, improving infrastructure, and helping spur the creative economy. Thirty-one projects in 12 counties were reviewed by an interagency committee and approved for round three funding, resulting in a proposed award amount of $11,400,902, which is expected to support $164,452,219 in total project costs. The 31 approved projects are expected to support 1,108 existing jobs, enable the creation of 160 new jobs, build or rehabilitate 315 affordable housing units, and add 71 new childcare slots for low- to moderate-income families.

Vermont Business Magazine Vertek Corporation, a leading provider of end-to-end Managed Security (MSSP) and Telecom Operations Services in Colchester, and Site Tech Services, an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP), have forged a strategic full-service best-in-class IT and cybersecurity services partnership. The partnership has seen particular success in the multi-site auto dealership space, with highly secure and scalable digital infrastructure that meets both the expectations of an increasingly online customer base and future dealer expansions. The partnership marries Vertek's cybersecurity expertise with Site Tech Services' managed IT and cloud services to offer a comprehensive suite that allows customers to optimize their operations and streamline customer interactions while fortifying their cyber defenses against evolving threats. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says hunters are looking forward to Vermont’s upcoming October 1- November 10 and November 27 to December 15 archery deer hunting season. A hunter may take up to four deer in Vermont’s two-part archery season if they do not shoot any deer in the other deer seasons.  The purchase of an archery deer license and tag is required for each deer.  No more than one of the deer taken during archery season may be a legal buck if no buck is taken in the other deer seasons.  Antlerless deer hunting is allowed during archery season statewide this year.  

Vermont Business Magazine The first round of Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) applications for fiscal year (FY) 2024 is now open.  The Working Lands Enterprise Board (WLEB) is releasing two requests for applications that allow Vermont working lands service provider organizations and producer associations to invest in projects focused on governance and leadership and building workforce development and executive business skills. The application portal is open now through October 16th, 2023. Producer Association Grants: Award amounts $10,000 - $25,000; Service Provider Grants: Award amounts $10,000 - $25,000.

Vermont Business Magazine Agency Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) Secretary Lindsay Kurrle today announced Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Commissioner (DCHD) Josh Hanford is leaving state government at the end of September. Hanford begins a new position in October with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. Upon Hanford’s departure, DHCD Deputy Commissioner Alex Farrell will serve as Interim Commissioner.