Current News

Vermont Business Magazine If you lost vital documents during Vermont’s July floods – such as birth and marriage certificates, Social Security cards, driver’s licenses or medical records – you can get replacements from various federal and state agencies.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont have risen again to $3.81/g, up 2.7 cents per gallon from last week's $3.78/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.54/g while the highest was $3.99/g, a difference of 45.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline is unchanged  in the last week, averaging $3.82/g today. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced awards of approximately $4,461,000 in grants to municipalities for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvement projects. The combination of construction projects and planning grants will benefit cities and towns statewide with improved transportation connectivity and safety, and tangible economic benefits. Vermont continues to prioritize making communities and streets more usable for all modes of transportation. In downtowns and village centers especially, municipalities are responding to the need for better walking and bicycling facilities. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Arts Council is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Vermont Arts Awards recognizing outstanding individual and organizational contributions to the arts. Awards honor educators, artists, performers, advocates, administrators, volunteers, and scholars. Vermonters are recognized for their contributions in five categories.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service, The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) offers funding assistance to organic producers and handlers of agricultural products who have received organic certification through a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Certified organic operations may receive reimbursement of up to 75% of their direct certification costs paid between October 1 and September 30 annually, not to exceed $750 per certification scope.

Vermont Business Magazine The Disaster Recovery Center in Danville (Caledonia County) will cease operations at 6 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 19, and relocate to Cabot (Washington County). It will reopen at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 22, and continue regular hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Here’s the location: Cabot Town Hall, 3084 Main St. Cabot, VT.

Vermont State Police On 6-29-23, at approximately 1231 hours, Vermont State Police were notified of a motorcycle crash on DC line Road in Granby. A passerby came upon the scene of the crash where the operator, later identified as Michael Flanagan (49), was in critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital.  The preliminary investigation indicates this motorcycle was the only vehicle involved. It appears the operator lost control and crashed into a ditch. 

by Tony Kitsos, University of Vermont Extension If there is one word that can be used to describe Jimmy and Sara Ackermann, it’s resilient. Although only in their mid-thirties, these hard-working Hardwick dairy farmers have the same dogged work ethic of generations of old-time New England farmers, something that was not lost on the judging committee for this year’s Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year award. Neither was their commitment to sustainability and making decisions to ‘right-size’ their operation to fit both their farm and family goals. The award, which was first handed out in 1962, is a coveted one that signals that the recipient is an exemplary dairy farm, one worth taking notice of for its outstanding herd, quality milk production, enviable pastures and commitment to dairying. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Three and a half years after COVID-19 descended on Vermont, the state lost its 1,000th Vermonter to the pandemic in the last week. The Vermont Department of Health reported August 17, 2023, that COVID-19 hospitalizations increased to a statewide total of 25, up from 16 from last week and from 7 the week before. However, COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH. Reported cased were 165 up from 112. There were 5 COVID-related deaths reported last week and zero the week before, for a pandemic total of 1,001 as of August 12 (this is the most recent update). Fatalities have slowed but cases and hospitalizations are up this summer. VDH reported 15 COVID-related deaths in March, 20 in April, 10 in May, 10 in June (these are fewest since the summer of 2021), 11 in July and 4 so far in August.

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 August 21. Some projects are not included in the report this week as they have been temporarily suspended due to flood damage, the work site is inaccessible, or the contractors were repositioned to assist AOT with emergency response and repairs. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  

Vermont Business Magazine Onion River Press, a locally owned independent publishing company affiliated with Seven Daysies Winner Phoenix Books, announces the launch of Onion River Workshop, an arts education company providing in-person programming for writers of any level. Vermont author and veteran teacher Rachel Carter has joined Onion River Press as program director effective July 2023. For the past decade, Carter has taught creative writing at the college level at both Columbia University and Champlain College.

Vermont Business Magazine The ten best days of summer are just around the corner! It’s the Champlain Valley Fair and we’re excited to open our gates for the 101st time. The Champlain Valley Fair is Vermont’s largest annual event and attracts 120,000 fairgoers yearly! Visitors to the fair have numerous opportunities to learn about Vermont’s agricultural economy, enjoy amazing foods from over 60 food vendors, find their thrill on the Midway with more than 40 rides available, and plenty of free entertainment.