Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The American Red Cross Northern New England Region is pleased to welcome Dan Dowling to its regional communications team. Dan will serve as the region’s communications manager, supporting the organization’s storytelling and public outreach efforts throughout Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Vermont Business Magazine The ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain Board of Directors is excited to announce educator and non-profit leader, Ted Lawson as the museum’s next Executive Director following a national search. Lawson’s strong background in science and STEM education as well as his extensive experience leading non-profit organizations makes him especially qualified to take the helm at this time. Lawson will begin his new position on July 3rd.

Vermont Business Magazine President Joe Biden today announced that Vermont will receive $229 million to expand access to broadband in the state. The funds are part of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which will provide $42.45 billion nationwide for planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs across the country. “Ensuring access to broadband is incredibly important to our work to revitalize communities in every corner of Vermont. This significant funding boost builds on the historic investments and progress we’ve made over the last three years, which is very good news,” said Governor Phil Scott. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) is seeking applicants for this year’s Building Communities Grants program. Grants of up to $25,000 are available for construction and capital improvements to support and strengthen Vermont towns and regions. All grants require a one-to-one match and must demonstrate community support. The deadline for applications is September 10, 2023, and grants will be awarded in October.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that Reggie C. Cyr and Mountain View Storage LLC, owners of three properties in Londonderry, were fined $19,365.72 for construction that was not authorized under their Act 250 Land Use Permit and for disturbing Class II wetlands and their buffers, and two stream buffers, without authorization. The landowners also agreed to restore the wetlands and remediate the impact of unauthorized activities.

Vermont Business Magazine Evernorth closed its fourth multi-investor fund - Housing New England, Fund IV – on June 15, 2023. This fund will provide equity to finance affordable housing in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Fourteen investors committed a total of $54,050,000 in equity making Housing New England, Fund IV (HNE Fund IV) a significant financial resource for the region’s critical affordable housing needs. HNE Fund IV’s investors include community, regional and national banks as well as one of the nation’s largest mortgage banking organizations.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are unchanged from last week at $3.58 per gallon. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.39/g while the highest was $3.89/g, a difference of 50 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline is unchanged in the last week, averaging $3.54/g today. The national average is down 1.5 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 134.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data.

Vermont Business Magazine To celebrate its 175th anniversary, National Life Group is sponsoring Burlington’s Independence Day Celebration on July 3 from 5:00 – 11:00 p.m. at Waterfront Park, including a first ever drone show. Produced by Burlington’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Waterfront, Burlington’s Independence Day Celebration is the biggest event in Vermont and includes live music, food trucks, fireworks and family friendly activities. 

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets Governor Phil Scott and Senator Bernie Sanders invite everyone to participate in a celebration of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail – recently completed and now the longest rail trail in New England! On Saturday, July 15th, the Governor will bike the entire 93-mile trail from Swanton to St Johnsbury and make brief water stops along the trail with Senator Sanders. The public is invited to join all or part of the governor’s ride and any of the planned brief stops.

by Danny Monahan As the prevalence of autism continues to rise dramatically throughout the country and the world, the shortage of trained professionals prepared to treat children with the disorder has reached near-crisis levels. This pressing need for more providers prompted Vermont couple Chris and Cortney Keene, who have made helping children in need their life’s work, to open their own behavioral health center for children with autism and other neurodiverse profiles. The center, Keene Perspectives, opened in White River Junction in 2017.

by Danny Monahan The Small Business Administration and VermontBiz held its annual small business awards ceremony June 15 at the ZenBarn in Waterbury, Vt. The event recognized and celebrated the outstanding contributions of Vermont's entrepreneurs over the past year. For more than 20 years, the SBA Vermont District Office and VermontBiz have partnered annually to recognize individuals and businesses throughout the state that have increased sales, grown employment and made significant contributions to their communities.

Vermont Agency of Transportation This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways throughout Vermont for the week of June 26. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.