Current News

by C.B. Hall, Vermont Business Magazine Two major roadway improvement projects in the Burlington area — the Exit 16 Diverging Diamond Interchange in Colchester and the Champlain Parkway Project in Burlington — will continue apace this spring, despite pending litigation seeking to either halt or alter the plans. The $19 million DDI project, which aims to reduce traffic congestion along the US 2/7 corridor near I-89 Exit 16, is currently in the preliminary stage. For the next several months, workers from SD Ireland Brothers will move utility lines and install retaining walls under the interstate bridges “to provide room for nonvehicular users to stay clear of the roadwork coming in Phase 2,” according to Mike LaCroix, project manager at the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Motorists should expect significant impacts on traffic during daytime hours, he added.

Vermont Business Magazine Information on infrastructure projects courtesy of the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Dates reflect the time window for construction, not the precise time or duration of the work.

Vermont Business Magazine Scott Administration officials will be visiting Windsor County on Monday to continue their county tour to hear from community leaders about their unique infrastructure needs and to discuss the many funding opportunities available to them via federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. Officials will offer guidance on how communities can apply for assistance with tangible economic development, housing, water and sewer, climate change mitigation measures, and broadband projects.

by Ciara McEneany, Community News Service House lawmakers passed a sweeping land and water conservation bill March 24, in what is effectively a do-over of legislation vetoed last year by Governor Phil Scott. H.126, which sets a goal of conserving half of Vermont’s land area and waters by 2050, is now heading through the Senate. The bill was introduced by Representative Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury, who believes Vermont has a critical role to play in the global biodiversity crisis that has seen many species become threatened or disappear entirely.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) spoke with more than 1,150 students on Wednesday and Thursday in Milton, Fairfax, Montpelier, and Barre about the mental health crisis facing young people. At each school, Sanders also held roundtable discussions with teachers, guidance counselors and staff about the state of education in Vermont, challenges the school community has experienced as result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of social media on student learning and well-being. During the town meetings at Milton High School, Bellows Free Academy Fairfax, U-32 Middle & High School, and Spaulding High School, Sanders held question-and-answer sessions to hear directly from the students about the issues they care about and how the federal government can address the needs of young people.

by Martha Trombley Oakes The federal Public Health Emergency is set to end on May 11, marking a new phase in recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the negative impacts of the pandemic continue for far too many across every community in Vermont. Food insecurity rates in Vermont are higher than they have ever been—higher than at the height of the pandemic-- at a time when state and federal support programs have been reduced or ended. This concerning combination of increased need and reduced supports is creating surges in utilization of food shelves and meal sites across Vermont. The state must remain a focused partner to ensure everyone is able to meet this most essential and shared basic need—having enough to eat every day.

Leonine Public Affairs Tensions were on the rise this week in the Vermont State House as the Senate Appropriations Committee worked to refine their version of the FY2024 budget. It is normal for the annual spending bill to become the center of the Vermont political universe in April, but this year feels more intense. This is in part due to significant state surpluses and federal stimulus money, and in part because Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Senate and House seem to be relatively far apart on their budget priorities. The governor has made it clear he is frustrated with Democratic spending plans because he thinks they are financially unsustainable. The governor and members of his administration are advocating against proposals to increase motor vehicle fees and implement payroll taxes to pay for childcare and a paid family and medical leave insurance program.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington-based V/T Commercial has announced its first quarter real estate transactions. These include: General Dynamics renewed its lease of 31,500 square feet at 326 IBM Road, Williston; Representative Becca Balint has leased 3,000 square feet at the historic Howard Opera House in Downtown Burlington; Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences subleased a variety of office spaces in the property located at 261 Mountain View Drive, Colchester.

Vermont Business Magazine The Home Depot is hiring more than 75 associates in the Vermont-area for its busy spring season. The Home Depot’s Virtual Spring Career Day event on April 11 gives jobseekers an inside look at what it's like to be part of the team, including company benefits and culture, through live chats with current associates, virtual booths and more. A common question during last year’s Virtual Spring Career Day was “What’s my application status?” New for 2023, the queued chat function allows jobseekers to receive status updates from recruiters in real-time. Attendees will also have the chance to enter to win an iPad throughout the event.

Vermont Business Magazine There are many reasons to love Brattleboro, VT, but one of its great claims is to be among an elite group of towns housing an establishment where you can drink beer in two states at once. The line separating Vermont and New Hampshire runs right through Whetstone Beer Co.'s taproom on the Connecticut River, inspiring the brewery to celebrate its unique location with the release of Borderline Pale Ale. The "interstate" nature of Whetstone Beer Co. has a complex history. The original 1903 wooden bridge crossing the Connecticut River to New Hampshire at Whetstone's Bridge Street location was replaced in 1920 by a 330-foot-long truss. To support the structure, new footings were poured into the riverbed, extending the "land" on the Vermont side of the river by 5 feet. However, the state line already established by the US Geological Survey refused to budge, even as the structure that now houses Whetstone Beer Co. was built atop.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) last Saturday welcomed more than 130 students from across all 14 Vermont counties to his first-ever annual “Youth Chess Day.” Held at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, this inaugural event featured a learn-to-play session for students interested in trying out the game for the first time, as well as a recreational tournament for more experienced players.