Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) Child Nutrition Programs is seeking sponsors for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). This program, also known as Summer Meals, is federally funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by AOE Child Nutrition Programs. Funds are available and sponsors are needed to provide meals to children at summer food program sites. The After School and Summer Meals Eligibility Mapper helps identify potential meal site locations. The state is specifically seeking sponsors to serve meals in previously underserved areas, including the Northeast Kingdom, Rutland County, and the Upper Valley.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine VermontBiz and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce the top 65 Best Places to Work in Vermont 2026. The awards program was created in 2006 and is presented in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management, Vermont State Council, (VTSHRM), the Vermont Department of Commerce and Community Development and Workforce Research Group. The Best Places to Work in Vermont list is broken down into three categories, Small Businesses (15-99 employees), Medium Businesses (100-249 employees) and Large Businesses (250+ employees).

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) today announced the death of Titus Peters, a sentenced person incarcerated at Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility (TCCF) in Mississippi. Titus Peters, 42, of Bennington, Vermont, began his incarcerative sentence in 2017. In 2019, Peters was transferred to TCCF, a correctional facility operated by CoreCivic. There are 150 men in Vermont DOC custody held at TCCF. On January 29, Peters was found unresponsive by correctional staff at approximately 12:03pm.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Language Justice Project (VLJP) is now operating as an independent nonprofit organization, with fiscal sponsorship from United Ways of Vermont (UWVT), while its federal 501(c)(3) application is under review. VLJP was incubated at CCTV Center for Media & Democracy beginning in November 2021, where the project strengthened its programs, partnerships, and operational foundation. The transition to independent status reflects VLJP’s growth and capacity as a statewide language access organization serving communities across Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Community Bancorp, the parent company of Community National Bank, today announced that it has received approval to list its common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The company expects trading in its shares to transition from the OTCQX Market to the Nasdaq Capital Market effective with the opening of trading on Monday, February 2, 2026, subject to continued satisfaction of applicable listing criteria. The company’s common stock will continue to trade on the OTCQX through the end of trading on Friday, January 30, 2026. The common stock will trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under its current ticker symbol “CMTV.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced the conclusion of its independent review of a fatal officers-involved shooting that occurred on August 21, 2025, in Springfield, Vermont. Attorney General Charity Clark has declined to prosecute Windsor County Sheriff Deputy Bryan Jalava and Springfield Police Officer Vincent Franchi for charges related to the use of deadly force in the fatal shooting of James Crary. The incident began at approximately 8:56 PM on August 21, 2025, when Deputy Sheriff Jalava and Springfield Police Officer Franchi, along with other officers from the Springfield Police Department and the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department, arrived at 78 Valley Street in Springfield, Vermont, to arrest Matthew Hewitt in response to an alleged assault and robbery and a kidnapping that had occurred earlier that afternoon involving Hewitt and another suspect, Roger Colby.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Medical Society, American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Vermont, American College of Physicians Vermont, Vermont Psychiatric Association and the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians are deeply concerned by reports coming from our colleagues around the country regarding the impact of immigration enforcement activity on patient health and wellbeing.  Not only is enforcement occurring in and around health care settings, including hospitals, emergency departments, and community practices, but fear among immigrant communities is preventing individuals from leaving their homes to attend medical appointments, work, school and obtain needed food and medicine.

by Mike Donoghue The Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee approved the recommendation of attorney Christina Nolan, 5-0, on Thursday to become a Vermont Supreme Court Justice, but rejected attorney Michael Drescher, 3-2, to also serve on the high court. The three Democrats on the committee said they had trouble supporting Drescher, a former First Assistant U.S. Attorney, because of two high-profile immigration cases that he was thrust into defending last year on behalf of the administration of President Donald J. Trump. In a little-used procedural move in the Legislature, Senate President Phil Baruth asked the committee on Thursday to say it had no recommendation on the Drescher nomination.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $2.98 per gallon, unchanged from a week ago, 7 cents/g from a month ago and 16 cents/g from a year ago. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.59/g while the highest was $3.19/g, a difference of 60.0 cents per gallon, according to AAA. Prices are lowest in Bennington ($2.80/g) and Rutland ($2.87/g) counties and highest in Essex ($3.16/g), Chittenden ($3.06/g), and Grand Isle ($3.06/g), according to AAA. The national average price of gasoline has risen 2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.87/g today. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Federal Nuclear Waste Policy (FNWP) Committee of the Vermont Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (VT NDCAP) will meet on Monday, February 2, 2026, from Noon to 1:00 PM.  As permitted by ACT 133 of the 2024 Vermont Legislature, this meeting will be conducted solely as a webcast and teleconference. The February 2 meeting is for VT-NDCAP's Federal Nuclear Waste Policy Committee and NOT the full panel. VT-NDCAP has tentatively scheduled a meeting of the full panel for Monday evening, February 9.  Details about that meeting will be made available next week.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, today led 14 bicameral lawmakers in reintroducing the Opportunities in Organic Act, legislation designed to help farmers and other agricultural producers transition to organic practices and build successful and sustainable businesses. The Senators’ legislation would help eliminate steep barriers farmers often face to enter the industry, including high certification costs and insufficient technical assistance from existing United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. The bill is led in the House of Representatives by Reps. Alma Adams (D-NC-12) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19).

Vermont Business Magazine Ahead of National Unclaimed Property Day on February 1, Treasurer Pieciak is reminding Vermonters to search for their unclaimed property at missingmoney.com. Unclaimed property includes lost checks, forgotten bank accounts, safety deposit boxes, and other financial property. Entities are required to annually turn these assets over to the State, and the Treasurer's Office safeguards them until claimed by rightful owners or their heirs. Unclaimed property can belong to individuals, businesses, nonprofits, government entities, and more. The Treasurer’s Office currently holds over $150 million in unclaimed property—money Treasurer Pieciak says is essential to return to Vermonters.