Current News

Vermont Business Magazine David S. Silverman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of Vermont and New Hampshire, announced today that the Board of Directors of Union Bankshares, Inc. has appointed Steven P. Cote, President of Chalmers Insurance Group, to the Union Bank Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2026. "We are pleased to welcome Steve to our Board," said Silverman. "His decades of leadership in the insurance industry, along with his commitment to strategic planning, client service excellence, and community engagement, make him an outstanding addition. Steve's experience and values are strongly aligned with Union Bank's mission to deliver exceptional, community-focused banking." 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s state-wide Free Ice Fishing Day is Saturday, January 31, 2026. Free Ice Fishing Day is held annually on the last Saturday in January.  The day is geared toward giving new ice anglers an opportunity to try ice fishing before purchasing equipment or a fishing license, but any angler may ice fish on any waterbody open to ice fishing statewide without a license on Free Ice Fishing Day. To celebrate Free Ice Fishing Day, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding an Ice Fishing Festival at Elmore State Park in Elmore.  The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The event is free and open to all ages as well as families with kids.

Vermont Business Magazine Waterfowl hunters who did not remove their hunting blind from the waters of the state earlier must do so before February 15 on Lake Champlain or May 15 on inland waters according to a reminder from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. State law requires removal of the blind together with its contents and any surrounding debris located on or in the water before these deadlines to protect natural areas and to prevent boating accidents after the ice melts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that MAX LLC, owner and operator of Price Cutter, a gas station in Brattleboro, was fined $8,250 for multiple violations of the Vermont Underground Storage Tank Rules. DEC’s Waste Management and Prevention Division oversees the operation of Underground Storage Tanks to protect human health and the environment. Anyone who owns or operates underground storage tank systems must obtain a permit from the Division, and permit holders must comply with Vermont’s Underground Storage Tank Rules. The rules establish standards for the design, installation, operation, maintenance, monitoring, and closure of underground storage tanks to prevent fuel leaks and spills.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Education released new guidance to help schools and educators navigate artificial intelligence (AI) thoughtfully and responsibly. The guidance is a resource for educators, school leaders, and communities, as they explore how AI tools can support teaching and learning while preserving the personal interactions that define high-quality education. The guidance provides a practical framework to support local decision-making as schools continue to innovate in ways that reflect Vermont values. The document emphasizes the importance of maintaining human agency, educator judgment, and student well-being as schools consider the use of AI tools.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today released a new report finding that the Trump administration’s school privatization agenda threatens our nation’s public schools and harms working-class students, students with disabilities and students from diverse religious backgrounds. President Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” created the nation’s first federal school voucher program at a cost of up to $51 billion a year — more than it currently spends on the Title I program serving low-income students and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) combined.

Vermont Business Magazine Lund is proud to announce the launch of First Steps, an early childhood workforce development program designed to train and support the next generation of early childhood educators. Originally created by the City of Burlington’s Early Learning Initiative (ELI), the program will now expand under Lund’s leadership to serve residents across all of Chittenden County, with the potential for statewide growth. Vermont is facing a critical shortage of early childhood educators—an issue made more urgent by Act 76’s expansion of childcare access, which is increasing demand for qualified early childhood professionals across the state. First Steps helps address this challenge by offering tuition-free, culturally responsive training, individualized advising, and career support to help participants earn credentials and secure employment in early childhood settings.

Vermont State Police Following completion of autopsy and notification of relatives, the Vermont State Police is able to identify the victim as Brett Novak, 58, of Sharon. The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office currently lists the cause and manner of death as pending. On Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, the Sharon Fire Department and South Royalton Rescue Squad were dispatched to a fire in a camper trailer at 4573 Vermont Route 14 in Sharon after numerous 911 callers reported seeing black smoke coming from the camper. Sharon Fire arrived, entered the camper and extinguished the fire. Sharon Fire located a man deceased inside the trailer.

Vermont Business Magazine Secretary of Administration Sarah Clark today released Vermont’s revenue results for December 2025. The General Fund missed its monthly target, while the Transportation Fund and Education Fund both exceeded their monthly targets. The State’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts were a combined $295.3 million, representing collections of $0.05 million, or 0.02%, above the $295.2 million monthly target in the consensus forecast adopted by the Emergency Board at its July 2025 meeting. Total General Fund revenues for December were $204.1 million, -$5.3 million or 2.5% below the $209.4 million monthly cash flow target, driven by a second month of significantly lagging Corporate Income Tax receipts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation today formally announced the gubernatorial appointment of Christine Brown as Deputy Commissioner of its Captive Insurance Division, solidifying a role in which she has served in an acting capacity since the start of the year. Brown’s appointment confirms Vermont’s long-standing reputation as a trusted, well-regulated domicile in an increasingly complex global risk environment. DFR leadership is grateful for Brown’s willingness to serve. Commissioner Kaj Samsom applauded her contributions to the Department for over 20 years and said they were instrumental in maintaining continual, effective Division operations.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Vermont Commission on Women Chair Esther Charlestin announced her candidacy for Vermont Lieutenant Governor. Commissioner Charlestin will seek the Democratic nomination to serve all Vermonters. Already former Lieutenant governor Molly Gray has announced she will again seek the Democratic nomination for the post, as has another Democrat, Ryan McLaren. Current Republican Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers has said he would seek reelection.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington-based Fluency announced Tuesday its partnership with TikTok to scale its new TikTok Automotive ads category. Fluency has built a Digital Advertising Operating System (OS) that currently powers over $3 billion in annual media spend and 250,000+ monthly campaigns. Now that it’s integrated with TikTok, automotive ad agencies and brands can easily extend the campaigns they’re already running to TikTok and manage all their ad channels all in one place. Fluency, the digital advertising operating system for automating paid media operations at scale across all major channels, announced that digital ad agencies and brands will be able to deploy, manage and optimize TikTok Automotive Ads, the platform’s new automotive ad category, directly from its centralized platform.