Explore

Rapid ReadRapid Read
Burlington Breaks Ground on 30 New Affordable Apartments to Address Housing Crisis

Burlington Breaks Ground on 30 New Affordable Apartments to Address Housing Crisis

The Champlain Housing Trust has broken ground on 30 new affordable apartments in Burlington, Vermont, known as the Shale Beach Condominium project. Located on Cambrian Way in the New North End, these market-rate, shared-equity apartments aim to provide affordable homeownership opportunities for Burlington families. The development will feature a mix of two- and three-bedroom condos, each approximately 1,400 square feet, with prices ranging from $175,000 to $210,000. The project is a collaborative effort, funded through a combination of federal, state, and city investments, including a $900,000 investment from the city of Burlington into its Housing Trust Fund. Several city, state, and federal leaders, including U.S. Senator Peter Welch, Treasurer Mike Pieciak, and Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, attended the groundbreaking ceremony, emphasizing the critical need for affordable housing in Vermont.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
U.S. Senator Peter Welch and Bipartisan Group Urge USFWS to Reconsider White River National Fish Hatchery Closure

U.S. Senator Peter Welch and Bipartisan Group Urge USFWS to Reconsider White River National Fish Hatchery Closure

U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), alongside Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), has formally requested the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) to reverse its decision to place Vermont’s White River National Fish Hatchery on inactive status. In a letter addressed to USFWS Director Brian Nesvik, the lawmakers expressed concerns that this action would hinder valuable scientific research and jeopardize a decade of progress in fishery restoration efforts, particularly concerning Atlantic salmon. The hatchery, operational since 1984, has been crucial in restoring native fish species in Lake Champlain, the Connecticut River, and the Great Lakes. The lawmakers highlighted significant achievements, including the discovery of wild-hatched Atlantic salmon fry in the Winooski River in 2016—the first in 150 years—and a substantial reduction in sea lamprey wounding of Atlantic salmon from...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Rutland Students Participate in American Chestnut Tree Restoration Project

Rutland Students Participate in American Chestnut Tree Restoration Project

Students in Rutland, Vermont, are actively involved in a conservation effort to restore the American chestnut tree, a species that was once prevalent in the region but was nearly eradicated by blight. At Mount St. Joseph Academy, nine chestnut trees serve as a living classroom for students, who have been tending to the grove for the past five years as part of their biology classes. Tom Estill, a local resident and educator, has been instrumental in guiding these students. Their tasks include planting, spraying to deter deer, and fertilizing the trees. Seeds cultivated at Mount St. Joseph Academy are subsequently planted at six other schools within Vermont, and Estill has personally planted seeds at over 80 schools across the state, including Rutland High School’s Allen Street campus.
TrendlineTrendline
GW Plastics, a Vermont-based Manufacturer, Contributes to Global Medical Device Polymers Market

GW Plastics, a Vermont-based Manufacturer, Contributes to Global Medical Device Polymers Market

GW Plastics, a Vermont-based Manufacturer, Contributes to Global Medical Device Polymers Market
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Senator Jack Reed Co-Sponsors Affordable Housing Construction Act to Address Rhode Island Housing Crisis

Senator Jack Reed Co-Sponsors Affordable Housing Construction Act to Address Rhode Island Housing Crisis

Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) has co-sponsored the Affordable Housing Construction Act, legislation reintroduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) aimed at tackling the housing affordability crisis in Rhode Island and across the nation. The bill proposes to significantly expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, which is the primary federal initiative for affordable housing construction. Specifically, the legislation would more than triple the size of the LIHTC and provide additional funding for sustainable, accessible, and energy-efficient housing developments. It also seeks to loosen financing requirements and extend the mandatory affordability period for LIHTC-financed housing from 30 years to 50 years. A key reform in the updated legislation is the elimination of the 'qualified contract' process, a loophole that previously allowed LIHTC owners to prematurely terminate affordability restrictions. According to an analysis by RI Housing, the Affordable Housing Construction Act is projected t...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Dan Gilbert and Wife's Foundation Commit $10 Million to Detroit Home Repair Fund

Dan Gilbert and Wife's Foundation Commit $10 Million to Detroit Home Repair Fund

Billionaire entrepreneur Dan Gilbert and his wife Jennifer, through their foundation, have committed $10 million to a Detroit home-repair fund. This contribution is part of a larger $20 million initiative launched in May 2022, designed to assist over 1,000 low-income residents in Detroit with essential home repairs over a three-year period. The fund aims to address critical structural issues such as roofs, foundations, stairs, windows, and drywall. Other significant contributors to the fund include ProMedica, which provided $8 million, and DTE Energy, which contributed $2 million. The initiative channels funds through national and local neighborhood groups to ensure direct support reaches the intended beneficiaries.
USA TodayUSA Today
Burlington opening 12 stores this month. See where

Burlington opening 12 stores this month. See where

Is Burlington opening near you? The discount retailer is adding 12 stores across eight states as its nationwide expansion continues.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Vermont Governor Proposes Redirecting Overdose Center Funds to Burlington Homeless Shelter

Vermont Governor Proposes Redirecting Overdose Center Funds to Burlington Homeless Shelter

Vermont Governor Phil Scott has proposed reallocating funds initially designated for a Burlington overdose prevention center to support a new 100-bed homeless shelter in the city. This suggestion comes as colder weather approaches and local leaders, along with the business community, advocate for a low-barrier shelter to assist the chronically homeless population. Governor Scott, while still expressing reservations about the congregate shelter model, stated he would not oppose the initiative if the city secures a location and adequate staffing. He indicated that if the shelter is deemed a higher priority, the funds from the overdose prevention center, which he noted appears to be progressing slowly, should be redirected. Additionally, the governor's cabinet is exploring the establishment of several smaller shelters across Chittenden County to address the broader issue of homelessness.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird Highlights Affordable Housing and Public Safety in State of the City Address

Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird Highlights Affordable Housing and Public Safety in State of the City Address

Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird delivered her State of the City Address, emphasizing progress in affordable housing and public safety. She highlighted new affordable housing units, including FiftyOne Commons and Mural Apartments, and announced a new project near 112th and Adams, inviting developers to propose building at least 1,500 homes on over 200 acres of city-owned land. Mayor Gaylor Baird also noted her advocacy for the bipartisan 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which became law this summer with the leadership of Congressman Mike Flood, providing communities with more tools to increase housing supply and homeownership. In public safety, she reported the addition of 31 new police officer positions during her tenure, with four more planned for 2027, and praised the Lincoln Fire and Rescue's achievements, including a Class 1 ISO rating and a cardiac arrest survival rate more than double the national average.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
National Housing Conference Report Reveals Significant Decline in U.S. Homeownership Affordability for Workers

National Housing Conference Report Reveals Significant Decline in U.S. Homeownership Affordability for Workers

A new report from the National Housing Conference (NHC), titled 'Priced Out: When a Good Job Isn’t Enough,' indicates a substantial decline in homeownership affordability across the United States. In 2025, only 14% of occupations across hundreds of metropolitan areas could afford a typically priced home with a 10% down payment. This marks a significant drop from 2020, when workers could afford homeownership in 32,794 occupation-metro pairings; by 2025, this number had fallen to 12,189, representing a loss of 20,605 pairings. The study, which analyzes the gap between wages and housing costs for nearly 300 occupations across 390 metropolitan areas, highlights that the affordability crisis is not limited to lower-wage workers. The average annual salary among occupations that lost the ability to purchase a home was $70,283. Furthermore, the number of metropolitan areas requiring an annual salary above $100,000 to afford a typically priced home increased dramatically from 30 in 2019 to 193 in 2025. Renters are ...
USA TodayUSA Today
These are the 10 safest states in America, new report says

These are the 10 safest states in America, new report says

WalletHub ranked all 50 U.S. states for safety. See which states made the top 10 and which landed among the 10 least safe states.
TrendlineTrendline
Vermont Businesses Navigate Complex Sales Tax Filing with Local Option Tax Changes

Vermont Businesses Navigate Complex Sales Tax Filing with Local Option Tax Changes

Vermont Businesses Navigate Complex Sales Tax Filing with Local Option Tax Changes