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Dem senator hosts businesses concerned 'enormous uncertainty' of tariffs could kill crucial tourism industry

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Dem senator hosts businesses concerned 'enormous uncertainty' of tariffs could kill crucial tourism industry

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., hosted his latest in a series of roundtables with small businesses around the Green Mountain State, and the attendees said the Trump administration’s tariff actions will hurt their operations directly and damage the state’s key tourism industry.

“These tariffs are a self-inflicted wound,” Welch, who also co-sponsored a bipartisan bill to repeal them, told Fox News Digital on Monday.

“And they’re already raising prices for businesses, farmers and working families across rural America. Everyone will be affected by President Trump’s trade war, it doesn’t matter what your political point of view is or where you live.”

The latter appeared to be the tenor at Welch’s latest roundtable in Stowe, near the Quebec border.

OPINION: WHAT FINANCIAL MARKETS ARE SCREAMING ABOUT TRUMP’S TARIFFS

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Sen. Peter Welch is leading meetings with dozens of businesses concerned about New England tourism losses, including snowsports, from tariffs. (AP/Getty)

“I think I speak for all of us when I say we don’t know how they’re going to affect us,” said Jen Kimmich, who runs Alchemist Brewery.

“What we do know is that these tariffs are happening. We do know prices are going to go up, but we don’t know how much.”

Kimmich shared an example of how intertwined her brewery is with global manufacturing.

Her aluminum is produced in the U.S., but the manufacturer sources some recycled metal from Brazil, metal that then transits through Canada to be made into sheets before crossing back into Vermont.

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Alchemist raised its prices by 5% and absorbed another 10% hit, Kimmich told Welch.

TRUMP’S TARIFF 2-STEP

Her brewery’s specialty malt, she said, is exempted for now because it is a food product from the United Kingdom.

The brewery, like the other businesses represented collectively, said the sudden decrease in visitors from across the northern border has hurt the tourism industry as well as stores where Canadians might regularly shop in Vermont.

“At every single level, these tariffs make no economic sense,” she said. “The tariffs are unfair, and they’re already creating enormous uncertainty. I’m working to help Vermont maintain the strength of its small businesses.”

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Christa Bowdish, proprietor of the Old Stagecoach Inn, said in a statement that 95% of her business is via tourism and the rest from locals.

“Of that 95%, typically 15% are Canadian. We were all excited about having a banner ski season, and it was good, but it wasn’t amazing,” she said, adding that while January’s figures were up, skiing in February was down and the trend has continued.

President Donald Trump has established a tariff agenda. (Getty Images)

At the same time, Bowdish said web traffic from Canada has been falling, which she suspects is tied to the tariff situation.

Bowdish also shared with Welch a letter from a Canadian tourist who canceled their trip because of American political rhetoric toward Canada.

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“This is long-lasting damage to a relationship, and emotional damage takes time to heal. While people aren’t visiting Vermont, they’ll be finding new places to visit, making new memories, building new family traditions, and we will not recapture all of that,” the innkeeper told Welch.

Power Play Sports owner Caleb Magoon added, “The big challenge for me is going to be supply chain issues. At my two stores, because we’re general sporting goods stores, I work with over 100 vendors who are making products literally across the globe, from Dubai to China to right down the road in Waterbury.”

Meanwhile, representatives of ski and snowsports businesses expressed uncertainty about how the tariffs would affect them, since many do not open their doors for the year until November.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for a response to the senator’s and business owners’ concerns.

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Northeast

Pennsylvania bill would recognize pets as family members in divorce cases

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Pennsylvania bill would recognize pets as family members in divorce cases

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A Pennsylvania bill would recognize pets as family members, elevating their status in situations such as divorce.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 97, which would elevate the legal status of pets as “living beings that are generally regarded as cherished family members that offer their owners companionship, security and assistance,” if signed into law. 

The bill would create an official definition of a companion animal, elevating its status in divorce proceedings.

GOP LAWMAKER UNVEILS BILL TO ENSURE FATHERS SHOULDER 50% OF PREGNANCY EXPENSES 

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A sad little girl is hugging a dog while her parents are arguing in the background. (Getty Images)

“Companion animals occupy a special category of personal property which does not include inanimate personal property. Therefore, it is the policy of the Commonwealth that special consideration be extended to companion animals when the division of personal property is planned or determined,” the legislation continues.

The bill outlines new rules for shared schedules, custody arrangements and the division of costs associated with the pet.

It also directs judges to consider factors similar to child custody cases, such as who provides daily care for the pet, who takes the pet to the vet and who has greater financial ability to care for the pet. 

The legislation was sponsored by state Rep. Anita Astorino Kulik, D-Pa., who represents Pennsylvania’s 45th District.

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NEW YORK’S SUFFOLK COUNTY APPROVES LAW PUNISHING CONVICTED ANIMAL ABUSERS IF THEY OWN PETS

The bill directs judges to consider factors similar to child custody situations, such as who provides daily care for the pet, who takes the pet to the vet, who has greater financial ability to care for the pet and so forth.  (iStock)

In a September Facebook post, Kulik wrote, “For many years, I practiced Family Law. During that time, I realized that one of the main points of contention for divorcing couples was custody of their pets. For many of us, our furry friends are not merely ‘pets’ — they are an important part of our family.” 

Kulik added, “I am pleased that my bill, House Bill 97, was overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives, and I thank those of my colleagues that voted in favor of this legislation! I also want to thank the advocacy groups that supported this measure, for their efforts.”

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The bill proposes new rules for shared schedules, custody arrangements and the division of costs associated with the pet. (iStock)

The bill is currently under consideration in the Pennsylvania Senate. 

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State Rep. Anita Astorino Kulik did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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Boston, MA

Green Line back open after closure to replace 1800s beams – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

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Green Line back open after closure to replace 1800s beams – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


BOSTON (WHDH) – Getting around the city was made easier Tuesday after the Green Line reopened after a two-week shutdown affecting all branches.

The MBTA needed the closure to replace underground beams dating back to the 19th century.

Service returned Tuesday on the B branch between North Station and Babcock, on the C and D lines from North Station to Kenmore, and North Station to Heath Street on the E branch.

(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Pittsburg, PA

The weekend concert calendar is packed with some of Pittsburgh’s finest

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The weekend concert calendar is packed with some of Pittsburgh’s finest






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