Vermont

New push to solve weatherization workforce woes in Vermont

Published

8 months ago

July 7, 2025

BARRE, Vt. (WCAX) – There’s a new push to solve weatherization workforce woes in Vermont. A new training center in Barre may make it easier for you to find someone to button up your home. But finding a qualified workforce is only half the battle.

A house on Bailey Street aims to help more Vermont families slash their heating bills, up to the tune of 30%.

“It’s clear these investments are huge for the Vermonters that we serve,” said Chris Winters, the commissioner of the Vermont Department for Children and Families.

The state of Vermont, Efficiency Vermont and North Carolina-based Everblue are launching the Vermont Innovation, Efficiency and Weatherization (VIEW) workforce training center where people can learn the ins and outs of home heating efficiency and installation, funded by a $2 million grant from the feds. It’s also to help prospective business owners learn about financing, staffing, running the books and more.

“This center is all about service and impact,” said Jon Boggiano, the chief innovation officer at Everblue.

Training more people to do weatherization work could allow more Vermonters to partake in weatherization programs and, in turn, help meet our climate goals.

The opening of the VIEW center comes as state lawmakers in Montpelier grapple with what role weatherization should play in our pollution reduction requirements and how best to fund them.

Vermont’s new Climate Action Plan, adopted last month, shows we have to weatherize 79,000 homes. To meet that goal, more funding is needed to subsidize the work.

Over the last decade, we’ve done about 2,000 homes annually. An influx of federal stimulus money brought that to 4,000 in 2024. But that money is coming to an end.

“My view is we need more of what Vermont is doing in Washington,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont.

So far, the effort to pass a state-based program to fund weatherization is still a moving political target in Montpelier.

Without more funds, experts say the number of weatherized homes will decrease in the coming years.

“We know the pace we’re working on now and what’s needed to grow that is combined consistent funding and the workforce we acknowledge and support every day,” said Peter Walke of Efficiency Vermont.

A push to get more people into the trades and bring down the cost of your heating bill.

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Related Topics:barre center Featured news projects training vermont view WCAX weatherization woes workforce

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Vermont

Unemployment claims in Vermont increased last week

Published

10 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Unemployment claims in Vermont increased last week

Staff reports
| USA TODAY Network

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Vermont rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 375 in the week ending February 21, up from 357 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 212,000 last week, up 4,000 claims from 208,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 132.0%. Michigan, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 49.9%.

USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.

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Vermont

Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Thursday, Feb. 26

Published

22 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Thursday, Feb. 26

The 2025-2026 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.

TO REPORT SCORES

Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.

▶ Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.

▶ Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.

THURSDAY’S H.S. GAMES (REGULAR SEASON)

Boys basketball

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Peoples at North Country, 6:30 p.m.

Northfield at Stowe

Hazen at U-32

Oxbow at BFA-Fairfax

Winooski at Middlebury

Watch Vermont high school games on NFHS Network

Mount Mansfield at South Burlington

Essex at St. Johnsbury

BFA-St. Albans at Colchester

Lamoille at Spaulding

Lyndon at Harwood

Williamstown at Twinfield/Cabot

Rice at Champlain Valley

Randolph at Montpelier

Lake Region at Thetford

(Subject to change)

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Vermont

Vermont seasonal snowfall ranks high despite missing out on the Blizzard of 2026

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Vermont seasonal snowfall ranks high despite missing out on the Blizzard of 2026

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The historic ‘Blizzard of 2026′ brought a winter’s worth of snowfall to Southern New England, especially Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts area. Both states including New Jersey had snowfall totals that surpassed each respective state’s 24-hour snowfall record. Vermont on the other hand, too far north of the storm only received a fraction of the amount of snow.

HIGHEST SNOWFALL REPORTS BY STATE FROM BLIZZARD 2026:

RHODE ISLAND 37.9″ (Warwick)
MASSACHUSETTS 37.0″ (Bliss Corner)
NEW YORK 31.0″ (Central Islip)
CONNECTICUT 30.8″ (North Stonington)
NEW JERSEY 30.7″ (Lyndhurst)
PENNSYLVANIA 22.1″ (Langhorne)
DELAWARE 21″ (Long Neck)
MARYLAND 16″ (Bishopville)
VIRGINIA 15″ (Wintergreen)
MAINE 12″ (Trescott)
NEW HAMPSHIRE 9.8″ (Barrington)
VERMONT 6.8″ (Readsboro)

In northern Vermont, Burlington only received a few flakes from this historic nor’easter. Despite that, Burlington’s seasonal snowfall to date still ranks in the top ten across the eastern United States.

Current seasonal snowfall total rankings in the Eastern United States as of February 24th, 2026: