Vermont

Recreation leaders attend Vermont Outdoor Economy Summit in East Burke

Published

7 months ago

December 7, 2025

Recreation leaders attend Vermont Outdoor Economy Summit in East Burke

EAST BURKE — The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) hosted the 7th Annual Vermont Outdoor Economy Summit in November at Burke Mountain Resort last month, convening 155 outdoor industry businesses, organizations, and policymakers for a day of collaboration, education, and business development.

Kellyann Davis, Director of Research for the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), kicked off the Summit with a keynote providing crucial insights into data on outdoor consumer trends. “Snowsports continue to dominate as the activity outdoor enthusiasts spend the most on,” said Davis. “With snow on the ground, this puts the Vermont outdoor sector in a strong position going into the holiday season – but the data also shows only 14.5% shoppers get their gear at independent outdoor retailers, with Amazon overwhelmingly capturing the outdoor gear dollar.”

“Currently, Vermont resorts and retailers are reporting a strong start to the season, but the OIA data is a clear call to action, highlighting the need for outdoor consumers to support the places and people they care about by shopping at local businesses and visiting our outdoor downtowns,” said Kelly Ault, Executive Director of VOBA. “With so many challenges affecting the industry, including financial risks due to fluctuating federal policy and the hurdles of climate resilience, supporting your local gear shop is one way to support the economic prosperity of the outdoor sector and our State”

The outdoor industry was intentional about convening in the recreation epicenter of East Burke. Northeast Kingdom leaders offered up decades of lessons learned from the success of local communities and partnerships that have balanced ecological values and commerce. In opening remarks, Jon Schaefer, COO and Co-Owner of Bear Den Partners’ Burke Mountain Resort, emphasized Burke Mountain’s deep connection to the success of the local economy, “Rising tides for us is when the whole community does better. Our business is successful when our community does better.”

Governor Phil Scott, who oversaw the creation of the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative in 2017, addressed the Summit and maintained his belief in the return on investment of directing public funding to Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy, “The outdoor economy is something that defines who we are as Vermonters. Using outdoor recreation as a tool to attract people to come to Vermont, and stay, has, and can, pay real dividends.”

The founders pitching in the 2nd Annual Outdoor Pitch Fest brought down the house with Thicket Adventure taking home the Overall Resilience award and Sluff Wax the Climate & Circularity and the People’s Choice award. The annual event gives outdoor entrepreneurs the opportunity to present best practices for resilience, and values-led climate and circularity strategies to judges and industry peers.

This year, VOBA honored Donna Carpenter, Owner of Burton Snowboards, and the Carpenter family with the 5th Annual Sen. Patrick Leahy Trailblazer Legacy Award. The award recognizes lifetime contributions to Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy with a special focus on sustainability, equity, community investment, and economic growth. “[Vermont] is where the Burton story started, and where it will continue into the next generation,” said Carpenter. “Next year, Burton turns 50, half a century. Most of the world thought we were crazy, Vermont didn´t. Vermont supported us, gave us a sense of community, and helped install the kind of stubborn optimism that I think is hardwired into this state. To survive here, especially through a hard winter, you need grit and perseverance. But you also need your neighbors.”

Marc Sherman, Owner of Burlington’s Outdoor Gear Exchange (OGE), agrees that starting a business in Vermont requires perseverance and support for and from your neighbors. “At the OGE, we have always considered ourselves as part of the neighborhood. We invest in our staff and our community and hope that this helps inspire our customers to think of us when they’re getting ready for their next adventure or simply in support of their outdoor lifestyle. Thanks to ongoing support from Vermont’s outdoor community we have built OGE into a thirty-year old economic cornerstone of friends and neighbors. When you choose to shop local this holiday season you are supporting Vermonters, the benefits of which ripple through your community and all of Vermont.”

VOBA would like to recognize the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development’s Departments of Economic Development and Tourism and Marketing, Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative, Northern Border Regional Commission, Sevenpair Studios, Merritt & Merritt, Burke Mountain Resort, Cabot Hosiery Mills, Northeast Vermont Development Association, Vermont Economic Development Authority, Vermont Community Loan Fund, The Richards Group, Green Up Day, The Wildflower Inn, and SB Signs.

The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) is a state-wide organization established in 2018 to educate Vermonters on outdoor recreation and businesses on business development, collaboration initiatives, and outdoor recreation policy. VOBA and its 155 members strengthen Vermont’s outdoor economy through networking & learning, business development & technical assistance, research & branding, workforce development, and advocacy. VOBA supports investment in the state’s natural and recreation resources and equitable access for all in the outdoors. www.vermontoutdoorbusinessalliance.org

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Vermont

Commentary | Vermont Chamber: Vermont is in trouble

Published

5 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

Commentary | Vermont Chamber: Vermont is in trouble

Not someday in some distant future. Now.

We are aging, shrinking, and pricing out our own children, workers, and entrepreneurs. Schools face consolidation, taxes are climbing, and employers struggle to fill jobs. We’re too dependent on federal funding to support state spending. A housing shortage is driving up prices, slowing economic growth, and leaves young people feeling forced out.

Staying the course is not a viable option. It only gets worse from here if nothing changes.

The cost of scarcity

For decades, Vermont has treated growth as a threat to mitigate. We are living through the consequences of that mindset, and it hits marginalized communities hardest. True equity requires expanding supply rather than fighting over the crumbs of a shrinking economy. Otherwise, people lose hope and leave. This is already happening: Vermont experienced the nation’s largest percent decrease in population last year, becoming the only state losing population to both natural change and net migration.

The data are clear: Over the next decade, Vermont must add roughly 13,500 workers annually just to maintain economic stability. We need 7,500 new homes each year, yet we only permit about 2,500. When we fail to build, we aren’t “preserving” Vermont. We are pricing out multi-generational families, working-class neighbors, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Vermonters who represent our state’s fastest-growing demographic. Saying no to growth denies depopulated rural areas the chance to revitalize their communities. A shrinking tax base concentrates economic pressure on fewer people, creating a vicious cycle that erodes even the most resilient communities.

Most Vermonters support more housing and population growth, and policymakers keep saying they intend to follow the will of the people. However, intentions do not house families, fill classrooms, staff hospitals, or make life more affordable. Outcomes do. Right now, tangible outcomes are coming far too slowly or not at all.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can choose a different path forward.

From roadmap to results

The planning is done. Between the Vermont Futures Project’s Economic Action Plan and the Vermont Business Roundtable’s Systems Innovation Framework, we have the data-informed roadmaps. We know where the hurdles are: a regulatory system that prizes “no” over “how,” and a fiscal trajectory where spending outpaces tax base growth, both exacerbated by unfunded mandates adding layers to an already inefficient system.

Process continues to overshadow results. It is time for outcomes. Future policymakers should focus on these four immediate shifts:

Regulatory Modernization: Move from a culture of “permission” to a culture of “production.” If a project meets established goals, it should be approved in months, not years. Start with “yes” as the default.

Fiscal Stewardship: Align our budget with economic reality. Vermont cannot tax its way out of a shrinking population and a constrained economy. Families and businesses need a predictable environment that allows them to plan, invest, stay, and grow.

Intentional Growth: Actively recruit and retain a diverse, working-age population. Growth funds our schools, supports our healthcare system and sustains our communities, benefiting the people already here.

Accountability: Ensure enacted policies achieve their goals. If the goal is housing, did we build the homes? If it is affordability, did we bring costs down sustainably? Revisit system design and policies if they fail to produce tangible results.

What comes next

Data is not destiny. Vermont’s future is a choice. Let’s choose abundance because Vermonters can no longer afford to choose scarcity. Here’s how you can help.

To the business community: Step forward to share your experiences with the downstream impacts of public policy. Your insights are crucial to modernizing our rules, regulations, and system design, and restoring Vermont’s competitiveness to build an economy where everyone can thrive.

To policymakers: We stand ready to be your partners. The data is clear, our organizations are aligned, and the roadmap is ready. We don’t need endless studies; we need your help to produce results. As the election cycle approaches, remember that accountability is measured by tangible outcomes for Vermonters, not intentions.

To our fellow Vermonters: Say “yes” to the possibilities in your own communities. Welcome new housing, support the local businesses, and champion a growing tax base over rising tax rates. But wanting change is not enough; you must participate to make it happen. Engage with your elected officials, serve on a local board, and turn out to vote for the future you want to see.

Finally, we must all reshape the narrative about Vermont. Share stories about why you love living and working here and why others should consider Vermont too. Your voice can help break the vicious cycle of scarcity. Speak openly about how growth can improve well-being and why you support it.

Growth is not a threat to Vermont; growth is what will save it.

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Vermont

VT Lottery Powerball, Gimme 5 results for June 22, 2026

Published

16 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule.

Here’s a look at June 22, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from June 22 drawing

17-19-21-45-48, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Gimme 5 numbers from June 22 drawing

05-09-18-35-39

Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 22 drawing

Day: 8-0-1

Evening: 2-1-6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 22 drawing

Day: 2-8-4-6

Evening: 0-2-1-8

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks Plus numbers from June 22 drawing

12-26-29-34-38, Megaball: 03

Check Megabucks Plus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 22 drawing

07-08-20-24-42, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.

For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.

All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.

Vermont Lottery Headquarters

1311 US Route 302, Suite 100

Barre, VT

05641

When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily

What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?

Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Vermont

Vermont Police identify victims in Chelsea house fire – Valley News

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2026

Press Room

Vermont Police identify victims in Chelsea house fire – Valley News

CHELSEA — Vermont State Police have identified the victims of a June 17 fatal house fire as the home’s residents, Karen Snyder, 71, and Max Quayle, 57.

The investigation into the cause and origin of the fire that broke out just after 3 a.m. last Wednesday is ongoing, according to the police news release.

Investigators found Snyder, the owner of the home where the fire started, and Quayle in the wreckage after extinguishing the blaze at 7 North Common.

The fire also severely damaged a neighboring house to the west, 5 North Common, that Fire Chief Ed Coburn said has not had occupants for years, and caused minor damage to a house to the east, 9 North Common including scorching a wall and cracking some windows.

Both 5 and 7 North Common will likely have to be torn down because they are unsafe, Coburn said, but the final decision will be up to property owners and the town.

Anyone with information that might aid investigators should call VSP’s Royalton Barracks at 802-234-9933 or submit information anonymously online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

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