AGP Executive Report

AI Safety Push: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders backed calls to pause advanced AI development and ban superintelligence, as Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s slowdown plan drew support from major tech leaders. Utility Rates: Vermont regulators trimmed Green Mountain Power’s requested rate hike to 5.5% after customer backlash, approving less “resilience spending” than the utility sought. Affordable Housing Finance: RuralEdge and Community National Bank opened the first phase of Newport Crossing, adding 40 permanently affordable units plus childcare and community amenities. Construction Watch: A new Vermont construction traffic report flags ongoing I-89 and I-91 paving and bridge work, with lane closures and speed limits. Local Government Staffing: Vershire hired its first town administrator, a new role aimed at keeping projects and day-to-day operations moving. Health & Harm Reduction: Central Vermont’s first “Save a Life Day” in Barre will distribute naloxone and share overdose-prevention resources. Community Business: Pittsford Village Farm’s restored site is set to open with a childcare center, affordable apartments, and a new retail tenant.

AI Policy Fight: Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s call for an AI slowdown is gaining high-profile support, while lawmakers renew pressure for federal oversight as fears grow that frontier systems could outpace safety rules. Workplace Economics: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Mark Takano back a bill to gradually move the federal overtime threshold from 40 to 32 hours, aiming to protect pay and benefits. Public Health: Vermont agriculture and health officials detected Salmonella Enteritidis tied to eggs from Leaping Bear Farm in Windsor County; the farm is recalling eggs and pausing sales. Housing & Homelessness: Upper Valley Haven opened a new year-round 20-bed shelter and resource center in White River Junction, designed to reduce long waitlists. Energy & Cost: Vermont regulators finalized a 5.5% rate increase for Green Mountain Power customers. Local Business & Community: Kinney Drugs is rolling out a kid-focused “Find Flemy” scavenger hunt tied to flu comfort-vaccination efforts. Sports & Culture: A Ground Zero steel beam is now on display in Glover for the 9/11 anniversary. Food & Events: The Gourmet Goat opened in Castleton, adding a new local retail and community draw.

Public Health: Vermont officials say Salmonella Enteritidis was found in eggs and environmental samples at Leaping Bear Farm in Windsor County, prompting a voluntary recall of cartons dated June 1–Sept. 5, with 14 linked illnesses reported in Vermont. Housing & Homelessness: Upper Valley Haven dedicated its new year-round shelter and resource center in White River Junction, adding a 20-bed emergency shelter and daytime services after more than a year of construction. Local Business: Black Cloud Brewing opened at Keene’s former Modestman address, launched by former employees and Maine investors, with a pizza-forward menu and a lineup of new beers. Work & Policy: Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced a bill to lower the federal overtime threshold from 40 to 32 hours, aiming to protect pay and benefits as AI and robotics reshape jobs. Tech & Regulation: Lawmakers are pressing for stronger AI safeguards after warnings from former AI researchers about runaway systems and human safety risks. Community & Health Access: Central Vermont’s first Save a Life Day in Barre will distribute naloxone and overdose-prevention info, with portraits from the Into Light project.

Retail & Real Estate: Walmart is moving to take over the abandoned Diamond Run Mall in Rutland, with developers starting the permitting process and the Land Use Review Board raising concerns about environmental impact and the site’s dilapidated condition. Energy Costs: Vermont heating oil prices are already near or above $5 a gallon, with a 700-gallon winter supply potentially costing roughly $1,000 to $1,600 more than last year—raising pressure on household budgets heading into winter. Public Health & Community Safety: Central Vermont’s first “Save a Life Day” in Barre will distribute naloxone and overdose-prevention resources, alongside a traveling exhibit of local stories from the Into Light Project. Tech & Risk: Vermont is named in data-breach investigations tied to U.S. Bank and Ascent Global Logistics, with class-action firms citing potential exposure of sensitive personal information. Local Business Spotlight: Castleton’s The Gourmet Goat is opening with kitchen goods and community events, plus Flying Goat Yoga at a farm location. Cyber & Consumer Protection: Iowa AG Brenna Bird is pushing the FCC to strengthen “Know Your Upstream Provider” rules to curb illegal robocalls.

Broadband Expansion: The federal BEAD program is loosening mapping rules, which Vermont officials say could unlock funding for up to 1,000 additional rural homes and businesses that were previously left out. Workforce & Wages: Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Mark Takano introduced a bill to phase down the overtime threshold toward a 32-hour workweek, aiming to make AI-driven productivity gains reach workers. Southwestern Vermont Economy: A chamber survey finds confidence still high, but rising costs and workforce shortages are increasingly testing growth. Public Health: The FDA declared a multi-state Cyclospora outbreak over, though it says it’s still investigating infections and the implicated lettuce. Opioid Harm Reduction: Central Vermont’s first “Save a Life Day” in Barre will distribute naloxone and prevention resources, with an Into Light portrait exhibit tied to overdose stories. Legal/Immigration: DOJ sued Hawaii over in-state tuition for undocumented students, continuing a nationwide push that has now reached 25 states. AI Policy: Lawmakers are escalating scrutiny of major AI firms after safety warnings, including calls for stronger safeguards.

Public Health & Community Safety: Central Vermont’s first “Save a Life Day” is set for Sept. 24 in Barre, offering free naloxone (Narcan) and overdose-prevention resources, plus a traveling Into Light Project portrait exhibit from VAMHAR. Retail & Health Access: Kinney Drugs is rolling out a kid-friendly “Find Flemy” flu scavenger hunt tied to its vaccination experience, with weekly prizes and grand prizes of Kinney gift cards. Business Climate: A Southwestern Vermont Chamber survey finds most local firms still optimistic, but rising costs, workforce shortages, and weaker statewide economic confidence are starting to bite. Telecom & Infrastructure: Fidium Fiber reported a New England outage affecting Vermont customers and restored service after rerouting traffic. Local Development: Rutland’s proposed Walmart Supercenter is moving through the Act 250 process, with a prehearing held to clarify project details. Energy & Forestry: Intervale Center marks 20 years helping Vermont farms adapt and reach new markets, including support for small producers selling to institutions like UVM. AI & Policy: Vermont-linked coverage of growing congressional pressure on OpenAI and broader AI safety concerns follows warnings from an Anthropic researcher about uncontrollable risk. Court & Connectivity: Vermont Supreme Court cleared the way for a cell tower near Lake Willoughby after neighbor challenges. Sports & Tourism: Runamok’s leadership transition is underway, and Burton is celebrating its 50th anniversary as snowboarding continues to draw global attention.

Opioid Response: Central Vermont’s first “Save a Life Day” is set for Sept. 24 in Barre, with free naloxone (Narcan) and harm-reduction resources, plus an Into Light Project portrait exhibit. AI & Regulation: Vermont and other lawmakers are reacting to Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon’s resignation and warnings that AI could become uncontrollable; Sen. Josh Hawley is also pressing OpenAI over “reckless” rogue-agent behavior. Endangered Species Act Lawsuits: Vermont AG Charity Clark is joining lawsuits challenging federal rollbacks to Endangered Species Act protections, arguing the changes weaken habitat safeguards. Business Climate: A Southwestern Vermont Chamber survey finds most local firms are still optimistic, but costs and workforce shortages are the biggest drag on growth. Local Economy & Tourism: Burton Snowboards names Denny Bruce as CEO ahead of its 50th anniversary, while Vermont’s fall tourism buzz continues with UVM experts weighing how extreme weather could affect foliage. Community & Workforce: Vermont Youth Conservation Corps adds five new board members, and a rural Pownal library reports a summer reading push that drew more than 90 participants.

AI Safety Shake-Up: Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned, warning AI labs are “gambling with our lives” as lawmakers react to claims AI could end humanity by 2030. Endangered Species Act Fight: A coalition of state attorneys general, including Vermont’s AG Charity Clark, sued the Trump administration over rollbacks that narrow “harm” and weaken habitat protections. Data Center Water Costs: Vermont’s secretary of natural resources backed a federal push to make data center owners help pay for water infrastructure impacts—after Gov. Phil Scott vetoed a similar Vermont framework. Local Business & Health: Kinney Drugs is rolling out a kid-friendly “Find Flemy” flu scavenger hunt tied to vaccination comfort. Economy Watch: A Southwestern Vermont Chamber survey finds strong local confidence but rising costs and workforce shortages. Education & Community: Barre voters face another special election on a $57.1M school budget; Rutland’s board advances Act 170 merger planning. Environment & Development: Smugglers’ Notch and VNRC move ahead with Brewster River dam removals to restore brook trout habitat. Public Safety: UVM employee Sarah O’Sullivan was identified as one of two killed in a propane explosion.

Southwestern Vermont Business Confidence: A 2026 State of the Commerce survey finds most Southwestern Vermont firms still thriving and optimistic, but more are getting squeezed by rising costs, worker shortages, and weaker confidence in the broader Vermont economy. Housing & Childcare Pressure: First-time homebuyers say they’re optimistic but are turning to longer mortgages, retirement-account help, and family support as affordability and interest rates stay major barriers; separately, SNAP cuts are flagged as a threat to free school meals. Vermont Energy & Utilities: Vermont regulators approved a 5.5% rate increase for Green Mountain Power, while the broader energy-politics debate continues as utilities seek to manage bill relief and deferred charges. Public Safety & Compliance: Vermont’s cannabis industry faces scrutiny after Lt. Gov. John Rodgers was fined for an unlicensed grow site; and Vermont’s data-center fight grows as towns move to block large server farms. Tech & Regulation: Calls for stronger federal rules to curb illegal robocalls expand, while AI researchers’ warnings are reigniting pressure for regulation.

Utility Rates: Vermont regulators approved a 5.5% rate increase for Green Mountain Power customers, effective Oct. 1, after a dispute over costs and spending pressures. Energy Costs: Home heating oil consumers are being warned to prepare for higher winter prices as volatility and global conflicts push fuel costs up. School Food Access: SNAP cuts could ripple into Vermont’s school meal landscape nationwide, putting free breakfast and lunch eligibility at risk for millions of children. Local Education & Workforce: Central Vermont Career Center is gearing up for a special election bond pitch, aiming to address last year’s voter concerns about price, location, and timing. Gun Policy: Vermont’s attorney general joined a coalition opposing an ATF rule that would loosen registration guardrails for military-grade weapons. Waste & Compliance: Vermont’s EPR plan for household hazardous waste is up for public comment, with producers and stakeholders watching new requirements. Immigration Enforcement: Vermont-linked legal fights continue as attorneys general push back on warrantless ICE arrests, arguing harms to workers and communities. Community Resilience: Treasurer Pieciak visited Hardwick to gather data tied to climate resilience and future funding support.

Utility Rates: Vermont regulators approved a 5.5% rate increase for Green Mountain Power, with the utility arguing for faster grid hardening against storm impacts and the Public Utility Commission trimming GMP’s requested 7.5% hike. Trade & Cost Pressures: Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on about $20 billion in U.S. goods took effect, with Vermont and New York businesses warning of higher prices and fewer Canadian visitors as the dispute escalates. Local Business Growth: Burton Snowboards named Denny Bruce CEO effective Sept. 21, as the company heads toward its 50th anniversary and charts a next phase for Burton and Anon. LLC Law Watch: A new review of state LLC statutes flags Vermont as one of nine states where a sole-member LLC’s ownership interest can be sold to a judgment creditor—raising stakes for asset-rich owners. Health & Workforce: Vermont’s Asha Clinic in Burlington opened as a specialized outpatient suicide-care program, aiming to expand access to proven treatments. Community & Culture: Burlington’s South End Arts + Business Association unveiled the new SEABA Center, adding gallery space, free music, markets, and more programming to support neighborhood creative and economic vitality. Education: ProCare Therapy’s 2026 State of School Lunch Report ranks Vermont No. 1 for school meals, citing reach, participation, and program access.

Mental Health Care Expansion: Burlington’s Asha Clinic opened as a specialized outpatient program focused exclusively on suicide care, led by researcher Dr. Craig Bryan and backed by the Four Pines Fund, aiming to connect patients to therapies proven to reduce attempts and improve quality of life. Healthcare Costs & Regulation: A new California hospital spending penalty plan faces skepticism after a peer-reviewed study found similar approaches in other states didn’t measurably lower prices or premiums. Childcare Crunch: New Mexico’s one-year-old free childcare program is drawing far more families than available slots, leaving parents like Dakota Rivera stuck on waiting lists and cobbling together care. Trade & Vermont’s Economy: Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on $20B in U.S. goods took effect, with potential knock-on effects for manufacturers and dairy producers in the region, including Vermont. Local Workforce: The River Valley Workforce Investment Board is hosting a fall employment fair Sept. 25 in Springfield, inviting Vermont and New Hampshire employers to meet jobseekers. Community & Culture: Vermont’s Festival of Resistance drew workers and union supporters rallying for collective action, including advocacy for a November labor rights ballot proposal.

Workforce & Housing: Vermont’s unemployment rate sits at 2.6% in July, but the labor-force drop means employers still can’t find enough workers—so the real policy challenge is creating the conditions for people to live here, with housing, child care, education, health care, taxes, permitting, and infrastructure all tied together. Education Reform: Gov. Phil Scott tells school leaders “do not slow down” on district mergers, arguing delays mean lost opportunities and higher costs, while superintendents warn the push is hard amid declining enrollment and budget pressure. Mental Health Care: Burlington’s Asha Clinic opened as a specialized outpatient suicide-care program, led by Dr. Craig Bryan and designed to expand access to proven therapies. Business Growth & Grants: VHCB’s Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program awarded over $1 million in 2026 grants to working lands businesses for water-quality and viability projects. Local Economy: VEDA helped a central Vermont team expand via Green Mountain Ice’s growth, tied to local leadership and hockey-driven community roots. Labor Rights Vote: Vermont voters will decide in November on a constitutional amendment protecting workers’ right to organize and collectively bargain. H-1B Scrutiny: USCIS revoked and denied multiple H-1B petitions in a Vermont-linked case, alleging wage and job-title misclassification.

Vermont Homelessness Response: Vermont 211 will stop handling intake for the new Vermont Homelessness Response Continuum after 4:30 p.m. weekdays and on weekends/holidays, shifting emergency housing screening to the state’s Economic Services Division (7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). PFAS Research: Landmark College is part of a $7.9M NSF PFAS Environmental Research Network to study “forever chemicals” in Vermont groundwater and soil. Transportation Planning Grants: AOT/ACCD/ANR announced $200,000 in Better Connections Grant funding for 2027, offering technical help and master-planning for multi-modal transportation and water-quality improvements. Business Leadership: Peckham Industries named John R. Peckham interim CEO as it transitions leadership at its Newport and Lyndonville sites. Workforce & Local Business: Kelley Bros Access Control Group added Tyra Lanpher as its first female technician in Barre, expanding commercial electrical and security installation capacity. Community & Health Services: Asha Clinic opened in Burlington as a specialized outpatient model focused exclusively on suicide care. Construction Updates: AOT published the Sept. 7 week’s roadwork schedule, including paving and bridge rehabilitation affecting I-89 and I-91 corridors.

Mental Health & Health Care: Burlington’s Asha Clinic opened as a specialized outpatient suicide-care program led by Dr. Craig Bryan, expanding access to therapies aimed at reducing attempts and improving quality of life. Workforce & Local Business: Kelley Bros Access Control Group in Barre hired Tyra Lanpher as its first female technician, adding field experience in commercial electrical work and data-center power and communications installs. State & Community Planning: The Vermont Agency of Transportation and partners announced the $200,000 Better Connections Grant Program for 2027, offering planning support for transportation, community development, and water-quality improvements. Energy & Research: Landmark College is part of a $7.9 million NSF-funded PFAS Environmental Research Network to study “forever chemicals” in Vermont groundwater and soil. Public Safety & Infrastructure: AOT published its Sept. 7 construction schedule, including I-89 paving and bridge work that will bring lane closures and speed limits. Economic Development & Agriculture Finance: VEDA leadership updates include Renée Grzankowski joining an AI task force and new agricultural lending staffing changes. Community Events: Okemo Valley’s new Fall Foliage Train and Pop-Up Festival launches Oct. 3–4, adding to the region’s rail-based seasonal lineup.

H-1B Crackdown: USCIS says Vermont-linked review found a major IT consulting firm classifying skilled tech jobs at wage levels below what duties require, denying and revoking multiple petitions and warning it can undercut U.S. workers. Cyber & Privacy: Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating claims tied to the HumanEdge, Inc. data breach, which may have exposed names and Social Security numbers, after HumanEdge notified Vermont’s attorney general. Mental Health Access: Burlington’s Asha Clinic opened as a specialized outpatient suicide-care program led by Dr. Craig Bryan, expanding local treatment options with a regional model. Agriculture Lending & AI Policy: VEDA named Kim Highter as an agricultural loan officer; Gov. Phil Scott also appointed Renée Grzankowski to lead Vermont’s AI Economic Taskforce. Community & Local Economy: Wardsboro launches a “Turns Up” community process; Okemo Valley debuts a Fall Foliage Train and Pop-Up Festival; and the state announces a Better Connections grant cycle with $200,000 for planning and water-quality improvements.