Officials say the number of so-called ‘cash-for-gold' dealers continues to grow and they're concerned the businesses are catering to a significant number of thieves.

A Shaftsbury-based waste hauler has won state approval for a commercial composting operation in Bennington. Trevor Mance, the owner of TAM Waste Management, says the Act 250 permit granted last week was the last regulatory hurdle for the project.  

The House Health Care committee is taking a serious look at a plan to impose a tax on sugar sweetened beverages but opponents of the tax are launching a consumer campaign against the legislation.

Advocates and beneficiaries say Governor Peter Shumlin's plan to cut a key welfare-to-work program by limiting the amount of time people get benefits will increase poverty and homelessness in Vermont.

New figures show that Vermont state revenues were up in most categories last month, coming in slightly ahead of projections.

Crowdfunding has taken off. Kickstarter is the best known crowdfunding site, but there are hundreds of online platforms like it. They enable entrepreneurs, artists and others to pitch an idea for a project and collect donations to finance it. But the day is coming when crowdfunding will be targeted to investors as well as donors.  

Newscast: Friday, February 15, 2013, 5:50 p.m.

More than a decade has passed since lawmakers enacted the Vermont Equal Pay Act. But women in the workplace continue to earn less than their male counterparts. And the Legislature this year will again look for ways to bridge the wage gap between genders.

Sterling College recently announced that it will become only third higher education institution in the nation to divest from fossil fuels.

A technical center in Rutland is going to offer high school students a course on careers in tourism.

A popular health insurance plan offered by Chambers Of Commerce is coming to an end and many local chambers are concerned that without the plan they may lose members.

State Police say last week's arrests in a case involving the theft of more than $200,000 worth of coins from an Alburgh home were the result of a recent law intended to help them track down stolen jewelry. But authorities say some of the area's cash for gold dealers are ignoring the law and making it easy for thieves to sell stolen jewelry.

The Shumlin Administration's proposal to tax private lottery tickets is under scrutiny at the Statehouse. The Legislature's fiscal office says the administration has over-estimated the potential tax revenue. And a veteran's group that sells the tickets is worried the tax will cost it needed funds.

Vermont veterans are going to have a new place to meet where they can work on creating or expanding small businesses.

If there was ever a winter to remind tourism officials that it's dangerous to bank on snow, this is it. At Jay Peak Resort, developer Bill Stenger has already built  a water park to give his visitors something to do, no matter the weather. Now he plans  to do the same at Burke Mountain.

Sterling College says it's going to divest its endowment of stocks in fossil fuel companies as a way to help combat global warming.

A number of Vermont business leaders say the Shumlin Administration is trying to punish thousands of small businesses when a new health care Exchange goes into place next January.

The slow economic recovery means Vermont will take in $20 million less in revenue than was anticipated. The news came the day before Gov. Peter Shumlin delivers his annual budget address.

Governor Peter Shumlin has unveiled his plan to boost state spending next year by 3.4 percent without raising any broad based taxes. But the budget proposal does rely on roughly $60 million in new revenue from a variety of other sources.

The state has signed an agreement with a central Vermont developer to build the first privately run rest area on Interstate 89.  At a signing ceremony in Randolph on Wednesday, Gov. Peter Shumlin said the new center will save the expense of replacing and maintaining an aging state-run rest area nearby.

During remarks in the Senate following his swearing in, Lt. Governor Phil Scott asked lawmakers to keep in mind the economic impacts of the bills they pass.

Librarians across Vermont are dismayed by news that the entire library staff at the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum has been laid off. The library is strapped for cash and its Board of Directors wants to restructure services. 

In recent years there's been a growing recognition by universities that running a family business requires its own unique set of skills. This month, a case competition at the University of Vermont highlighted the growth in family business studies.

The Federal Trade Commission has reported that gasoline prices in northwestern Vermont were higher than its projections. But in an indication that it doesn't suspect illegal activity, it has told Senator Sanders no further investigation is planned.