The Addison County Economic Development Corporation has helped three local businesses win a total of $34,447 through the state’s Building Communities grant program. Receiving grants were Leicester’s Mountainside Flooring, $15,000 to buy an end-matching machine; $10,884 for Mountain Mac Cider Company of Middlebury to replace machinery lost during a 2023 flood; and $8,563 for lu*lu Ice Cream of Vergennes, for expanded production space fit-up. Thanks to annual appropriations by the Vermont General Assembly, the Building Communities program annually awards $900,000 in matching grants to municipalities and nonprofit organizations for capital investments in human services, health care, education, recreation, and economic development. The ACEDC was awarded and will administer the grants in the economic development category in Addison County.

Middlebury’s Ilsley Library continues to prepare for its transition during major construction at its 75 Main St. headquarters. As a reminder to patrons, the Main Street location will close to the public on Feb. 1, when librarians will begin working with a professional library moving company to relocate the bulk of the collection to a Vergennes storage facility, and a portion of it to the National Banks of Middlebury’s Duclos building at the intersection of Main Street and Printer’s Alley. That’s where Middlebury’s basic library services will be offered (beginning March 1) while the Ilsley building is renovated and expanded. On Feb. 3, the Sarah Partridge Branch Library in East Middlebury will begin special operating hours, Monday through Saturday. Also on March 1, ReArch Company — the design-builder for the library renovation/expansion — will take possession of 75 Main St. Their first step will be setting up a field office and fencing off the construction site. Demolition is tentatively slated to begin in late March, according to Ilsley Director Dana Hart.

Vermont’s coldest months are here, and many Vermonters are trying to balance the cost of keeping the heat on and putting food on the table. Last year, the Warmth Support Program provided emergency assistance to 3,227 neighbors in the Champlain Valley. With dangerously low temperatures in the forecast, the number of people seeking support will likely increase this year. Community Bank has offered to match donations now through Feb. 28, up to $25,000. The matching offer will double the impact of every dollar donated, making it possible for the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity to offer even more relief to those struggling to stay warm. Find more details about the program at tinyurl.com/2s4ctrwj.

Average gasoline prices in Vermont have fallen 1.6 cents per gallon during the past week to $3.07, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 626 stations. Prices in Vermont are 4.9 cents lower than a month ago and 16.4 cents lower than a year ago. The cheapest station sold at $2.69 this week, and the most expensive at $3.29. Meanwhile, the national average price rose 5.6 cents during the past week to $3.03, up 3 cents from a month ago, but 2.9 cents lower than a year ago.