Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health has reported have COVID-19 hospitalizations remain at a negligible level total levels are nearly too low to measure. They are at a similar level to the levels seen last summer. There were no measles cases after one reported in Vermont in February in Washington County and the national outbreak is over. Meanwhile, Flu A and Flu B have mostly disappeared. There is still some RSV, Norovirus and Rotavirus showing up in samples.

Vermont Business Magazine Salmonella, an infection that causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain, is the most common form of bacterial food poisoning in the U.S., sickening more than a million people each year. Although most healthy people recover without medical treatment, Salmonella infection can spread throughout the body in young children, the elderly and immuncompromised individuals and become a life-threatening infection. A new discovery sheds light on how the human body controls Salmonella infections and open pathways for potential treatments for Salmonella and other food-borne infections.

Vermont Business Magazine With Independence Day approaching, the American Red Cross and the Hinesburg Fire Department are urging residents to celebrate safely and understand the serious risks associated with consumer fireworks. Each July 4th, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using fireworks. Despite the dangers, many people underestimate the risks, which include devastating burns, other serious injuries, fires, and even death.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on The Constitution, released the following statement in reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. Barbara, which overturns Executive Order 14160, President Trump’s illegal attempt to eliminate birthright citizenship—a constitutional right granted under the Fourteenth Amendment: “The 14th Amendment of our Constitution is clear: if you are born in America, you are an American citizen. It’s not up for debate."

by Jack Hoffman, Public Assets Institute The education reform train the Legislature assembled a year ago finally left the station when Gov. Phil Scott signed Act 170, but it is still a long way from its final destination. Even the bill the governor just signed, “An act relating to next steps in transforming Vermont’s education system,” is only the start of a vitally important process of local community engagement to shape control and management of Vermont schools going forward. Despite the immediate demands of the next several months, it is not too early to start talking about the future of education funding. The governor and some legislative leaders act as though the new foundation funding system described in last year’s education reform bill (Act 73) is a done deal. But Vermont voters and taxpayers will have the final say, and they don’t have enough information yet to make that decision.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that Vermont will receive approximately 915,000 eggs and $56,000 as part of a settlement with the nation’s largest egg producers for colluding behind the scenes to raise prices. A bipartisan multistate investigation with the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch illegally coordinated for years to influence a daily price index for eggs, which artificially increased prices for retailers and consumers throughout the country. Today’s settlement will result in a donation of 53 million eggs and $3.3 million nationwide. Vermont’s eggs will be delivered directly to food banks and community organizations serving Vermont.  

Vermont Business Magazine Community Care Network – Rutland Mental Health Services (CCN-RMHS) has announced expansion of its Open Access model, a service that allows individuals and families seeking support to walk in and receive same-day assessments without an appointment. While CCN-RMHS has been offering partial Open Access for outpatient Adult Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Services since 2023, the agency recently expanded the model to include Child and Family Mental Health Services, and increased accessibility from three days per week to five days per week.

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) is now accepting applications for the agency’s first paid Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) training program. The session will launch in August 2026 and be held over two-and-a-half weeks at CVHHH headquarters in Barre. CVHHH’s LNA Certification Training is designed for early-career candidates or those in career transition who are interested in pursuing healthcare professionally. Facilitated by Tracey Zimmer, CVHHH’s clinical nurse educator, and led by Elliott Russell, RN, participants will receive classroom instruction and practical clinical education as they prepare for their LNA certification exam. In addition to hourly compensation, the agency will cover certification fees for trainees. After completing the program and earning certification, participants will have the opportunity to pursue full-time employment at CVHHH.

Vermont Business Magazine Copley Hospital has announced that its annual Stowe Art, Wine & Food Fundraiser was a tremendous success, raising nearly $60,000 in proceeds to provide high-quality healthcare close to home. The amount raised by supporters represents a 30% increase over last year's event. The hospital extends its gratitude to everyone who made the evening so memorable and impactful. Held on Thursday, June 4th at The Jewish Community of Greater Stowe, the event brought together friends, neighbors, and community supporters for an evening of wine tasting, silent and live auctions, a wine pull, and the warmth of shared purpose. The generosity on display was extraordinary.

Vermont Business Magazine As part of a coalition of 23 other attorneys general and two governors, Attorney General Charity Clark today announced a lawsuit over the Trump Administration’s unlawful implementation of new Medicaid work requirements included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, HR.1. Specifically, the lawsuit challenges provisions of an interim final rule published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on June 3, 2026.  Medicaid is the nation’s safety net health care program for low-income Americans and is jointly funded by states and the federal government, with the federal government providing at least 50% of the cost of services. The coalition is seeking to block implementation of the interim final rule’s illegal provisions and to have them ultimately struck down.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) today led 75 of her colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern about the Israeli military’s operations in southern Lebanon. Since the temporary cessation of hostilities in Lebanon was announced on April 16, 2026, both Israeli forces and Hezbollah have continued military operations in violation of the ceasefire. As the Trump administration implements the memorandum of understanding with Iran, the letter urges the State Department to take all possible steps in bringing a swift end to the wars in Iran and Lebanon.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Finance Committee, today released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s rulings in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook. In the former, the Court gave the President power to fire the heads of independent agency without cause: “The Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. Slaughter is a dangerous expansion of presidential power. The conservative Court just gave him a green light to fire once-independent regulators at will.