Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today joined 21 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from unlawfully cutting off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents. The coalition seeks to block new guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that wrongly treats several groups of legal immigrants as ineligible for food assistance, including permanent residents who were granted asylum or admitted as refugees. The attorneys general argue that the guidance contradicts federal law, yet noncompliance could trigger massive financial penalties on states; the coalition is asking the court to declare the guidance unlawful.

Vermont Business Magazine The City Council's Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee on Tuesday night discussed the third-party Velerity report at its meeting. This report was envisioned in a City Council Resolution from November 2023 to help Burlington Electric Department identify ways to improve efficiency, reduce stack emissions (carbon and particulates), and promote innovation at McNeil. The final report analyzed a number of technologies, alternative fuels, and efficiency improvements that could be made at McNeil, with an eye toward environmental benefits, as well as affordability and reliability for ratepayers. The report found that wood pyrolysis (gasification of wood chips into synthetic gas) represents an opportunity to significantly increase the electric production efficiency while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. It would also cost slightly less.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Victoria Thompson, 32, of White River Junction, Vermont, was sentenced in Vermont Superior Court, Windsor County, Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to a felony charge of selling or dispensing a regulated drug with death resulting and two misdemeanor drug-possession charges. The Court, Judge Elizabeth Mann presiding, sentenced the defendant to one to five years to serve, all suspended but 135 days, with a six-year term of probation. The probation terms require Ms. Thompson to successfully complete a residential drug recovery program. 

Vermont Business Magazine During the Thanksgiving holiday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT), and law enforcement agencies across the state and nation remind drivers to wear their seat belts. Whether driving cross-country or just across town to celebrate the holiday, everyone in a vehicle should Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time. In addition to being required by law, buckling up, combined with an airbag, is the best defense against injury or death in a crash. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Windham Foundation is a nonprofit based in Grafton, VT that works to enhance economic, cultural, and civic life in Vermont. The Foundation has announced the recipients of their most recent round of grants. Thirty-four Vermont-based nonprofits received a total of $137,100 in financial support. The Fall Grants cycle was open to projects focused on (1) Preserving and Developing Resilient Communities, and (2) Healthy and Vibrant Communities. Funded projects included programs focused on family support, housing security, outdoor programming, and workforce development. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont-At-Large) today condemned anti-Palestinian hatred and violence. Their statements came on the second anniversary of an attack on college students Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ali Ahmad, in Burlington. Senators Welch and Sanders today also announced a forthcoming Senate Resolution commemorating the second anniversary of the attack and denouncing bias, hatred, and threats to life and safety. The Senate Resolution will be officially filed when Congress returns in early December.  

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark and a coalition of 20 other states sued the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today for illegally upending supports for tens of thousands of Americans experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity with abrupt changes that will limit access to long-term housing and other services. HUD is drastically changing its Continuum of Care grant program in violation of congressional intent by dramatically reducing the amount of grant funds that can be spent on permanent housing and project renewals and putting new unlawful conditions on access to the funding. These requirements include that providers only recognize two genders, mandate residents accept services as a precondition to obtain housing and punish providers in localities that do not enforce strict anti-homeless laws. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations remain low after an increase in cases that began in August and ran into early fall. Other indicators like wastewater virus show an increase in COVID-19 and Norovirus in Vermont and nationally, while COVID outbreaks also edged higher. There were 4 outbreaks last week (4 the week before), with 4 in Long-Term Care Facilities and 0 in schools. Like hospitalizations, outbreaks increased slightly from mid-summer and have since fallen.

Vermont Business Magazine The American Nurses Foundation has announced the selection of five health systems, including Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, who are the recipients of mini-grants to help expand the free Nurse Well-Being: Building Peer and Leadership Support program into rural and long-term care settings. Each grant is valued at $10,000 and is designed to support nurse-led teams in the implementation of the program's online modules and resources within communities and health systems that face unique challenges and would benefit from nurse well-being support and a healthy workplace culture.

Vermont Business Magazine Age Well has announced a generous $5,000 donation from the Fanny Allen Corporation to support Age Well’s Medically Tailored Meals, a key component of the Meals on Wheels program. This contribution will directly help provide nutritious, medically appropriate meals to Vermonters with specific health conditions, supporting their independence and overall health.  

Vermont Business Magazine New research from BlazerWorks reveals that Vermont is the #1 best state in the nation for special education — leading the country in inclusion, support staffing, and student success. The State of Special Education Index analysed national education and health data across all 50 states to understand how well each supports students with disabilities. Vermont stands out at the top of the rankings, ahead of North Carolina and Maine. In Vermont, nearly 80% of children with special health care needs participate in extracurricular activities — one of the highest involvement rates in the country. The state also ranks in the top 10 nationally for peer relationships, early intervention, academic achievement, and investment in student support services.

The Vermont State Police has continued investigating a cruelty-to-a-child complaint that was made on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. According to the findings of the investigation, Carmine Colajezzi, 39, of Randolph physically harmed and caused injury to his child, who is younger than age 5, on Sunday in addition to the prior incident on Nov. 16. Both incidents occurred while Colajezzi was shopping at Central Supply in the town of Randolph.