Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations fell again slightly after a recent increase in cases that began in August. Neither the VDH nor the CDC are any longer reporting COVID fatalities or total cases in Vermont or in the US. WastewaterSCAN testing of treatment plants indicates that in Vermont both COVID-19 and Norovirus levels are higher in Vermont than they are nationally. There were 5 outbreaks last week (5 the week before), with 5 in Long-Term Care Facilities and 0 in schools. Like hospitalizations, outbreaks increased slightly since mid-summer.

Vermont Business Magazine Finance Committee member Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) today introduced the No Big Blockbuster Bailouts Act (NOBBBA), a bill to reverse Republicans’ policies in the so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ that block Medicare from negotiating the price of blockbuster drugs. The NOBBBA will ensure seniors, people with disabilities on Medicare, and families can access the lower-priced prescriptions they need. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found this week that the Republican tax and spending bill’s exemption and delay of Medicare drug price negotiation on certain drugs provided a staggering $8.8 billion bailout to Big Pharma—nearly double the original estimate. This exclusion included several blockbuster cancer and rare disease drugs, including Keytruda (Merck), Opdivo (Bristol-Myers Squibb), and Darzalex (Johnson & Johnson). 

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington School District today announced a major milestone in the pursuit of equity. In 2024–25, Students of the Global Majority made up 42% of BSD’s student population yet represented only 33% of suspensions. This means that last year, for the first time, BSD eliminated racial disparities in suspensions. In addition to reducing racial disparities, BSD also reduced the total number of suspensions across the district from 248 to 207. Still, Flanagan was quick to note that there is more work to be done.

by Julie Curtin, Champlain Housing Trust, and Brian Stark, Stark Law For most Vermonters, a home is more than just a place to live–it’s the biggest investment they’ll make. For roughly 35 to 40 percent of Americans, owning a home is the number one way to build wealth. For some, a home continues a legacy that began generations ago. For others, it’s the first step in creating one. Either way, homeownership is a powerful achievement–and protecting that achievement is just as important as reaching it. There’s no better time than now to begin your estate planning, and CHT has the course to put you on that path. 

Vermont Business Magazine When Kathy Johnson of Williston learned earlier this year that she would need heart surgery to unblock her left coronary artery, she wasn’t surprised – or even all that worried. Johnson, a 65-year-old mother of two and now three-time grandmother, has dealt with a lifetime’s worth of serious medical issues, diagnoses and treatments with a take-on-all-comers attitude, starting at age 13, when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Vermont Business Magazine October is National Dental Hygiene Month. Vermont State University (VTSU), home to the state’s only accredited dental hygiene program, is recognizing the public health impact of its hundreds of program graduates, as well as its faculty and staff. Since 2004, the university has graduated 324 students into the workforce, the vast majority of whom are Vermonters with the remaining primarily coming to the program from border communities in neighboring states of New York and New Hampshire. For the past twenty years, VTSU dental hygiene students have successfully passed both the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) and the American Dental Examiners (ADEX) hygiene examinations. Additionally, the Dental Hygiene program has a noteworthy 100% job placement rate for graduates. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters came together on October 11th at the Burlington Surf Club for the Second Annual Vermont PANS/PANDAS 5K Run/Walk, an event shining a spotlight on pediatric autoimmune brain disorders that can abruptly alter a child's life overnight. Hosted by the Vermont PANDAS/PANS Network, the race brought together families, clinicians, and advocates to raise awareness of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). These conditions, triggered by infections such as strep or COVID-19, cause the immune system to attack the brain—leading to the sudden onset of obsessive behaviors, anxiety, tics, and other debilitating symptoms.

Vermont Business Magazine A growing multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, surgeons, specialists, pharmacists, nurses and a psychologist is expanding local access to treatment and condition management services for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in Vermont and northern New York. Led by IBD specialist and gastroenterologist Shruti Khurana, MD, the IBD Clinic at University of Vermont Health – UVM Medical Center offers leading-edge surgical services, treatment and condition management strategies for patients with conditions including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and pouch-related conditions such as pouchitis, a gastrointestinal condition that causes symptoms like diarrhea, bloody bowel movements, abdominal cramping, urgency and fatigue.

Vermont Family Network When the federal government shuts down, the effects ripple far beyond the Capitol. Paychecks are delayed, offices close their doors, and essential projects are put on hold. News headlines often highlight political dysfunction and uncertainty, painting a bleak picture, especially for communities that depend on federally funded services. But there is another story worth telling. It is the story of resilience. Of commitment. Of people who continue to show up. A government shutdown may symbolize dysfunction at the top, but it also reveals something powerful happening on the ground—individuals and organizations who continue to serve, support, and strengthen their communities regardless of the circumstances.

Vermont Business Magazine Tomorrow, Treasurer Mike Pieciak will kick off a two-day statewide road tour to meet with small businesses and local employers participating in the Vermont Saves program. The tour will give businesses and workers the opportunity to share their experiences with the program directly with Treasurer Pieciak. Vermont Saves is a simple, affordable retirement plan offered through the Treasurer’s Office to Vermont employers and their workers. Since opening for enrollment in December 2024, nearly twelve hundred employers have signed up for the program–helping Vermonters collectively save millions toward their retirement. Reports show that people younger than 40 make up 55% of those enrolled in Vermont Saves, with 30% younger than 30.   

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Mark Bissonnette, 55, formerly of Groton and Newbury, Vermont, and currently in custody in St. Johnsbury, was sentenced in Vermont Superior Court, Caledonia Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to three felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material, one felony count of Attempted Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance, and one count of Violating Conditions of Release. The Court, Judge Michael Kainen presiding, sentenced the defendant to one to 15 years and six months in prison after a contested sentencing hearing. Bissonnette is also required to register as a sex offender until 10 years have passed since the completion of his sentence. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) is now accepting pre-applications for the 2026 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant round. Each year RTP offers the opportunity for Vermont municipalities, non-profits, and other governmental entities to receive funds to develop, restore, and maintain public recreational trails. RTP is a reimbursement program funded by the Federal Highway Administration and is expected to administer approximately $500,000 in this year’s round. Award amounts are dependent on each project’s merits and needs, with a maximum grant award of $50,000 for Standard RTP projects. Grantees must commit to securing a minimum 20% match.