Current News

by Amy Spear and Megan Sullivan, Vermont Chamber of Commerce Each year, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce sets legislative priorities grounded in one core objective: advancing the Vermont economy. As we enter the 2026 session, Vermont stands at a defining moment. Affordability pressures, demographic decline, and rising operating costs are converging just as our state needs more workers, more housing, and greater predictability to sustain economic growth. Our work toward long-range strategy began with the Vermont Economic Action Plan, a statewide blueprint shaped by more than 5,000 Vermonters. The plan established a clear vision for a stronger and more affordable future, grounded in data, pairing community insight and measurable targets. It also signaled a pivotal shift in how Vermont approaches economic decision-making. Instead of reacting to problems as they arise, we now have a long-term framework that can guide policy choices and align efforts across the public and private sectors.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, January 15, HomeShare Vermont is hosting an Open House in St. Johnsbury to celebrate its recent expansion across the Northeast Kingdom and to introduce the new local team serving the region. HomeShare Vermont recently expanded services to all of Orleans, Caledonia and Essex Counties, bringing homesharing support to residents and marking a new chapter for the organization’s work in the Northeast Kingdom.

Vermont Business Magazine According to a December 2025 report on healthcare quality across America, New Yorkers receive the worst hospital care when they become ill. The study by the stem cell treatment center Auragens examined healthcare systems in all 50 states, comparing safety, response time, and medical bills. Vermont was 13 spots behind New York, between Arkansas and Kentucky.

Vermont Business Magazine ShipSkis today announced an expanded multi-year partnership with Alterra Mountain Company. ShipSkis has been named the company's Official Shipping Partner of Ikon Pass and participating Alterra Mountain Company destinations through 2028. The Ikon pass is accepted in Vermont at Stratton, Sugarbush and Killington ski resorts. The partnership introduces new ways for guests to move more easily between the mountains. Through ShipSkis' door-to-door shipping services for skis, snowboards, luggage, and gear, Ikon Pass holders and resort guests can bypass airport congestion, avoid oversized baggage fees, and arrive primed for blue-sky days.

Vermont Business Magazine On Tuesday, January 6th at 2 PM ET, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) will join U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Democratic Senate colleagues on the Senate floor for the five-year anniversary of the January 6 Capitol insurrection and honor the more than 100 law enforcement officers who were injured while bravely defending the Capitol, including those who later lost their lives. Five years after violent rioters, waving Confederate flags and symbols of white supremacy, ransacked the Capitol in an effort to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election, President Trump and his Administration have repeatedly tried to rewrite history. The Administration has pardoned rioters who threatened our democratic process and caused nearly $3 million in damages to the Capitol. 

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, today announced the successful completion of its CEO succession plan. Edmond R. “Ned” Coletta has officially assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer and joined the Company’s Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2026. This milestone marks a historic moment for Casella, as Coletta becomes only the second CEO in the company’s 50-year history. Coletta brings over two decades of experience with Casella, joining the company in 2004. He has served in pivotal roles, including Chief Financial Officer and President, where he drove financial discipline, operational excellence, and strategic expansion. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Snow Angel Foundation will bring its national winter safety education tour to Vermont in January and February, partnering with schools, ski areas, and industry leaders to promote awareness, preparedness, and shared responsibility in mountain environments. January’s designation as National Ski Area Safety Awareness Month underscores the Foundation’s mission: improving safety through education while preserving the joy, freedom, and benefits of skiing and snowboarding. Vermont’s deeply rooted ski culture—spanning local hills, youth programs, and iconic resorts—makes it a natural focal point for these conversations.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office Monday announced that Sidney Rivers, 25, of Eureka, California, was arraigned on one count of felony sexual assault and two counts of felony caregiver sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult. The charges were filed by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit (MFRAU) following an investigation into an allegation that Rivers sexually assaulted a resident while employed at the Brattleboro Retreat. The investigation was conducted jointly by MFRAU and the Brattleboro Police Department. Rivers pleaded not guilty at Monday’s arraignment in Vermont Superior Court, Windsor Criminal Division. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Jamie Prim, 55, of Middlebury, Vermont, was arraigned on Friday, January 2, 2026, on two counts of felony sexual assault of a child and one count of felony lewd or lascivious conduct with child. The charges brought against Mr. Prim were the result of an investigation conducted by the Middlebury Police Department. 

Vermont Business Magazine In advance of the 2026 legislative session, the Agency of Education has published findings from its statewide planning retreat and 10 reports that update the General Assembly on key education initiates and decisions needed to support the goals of Act 73. Each report is informed by stakeholder engagement, grounded in research, and aligned with the Agency’s reorganization and commitment to meeting the evolving needs of Vermont’s education system. Together, the reports address key policy questions and advance a shared vision for building the best education system in America.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine Heaven’s Bench perches atop Darling Hill on the grounds of the Wildflower Inn. The Lyndonville landmark is a weathered wooden bench surrounded by 360-degree views of mountains, communities and working lands. To Abby Long, executive director of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative — a nonprofit organization that works to improve quality of life in the NEK through economic and community development — the iconic spot represents the interconnectedness and “special sauce" that is the Northeast Kingdom.

by Michael Donoghue Governor Phil Scott today has named Christina Nolan of Burlington and Michael Drescher of Hinesburg to the Vermont Supreme Court. Christina Nolan, 46, a native Vermonter, has focused on complex civil litigation, government enforcement actions, false claims act, white collar, felony criminal defense, and internal investigations throughout her career. Having previously served as a state and federal prosecutor, Nolan has tried more than a dozen cases to juries and appeared several times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Since January 2002 he has served as an assistant United States attorney, including as first assistant United States attorney (the number two position in the office), and following the resignation of United States Attorney Nikolas Kerest, Drescher has led the office, managing a team of approximately 50 attorneys, investigators, and other legal professionals.