Current News

by Maggie Lenz and Gwynn Zakov Lawmakers returned to the State House on January 6 to gavel in for the 2026 Legislative Session. As Act 73, the so-called education transformation initiative moves into its first full legislative session since passage, most of the public conversation continues to focus on governance and redistricting. After months of study and hearing widespread public opposition to forced consolidation, the Redistricting Task Force declined to propose new maps. Instead they recommended a model built around shared services and cross-district collaboration, all voluntary. Governor Scott has made no secret of his (to put it mildly) dissatisfaction with this outcome. The administration, including Education Secretary Zoie Saunders continues to push for a significant reduction in Vermont’s 119 districts. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s physicians and other medical professionals reaffirm our unwavering commitment to evidence-based preventive care for children and adolescents in response to recent changes to the national childhood immunization schedule. On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced revisions to the federal childhood vaccine recommendations. These changes reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for all children and shift several immunizations—including those for influenza, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and others—to categories of “shared clinical decision-making” or recommendations limited to specific high-risk populations.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Treasurer Mike Pieciak announced the completion of the first year of operations for Vermont Saves. The program is an affordable retirement savings option provided through the Treasurer’s Office for employers and their workers. In its first year, Vermont Saves helped over 5,200 Vermonters begin building retirement security, with over $4.5 million collectively saved and participation from nearly 1,300 employers statewide. 

Vermont Business Magazine John Dwyer, Chief Executive Officer of EastRise Credit Union, based in Williston, has formally announced his intention to retire effective June 5, 2026, concluding an exceptional 38-year tenure with the organization as President and COO and serving as CEO for the last 15 years. Throughout his distinguished career, Dwyer demonstrated purpose-driven leadership, achieving significant milestones in membership growth, community impact, accountability, and organizational development.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement: “As we begin the 2026 legislative session, I welcome Vermont’s legislators back to the State House and thank them for their continued service to Vermonters. Today also marks the fifth anniversary of the January 6th riots at the U.S. Capitol, a very dark day for our country. My feelings haven’t changed, and I continue to believe it could and should have been avoided. “As I reflect on the causation, it’s an important reminder that fear, anger, and deeply held beliefs can be manipulated and elevated to the point of destruction and violence. It’s also a reminder that our democracy depends on respect for the rule of law, peaceful political disagreement, and the integrity and accountability of the institutions created to serve the people, as well as the officials elected or appointed to uphold them.

Vermont Business Magazine On the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021, insurrection, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) released the following statement: “The attack on the Capitol itself happened five years ago, but the threat to our democracy continues today. Whether our democracy will endure is still an open question. “Donald Trump caused the insurrection. He invited rioters to come to Washington; he encouraged the mob to attack the Capitol; he was the major instrumental cause in bringing them to the Capitol that day. Now, President Trump is rewriting history and erasing the insurrection. His enablers in Congress turned their backs on justice, standing with the President as he pardoned and commuted sentences for the rioters who attacked police officers and spread lies about the outcome of the 2020 election.

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.