Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations have leveled off after moving up slightly in previous weeks. Other indicators like wastewater virus show an increase in COVID-19 and Norovirus in Vermont and nationally, while COVID outbreaks decreased. There were 3 outbreaks last week (0 the week before), with 2 in Long-Term Care Facilities and 0 in schools. Like hospitalizations, outbreaks increased slightly from mid-summer and have since fallen. Overall Viral Activity Levels categories: Very Low, Low, Moderate, High, Very High. Trend categories: Increase (>10%), Stable, Decrease (<10%) over the last 28 days

Vermont Business Magazine As winter illness season ramps up, new CDC data reveals which states and environments have experienced the highest number of norovirus outbreaks over the past decade. A new analysis from Trace One uses 10 years of CDC National Outbreak Reporting System data to map where norovirus outbreaks are most common, when they peak, and which settings are most vulnerable.Often referred to as the “winter vomiting bug,” norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea from acute gastroenteritis nationwide and is responsible for a significant share of foodborne illness outbreaks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its high transmissibility, coupled with its resilience on surfaces and in various settings, makes norovirus particularly difficult to contain once it begins to spread.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Mental Health (DMH) is offering a free Problem Gambling Essentials Training for mental health and substance use treatment providers. The ten-week, online program begins January 13 and gives clinicians tools to support individuals struggling with gambling, a condition affecting an estimated 11,000 adults statewide, according to the 2021 Survey of Publicly Funded Problem Gambling Services in the United States. Participants who complete the training will receive 30 continuing education credits (CEUs) and will be eligible to earn a Vermont Problem Gambling Specialist (PGS) Certificate. The PGS Certificate allows agencies or private practice to be listed as referral sources on the Vermont Gambling Helpline at no cost. 

Vermont Business Magazine A newly formed nonprofit dedicated to supporting and sustaining Vermont journalism has elected its first board of directors. Founded in June 2025, the Vermont Journalism Coalition represents more than 40 newspapers, television stations, radio stations and digital news outlets across the state. Its mission is to represent the shared interests of professional news organizations in Vermont and to advocate for the principles of journalism. In its first leadership elections late last month, the coalition selected nine people to serve on its board.

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice (CVHHH) has announced that funds raised on Giving Tuesday 2025, December 2, totaled nearly $10,000. These contributions were made by community members as part of CVHHH’s year-end fundraising appeal and will be used to sustain home health care and other vital services across the agency’s five programs.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports recently recognized two Vermont residents, Meaghan Diffenderfer and Maura O’Brian, with the 2025 Worksite Wellness Outstanding Contributor Award for their extraordinary efforts to support the health and wellbeing of their co-workers. The award recipients were nominated by their peers and selected by a review committee using an objective scoring rubric.

Vermont Business Magazine Generator Makerspace will host a community sewing workshop over two days in December dedicated to supporting breast cancer patients receiving care at the University of Vermont Medical Center's Oncology Unit. The workshops will take place Saturday, December 13, and Sunday, December 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Generator Makerspace in Burlington. The goal is to produce as many shower bags as possible in support of patients recovering from breast cancer surgery. The bags provide a simple but meaningful way to offer comfort, dignity, and convenience during treatment and recovery—allowing patients to shower hands-free while managing post-surgical drains.

Vermont Business Magazine The holiday season brings joy, connection, and tradition—but it can also create stress and challenges for those affected by substance use disorder (SUD). SUD, which includes alcohol and other substances such as opioids, affects millions of Americans and their families. However, celebrating sober benefits everyone—not just those in recovery. Howard Center is offering resources and support to help individuals and families enjoy the season while prioritizing health and well-being.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Agriculture and Finance Committees, and Ranking Member of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, today released the following statement in response to President Trump’s proposed $12 billion plan to give farmers a one-time bailout after his administration’s reckless economic policies exacerbated the farm crisis: “American farms are in crisis, and the agricultural economy is in free-fall. President Trump’s reckless economic and trade policies bear much of the blame for the pain that farmers in Vermont and across the country feel right now. The president’s tariffs and the trade wars he created have closed markets and raised taxes on farms and farming communities."

Vermont Business Magazine The Department for Children and Families (DCF) Family Services Division (FSD) and NorthCountry Federal Credit Union (NCFCU) announced a partnership in 2023 to provide barrier-free access to bank accounts for youth in foster care in Vermont. Foster youth in Vermont, and nationally, regularly encounter challenges when opening bank accounts. The process requires approval from their legal guardian – in their case, the state. Their custody status often leads to additional bureaucratic stumbling blocks along the way. This has left many young people without a place to save money or practice financial skills and independence.

Vermont Business Magazine For more than 25 years, the Center for Health and Learning (CHL) in Shelburne has trained thousands of Vermonters to recognize and respond to suicide risk and other public health issues, providing lifesaving, prevention-focused education to schools, first responders, healthcare facilities, workplaces, and community organizations throughout the state and beyond. Today, the nonprofit announced it will dissolve by December 12, 2025, due to significant federal funding cuts and an uncertain economy. On October 15, CHL’s Board of Directors, facing an insurmountable financial shortfall, voted to dissolve. Previously planned trainings will still take place between now and the closure date. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Nicholas Haller-Daskalides, 32, of Franklin, Vermont, was arraigned on four counts of felony Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials. The charges brought against Haller-Daskalides are the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security and St. Albans Police Department. Haller-Daskalides pleaded not guilty at his arraignment today in Vermont Superior Court, Franklin Criminal Division. The Court, Judge Elizabeth Novotny presiding, ordered Haller-Daskalides to be released on conditions including that he not have contact with minors age 16 or younger, that he not access the internet, and that he not possess electronic devices capable of internet access.