Current News

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.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Cory Johnson, 39, of South Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced in Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Criminal Division, after a jury convicted him of one count of Aggravated Sexual Assault following a three-day trial in January. The Court, Judge Michael Kupersmith presiding, sentenced Johnson to 27 years to life in prison. As Johnson is concurrently serving a 20-year sentence in a related federal case from 2022, today’s sentence will extend his term of incarceration. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life.

by Vermont Secretary of Education Zoie Saunders Education Transformation in Vermont is not just about property taxes. It is about building and sustaining the best education system in America. At a moment when nearly every other state is diverting dollars away from public education, Vermont has chosen a different path. Earlier this year, a bipartisan coalition passed Act 73 — a bill that doubles down on public education as the great equalizer, the pathway out of poverty, and the engine that fuels our economy. Having the best education system in America is not just about test scores. It is about giving every student the opportunity to succeed, regardless of economic disadvantage, language status, or the town they call home.

Vermont Business Magazine This coming year, the nearly 31,000 students and families who save for education and training through VT529 will collectively save an estimated $1.5 million in fees. VT529 is Vermont’s official college and training savings plan, administered by VSAC and now managed by Vestwell. The savings reflects a 50% reduction in program fees, one of the biggest benefits that Vestwell will bring to account owners. Vermont residents are also eligible for a 10% tax credit for VT529 contributions (up to $250 per beneficiary per year, or $500 per beneficiary per year for joint filers). 

Vermont Business Magazine Treasurer Pieciak will join Chief Health Care Advocate Mike Fisher, legislative leaders, and health coverage specialists for a press conference on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 10 AM at the Riverside Community Health Center in Burlington. The announcement will help ensure Vermonters losing their Medicare Advantage coverage have the information and support they need to stay insured. While open enrollment for Medicare ended on December 7, Vermonters whose Medicare Advantage plans are leaving the state have until the end of the year to enroll in a Medigap or Part D prescription drug plan. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on December 4, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Christopher Crawford, 36, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, with possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Crawford has not yet been arraigned. According to court records, Crawford is currently detained pending trial by the State of Vermont on charges of first-degree murder, cocaine possession, methamphetamine possession, and possession of a firearm after violent crime conviction. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont- $3.11/g, up 0.7 cents per gallon from last week's $3.10/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.82/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 47.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 5.0 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.90/g today.