Current News

Vermont Business Magazine During the Thanksgiving holiday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT), and law enforcement agencies across the state and nation remind drivers to wear their seat belts. Whether driving cross-country or just across town to celebrate the holiday, everyone in a vehicle should Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time. In addition to being required by law, buckling up, combined with an airbag, is the best defense against injury or death in a crash. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Windham Foundation is a nonprofit based in Grafton, VT that works to enhance economic, cultural, and civic life in Vermont. The Foundation has announced the recipients of their most recent round of grants. Thirty-four Vermont-based nonprofits received a total of $137,100 in financial support. The Fall Grants cycle was open to projects focused on (1) Preserving and Developing Resilient Communities, and (2) Healthy and Vibrant Communities. Funded projects included programs focused on family support, housing security, outdoor programming, and workforce development. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont-At-Large) today condemned anti-Palestinian hatred and violence. Their statements came on the second anniversary of an attack on college students Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ali Ahmad, in Burlington. Senators Welch and Sanders today also announced a forthcoming Senate Resolution commemorating the second anniversary of the attack and denouncing bias, hatred, and threats to life and safety. The Senate Resolution will be officially filed when Congress returns in early December.  

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark and a coalition of 20 other states sued the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today for illegally upending supports for tens of thousands of Americans experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity with abrupt changes that will limit access to long-term housing and other services. HUD is drastically changing its Continuum of Care grant program in violation of congressional intent by dramatically reducing the amount of grant funds that can be spent on permanent housing and project renewals and putting new unlawful conditions on access to the funding. These requirements include that providers only recognize two genders, mandate residents accept services as a precondition to obtain housing and punish providers in localities that do not enforce strict anti-homeless laws. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations remain low after an increase in cases that began in August and ran into early fall. Other indicators like wastewater virus show an increase in COVID-19 and Norovirus in Vermont and nationally, while COVID outbreaks also edged higher. There were 4 outbreaks last week (4 the week before), with 4 in Long-Term Care Facilities and 0 in schools. Like hospitalizations, outbreaks increased slightly from mid-summer and have since fallen.

Vermont Business Magazine The American Nurses Foundation has announced the selection of five health systems, including Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, who are the recipients of mini-grants to help expand the free Nurse Well-Being: Building Peer and Leadership Support program into rural and long-term care settings. Each grant is valued at $10,000 and is designed to support nurse-led teams in the implementation of the program's online modules and resources within communities and health systems that face unique challenges and would benefit from nurse well-being support and a healthy workplace culture.

Vermont Business Magazine Age Well has announced a generous $5,000 donation from the Fanny Allen Corporation to support Age Well’s Medically Tailored Meals, a key component of the Meals on Wheels program. This contribution will directly help provide nutritious, medically appropriate meals to Vermonters with specific health conditions, supporting their independence and overall health.  

Vermont Business Magazine New research from BlazerWorks reveals that Vermont is the #1 best state in the nation for special education — leading the country in inclusion, support staffing, and student success. The State of Special Education Index analysed national education and health data across all 50 states to understand how well each supports students with disabilities. Vermont stands out at the top of the rankings, ahead of North Carolina and Maine. In Vermont, nearly 80% of children with special health care needs participate in extracurricular activities — one of the highest involvement rates in the country. The state also ranks in the top 10 nationally for peer relationships, early intervention, academic achievement, and investment in student support services.

The Vermont State Police has continued investigating a cruelty-to-a-child complaint that was made on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. According to the findings of the investigation, Carmine Colajezzi, 39, of Randolph physically harmed and caused injury to his child, who is younger than age 5, on Sunday in addition to the prior incident on Nov. 16. Both incidents occurred while Colajezzi was shopping at Central Supply in the town of Randolph. 

Vermont Business Magazine Impactful research by scientists at the University of Vermont has identified new blood tests that can predict a person’s risk for cognitive impairment that can lead to dementia—long before people notice any memory issues. These blood tests use an emerging technology able to detect leakage of tiny amounts of proteins, called biomarkers, from damaged brain cells. The findings, published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, show that brain changes happen decades before the onset of symptoms.

Vermont Business Magazine With the recent closure of the Copley Birthing Center, Copley Hospital has worked carefully to ensure that valuable equipment and supplies continue to benefit maternal and newborn care in the community. To support the next chapter in local maternity care, Copley donated equipment, furniture, and other supplies to the Green Mountain Birth Center (GMBC), which is preparing to open its doors to serve families in the region. Copley announced it would close the birthing center last June and did so on November 1.

Vermont Business Magazine VITL, Vermont’s nonprofit health information exchange, has announced the appointment of Randy Farmer as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Farmer brings more than a decade of executive leadership experience and a deep understanding of health data services. He most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer at the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN), one of the country’s leading health information exchanges. His accomplishments include expanding health data exchange utilization; developing services to best support providers and patients; and driving data sharing innovations that support patient care, care coordination, public health, and health system performance. Farmer will begin at VITL on December 15, 2025.