Current News

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.

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice (CVHHH) has announced that Tom MacLeay of Montpelier is the Honorary Chair of its year-end appeal. Tom is Chair of the National Life Group Foundation and a former President, CEO, and Chair of the Board of National Life Group. Tom shared his story with CVHHH’s extended community in a letter that mailed mid-November. Tom’s connection to CVHHH was forged several decades ago through his wife, Charlotte, to whom he was married for 49 years. Nursing was Charlotte’s calling, according to Tom, and wherever the pair lived, Charlotte found work helping others. She was passionate about public health, and home health and education were her favorite parts of nursing. 

Vermont Business Magazine An innovative collaboration between the Lyndon Institute and Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) in St Johnsbury is offering Licensed Nursing Associate (LNA) instruction to high school students during the 2025-2026 academic year. Students currently enrolled in the program take daily classes and gain hands-on health care experience to prepare for Vermont licensure testing. The use of scenarios with simulated patients, modeled after medical students' training, allows students to practice their skills in realistic situations.  

Vermont Business Magazine The holiday season is a time for celebrating old traditions and making new ones. This year, add giving blood to your holiday activities! Your gift can bring hope and healing to patients in need. The 2025 Gift of Life Marathon Blood Drive will offer four days of giving – with hundreds of donation appointments available. This year, the drive aims to collect 421 pints of blood. “My family knows firsthand how precious blood donation truly is. No one ever expects their loved one to need a transfusion. But when it happens, those bags of blood and platelets become lifelines,” said Shanti Gallo-McKenna, the Gift of Life Marathon 2025 blood drive ambassador.