Current News

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) said Monday that over a dozen rural hospital leaders from Vermont and across the United States are praising the Senate’s unanimous passage of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation supported by Senator Welch and led by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), to extend the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD) for five years. RCHD provides a lifeline to rural hospitals by allowing them to test innovative hospital payment models under Medicare that boost financial sustainability to maintain and improve health care access in rural communities across the country. Vermont’s Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is one of the thirty hospitals across the country chosen for this demonstration program.

Vermont Business Magazine On May 26, 2026, Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC) attained Magnet designation for the fourth consecutive time, which was officially announced by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This redesignation is a testament to RRMC’s continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice.

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, June 6, the Upper Valley Aquatic Center (UVAC) will become a hub for inclusive water safety, hosting a dual-event day designed to empower both swim professionals and local families. The day features an advanced professional workshop led by the founders of Swim Angelfish, followed by free adaptive swim safety sessions for children with Autism, ADHD, and other sensory needs. Drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death for children with special needs. To combat this, UVAC is bringing in Cindy Freedman (Occupational Therapist) and Aileen Tisser (Physical Therapist), founders of the world-renowned Swim Whisperers methodology, to lead an intensive In-Water Workshop from 9 AM to 1 PM.

Vermont Business Magazine On Tuesday, June 2, Rutland Regional Medical Center will host a Regional Mixer from 5:30pm – 7pm at the K-1 Lodge in Killington. The focus of the mixer is the Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic (VOC). There is no cost to attend the mixer, and guests will enjoy light bites and beverages in a relaxed atmosphere while mixing and mingling with providers and staff from the clinic. There will be a short presentation where guests will learn more about the programs and services VOC provides across the broader local region.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Electric Department announced today new power purchase agreements (PPAs) with a subsidiary of New England Reliable Hydropower Holdings LLC and Relevate Power for hydroelectric power from projects in New England. BED and a subsidiary of NERH signed two PPAs, one for short-term hydropower through the end of 2026 providing 100 percent of the energy output and associated renewable energy credits (RECs) from the Skelton Hydro facility on the Saco River in Maine and another five-year PPA beginning January 1, 2027, for 50 percent of the output (approximately 50,000 MWh annually) and associated RECs from Skelton Hydro. The five-year agreement was considered and approved by the Burlington Electric Commission (BEC) at its May 13, 2026, meeting.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) Board of Commissioners has awarded tax credits which will generate $28 million for developing 241 apartments. These homes will serve low-income renters in seven communities across the state. Awards of federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits and state rental tax credits come at a pivotal time for Vermont as development costs and the demand for more affordable housing rise. Since 2020, the cost to develop an affordable apartment and the number of Vermonters experiencing homelessness have both doubled. Tax credits incentivize developers to build apartments that charge lower rents than typically available. These 241 homes funded by VHFA are only a fraction of the estimated 11,000 rentals Vermont needs to serve low-income households over the next five years.

Vermont Business Magazine The State Auditor’s Office (SAO) today released a report that summarizes common audit findings that have resulted from the dozens of audits completed during Auditor Doug Hoffer’s tenure to date. He was first elected in 2012 and previously announced he would not seek another term. Notwithstanding the huge range of services provided, there are many common elements in the management of state programs. Not surprisingly, they encounter similar problems across state government. But in each audit, the findings are limited to a particular program and department. Therefore, in recognition of this, they produced this summary report of common audit findings in order to inform and benefit all agency, department, and program leadership, whether or not they have been the subject of an audit.

Vermont Business Magazine The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation’s Southern VT Economy Project (SVEP), invites Southern Vermont’s municipal leaders (both elected and appointed, as well as Town staff) to attend a workshop entitled “Building Community Through (Better) Public Engagement" on Thursday, June 11 from 1-4 pm. This is the third event in the 2025/2026 Municipal Leaders Network, an ongoing series designed to connect local municipal employees, elected officials, and volunteers with expert resources and peer networking. The event will take place at the Townshend Town Hall (2006 Rte. 30), and is free of charge.

by Maggie Lenz and Gwynn Zakov The 2026 Vermont legislative session ran past its expected close, and the reason wasn't a mystery. The three biggest issues, education reform, the statewide property tax rate and the FY27 budget all needed to be untangled. None of them could really land without the others, and all three had to clear a bar that mattered more than any vote count in either chamber. They had to be something Governor Scott would sign. Scott wanted an education reform bill that actually implemented Act 73, not a study of it. He wanted a budget that didn't spend money Vermont didn't have. And on property taxes, he wanted real relief, not a token gesture. H.949, the yield bill, uses $104.9 million in one-time general fund money to buy down property tax rates in FY27, bringing the average statewide increase to about 3.5 percent. That's a significant improvement over the 7 percent increase projected back in December. The overall budget came in at $9.4 billion in non-duplicate funds, up from $9.2 billion in FY26.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP) is a competitive grant program from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. This program funds up to 90% of the purchasing cost of field equipment for water quality improvements on farms. For example, the program often funds equipment for cover cropping, conservation tillage, or innovative manure or wastewater management.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont- $4.46/g, down 6.3 cents per gallon from last week's $4.52/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $4.06/g while the highest was $4.69/g, a difference of 63.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 19.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.26/g today.

by Kristen Munson, UVM When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations come to town it can create a landscape of fear, chilling commerce and school attendance, and now, new research shows it affects childcare workers. A team from the University of Vermont, Yale University, Arizona State University, and American University examined how changes in ICE tactics between 2023 and 2025 have influenced the childcare workforce—a vital sector of the economy that employs nearly one million workers across the country and generates $7.2 billion in quarterly wages and is comprised of roughly 20% immigrant labor. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy on May 22.