Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Hospice and Palliative Care Program Director Annie Meredith-Mitchell, MSN, RN, CHPN of University of Vermont Health Network – Home, Health & Hospice attributes the organization’s recent 5 Star rating from Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to the expertise and compassion of the staff.  “This team truly loves what they do and are committed to the work,” she said. The Hospice and Palliative Care program earned the high marks from CMS’s Hospice Quality Report. Data is gathered from surveys completed by family caregivers. Conducted monthly by CMS, the survey contains 47 questions about communication with family, symptom management, compassion and overall satisfaction of the care provided. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Aging Network Consortium (VANC) has announced that its proposal, “Modernizing Vermont’s No Wrong Door (NWD) Older Vermonters Helpline and Information Systems Network Infrastructure,” has been selected as one of twelve national grant recipients by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living (ACL). Through this two-year, $450,000 project, VANC—working in affiliation with all five of Vermont’s Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs)—will serve as the hub for an enhanced and modernized Information, Assistance, and Referral (IA&R) system. This includes a reimagined “Older Vermonters Helpline” and the development of updated technology infrastructure that enhances accessibility, consistency, and service quality statewide.

Vermont Business Magazine The American Red Cross in Vermont urges all donors to give blood or platelets now to keep the blood supply strong this summer. Type O blood products are most needed on hospital shelves – especially in the face of summer challenges that can quickly cause blood and platelet reserves to drop.  In addition to summer fun and holidays, severe summer weather can have a sudden impact on the ability to collect blood and platelets. Scheduling and keeping donation appointments are crucial this month to ensure blood products are constantly available in the weeks to come for all patients, including those in trauma situations that may require several lifesaving transfusions.  

Vermont Business Magazine M&T Bank (MYCE: MTB) in partnership with the Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity will hold a volunteer event to paint a duplex the nonprofit has constructed for two families in Randolph VT. The nonprofit was a recipient of a grant from M&T Bank’s Amplify Fund, which awarded $4.9 million in grants to 51 nonprofit organizations across New England and Long Island and Westchester County, New York in 2025. This family friendly event will see these two homes painted for its new residents – a grandmother raising two small children and a Rwandan immigrant with her mother and two children. 

by Timothy Dean, Dartmouth College Innovative research led by a team of investigators from Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medine—in collaboration with national and local organizations across the U.S.—is showing promise for the development of a digital health app designed to help emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians manage job stress. EMS clinicians are repeatedly placed in isolated and unpredictable situations with only an ambulance and limited equipment, personnel, and medical oversight to care for patients. These work-related factors put them at higher risk for chronic stress, mental health problem, and substance use.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Senate Committee on Committees, which includes Senator Phil Baruth (D/P, Chittenden-Central), Senator Ginny Lyons (D, Chittenden-Southeast), and Lt. Governor John Rodgers (R-Vermont), today announced appointments to the School District Redistricting Task Force, created in Act 73 (H.454) of 2025, An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems. The Committee was charged with appointing one retired or former Vermont superintendent, one retired or former Vermont school business manager, and three current members of the Vermont Senate, not all from the same party nor the same school district. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Arts Council today announced the recipients of the 2025 Governor's Arts Awards recognizing outstanding individual and organizational contributions to the arts. Awards honor educators, artists, performers, advocates, administrators, volunteers, and scholars. Vermonters are recognized for their contributions in five categories. Dona Ann McAdams of Sandgate will receive the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts, the highest honor presented to an artist by the state of Vermont. The award has been presented in conjunction with the governor's office since 1967.

Vermont Business Magazine ICE Mortgage Technology, a neutral provider of a robust end-to-end mortgage platform and part of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), today released its July 2025 Mortgage Monitor report. ICE data reveals that beneath the surface of a broadly cooling but stable housing market, early signs of financial stress are emerging among subsets of homeowners. Pockets of vulnerability can be seen in rising negative equity, increased use of mortgage products that improve short-term affordability, and exposure to student loan debt. Vermont remains in the bottom third of non-current mortgages at 2.9%. Louisiana is highest at 7.5%. Washington State is lowest at 1.9%.

The Vermont State Police has been informed by the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington that the cause of Tina Daigle’s death was asphyxiation/compression of the neck, and the manner of death is homicide/assault by another. The investigation began at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19, 2025, when police received a report that a body had been found at a roadside pull-off along Route 14. First responders arrived and confirmed the individual, a woman, was deceased. Investigators are treating the death as suspicious. No one is currently in custody. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.11 per gallon, down 1.2 cents per gallon from last week's $3.13/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.47/g while the highest was $3.35/g, a difference of 88.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 5.3 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.09/g today.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association The VT Agency of Transportation awarded nearly $1.5 million for the 2026 VT Better Roads Program supporting municipal road work that improves water quality, and results in maintenance cost savings. Clean Water Fund dollars were awarded to projects that bring road segments into full MRGP compliance. Congratulations go out to Albany, Averill, Bloomfield, Brownington, Canaan, Charleston, Concord, Craftsbury, Danville, Derby Town, Granby, Greensboro, Guildhall, Hardwick, Lowell, Maidstone, Stannard, Troy and Westmore!

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets What are farmers market prices like lately? What is the minimum price for a pound of carrots? How do prices compare to last week? How about a year ago? Are they similar in different parts of the state? Get answers to these questions and more! In partnership with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and participating farmers markets around the state, the Vermont Agency for Agriculture, Food, and Markets has developed the Local Food Data Tracking Program to collect and analyze prices on select categories of agricultural products. In 2025, there are over 14 farmers markets that report prices of 30+ plant products and 20+ animal products.